The Raven Kings - 3

Silas’s eyes, the color of a stormy sea, held a glint of83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rp7kKzwTo

amusement that didn't quite reach the hard set of his jaw. He83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqkDPcXcujB

was a man sculpted from granite and shadows, his broad83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyRdH00nd5

shoulders hinting at the strength he possessed, the strength83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuum6VDAb9f

that had earned him the unquestioned leadership of the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvsYHsbJ5l

Raven Kings. His tattoos, a swirling vortex of black ink83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZM77b6sftF

against his pale skin, told a story of rebellion, of defiance, a83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2X1TtRZ97

testament to a life lived on the razor’s edge. They spoke of83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsccyVkaZd

ravens, of kings, and of a violent philosophy etched deep83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJEoCf1KRM

into his soul.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsBG0Fexli

He didn't speak for a long time, simply observing Joshua, his83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3J8E3jC96o

gaze penetrating and unnerving. The silence in the small cell83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BrP0AFW4h

became a palpable entity, heavy with unspoken expectations.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOY3Pu5X7L

Joshua felt the weight of it, the pressure of Silas’s83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfoFniH8yU

unwavering stare. He was being assessed, judged, weighed83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7IrX1aPTk

against some internal yardstick that only Silas understood. It83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwm19M4vWe

was a silent interrogation, far more intense than any shouting83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTKAYThjbp

match could ever be. The only sounds were the distant,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvIth0ps3w

muffled clamor of the prison, a constant reminder of their83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xhsGcy6ej

precarious existence.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3o9a49Hcl

Finally, Silas spoke, his voice a low rumble that resonated83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bMAJaRogW

with an unexpected melody. "So, the furry gets fifteen years83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOo4lpWe67k

for a Tumblr post," he said, a hint of irony lacing his tone.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWv6ZTObjW

"That's… efficient." There was a strange quality to his83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmuQNUyJb5

words, a mix of derision and a surprising empathy that both83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOfz1wj7YT

disarmed and unsettled Joshua.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsM8UDgvEbL

Joshua swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. "It wasn't what it83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCu7QQn8xqr

looked like," he mumbled, the words barely audible above83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VWLKdjQ0u

the hum of the prison. He tried to explain, to justify, but the words caught in his throat. He felt the inadequacy of his83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKQZ1lsK49

explanation, the absurdity of his predicament.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEA9jbXNwPH

Silas chuckled, a sound that seemed to shake the very83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0IZ3cdosv

foundations of their cramped cell. "Oh, I'm sure it wasn't.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36ul7UDA7t

But the system sees what it wants to see, doesn't it? It sees83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOl5Tb04PZB

convenient villains. Convenient scapegoats." He paused,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nwoUTApiu

letting his words hang in the air, heavy with meaning. "And83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDsfn8P4xh

in this place, the only justice you find is the justice you make83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgf64PYCFrR

yourself."83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9G3bG1pjgw

Joshua felt a prickle of apprehension. This was far removed83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrzj4qWg6j

from the online arguments and debates he was used to. This83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyNl7i5wAX

was raw, visceral reality. The Raven Kings. He’d heard83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulZEwah7kU

whispers, rumors, legends – stories of swift justice, ruthless83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEqBGQlSJ0

efficiency, and an unwavering dedication to their own83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TqUnuVfbh

twisted code.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowT1jhDkzr

"The Raven Kings," Silas continued, as if reading his83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFzfbjbS9q

thoughts. "We’re not interested in petty crimes. We deal in83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jo41NnRnB

larger matters. We’re the judges, the jury, and the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hVKFCHRAm

executioners of those who deserve it. Nazis, pedophiles,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMobVQVLK0

zoophiles, abusers... the dregs of humanity who slip through83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTigliKIozf

the cracks of a failing system." He spoke with a fierce83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAFynqt1Tg

conviction, his words imbued with the weight of his beliefs.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDtNshH22G

His ideology was not merely words; it was a lived83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyW7zLMaNRh

experience, a burning fire in his eyes.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQ1rbpywa7

Joshua felt a complex mix of emotions—fear, apprehension,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkfNNfd0a6

but also a strange flicker of something else, something that83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgruDR6ctA5

felt like grudging admiration. He knew that Silas’s methods83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡob2bQMaznB

were brutal, unforgivable by most standards. Yet, there was a83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrPQLp4vlR

certain undeniable logic to his words. The system had failed83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1sBTCSG3o

Joshua; perhaps it failed others even more profoundly.

"We have our own rules," Silas continued, his gaze83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3v0RLmjth

intensifying. "Our own justice. We don't care about the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Gn1ehj8Ey

legalities, the niceties of the law. We deal in consequences."83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOwE44TQOa

He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJedsQQQcH

whisper. "We operate in the shadows, unseen, unheard. But83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtHpKyxvZf

our influence is felt. We are the silent guardians, the unseen83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0i7U6r8oW

hand that keeps this place from sinking into complete83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRddNbW695

chaos."83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXR0G4JjD99

His words were carefully crafted, a blend of intimidation and83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACKDuOB2fg

subtle persuasion. There was a dangerous charm to Silas, a83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVWzYW9OIH

charismatic magnetism that belied the harshness of his83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpLt5pUY7P

actions. He spoke of revolution, of a twisted form of social83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6v66NGZz8S

justice, of a world where the weak were protected and the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplr6Ch8y4n

wicked were punished. His words were seductive, an83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVMsfNh74O

intoxicating brew of ideology and brutal pragmatism.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HmmRTabcf

"You're new here," Silas said, his gaze shifting, assessing83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspoeyZCiHG

Joshua once more. "You'll learn the rules. You'll learn the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHVXktrAP4

game. Survival here isn't about playing by the book. It's83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPL6zARlPw

about adaptation, about understanding the dynamics of83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHBuIRgNjt

power." He paused, letting the silence hang heavy once83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAgq0bHfJs

more. "And sometimes," he added, a chilling smile playing83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRuZ7PvmHF

on his lips, "it's about choosing sides."83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpZntpwhw6

Joshua stared at Silas, unsure of how to respond. He was in83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4Wphsnz93

the den of the wolves, surrounded by brutality and violence,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQMlJV9WaV

yet there was a strange allure to Silas’s words. The idea of a83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNunY8vJcdD

system that dispensed instant justice, regardless of legal83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0PKKjvge8

loopholes or bureaucratic incompetence, held a certain83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwo2LIQUHM

appeal, especially given his own unfair trial.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSEfj1GDp3

Silas’s grip on the power dynamics of Martin Correctional83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXTEmqu1zU

was evident. His casual manner, the way he commanded the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJ7lbFTDCt

cell, the way he looked at Joshua – it all spoke of years spent83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNgfrY4kKd

honing his skill in manipulation and intimidation. His demeanor was a masterful blend of charming and83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFPvPs6vzn

threatening, a calculated strategy to gain Joshua’s trust, or83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0ae8RXylp

perhaps to break him.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBp56iVP13X

Silas rose from his makeshift bed, his movements fluid and83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GA5VJoB7K

precise, despite his hulking size. He walked to the small,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEY0yKWEowF

cracked window, the bars obscuring the outside world. He83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYw3L8lwRR

looked out into the prison yard, a vacant stare that seemed to83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9jbPivT0E

encompass the entire institution, its cruelty, and its despair.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu89gxhHGhB

"The world outside is sick," he said, his voice barely above a83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgwW9Du7Xp

whisper, his tone more reflective than threatening. "Corrupt,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMR5vRrGOWv

unjust. This place is just a reflection of it, a more83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡir41Y1rvjK

concentrated form of the same sickness. We are the disease's83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCjGw3z3yI

antibody, a counterforce to the rot. We cleanse what the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyCgmCZoqW

system cannot, and will not."83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4FbEUmh0R

He turned back to Joshua, his eyes sharp, scrutinizing. "Tell83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPfGgqm0fj

me, furry," he said, his voice regaining its forceful tone.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcf4EXVQco

"What side are you on?"83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPdnRYNesJ

The question hung in the air, a challenge, a proposition.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsuZVhgN7I

Joshua knew that his response would determine his future83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgl2m3RWvRg

within the walls of Martin Correctional. It would shape his83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWUyHuvtgg

alliances, his survival, and perhaps, even his soul. He looked83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfpaxUEL14

at Silas, this imposing figure, this leader of a criminal83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwIXJ2adZ3l

organization who believed himself to be a purveyor of83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSW6RLLHzGo

justice. The weight of the choice hung heavy on his83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Zxhw6UafX

shoulders, the pressure almost unbearable. He knew, in that83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkIDSeMZBU

moment, that his life had irrevocably changed. The game had83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5UwMB355V

begun. And the stakes were higher than he had ever83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7AUnuHB9r

imagined. His fifteen-year sentence for a Tumblr post had83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMGj2HoYbc

just become infinitely more complicated.

83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlsNP5ClpO

ns216.73.216.69da2

3

REGISTER

LOGIN

Interface Language:

Story Language: