The Raven Kings - 3

Silas’s eyes, the color of a stormy sea, held a glint of84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2B1XKcxWm

amusement that didn't quite reach the hard set of his jaw. He84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNuJGRKX5B

was a man sculpted from granite and shadows, his broad84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTVB1unBSf

shoulders hinting at the strength he possessed, the strength84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NqLxEiiUu

that had earned him the unquestioned leadership of the84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1tQC2reL02

Raven Kings. His tattoos, a swirling vortex of black ink84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IEHSJoJMI

against his pale skin, told a story of rebellion, of defiance, a84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBz80NfN6J

testament to a life lived on the razor’s edge. They spoke of84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8fyYYlf9w

ravens, of kings, and of a violent philosophy etched deep84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSXF3n0kIq

into his soul.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVODChl5FB

He didn't speak for a long time, simply observing Joshua, his84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHejBEup86o

gaze penetrating and unnerving. The silence in the small cell84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLiNMFCRgd

became a palpable entity, heavy with unspoken expectations.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuw1Q5FDH20

Joshua felt the weight of it, the pressure of Silas’s84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsr8tBb6gR1

unwavering stare. He was being assessed, judged, weighed84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRJFaZXs9a

against some internal yardstick that only Silas understood. It84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lDUOArlAl

was a silent interrogation, far more intense than any shouting84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGzg2mZPHt

match could ever be. The only sounds were the distant,84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazsfTQs3MP

muffled clamor of the prison, a constant reminder of their84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvdj8KtHTV

precarious existence.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnhEh46bAV

Finally, Silas spoke, his voice a low rumble that resonated84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcE15H6vyL

with an unexpected melody. "So, the furry gets fifteen years84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzSzfefOBr

for a Tumblr post," he said, a hint of irony lacing his tone.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3fVN3EZEw

"That's… efficient." There was a strange quality to his84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkH8BklZQLU

words, a mix of derision and a surprising empathy that both84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoP5o2NjYV

disarmed and unsettled Joshua.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGt95B7YaM

Joshua swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. "It wasn't what it84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8HcLYUmAJ

looked like," he mumbled, the words barely audible above84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3xqxzPmmS

the hum of the prison. He tried to explain, to justify, but the words caught in his throat. He felt the inadequacy of his84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnhfLSIVuB

explanation, the absurdity of his predicament.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqxJpDBBtS

Silas chuckled, a sound that seemed to shake the very84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpulN1qqxc

foundations of their cramped cell. "Oh, I'm sure it wasn't.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe96DCBRZ90

But the system sees what it wants to see, doesn't it? It sees84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq210YreD6s

convenient villains. Convenient scapegoats." He paused,84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CbckfDuYM

letting his words hang in the air, heavy with meaning. "And84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODoG54WUeq

in this place, the only justice you find is the justice you make84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSjgrCBK25

yourself."84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85NrGFhYeK

Joshua felt a prickle of apprehension. This was far removed84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyxBvuzv66

from the online arguments and debates he was used to. This84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWomD7FdeOc

was raw, visceral reality. The Raven Kings. He’d heard84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogBHG6wxdZ

whispers, rumors, legends – stories of swift justice, ruthless84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuw46e9vkN

efficiency, and an unwavering dedication to their own84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ofrfG5kh7

twisted code.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPdiOb06r7

"The Raven Kings," Silas continued, as if reading his84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWS2uARvYqN

thoughts. "We’re not interested in petty crimes. We deal in84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMPbqj5SnZ

larger matters. We’re the judges, the jury, and the84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRZARp2crk

executioners of those who deserve it. Nazis, pedophiles,84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95cHRzP0Yp

zoophiles, abusers... the dregs of humanity who slip through84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKs76amRBaL

the cracks of a failing system." He spoke with a fierce84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2TsAoBzMk

conviction, his words imbued with the weight of his beliefs.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRXbEACmME

His ideology was not merely words; it was a lived84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKuhd160Bw

experience, a burning fire in his eyes.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr150aK87u3

Joshua felt a complex mix of emotions—fear, apprehension,84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnEfVfhyh6

but also a strange flicker of something else, something that84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagcj5UK9le

felt like grudging admiration. He knew that Silas’s methods84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5K6ovZQXLJ

were brutal, unforgivable by most standards. Yet, there was a84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMiQcCA6dw

certain undeniable logic to his words. The system had failed84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyc0PQDVT4o

Joshua; perhaps it failed others even more profoundly.

"We have our own rules," Silas continued, his gaze84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBi55vcdfI

intensifying. "Our own justice. We don't care about the84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡau37WqQ8Zd

legalities, the niceties of the law. We deal in consequences."84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtav3t1vsy

He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPkUfDQJCL

whisper. "We operate in the shadows, unseen, unheard. But84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTU4ggZyBjH

our influence is felt. We are the silent guardians, the unseen84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mKhZ6y60X

hand that keeps this place from sinking into complete84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6N3c4YaIrL

chaos."84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFhFYohsIn

His words were carefully crafted, a blend of intimidation and84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcU1m21VHGh

subtle persuasion. There was a dangerous charm to Silas, a84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1sISGzSha

charismatic magnetism that belied the harshness of his84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifDuK4sPsU

actions. He spoke of revolution, of a twisted form of social84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBenIFVgxU

justice, of a world where the weak were protected and the84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtg2WusmAvH

wicked were punished. His words were seductive, an84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKTLCxjQmr

intoxicating brew of ideology and brutal pragmatism.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlMALYIuqk

"You're new here," Silas said, his gaze shifting, assessing84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqH0a8RaFz

Joshua once more. "You'll learn the rules. You'll learn the84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVl5FW6Pwv

game. Survival here isn't about playing by the book. It's84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAl2QO4NwX

about adaptation, about understanding the dynamics of84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKFhFW1gxv

power." He paused, letting the silence hang heavy once84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVtY7dgEIC

more. "And sometimes," he added, a chilling smile playing84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgO7vXiO3M5

on his lips, "it's about choosing sides."84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJ88pmJs64

Joshua stared at Silas, unsure of how to respond. He was in84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdTMGwFUEr

the den of the wolves, surrounded by brutality and violence,84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrWnisDssd

yet there was a strange allure to Silas’s words. The idea of a84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94xe7azHCZ

system that dispensed instant justice, regardless of legal84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqQh6I3Acn

loopholes or bureaucratic incompetence, held a certain84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZrpIZs5xL

appeal, especially given his own unfair trial.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMKc6rk8PR

Silas’s grip on the power dynamics of Martin Correctional84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlWZjX0q0f

was evident. His casual manner, the way he commanded the84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAFQ6dKKkS

cell, the way he looked at Joshua – it all spoke of years spent84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFe9XNEAuK5

honing his skill in manipulation and intimidation. His demeanor was a masterful blend of charming and84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmUdJ8QLp2

threatening, a calculated strategy to gain Joshua’s trust, or84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6R5Jk30oT

perhaps to break him.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpG7Ffp6NLo

Silas rose from his makeshift bed, his movements fluid and84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZu1giFRXf

precise, despite his hulking size. He walked to the small,84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1CosDT2jp

cracked window, the bars obscuring the outside world. He84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFXvv48nPN

looked out into the prison yard, a vacant stare that seemed to84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbNBGOXdbh

encompass the entire institution, its cruelty, and its despair.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12gvEH6G32

"The world outside is sick," he said, his voice barely above a84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbOfvoTLHf

whisper, his tone more reflective than threatening. "Corrupt,84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKVcJ4Xs5I

unjust. This place is just a reflection of it, a more84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbXrdAAunl

concentrated form of the same sickness. We are the disease's84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2oGwigMdQw

antibody, a counterforce to the rot. We cleanse what the84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDKBCzXd1M

system cannot, and will not."84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTP2jCGZaaI

He turned back to Joshua, his eyes sharp, scrutinizing. "Tell84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7vh4FPiXR

me, furry," he said, his voice regaining its forceful tone.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCq624Zrqe

"What side are you on?"84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF91MAa8dUs

The question hung in the air, a challenge, a proposition.84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrE7zo6Q7QR

Joshua knew that his response would determine his future84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgEv12LWAS

within the walls of Martin Correctional. It would shape his84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡId7wAs3bRE

alliances, his survival, and perhaps, even his soul. He looked84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MJwdXNqSJ

at Silas, this imposing figure, this leader of a criminal84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahU4wrXERn

organization who believed himself to be a purveyor of84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7UGmIxWnh

justice. The weight of the choice hung heavy on his84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEdDo12mE2

shoulders, the pressure almost unbearable. He knew, in that84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0pWxd0nWI

moment, that his life had irrevocably changed. The game had84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNu1EfaWDLL

begun. And the stakes were higher than he had ever84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAePSDxVtOE

imagined. His fifteen-year sentence for a Tumblr post had84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUkzEDqKrF

just become infinitely more complicated.

84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVyAyOUWDa

ns216.73.216.65da2

3

REGISTER

LOGIN

Interface Language:

Story Language: