Chapter 24
Vander hated the rain. It had108Please respect copyright.PENANAtUOPZajHM1
rained ever since the first night he had fled into the Orange Fox after the108Please respect copyright.PENANAsb89rfvQUw
King had been assassinated by Peyton Cranton, but he had taken the fall. He had108Please respect copyright.PENANAYFAVKZR3na
been forced into hiding like a rat while the person who had gotten away with108Please respect copyright.PENANAYRCCPU4cVD
lived like a King, manipulating everything around him.
The council wasted no time dubbing108Please respect copyright.PENANA1e8sE8vZ3X
him a criminal and giving him a bounty of five hundred thousand gold coins for108Please respect copyright.PENANAh7K6VK9BQM
his capture. Wanted posters had gone up on every corner and every house within108Please respect copyright.PENANAUdsmMkT9hI
the outer ring. He was a pariah in his own city. Within the first few days he108Please respect copyright.PENANAhmSRJ4xqWa
had decided that he would take matters into his own hands. He would act and108Please respect copyright.PENANAeVBoXNFiCE
gather the evidence he needed to clear his name then bring Peyton to justice.108Please respect copyright.PENANAzgJz9A6ySd
Weeks of careful investigation had brought him here, to a single story house108Please respect copyright.PENANA6IS5XG2gnS
close to the Northern District.
Rain splashed108Please respect copyright.PENANAiw2sERrFAk
down around him as lightning crackled above. The hairs on his arm rose due to108Please respect copyright.PENANAmeIVSOMAlM
the static in the air. Any wrong move could draw attention to where he was108Please respect copyright.PENANAKiqW9f7FNT
hiding, and he did not want Rolous to see him. He held his breath while108Please respect copyright.PENANA206NYNT1iF
stilling his heartbeat hoping against all odds that he would stay unseen. He108Please respect copyright.PENANAlhT2RxOyjA
watched as people ran for cover, but his eyes were focused on one house where108Please respect copyright.PENANAkDWu2dsOyx
his intelligence told him a group of Green Serpents were hiding out. Over the108Please respect copyright.PENANAVelwBBfSaL
past several nights he made a mental note of how many people entered the house108Please respect copyright.PENANAiCFNr2eiNa
as well as how many had left. Tonight, must have been a special night because108Please respect copyright.PENANAP7b0arujav
ten people had gone into a house where only three would normally fit. It was108Please respect copyright.PENANAoGQoC3pWZL
time to move.
The man dropped down from his108Please respect copyright.PENANAcyreepYRmA
perch, the roof of the house opposite to his target, and landed on the ground108Please respect copyright.PENANAHXFG8A63am
with barely a noise. The shadows clung to him as he crouched then ran his way108Please respect copyright.PENANAg2dj6XxFJx
across the street. Luckily it was dark, and no one would be out on the street108Please respect copyright.PENANAp7OGbpOpK7
this late at night. He didn’t want to have to ruin some poor soul’s night108Please respect copyright.PENANAE30KVrzT7S
because he was careless. He ran towards the door then placed his ear against108Please respect copyright.PENANAZZI2RRrI9I
the hoping to hear what was being said.
“We have new orders from Fang,” a108Please respect copyright.PENANAlbLYoFconL
woman whispered. She was a few floors down, but with his hearing he had no108Please respect copyright.PENANAdm5LtnK1KI
problem making out what was being said. He had discovered Fang a couple of108Please respect copyright.PENANAWugcS1CZtk
weeks ago during his first raid, but he didn’t know who they were. However, it108Please respect copyright.PENANAALRiiwQ1v6
seemed as though they gave the orders to the Serpents in the city. They were108Please respect copyright.PENANAADItLTXfTn
the ones he needed to reach to gain any information.
“What are they?” someone asked.
“Seems as though out benefactor108Please respect copyright.PENANAVKWFP6gxkx
has told them that we need to capture the missing Blade, Vander, alive.” She108Please respect copyright.PENANAzMpK7fLeI9
explained. “We only have a couple of weeks. What should we do?”
He listened as they began108Please respect copyright.PENANAqE8Pw9ltpN
brainstorming all the way they could find Vander. Some of the ideas were crazy.108Please respect copyright.PENANAcMuldGGuUt
Someone suggested they go door to door and threaten the lives of everyone108Please respect copyright.PENANAc6jCITKwJD
inside to see if they knew anything. Another mentioned going to visit Julianna108Please respect copyright.PENANALrc2FWLvFl
since the two of them had been close, she might have an idea where he was108Please respect copyright.PENANA79k9PZwanX
hiding out. A third mentioned going to Ross and paying him for the information.108Please respect copyright.PENANAhhwruuxR4x
Unknown to all inside, that was the only way they would be able to find Vander,108Please respect copyright.PENANANTBHhwVoKQ
but they would never get the chance to find out. He would deal with them right108Please respect copyright.PENANAyxDxUtUOUM
now.
He quickly looked through the108Please respect copyright.PENANAdhEstxdHYv
cracks to find two guards standing there with their backs to the door. Only108Please respect copyright.PENANAd3OGL1d1KU
novices wouldn’t be outside to guard the door, even if they didn’t want to draw108Please respect copyright.PENANAuKVxd2DJYW
attention to themselves. This was foolish, so he decided to teach them a108Please respect copyright.PENANAsLlfqd3tWe
lesson.
He carefully walked away from the108Please respect copyright.PENANAwie8xGAs8x
door then steeled himself as he charged forward. He shoulders check the door108Please respect copyright.PENANA4PAM1jBNqe
causing it to fly off its hinges. Normally people would have shattered their108Please respect copyright.PENANAVXmR2zMXoO
shoulders, but he wasn’t normal. He was blessed with the powers of Unna and the108Please respect copyright.PENANAB2OFI2JrY9
demon inside craved blood.
“Intru…” One of the guards shouted108Please respect copyright.PENANAG3rxtV4ZOC
out, but he didn’t get far. Vander shoved a dagger in his neck silencing him108Please respect copyright.PENANA0nHcreqh7r
almost immediately. The other guard didn’t have time to draw their sword before108Please respect copyright.PENANAjXKgCIVTsz
Vander was upon him tearing out his neck with bare hands. As blood dripped down108Please respect copyright.PENANADIC2qyS1c9
from the cartilage, Vander threw it at the next person who came up the stairs108Please respect copyright.PENANA8JrbVNOclg
that had been dug through the floor. They cried out as blood splattered their108Please respect copyright.PENANA0lN8mpsGTX
eyes, but they wouldn’t have the chance to wipe it off. Vander jumped, kicking108Please respect copyright.PENANA8oHReHsewf
him down the stairs, sending them both into the darkness below.
He landed on the blinded man’s108Please respect copyright.PENANA1mYxi8rLIa
chest. He heard the satisfying crunch as bone shattered, breaking his back. Vander108Please respect copyright.PENANAMYreBnqfDU
heard the heart stop beating as the final breath left the man’s body. Vander108Please respect copyright.PENANA4BysfJJMbb
looked up at the Serpents who looked shocked, but it would wear sooner rather108Please respect copyright.PENANAfc3jcWK6BK
than later. He was lucky that they had cornered themselves into a very small108Please respect copyright.PENANApQuofTR6o7
room or this would have gone badly.
“Damn it.” The female speaker drew108Please respect copyright.PENANAb8g0ACp3iK
her sword. “It’s him. Don’t just stand there, kill him!”
Vander lunged forward grabbing the108Please respect copyright.PENANAYilveQq3wU
closest person’s face then slamming them against the wall. He quickly removed108Please respect copyright.PENANAVesNRIbfJa
his dagger, gave three quick stabs in his chest, before tossing him into108Please respect copyright.PENANAApue2swoHQ
someone else. The two bodies collided then fell onto the ground. He ducked as108Please respect copyright.PENANA9jcN5pWKkr
the female swung her sword at his head. The sword collided with a wooden shelf,108Please respect copyright.PENANAgAUjbkk7Cr
but she pulled it out rather effortlessly. He jumped forward, but she was108Please respect copyright.PENANAwer6c6xzoe
waiting for him. She dropped the sword then met him head on.
She was stronger than she looked.108Please respect copyright.PENANALPor3GWEXJ
She grabbed him by the shoulders and started to walk forward. He could feel his108Please respect copyright.PENANAbmB9AsfmLI
feet dragging backwards. She grinned at him, then taunted him by calling him108Please respect copyright.PENANAwrvhmQkuC7
weak and a pushover. The demon couldn’t stand being belittled so it whispered108Please respect copyright.PENANAlB5D85ZF2n
into Vander’s ear telling him to tear her throat out. He ignored the whisper.108Please respect copyright.PENANA7F0Hl5m7zY
Instead, he grabbed her then pulled her towards him knocking her off balance.108Please respect copyright.PENANAYqsaXA8vvE
He fell backwards, bringing his foot up into her stomach, then threw her over108Please respect copyright.PENANAUSVPJoh5sp
his head. She landed on the man Vander had previously knocked over.
“Bastard.” A sword swung down108Please respect copyright.PENANAtC0fVUm0uC
aiming to split Vander in half. He brought his hands up clapping down on the108Please respect copyright.PENANA2JeXdPsdnJ
weapon. He felt the edge bite into the palms of his hand, but the gift he had108Please respect copyright.PENANAtNeQ57tcTY
would heal them with minimal scaring. Vander’s leg lashed out at the fingers108Please respect copyright.PENANA8iqZCdtOrS
holding the sword. He heard a satisfying crunch followed by a scream as the man108Please respect copyright.PENANA5pHfGxMwZi
stumbled backwards holding his broken fingers.
Vander spun to his feet then swung108Please respect copyright.PENANAvx1uTsZv5C
the sword hilt into the man’s jaw. He involuntarily spun around as pieces of108Please respect copyright.PENANAd4uHxiSG3P
teeth flew from his mouth clattering onto the ground. He fell to his knees108Please respect copyright.PENANAKdwsIoXya9
clutching his mouth as blood flowed freely between his mangled fingers.
He quickly surveyed the scene108Please respect copyright.PENANADB3knB2aiI
around him. Two were still trying to get to their feet, four had been killed,108Please respect copyright.PENANA0quyFk2uwI
and one was out of commission for the time being. That left three unaccounted108Please respect copyright.PENANATkfW1qvJu5
for. He could see them downstairs, but there was nowhere else they could have108Please respect copyright.PENANAsuEtGNb5gz
gone unless there was another hidden path leading out of the house towards the108Please respect copyright.PENANAQDXAUE217g
streets of Eluvia. He would have to see where the path led, but first he had to108Please respect copyright.PENANAoAa01A4Lj6
deal with the survivors.
Vander flipped the sword around108Please respect copyright.PENANATjmxV4A04e
catching it out of midair. The man with the broken jaw didn’t put up a fight as108Please respect copyright.PENANAdeXCysvS76
he shoved the tip through the man’s neck. Blood gurgled from his mouth as108Please respect copyright.PENANA9Fa5GQvapR
saliva and blood blended. Vander kicked the sword free ignoring as his enemy108Please respect copyright.PENANAkx5mqWdy7D
drowned in his own blood.
The two made it to their feet, but108Please respect copyright.PENANAbLYwQENXEA
they looked nervously at each other as they looked over the carnage surrounding108Please respect copyright.PENANAl6Hj5T1nsW
them. He had only been down here for a few minutes, but five of them were108Please respect copyright.PENANA0n4UoHTSvM
already dead. It didn’t bode well for them, but they would have been a disgrace108Please respect copyright.PENANA6vCFYml2iO
to their reputation if they surrendered. The two of them exchanged glances108Please respect copyright.PENANAnThOOTqCT2
before charging Vander.
He brought his sword up to block a108Please respect copyright.PENANAlmA4IiYdwg
strike then kicked the other person away from him. He lunged to the side making108Please respect copyright.PENANAW5KdUns3og
sure to keep both of his enemies either next to or in front of each other. They108Please respect copyright.PENANAtWoxpBgxx8
were hesitant to attack while their partner was on the way, which made his job108Please respect copyright.PENANA9AeF4zl01f
a lot easier. As he blocked another sword strike, he grabbed a dagger from his108Please respect copyright.PENANAMhRGrLLPZC
belt and shoved it through her wrists sticking them together. She dropped the108Please respect copyright.PENANAdD3ZevPMht
sword as she screamed in pain. He removed the dagger then jammed it through the108Please respect copyright.PENANAjtrGEsYmhs
top of her head. Her eyes rolled back as she slumped over, dead.
As the last Serpent screamed,108Please respect copyright.PENANALv1znHGCfz
Vander spun around and thrust the sword through the space between his arm and108Please respect copyright.PENANAArjDQkKaYU
ribs skewering the Serpent on the Blade. Something wet and sticky hit Vander’s108Please respect copyright.PENANAZzZEJsmt28
back as the body fell into him. Sighing to himself, Vander removed the weapon108Please respect copyright.PENANAj03eJhNPoX
from his enemy’s chest and stepped out from underneath him. The body hit the108Please respect copyright.PENANAYADOpcp92H
ground with a splat. Now that there was no one around him posing a threat to108Please respect copyright.PENANAGPxNVA37lc
his safety he decided to look around.
Stepping over the fresh bodies, he108Please respect copyright.PENANA9WBFJ4slTB
started his search at the table they were hovering around when he entered.108Please respect copyright.PENANAe9UqdfIlO6
There was a smoothed out scroll lying there that seemed to have been undamaged108Please respect copyright.PENANAiYiFifVXKT
despite all the blood and fighting. He carefully picked it up to read the108Please respect copyright.PENANAECTxXhBf7w
contents in the low light of the candles. He wasn’t surprised at all when the108Please respect copyright.PENANAzXWcueuYgZ
contents were just as he overheard. Someone wanted him brought to them alive.108Please respect copyright.PENANAlqJmW9VEKb
He could only think of one person, by why alive? Why not dead? It would be108Please respect copyright.PENANAAydXMQFzXw
easier for Peyton to control the narrative that way.
“You should strike first.”108Please respect copyright.PENANArJrZX3I15x
Vander ignored the chill traveling down his spine when the voice whispered in108Please respect copyright.PENANAP0IlGGXUEe
his ear. He could always feel the demon trying to take control, even through108Please respect copyright.PENANAFdPomDmHgM
all the mental barriers he had put up to protect himself, but it was only108Please respect copyright.PENANA7qIPtE2mZh
recently that he could hear him.
“No,” Vander growled. He rolled108Please respect copyright.PENANAmacN7xCJHx
the paper up before sticking it into the pocket inside of his jacket. “We can’t108Please respect copyright.PENANAA0vUG3dI2C
kill him until I clear my name.”
“Let me take control.”108Please respect copyright.PENANAgmUVCF4ix5
Vander saw the shadows ripple along the wall. Two dark red eyes looked back at108Please respect copyright.PENANALZW9vJ4gRS
him. He turned away, suppressing his fear. He couldn’t give the demon any more108Please respect copyright.PENANAgMEQQ2zT6J
power over him, he had already become so strong.
“Begone.” He swiped at the shadows108Please respect copyright.PENANAd27zsQuihj
erasing the eyes from his mind. His head was filled with laughter that slowly108Please respect copyright.PENANAjPZgFn4acp
faded. It was a promise that the demon would return to take control. It was108Please respect copyright.PENANAlLHdT0Y5gk
getting easier to feel tempted ever since he fled, but he had to stay strong108Please respect copyright.PENANAP4UEVDTlmc
until he could figure out how to remove him completely.
He took a quick look around but108Please respect copyright.PENANADLoC8rBaB5
didn’t see anything else worth grabbing. He went upstairs to check there, but108Please respect copyright.PENANApoNkKaFlna
he heard footsteps moving around. He froze as he recognized the sounds of heavy108Please respect copyright.PENANA5zLmA318UW
armor clanging on the wooden floor.
“What the hell happened here?” a108Please respect copyright.PENANAht6PNyx1tb
guard asked.
“I don’t know, but go get help.”108Please respect copyright.PENANAFwkpEdLAQE
Another said. Vander heard him bent down to check the pulses of one of the108Please respect copyright.PENANA31aIP1FBJV
guards. “They’re dead. We will have to wait for backup.”
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“Understood.” One guard left while108Please respect copyright.PENANAMjDagwgYU9
the other stayed behind. It wasn’t bravery, it was foolishness. You never knew108Please respect copyright.PENANA15NOxRvaX0
if the culprit was still in the house. Someone who could kill at least two108Please respect copyright.PENANA4lqmFHFPfG
people was not someone you want to be alone with. The guard overestimated his108Please respect copyright.PENANAsIgyFC7Kak
abilities and part of Vander wanted to teach the man some hubris, but he wasn’t108Please respect copyright.PENANAuxJ2bMAniw
here for them. As quickly and as quietly as he could he stepped away from the108Please respect copyright.PENANAefT0Fckmuj
stairs and down the tunnel.