Chapter 40
Vander rushed out from behind the tree72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVqmgX2OlP
and immediately rolled to the ground as two arrows embedded themselves in the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXtEp7vjdp
dirt right where he had been standing. Despite being assassins and spies, it72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLkoKl0vZN
seemed as though the Green Serpents were crack shots with the bow, but he72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1l2yuC7ZR2
decided to see what would happen when they faced someone who was expecting72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjc4cjpVOv
them. He scooped up a couple of rocks from off the ground and palmed them as he72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9rnyKBdok
charged his enemies.
More72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAXdVGn1m8
arrows were thrown at him, but it seemed as though they were drawn quickly72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnmGtTRvNM
without much aim. Some whizzed over his head while others got stuck in the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbYMGDZ3Q6
ground a few feet in front of him. One came dangerously close to him, but he72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFJobvQzec
smacked it away with his sword. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted some72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZP1BYKH0DL
movement. Taking quick aim, he threw a rock hitting a Serpent’s shooting hand.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHMGt55ORS
With a cry of pain, he dropped the bow, but drew a knife instead.
“I’ll72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJB8q5t75i
gut you.” He snarled and rushed him with the dagger poised low. Vander stepped72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1TCf2ftip
back as the dagger was thrusted forward. He grabbed the serpent’s arm and72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAbtaGN52X
yanked the poor man off his feet before slamming his palm into the guy’s nose.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOIVyvCz805
Blood spurted as his nose broke and embedded itself into the brain, killing him72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CWTerkv4s
instantly. He quickly lifted the body up as two arrows hit him in the back. He72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedRWNamwo9
rushed forward using the freshly made corpse as protection until he could see72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiDIp2ggaI
who he was looking for: three Serpents standing in front of him.
Unlike72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzqYJXsFYv
the one he had just killed, these three looked like veterans. They had deep72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2tFMfP1cd
green face paint and wore outfits that helped them blend into their72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDgFjGwK0Q
surroundings. There was a hardened look in their eyes as they stared at him.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BpIPuoIks
Knowing their bows would be useless if close combat, they lowered them to the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbThBNTpqz6
ground then removed their quivers. Each one removed a large knife from the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwJLB9J2GR
sheathe strapped to their backs.
“You72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkYbsWIK85
might be a Blade, but you aren’t a match for all three of us.” One of them72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KY9EJ6uF6
growled. As if practiced, they spread out keeping Vander between them. From72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKO8Ww0l2u0
here he could tell that the knives were poisoned, one wayward scratch would72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gaVojNbzL
send him to the afterlife, but he couldn’t stay here as he was. That was just72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KOpAg35XG
asking to be killed.
Vander72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE27ip80qZg
threw the dead serpent at the one in front of him. As he fell scream in a72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlVmwVcjfA
tangle of bodies, Vander went to the left to handle the one there. He slashed72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoG0KgH7T21
with his sword, but the serpent was nimble. He rolled over the sword strike,72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLfo29J5kD
landing on his feet. He stabbed with the daggers, but Vander grabbed the wrist,72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0O011qG1A
guiding it away from him. He kicked out the back of the leg sending the Serpent72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfG98LgMKdH
to the ground. As he fell, he brought his boot up catching Vander in the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdVUaVHQnT
stomach and sending him flying onto his back. He rolled and brought his sword72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xXGoKicO2
up in time to block the second serpent’s daggers. He pushed him stumbling72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJxzracvDW
sideways then scrambled to his feet. Before the serpent could adjust, Vander72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGv3lmINoMt
slashed his back open with his sword.
Blood72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NiZGybcAt
sprayed as the man stumbled and fell to the ground. There was no time to check72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNsjwcJIUC
to make sure he was dead as another was on him. The man was a whirlwind with72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwOKugM5b8
his daggers, spinning, slashing, and stabbing. The dagger cut his pants,72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2D3OFaDSXk
jacket, and shirt, but luckily it wasn’t deep enough to draw blood, but soon72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8b2K5DfO08
enough he could get past his guard. He wanted to keep one alive for72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbhcQIgg0p
interrogation, but that didn’t seem like it would be likely. So, he waited for72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7b9dWv9PXC
a brief opening before cutting down with the sword. With a scream, one of the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ugxSnAoQl
serpents’ hands hit the ground in a bloody heap. Before he could scream more,72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1jFGrRcLd
Vander cut his throat.
“Die!” The serpent who had been72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLcfKKakCY
tangled up jumped from behind him. Panic raced in Vander’s chest. He had72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltTXiRSVPI
forgotten about him and now it was too late for him to protect himself as the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpu0aUSu6yF
daggers raced towards his throat. Acting on instinct, he lunged underneath the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEoERn73gIT
daggers grabbing the serpent around the waist bringing them both to the ground.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2gPnWg1RP
Vander’s fingers turned to claws as he tore out the man’s throat.
He could feel the demon clawing72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJti8wH5YQ
closer to the surface. It wanted out, a way to release its aggressions, but now72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQRq8xfogf
was not the time. Vander bit down on the impulse shoving the beast back into72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zISvPEfH1
the recesses of his soul. Soon, but not now. He had to get Kiara and Eliza back72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UotzEQWEp
first then all hell could break loose.
Vander spent some time going72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9bjRnvk22
through the pockets of the dead serpents to see if they had left behind any72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTFpAz2dvd
tools for him to use. He found several poisoned knives and needles, but the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uaUxOwFFs
rest were weapons that would be too much for him to carry so he discarded them.
Before leaving72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmagUJevgI
the area, he dragged Briar and Forest’s bodies back towards the road. He never72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzAN1YmluQk
should have brought them here. This was his penance and his alone. Now they72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvrNkq6OX0
were dead. He would have to carry that burden, but he swore he would make the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCWuR5PtBo
Serpents, and Eve, pay for what they had done.
He remembered the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSe6zoIc93f
village from his travels across the country. He knew that it would be heavily72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZiMRVGLxg
fortified, especially now that the challenge had been issues towards him to get72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCRqOhIUVi
the queen back. He would have to come prepared. So, he scooped up a bow along with72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBk7o3W0G2
a quiver of arrows. They would know he was there, but only after some of them72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGWrcMRKcb
had died.
The sun was72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xs9SIgrZn
beginning to rise when he spotted the walls through the forest. The village was72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFoNDcqdEU
aptly named because it bordered the forest. This was a hunting village, taking72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtKLUhIgZv
out small game and deer to feed everyone. He wasn’t quite sure when the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOepv27mbtW
Serpents moved in, but it must have been recently as they have had no reports72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmb9fJ0bOI
of the village being under attack.
As he looked at72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kuxyPXLNO
the front gate, he noticed several men wearing green cloaks and talking amongst72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9h3GLZCsUZ
themselves. Without caring about who they were, Vander notched an arrow to his72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJW5Tq5dT3
bow, took aim, then fired. The arrow took a guard in the throat and before the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkrRMPFPMU
others could react, several more arrows flew into parts of their body. One took72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8XysiaB84
an arrow in the shoulder, while the third took one through the knee. Both went72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCFLLLIwXU
down screaming, but they weren’t killing shots. It was enough to bring more72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGi65xrUFK
Serpents out for him to kill.
They were pouring out of the village72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSp6YMtfF7p
now to get vengeance for their fallen comrades. He only had time to take down72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ApGtUBcUD
two more before the rest were on him. He tossed aside the bow and quiver and72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgFcVKDxwb
drew his sword to strike against his attackers.
The first one went down with barely72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahbevAv613
any effort. He sidestepped out of the way and ran him through. He blocked a72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9Gq6BeTSR
strike from the next one then pushed him aside, but soon he was overpowered by72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5c2FAD3tLJ
the sheer volume of people. As he raised his sword, one kicked his wrist72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISPTzZbKMx
sending it spiraling out of his hand. He was punched in the jaw and knocked to72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzIJaQXHJ8
the ground. He tried to fight back, but several pinned his arms and pointed a72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOY3vP8ovbf
sword right at his neck.
“Stop!” Vander heard Eve shout. She72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01VN7umvXu
pushed her way through the group and if he held out any hope that she hadn’t72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZrguVpG6Y
betrayed them the look in her eyes combined with what she was wearing sealed72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4HVZGrvNt
her betrayal in stone.
She wore a sleeveless green shirt72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNfyeAxstP
showing off lean muscles and a massive snake tattoo going down her left arm.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizDtoJrfgx
Her hair was pulled back but covered with a green hood. She wore two daggers on72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsfRabz19z
her belt.
“So, you did betray us.” Vander spat.
“Betray you?” she laughed. “I was72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Vd92esw2y
never apart of you.” Now that he got a good look at her, he realized that she72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxug9GnzqU
had been messing with him from the beginning. She was broader than she looked72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuGwS4BOf8
before, more heavily muscled. She wasn’t sixteen, she was likely someone older72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf75CKbHibc
than he was. It also explained the gaps in the recruits’ skills. She had been72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1L3HeYJGON
playing them for fools since the very beginning.
“They trusted you,” Vander struggled.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2CwQSJ1SM
“I trusted you.”72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IoXq8JbxV
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“I’ll have to make a visit to72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBBVsnpLrD
whoever your informant is.” She grinned. “He almost ruined everything, but72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXk87enjd7G
luckily you were so easy to fool. Get him up.” Vander was hauled to his feet by72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSZEgIotS0
several strong hands. “We will take what we need from you then I will spend a72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BPxhS6t97
lot more time cutting you to pieces. I’ve always wanted to hear you scream.”
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Maybe, just maybe, Peyton will come72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0k115HgTE
here himself that way he could show everyone that he was innocent. He would72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKqEjqbewM
have to bide his time and wait, however. Hopefully his reinforcements would72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TUbzSMfrF
arrive to save them, but he shouldn’t count on it. If Peyton knew they were72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNtIEEFWJU
mobilizing the army he would make it quick. For now, he willed his body to72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxE0Cya51z
relax. However, he wasn’t going to let them get away with it. He and the demon72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLB2qMQ9jUY
were going to have a lot of fun before they were killed.
