Chapter 24
Vander hated the rain. It had121Please respect copyright.PENANAyJu8blAdBK
rained ever since the first night he had fled into the Orange Fox after the121Please respect copyright.PENANAijYTQhEurI
King had been assassinated by Peyton Cranton, but he had taken the fall. He had121Please respect copyright.PENANAjlnqTZhLZ4
been forced into hiding like a rat while the person who had gotten away with121Please respect copyright.PENANA9k8hu2yljw
lived like a King, manipulating everything around him.
The council wasted no time dubbing121Please respect copyright.PENANAdbTQQI10VV
him a criminal and giving him a bounty of five hundred thousand gold coins for121Please respect copyright.PENANA3hnMHFczN0
his capture. Wanted posters had gone up on every corner and every house within121Please respect copyright.PENANAw4aWqqBKB4
the outer ring. He was a pariah in his own city. Within the first few days he121Please respect copyright.PENANA5MjPDINjf2
had decided that he would take matters into his own hands. He would act and121Please respect copyright.PENANA8YnH5Yi36P
gather the evidence he needed to clear his name then bring Peyton to justice.121Please respect copyright.PENANAZG5WM42P2g
Weeks of careful investigation had brought him here, to a single story house121Please respect copyright.PENANAgtrNi5x4RI
close to the Northern District.
Rain splashed121Please respect copyright.PENANAuG1INKMUhc
down around him as lightning crackled above. The hairs on his arm rose due to121Please respect copyright.PENANAsZ4UPUMgFw
the static in the air. Any wrong move could draw attention to where he was121Please respect copyright.PENANAxfM0BPePuT
hiding, and he did not want Rolous to see him. He held his breath while121Please respect copyright.PENANAzcfYsoWUgw
stilling his heartbeat hoping against all odds that he would stay unseen. He121Please respect copyright.PENANAEs2GsG8HGt
watched as people ran for cover, but his eyes were focused on one house where121Please respect copyright.PENANA8fHCDhNUVU
his intelligence told him a group of Green Serpents were hiding out. Over the121Please respect copyright.PENANABIRoLZH2cW
past several nights he made a mental note of how many people entered the house121Please respect copyright.PENANAbiu2K3tVfw
as well as how many had left. Tonight, must have been a special night because121Please respect copyright.PENANA5Ha7aznMiG
ten people had gone into a house where only three would normally fit. It was121Please respect copyright.PENANAGJzKwymz2q
time to move.
The man dropped down from his121Please respect copyright.PENANAkbufMY9k8t
perch, the roof of the house opposite to his target, and landed on the ground121Please respect copyright.PENANALGbO8zr8JD
with barely a noise. The shadows clung to him as he crouched then ran his way121Please respect copyright.PENANArFhd10nFqa
across the street. Luckily it was dark, and no one would be out on the street121Please respect copyright.PENANA7umijP0RvS
this late at night. He didn’t want to have to ruin some poor soul’s night121Please respect copyright.PENANAek9O8MDjsp
because he was careless. He ran towards the door then placed his ear against121Please respect copyright.PENANAJekqraOPJ8
the hoping to hear what was being said.
“We have new orders from Fang,” a121Please respect copyright.PENANAmHME6waqXi
woman whispered. She was a few floors down, but with his hearing he had no121Please respect copyright.PENANAAJEqUimD10
problem making out what was being said. He had discovered Fang a couple of121Please respect copyright.PENANA8w247PJJ1Z
weeks ago during his first raid, but he didn’t know who they were. However, it121Please respect copyright.PENANAKHck7A1ycB
seemed as though they gave the orders to the Serpents in the city. They were121Please respect copyright.PENANAnRzQIQ3dPV
the ones he needed to reach to gain any information.
“What are they?” someone asked.
“Seems as though out benefactor121Please respect copyright.PENANA9lLnBFebKg
has told them that we need to capture the missing Blade, Vander, alive.” She121Please respect copyright.PENANABQZgiMlPXQ
explained. “We only have a couple of weeks. What should we do?”
He listened as they began121Please respect copyright.PENANAVxbRBhoUNF
brainstorming all the way they could find Vander. Some of the ideas were crazy.121Please respect copyright.PENANAEo1OqrO1ya
Someone suggested they go door to door and threaten the lives of everyone121Please respect copyright.PENANANqCLjyPCV7
inside to see if they knew anything. Another mentioned going to visit Julianna121Please respect copyright.PENANAi6cHIJihat
since the two of them had been close, she might have an idea where he was121Please respect copyright.PENANAhpFkXqUzDB
hiding out. A third mentioned going to Ross and paying him for the information.121Please respect copyright.PENANA3jssrqVbhD
Unknown to all inside, that was the only way they would be able to find Vander,121Please respect copyright.PENANApxHIa6iHJw
but they would never get the chance to find out. He would deal with them right121Please respect copyright.PENANAPrbH6FVNRo
now.
He quickly looked through the121Please respect copyright.PENANAFmJmHI8dcD
cracks to find two guards standing there with their backs to the door. Only121Please respect copyright.PENANAWQa0Vy3h5R
novices wouldn’t be outside to guard the door, even if they didn’t want to draw121Please respect copyright.PENANAcQ758YeetV
attention to themselves. This was foolish, so he decided to teach them a121Please respect copyright.PENANA47LtXvcrby
lesson.
He carefully walked away from the121Please respect copyright.PENANAUki22xxuQs
door then steeled himself as he charged forward. He shoulders check the door121Please respect copyright.PENANAsilQnMLCmn
causing it to fly off its hinges. Normally people would have shattered their121Please respect copyright.PENANAqGt7d8w0Nb
shoulders, but he wasn’t normal. He was blessed with the powers of Unna and the121Please respect copyright.PENANAJ0QStXL7dA
demon inside craved blood.
“Intru…” One of the guards shouted121Please respect copyright.PENANAL2DiwPG6YN
out, but he didn’t get far. Vander shoved a dagger in his neck silencing him121Please respect copyright.PENANA6UuKtpcJW4
almost immediately. The other guard didn’t have time to draw their sword before121Please respect copyright.PENANA9ducLKgqKA
Vander was upon him tearing out his neck with bare hands. As blood dripped down121Please respect copyright.PENANAecSKDgjTKt
from the cartilage, Vander threw it at the next person who came up the stairs121Please respect copyright.PENANA1NPGTOe1Kw
that had been dug through the floor. They cried out as blood splattered their121Please respect copyright.PENANA1EFdzDl3N1
eyes, but they wouldn’t have the chance to wipe it off. Vander jumped, kicking121Please respect copyright.PENANAYlyZoM1SsH
him down the stairs, sending them both into the darkness below.
He landed on the blinded man’s121Please respect copyright.PENANAS1wM5Ghb5W
chest. He heard the satisfying crunch as bone shattered, breaking his back. Vander121Please respect copyright.PENANA2pKjB5z8UM
heard the heart stop beating as the final breath left the man’s body. Vander121Please respect copyright.PENANAe2lTHxF7Qr
looked up at the Serpents who looked shocked, but it would wear sooner rather121Please respect copyright.PENANAB3IDt5dVxe
than later. He was lucky that they had cornered themselves into a very small121Please respect copyright.PENANAsGv0b95GNC
room or this would have gone badly.
“Damn it.” The female speaker drew121Please respect copyright.PENANAI2Y9GmFDrM
her sword. “It’s him. Don’t just stand there, kill him!”
Vander lunged forward grabbing the121Please respect copyright.PENANAXIZj9TEMG6
closest person’s face then slamming them against the wall. He quickly removed121Please respect copyright.PENANAxsspkUQDZY
his dagger, gave three quick stabs in his chest, before tossing him into121Please respect copyright.PENANA7Va6PL3ulC
someone else. The two bodies collided then fell onto the ground. He ducked as121Please respect copyright.PENANAasir8AqN6R
the female swung her sword at his head. The sword collided with a wooden shelf,121Please respect copyright.PENANABtjZaixa3L
but she pulled it out rather effortlessly. He jumped forward, but she was121Please respect copyright.PENANAUi8bGk6k5H
waiting for him. She dropped the sword then met him head on.
She was stronger than she looked.121Please respect copyright.PENANAgfZFZfbMGz
She grabbed him by the shoulders and started to walk forward. He could feel his121Please respect copyright.PENANAOGds6wHUHH
feet dragging backwards. She grinned at him, then taunted him by calling him121Please respect copyright.PENANAofYL9M40pU
weak and a pushover. The demon couldn’t stand being belittled so it whispered121Please respect copyright.PENANASw9ZoQ8dbp
into Vander’s ear telling him to tear her throat out. He ignored the whisper.121Please respect copyright.PENANAVjgPG1SgQy
Instead, he grabbed her then pulled her towards him knocking her off balance.121Please respect copyright.PENANAxj6sEyFDN7
He fell backwards, bringing his foot up into her stomach, then threw her over121Please respect copyright.PENANA0j1DssVrXX
his head. She landed on the man Vander had previously knocked over.
“Bastard.” A sword swung down121Please respect copyright.PENANAbz0syU39eF
aiming to split Vander in half. He brought his hands up clapping down on the121Please respect copyright.PENANAFTOOac0OGd
weapon. He felt the edge bite into the palms of his hand, but the gift he had121Please respect copyright.PENANAJLu6fma13E
would heal them with minimal scaring. Vander’s leg lashed out at the fingers121Please respect copyright.PENANAHbAhHL8Syf
holding the sword. He heard a satisfying crunch followed by a scream as the man121Please respect copyright.PENANAtmJruPBBhJ
stumbled backwards holding his broken fingers.
Vander spun to his feet then swung121Please respect copyright.PENANA5b8ZDWF4jj
the sword hilt into the man’s jaw. He involuntarily spun around as pieces of121Please respect copyright.PENANAS4VCAAGWkB
teeth flew from his mouth clattering onto the ground. He fell to his knees121Please respect copyright.PENANAJDqlvms5nR
clutching his mouth as blood flowed freely between his mangled fingers.
He quickly surveyed the scene121Please respect copyright.PENANA669mjAi3pM
around him. Two were still trying to get to their feet, four had been killed,121Please respect copyright.PENANA1aTSlqm9KN
and one was out of commission for the time being. That left three unaccounted121Please respect copyright.PENANACF5W2pGnUz
for. He could see them downstairs, but there was nowhere else they could have121Please respect copyright.PENANAS6kcXwOV9L
gone unless there was another hidden path leading out of the house towards the121Please respect copyright.PENANAxqEZquFRbq
streets of Eluvia. He would have to see where the path led, but first he had to121Please respect copyright.PENANAZQ1y5MIY9h
deal with the survivors.
Vander flipped the sword around121Please respect copyright.PENANAR259k5NlD0
catching it out of midair. The man with the broken jaw didn’t put up a fight as121Please respect copyright.PENANAaoKGiS0hLh
he shoved the tip through the man’s neck. Blood gurgled from his mouth as121Please respect copyright.PENANAkqTssBrUmr
saliva and blood blended. Vander kicked the sword free ignoring as his enemy121Please respect copyright.PENANAn3iOzanQan
drowned in his own blood.
The two made it to their feet, but121Please respect copyright.PENANAKwLGn2R5iM
they looked nervously at each other as they looked over the carnage surrounding121Please respect copyright.PENANA9gQrBVa8Yv
them. He had only been down here for a few minutes, but five of them were121Please respect copyright.PENANAHynnDMzrLh
already dead. It didn’t bode well for them, but they would have been a disgrace121Please respect copyright.PENANASNOKPXv6Vj
to their reputation if they surrendered. The two of them exchanged glances121Please respect copyright.PENANAbAZhkirrfy
before charging Vander.
He brought his sword up to block a121Please respect copyright.PENANANoEXyCS01x
strike then kicked the other person away from him. He lunged to the side making121Please respect copyright.PENANATtc1qnNg2a
sure to keep both of his enemies either next to or in front of each other. They121Please respect copyright.PENANA1liE2YsEuz
were hesitant to attack while their partner was on the way, which made his job121Please respect copyright.PENANAsD8nBvO1ic
a lot easier. As he blocked another sword strike, he grabbed a dagger from his121Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5YH6WVhNe
belt and shoved it through her wrists sticking them together. She dropped the121Please respect copyright.PENANAQ3OZ9kN4ZR
sword as she screamed in pain. He removed the dagger then jammed it through the121Please respect copyright.PENANAuNCXRWpJRh
top of her head. Her eyes rolled back as she slumped over, dead.
As the last Serpent screamed,121Please respect copyright.PENANAzQlTBaUURk
Vander spun around and thrust the sword through the space between his arm and121Please respect copyright.PENANA2HeIkO8y2l
ribs skewering the Serpent on the Blade. Something wet and sticky hit Vander’s121Please respect copyright.PENANApSKk3FkDNX
back as the body fell into him. Sighing to himself, Vander removed the weapon121Please respect copyright.PENANA04MmNglehQ
from his enemy’s chest and stepped out from underneath him. The body hit the121Please respect copyright.PENANAFyahGWcNIS
ground with a splat. Now that there was no one around him posing a threat to121Please respect copyright.PENANAyBdT8uSBSK
his safety he decided to look around.
Stepping over the fresh bodies, he121Please respect copyright.PENANAIRV9zstQmO
started his search at the table they were hovering around when he entered.121Please respect copyright.PENANAeHCMRIdG3f
There was a smoothed out scroll lying there that seemed to have been undamaged121Please respect copyright.PENANAEZdBTgCSuR
despite all the blood and fighting. He carefully picked it up to read the121Please respect copyright.PENANAMNqwjd2Urn
contents in the low light of the candles. He wasn’t surprised at all when the121Please respect copyright.PENANAXehg9rm9Xk
contents were just as he overheard. Someone wanted him brought to them alive.121Please respect copyright.PENANAzOmc2cQ6ca
He could only think of one person, by why alive? Why not dead? It would be121Please respect copyright.PENANAtluvIEKkvN
easier for Peyton to control the narrative that way.
“You should strike first.”121Please respect copyright.PENANAYyE0W4D1iL
Vander ignored the chill traveling down his spine when the voice whispered in121Please respect copyright.PENANAsOUjgmjLuS
his ear. He could always feel the demon trying to take control, even through121Please respect copyright.PENANAoDzy7TndZi
all the mental barriers he had put up to protect himself, but it was only121Please respect copyright.PENANAangH9nXaDq
recently that he could hear him.
“No,” Vander growled. He rolled121Please respect copyright.PENANAiOoEUxtc3i
the paper up before sticking it into the pocket inside of his jacket. “We can’t121Please respect copyright.PENANAFSd0gQfHtA
kill him until I clear my name.”
“Let me take control.”121Please respect copyright.PENANAWd5dKmWFH8
Vander saw the shadows ripple along the wall. Two dark red eyes looked back at121Please respect copyright.PENANA9suwEKylR6
him. He turned away, suppressing his fear. He couldn’t give the demon any more121Please respect copyright.PENANAkmcdzpHhVQ
power over him, he had already become so strong.
“Begone.” He swiped at the shadows121Please respect copyright.PENANAwtOdy1j2RP
erasing the eyes from his mind. His head was filled with laughter that slowly121Please respect copyright.PENANAVFfeFvp8ww
faded. It was a promise that the demon would return to take control. It was121Please respect copyright.PENANAnR3p0oVCuF
getting easier to feel tempted ever since he fled, but he had to stay strong121Please respect copyright.PENANAKxQVioaU0Q
until he could figure out how to remove him completely.
He took a quick look around but121Please respect copyright.PENANAuqH1GAC3my
didn’t see anything else worth grabbing. He went upstairs to check there, but121Please respect copyright.PENANApNScnF3rYp
he heard footsteps moving around. He froze as he recognized the sounds of heavy121Please respect copyright.PENANA1WqD06a1xw
armor clanging on the wooden floor.
“What the hell happened here?” a121Please respect copyright.PENANAlqXUtzjvY4
guard asked.
“I don’t know, but go get help.”121Please respect copyright.PENANAjYb5rmSyLH
Another said. Vander heard him bent down to check the pulses of one of the121Please respect copyright.PENANATsbxHcJXXW
guards. “They’re dead. We will have to wait for backup.”
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“Understood.” One guard left while121Please respect copyright.PENANA7t6TKmSWFy
the other stayed behind. It wasn’t bravery, it was foolishness. You never knew121Please respect copyright.PENANA0qU99aQHDO
if the culprit was still in the house. Someone who could kill at least two121Please respect copyright.PENANA1IHxIGSS7S
people was not someone you want to be alone with. The guard overestimated his121Please respect copyright.PENANADL6cxLBIkn
abilities and part of Vander wanted to teach the man some hubris, but he wasn’t121Please respect copyright.PENANAvMWFRY9r7g
here for them. As quickly and as quietly as he could he stepped away from the121Please respect copyright.PENANAPFZtwKVzRC
stairs and down the tunnel.