《Grimdark Ash: Twisted Fantasy》 (1) Scarlet Wedding Chapter 1: The Scarlet Wedding A cold winter breeze rolls through the streets. The cobblestone pathway is covered in a layer of slushed snow. The people, who are bundled up in heavy clothes, are red-faced and drunk on excitement. The citizens are migrating towards the center of the city of Norkfell. The reason for the rush of people to the center of the city and the excitement are the same- a royal wedding. A man with a dark cloaked hood pushes through the drunks outside of the local tavern. Bumping into a larger man and ignoring him, a fight would surely ensue. ¡°Oy. What do ya think yer doin¡¯?¡± The large man, who¡¯s nose is red from either the cold weather or the liquor, called out. The cloaked man continued walking toward the center of the city while weaving through the bustling crowd. Upon being ignored, the drunk man was about to chase after the offender when he was stopped. ¡°Forget about him, Arnold. After all, today is a day for celebration, not fighting!¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s right! Let¡¯s get one more swig before heading over.¡± As the man called Arnold¡¯s friends beckoned him to forget about the rude person, Arnold stared at the obstructed view of his back through the crowd. The winter breeze blew through the city once more, and the body of the cloak lifted with the breeze. The flash of a shining item on the man¡¯s hip caused Arnold to narrow his eyes. Apparently in some kind of deep thought, he remained staring. ¡°Arnold?¡± His friends called once more. Arnold, as if awoken from a trance, widened his eyes. He turned back towards his friends who were poking their heads outside of the tavern door while waiting. They looked at him with curious eyes. Arnold looked at his friends and exhaled loudly while looking down. He darted his eyes up while looking down, and flashed a mischievous grin towards his buddies. Bringing his hand up to his mouth, he gulped down the imaginary cup while walking towards his friends. ¡°You bastards know I¡¯m always up for another!¡± Arnold and his friends returned to the tavern to drink once more. The weather was beginning to brew. Looking at the clouds, it didn¡¯t take a weatherman to surmise a snowstorm was approaching. The people, however, held no concern for this notion. Everyone was too excited over the wedding of the Empire¡¯s Prince Noel. He was to marry a woman from a neighboring kingdom. This was arranged in order to quell rising tensions. The winter breeze rolled through the enormous courtyard, where thousands of people had gathered to witness the event. Above the courtyard on the front, on a stone balcony stood a woman. With her black hair being the only splash of color in her all-white attire, it was clear that this was the princess from the neighboring Kingdom of Badland. This was the bride fated to marry Prince Noel. She looked among the crowd of people. ¡°This is more people than I¡¯ve ever seen in my life¡­ Sheesh, as if I wasn¡¯t nervous enough.¡± The woman looked through her veil at the people that continuously trickled in the two entrances at the back. The courtyard was designed with two entrances for an incredibly basic reason- symmetry. Due to the castle being in the center of the city, the architects felt no need to account for anything other than appearance and durability. All dangers would, ideally, be delt with at the entrance to the walls that surrounded the city. These walls were roughly three miles away in any direction from the castle. On the balcony, the woman could see these walls that surrounded the city she was destined to live in for the rest of her life. ¡°No need to be nervous, Your Highness. This is an important day for the kingdom to be sure- but it is an important day for you as a woman as well.¡± The speaker was a short woman that stood toward the edge of the balcony. Matilda was the head maid of the princess from Badland. She appeared to be middle-aged with bags under her eyes that reflected exhaustion. ¡°Maddy, I am happy to do this for my kingdom. Even if I did not hand select this man, this is what my people need me to do. However, as a woman¡­¡± The princess¡¯s voice strayed off. Upon seeing this, a grin creeped onto Matilda¡¯s face. ¡°Your Highness¡­ I hear that Prince Noel is rather popular among his people. He is heralded as a caring man whom is adored by both his family and the citizens.¡± The bride continued to look out toward the influx of people while deep in thought about her future. Looking at the people that would soon become her own, she felt both excited and homesick. The people that entered were dressed in warm clothes that were either pelts of animals or rags. The wealthier wore extravagant robes made from a mix of fur and cloth. The people that filed in were, more or less, dressed in the same clothes. Warm and comfy, yet also presentable. The woman suddenly noticed somebody that was dressed slightly different. From such a far distance it was hard to make him out- but the man was clearly dressed in a hooded, dark cloak. He walked past the knights guarding the entrance without being questioned by shading behind a large, burly man. His nimble and quick movements combined with the rush of the crowd provided adequate cover from the knight¡¯s eyes. Of course, the bride could not see this from so far away. All that she could discern was that a man with an odd choice of clothing for a wedding attendant had arrived. After a few moments, she lost sight of him in the crowd. Her eyes wandered up towards the guard towers on the opposite side of the courtyard. The stone walls were a different color than from her country; the ones in this Kingdom of Stormfell were grey, while those in Badland were closer to black. However, despite the change in scenery, she began to feel like this could become a place called home as she looked to the horizon and heard the cheers of the citizens. ¡°Prince Noel! Prince Noel! Prince Noel! Long live the Royal Family!¡± The chant ¡®Long Live the Royal Family¡¯ were words that every citizen in the entire country of Stormfell had heard. Even those that lived out in the farmlands knew that these words were customary. ¡°It appears Prince Noel is rather popular¡­¡± The woman whispered to herself. The cold wind rolled through the courtyard once more. The black cloak lifted slightly before settling back into place. The man, who was weaving through the crowd to get closer to the guard tower. The man walked over to 10 feet away from the wooden ladder. There was a single guard standing by the ladder to ensure drunks don¡¯t make a scene. Other than this iron-armor guard, the rest of the soldiers were either guarding the entrances, guardtowers, or near the royal balcony. The amount of guards near where the wedding ceremony would take place was nothing short of ridiculous- ten guards below the balcony with two on it. In addition to the guards near the entrance and ladder, there were 18 guards in total. Considering the current popularity of the Royal Family, especially Prince Noel, the people acted as guards as well if so required. The economy for the city had improved drastically since Prince Noel¡¯s appointment as ruler over the area. In command of the city and 100 miles in every direction, Prince Noel held the fourth most land in the Kingdom. Knowing that this economic improvement was due to Noel¡¯s policies, the people in attendance adore him- and would defend him loyally. The people finally stopped trickling in, and the priest approached the balcony. The Prince was escorted out of the castle to the balcony at this time. Walking onto the stone balcony, while staring at the woman veiled in white, Prince Noel¡¯s pink hair waved in the breeze. The pink hair was the defining trait of the Royal Family. The man, dressed in incredibly extravagant and furry clothes with jewelry, behind the priest and looked outward. The priest raised his hands to settle the cheering crowd down. Just before he began speaking to the crowd, Prince Noel walked to the edge of the balcony and spoke. ¡°Welcome, people of Stormfell! I appreciate each of you coming in support of myself. Without your support, I would not be here today! I have already arranged for mead to be provided, and it is already paid for. Please- drink and celebrate to your heart¡¯s content.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Upon hearing this, two guards rolled barrels out to the crowd and opened them up. The people cheered once more, and salivated at the thought of the high-quality alcohol. A publicity stunt. A simple one, at that. And it was working. ¡°I will now begin the Royal Wedding Ceremony.¡± The priest began speaking once the prince stepped back into place. The priest was an extremely old man in gaudy garments. He began to speak about the royal family and their history. It was at this time that the cloaked man, who was on the opposite side of the courtyard to the balcony, began to walk toward the lone guard beside the ladder. The guard, caught off guard but not lacking presence of mind, spoke in a hushed voice as to not be heard by others and cause a ruckus during the ceremony. ¡°You there! What do you think you¡¯re doing? Fall back to your area!¡± The guard gripped his iron sword strapped to his waist. His eyes, despite fatigue from the preparations for today, showed determination. The cloaked man looked into these tired eyes and spoke. ¡°You will let me through.¡± As he said this, the hood shifted to reveal his eyes. His irises were the color of blood, and his pupils were a shade of lavender. These ominous eyes locked with the guard. A cold breeze rolled through the courtyard once more. From the perspective of the guard, it felt like a hand had grasped his heart. It slowly began to squeeze, and the man panicked. However, just before calling out to the other guards, his eyes lost their sparkle. The guard returned the hooded man¡¯s frightening glare with dazed eyes. ¡°Of course.¡± The guard stepped back to the side of the ladder and allowed the man passage. Passing by the man, he reached a hand to touch his shoulder. After looking at him once more, the cloaked man stepped onto the ladder. The hooded man climbed the ladder while hearing the priest¡¯s rambling continue. By the time he had reached the top, the priest had finished speaking. The two were exchanging their vows- which had been written for the sake of show. The people were in a state of silence. The women cried tears of joy while the men watched with admiration. Hanging on the last stand of the ladder, he heard two guards speaking. ¡°This is a pretty special day, huh? It makes me wonder about my future.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lose focus. Nightfallen may attack at any moment.¡± ¡°Ha. Those dogs? Other than their boss¡¯s Lightning Style, I hear they¡¯re nothing special.¡± ¡°Special enough to kill you in a heartbeat. Stay focused. You never know when-¡± It was at this moment that the guard speaking noticed that he was talking to a headless body. The corpse fell to the ground with blood gushing out of the top. The guard¡¯s face turned ashen as he looked at his deceased friend. All of the memories that they had made together ended in a moment. Unable to process this turn of events quickly, the guard finally looked towards the man dressed in black that stood in front of him. The man looked into the face underneath the hood and spoke. ¡°A¡­ Are you with... Nightfallen?¡± His voice was shaking. The cloaked man¡¯s mouth bit his lip at these words. Blood began to run down the corner of his mouth. ¡°Nightfallen? Those bunch of phonies? No, I¡¯ll kill them as well.¡± This voice quivered with rage. The man began to cry at the bloodlust that radiated off of the death god in front of him. ¡°Then¡­ Then you must be The Dreamer?!¡± The hooded man approached the guard without speaking anymore and grasped his throat. Squeezing, squeezing, squeezing. The guard clawed at the fingers crushing his throat. Tighter, tighter, tighter. The life left his body as his hands drooped down to his sides. The man died while being engulfed in the ominous nature of the cloaked man. He quickly walked to the overlook of the courtyard. A cold breeze rolled through the courtyard once more. The bride¡¯s face was beet red as her veil waved in the wind. She kept taking glances at Noel as Matilda¡¯s words resounded in her head. She had no experience with men- and Prince Noel was simply too flashy for her heart. When she was in his presence, she lost her generally sweet, motherly personality and turned into an inexperienced schoolgirl. The priest¡¯s words echoed throughout the courtyard. ¡°¡­ and with the ceremony now finished, I now declare Prince Noel Cornelius Armstrong and Princess Emily Pierre Stripe man and wife. You may now kiss the bride.¡± Her face flushed once more as she looked at the feminine yet charming prince. He caught her nervous glances and gave an innocent smile to calm her nerves. Badump. Badump. Badump. Her heartrate accelerated and she could hear her own heartbeat. ¡®So, he really is a sweet guy like they say¡­¡¯ were her thoughts. His hand grabbed her veil and removed it from her face. He smiled again while looking into her eyes. Grabbing her chin with one hand, he begun to move in to seal the marriage with the kiss. The princess¡¯s eyes closed as she was completely overwhelmed by the charismatic presence. The crowd was silent in anticipation of such a royally romantic moment. It was due to this silence that a whirling in the air could be heard. The people looked above their heads at the sound of slicing wind and saw a silver flash above them. A cold breeze rolled through the courtyard once more. The prince, with his pink hair dancing in the wind, approached the Princess of Badland¡¯s lips. His eyes began to close. A sudden flash in the corner of his eye caught him completely off guard. He move his hand to the woman¡¯s shoulder and yanked her in front of him. A steel bolt pierced the woman¡¯s chest and was poking mere centimeters away from the Prince¡¯s neck. Blood flowed down the bolt and dropped onto the stone balcony. Scarlet stained the white dress and grew darker every moment. The bride looked down at her chest and coughed up blood. With it flowing down the corners of her mouth, she looked at the prince again. Her eyes looked at the man that shielded himself with her body and it was unknown what her thoughts were as she died. The hooded man stood on top of the guard tower with a silver crossbow planted on the railing. The onlookers were screaming and crying. The guards were in an uproar while shouting out commands. ¡°He¡¯s on the guard tower!¡± The guards began to charge in his direction. The prince looked at the hooded man with mocking eyes. Despite his bride being killed, he knew that this person would be tortured for years until he finally croaked. This thought calmed the prince. ¡°Keh.¡± The hooded man cracked a small laugh. At this moment, the body of the bolt that was centimeters away from the Prince exploded. The flames roared 10 feet high and engulfed the bride¡¯s corpse and the prince. An arm flew into the citizens area. The people observed the arm that was lying on the cobblestone. Underneath the black scorch and the bloodstains, the cloth was a white sleeve with an intricate floral pattern on it. The people¡¯s already shocked minds could only let out more cries of terror. The guards, at this point, had reached the tower and were getting ready to climb up. One guard put his hand on the ladder as he began to climb. Another of the soldiers noticed the guard standing beside the ladder and called out. ¡°Hey! Why aren¡¯t you doing anything?! You could have-¡± In this moment, the guard beside the ladder drew his sword. Before anybody had time to react, his iron blade was cutting through the air toward the ladder. The blade sliced the shoulder of the man climbing the ladder. Falling to the ground while flailing and screaming, the guard¡¯s arm was barely still attached to his body. The other guards drew their swords as they looked at the lifeless eyes of the attacker. The flames had finally died down and the Prince was somehow still standing. His body, however, was covered in char and burns. The once charming face had skin that looked as if it would never return to normal. His bloody eyes looked toward the commotion below and then toward the cloak. A cold breeze rolled through the courtyard once more. The hooded man laughed as he brought a hand to his chest. His voice bellowed out. ¡°You royal pigs. You¡¯ll sacrifice both legs for your head, but that leaves you unable to walk.¡± The crowd of citizens began to outcry terror. The people hollered with shaking voices. ¡°It¡¯s Nightfallen! Nightfallen finally made a move on the Royal family!¡± ¡°You fool, Nightfallen wears black iron. This man is clearly the Caster of Sundown¡­ The Dreamer!¡± ¡°It¡¯s The Dreamer?!¡± ¡°Kill him! He is the evil of the capital!¡± ¡°How dare he touch the kind Family?! Disgusting!¡± ¡°Death is too easy! Torture him to death!¡± The crowd of people directed their malice toward The Dreamer in front of them. The guards began to encircle the savage soldier and prepared to attack. Just before launching their attack, the hooded man that had been overlooking the chaos beneath him turned his back. His voice rolled through the courtyard with an incredibly malevolent force. ¡°You capital dogs are no better. I sentence you all to death.¡± The savage guard with lifeless eyes darted past the distracted guards and ran into the crowd of citizens. Blood flew through the air as screams of both women and men echoed. The guard approached the front of the courtyard, where the Nobles and wealthy were shaking with fear. The man raised his sword again and beheaded a rather fat man dressed in expensive clothes. The nobles scattered while the guard continued killing them from slashing their backs. Three of the guards chased the offender and finally cut him down from behind. Three nobles had already been killed. The bloody and burnt prince was surrounded by five guards, with the charred corpse of the bride at their feet. The guards that had ignored the savage guard and continued chase of The Dreamer had finally reached the top of the ladder. Looking around, they realized that the man had escaped down the other side of the guard tower. One of the men called out to the guards near the prince. ¡°Notify the City Brigade! The Dreamer is somewhere in the city! If he gets away, we¡¯ll be executed for incompetence!¡± The guards went down the tower and pursued ran towards the main street where they believed the man had escaped on. A cold breeze rolled through the courtyard once more. The hooded man ran through the street at full speed. The street was completely empty besides the snow and occasional horse-drawn carriage. He realized that the guards would be swarming the main street as it was the fastest way to exit the city, so he dived into an alley that led him through the slums of the city. With his cloak waving in the wind, he disappeared into the shadows of the city. (2) Pursuit Chapter 2: Pursuit ¡°No! I get to be the Guardian!¡± ¡°Ahhh! No fair! I already called it. You have to be the troll.¡± Two children argued in the cold snow while a third watched. Their feet were wrapped in a cheap cloth to dull the freeze. Their clothes were covered in dirt and holes, as fated for children of the slums. Tents and piled sticks lined the entire street as far as they could see. The world these children knew was far different from those in the main part of the capital- poor and frail, their bodies were the embodiment of poverty. Alas, their eyes were not lifeless. They had a sparkle unbefitting of the clothes that they wore. ¡°Too late. I¡¯m the Guardian, you¡¯re the troll, and she¡¯s the princess.¡± ¡°Wahhh! But I want to go to the Guardian Barracks and train to be a hero of the capital!¡± The children went round and round, back and forth, unable to reach a conclusion. The adults near them sighed as this was a typical development at this time of day. However, they knew that these kids would be especially excited this particular day due to the Royal Wedding. ¡°They sure care about the Royal Family a lot despite the fact we aren¡¯t allowed to attend the wedding.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. What if a plant were to hear you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The poor adults in the capital held no love for the Family- after all, children could be deceived with sweet words and fairy tales, but adults understood the reality. However, these people could not even teach their children about their beliefs without putting themselves in danger. The Royal Family had long ago decided to plant spies among areas of possible rebellion. The penalty for talking negatively about the Royal Family was officially not much more than a slap on the wrist. However, unofficially, it was not common for entire families to go missing. In addition to this, the King had a longstanding order for 1 gold piece for turning in insurgents and rebels. With the promise of being renowned a hero and the taste of wealth, friends would often turn in each other for money. The children in major cities, with schooling systems, would be taught to turn in their parents at the whisper of negative thoughts about the Family. All of these factors resulted in the citizens of Stormfell showing no outward negativity to the Royal family. A black cat scurried through the alley, crossing between the tents and sticks. The child watching his two friends argue had his eyes widen at such a sight. ¡°Was that a¡­ cat? It must of escaped from one of the wealthy estates. I wonder if I¡¯ll get a reward for catching it?¡± A hooded man suddenly crashed through one of the tents that was at the corner of an alley coming from the main street. The commotion caused a scene in the surrounding small area, but the alley was loud enough to avoid too much attention. The children, who were the closest people to the man, looked at each other in surprise. ¡°Excuse me. I¡¯m not from around here, can you direct me to the West side of the city?¡± The incredibly suspicious man told an incredibly simple lie to an incredibly gullible group of boys. His voice was shaking from exhaustion. ¡°Just keep heading this-¡± ¡°Why do you have blood on your cloak?¡± An older hoodlum from the edge of the alley came over. He cut off the children before they could show the way. ¡°You are clearly suspicious. Kids, you mustn¡¯t help aid a criminal!¡± ¡°YoU sHittY oLD mAn!¡± The man¡¯s voice quivered as he attempted to yell. He grabbed the shirt of the man that came over and looked into his eye. He closed both of his eyes. He thrust his left eye open wide to reveal a lavender iris with a golden pupil. The old man¡¯s eyes turned lifeless and his body went limp in the man¡¯s hand. The hooded man spoke. ¡°Which¡­ way is the fastest¡­ route to exit¡­ the city?¡± The old man held a finger to point down the alleyway. ¡°Follow this route for 400 feet. Take a right into the small alleyway. Then a left. Then right. Right. Left¡­ Another left after 400 feet¡­¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Fuck!¡± The hooded man held his hand over his left eye. Blood began seeping through his fingers as he growled in frustration. The children, who were frozen in fear until now, ran away. The child that had seen the black cat had fallen onto his back in fear. The man turned to the child that remained as the people around him scattered and released his pent up bloodlust. The aura in the air turned dark, with his bleeding left eye shaking as it stared at him. The hood of his cloak fell down to reveal wavy black hair with the edges being a deep purple. Currently too pressed for time to worry about his profile being exposed and too frustrated to care, he didn¡¯t put it back up. He pulled out a silver sword as he approached the awestruck child. He pointed the blade at his neck. The cold blade against the child¡¯s neck snapped him back to reality. The child¡¯s tears dripped off of his face to the ground in between his legs. The tear met with the banana-colored snow. The child was just realizing that he had soiled himself at some point. The man seemed to have caught his breath at this point. ¡°Get up. You¡¯re going to escort me through this maze. I can¡¯t remember what that geezer said.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­ but¡­. but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you the way.¡± A cold breeze rolled through the alley. The hooded man turned at the voice that echoed behind him. A girl that appeared to be no older than twelve stood with her head held high and determined eyes. One of the adults that was hiding behind a tent called out in protest. ¡°Stella, no! You know that they¡¯ll kill you if they find out you helped him!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Father. We¡¯ve already decided that there are no rats in this section. Besides, if I don¡¯t help him, then someone else will have to.¡± ¡°But..!¡± ¡°Child. Lead the way.¡± The man with black and lavender hair barked. ¡°Jeez, you¡¯re not much older than me¡­¡± She pouted and walked past him. The man touched his face to feel his hood. Or, the lack thereof. The bloodied eyes of the man showed a slight embarrassment as his cheeks turned an extremely faint color of red. He quickly threw the hood back over his head and coughed twice. ¡°Quickly!¡± He growled as he pushed the girl forward. The two darted through the alley and dipped off into one of the side alleys. The adults and children came out of their hiding places as they watched the two disappear. The old man¡¯s eyes had long since returned to normal, but he still sat on the cold ground. He spoke to the others. ¡°Stella¡­ That child has always been different. However, she went too far this time. This is just¡­¡± One of the other adults punched his shoulder in an attempt to make him stop speaking. The man that Stella had addressed as Father was still near the tent, on his hands and knees while sobbing. ¡°Stella¡­ Why would you¡­ Why would I not stop you? Curse my cowardice¡­ Your father¡¯s¡­ nothing¡­¡± The man continued muttering curses in between his sobs. The old man looked on with depressed eyes. His father, who knew as well as anyone the risk that came with such an act, would feel more pained than anyone. He, who had raised his daughter in the harsh condition of the slums, understood his daughter¡¯s feelings. He had raised her to be a kind, caring, and forgiving girl- just like her mother. Her mother, who was a blonde woman with freckles, had died giving birth to Stella. Crushed and with only one reason to continue living, the man had braved the harsh conditions of poverty and raised his child. He had taught her as he believed her mother would have. ¡®Caring for others is the key to the lock known as depression in this dishonest world.¡¯ Her words had been recycled by his own mouth hundreds of times since her passing. As Stella grew taller, she began to show the physical traits of her mother. Blonde haired with freckles, the child danced in the streets lined with trash. She was a flower in a graveyard- a tinge of color in a dark world. This warmed the man¡¯s heart- he knew that her mother would be proud to call her their child. As he looked at his child grow into adolescence, he often imagined his wife holding her hand as they played together. ¡°Damn it¡­ Damn it¡­¡± The man, sobbing into the snow, begged the Gods to protect Stella. ¡°Please¡­ Please¡­ Forgive my cowardice¡­ Help me just this once¡­ Protect Stella! I beg of you!¡± The sight was pitiful. A grown man groveling in the snow and dirt while begging for forgiveness for something he had done just moments before. However, the people of the slums understood this man¡¯s feelings. They could all relate to a feeling of helpessness. The old man walked over to the man and put his hand on his shoulder. He began to pray to the Gods, asking for them to protect Stella. The other adults and children gathered around the crying man and put their hands on each other¡¯s shoulders. They bowed their heads and prayed for a single act of mercy. The clanking sound of armor could be heard approaching from the alleyway that the hooded man had entered. On the other side of the city, a scarred man laid down on an extravagant bed. His clothes were burnt as multiple healer¡¯s and alchemists operated on his charred body. He was drinking potions as if they were water in an attempt to stop the bleeding. The man¡¯s eyes and had no emotion or flare that they had previously boasted. The man stared into the ceiling as he thought on how he had ended up in such a state. His lower face and jaw, as the head healer had just stated, would never recover the lost tissue from the burns. His lips were melted away, exposing his teeth and gums. The healer spoke again. ¡°We seemed to have stopped the bleeding. Your life is no longer in danger, but as stated before, not all things can be healed. The burns were too severe.¡± Prince Noel¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stared at the ceiling. His hands turned to fists and quaked with anger. ¡°The Dreamer¡­ The Dreamer¡­ The Dreamer¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kIlL YoUR fAmily¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kIlL yOuR fRiEnDs¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯LL KILL YOUR PETS! I¡¯LL KILL WHOMVER YOU¡¯VE TALKED TO! I¡¯LL KILL WHOMEVER YOU¡¯VE BREATHED NEXT TO! I¡¯LL KILL ANYONE WHO MUTTERS YOUR DISGUSTING, FILTHY, DIRTY, UGLY, NASTY, SHITTY, TERRIBLE NAME! YOU HORRID, HORRID, HORRID, HORRID, HORRID, PIG BRAINED, DOG FUCKING MONGREL PIECE OF SHIT!¡± The medical team had long ago left the room in fear. As they say, there is nothing more frightening than a prince gone mad. (3) Inner Thoughts Chapter 3: Inner Thoughts The young girl dipped through the alleyways with the hooded man hot on her tail. Bobbing and weaving, she ran into an alleyway with a guard standing in surprise. As he drew his sword, the hooded man pierced his sword into the heart of the guard. He pulled the sword out as the corpse fell to the ground. He slashed his sword through the air and the blood splattered on the alleyway walls. ¡°This is the 9thguard already. How close are we?¡± ¡°Ummm¡­ we¡¯re probably a third of the way there.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t going to work. I got held up too long and gave them too much time to gather themselves. The rate that we meet them is increasing, and there¡¯s no point in escaping the city if I have a team of pursuers on my heels.¡± ¡°What was your original plan?¡± The girl asked with curious eyes. ¡°I had intended to exit on horse and get into the mountains. They couldn¡¯t follow far without being at risk of running into a Giant camp. Of course, if they catch me before I make it there, then I¡¯ll be tortured and executed.¡± ¡°Wah! Tortured?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act so surprised. I did attempt to kill the-¡± ¡°STOP!¡± The girl covered her ears and sat in a squatting position as if to say ¡®I can¡¯t hear you!¡¯ She spoke with her hands loosening grip of her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear¡­ what you¡¯ve done. As far as I¡¯m concerned, you are an innocent person in need of help¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m no innocent man.¡± Stella¡¯s hands drooped back down as her view fixed onto the snow on the ground. Her eyes showed a nostalgic look. ¡°My mother died when I was born. My father raised me in the slums completely on his own. He truly loved me and cared for me, so I was happy. He began to tell me about my mother and how wonderful she was.¡± Stella brought a slight grin onto her face, but her eyes were gloomy. She tightened her fists. She hesitated before continuing. ¡°She truly was wonderful. Caring, kind, and loving. Apparently, she wasn¡¯t always poor. She came from a merchant family, but she met my dad while on the way home from buying goods. She had taken a wrong turn and ended up in the slums, but my father escorted her to safety. They fell in love.¡± The hooded man listened to her words with some interest. Or, possibly, he was trying to distract himself from his situation. ¡°My mother told her parents, but they disapproved. Basically, my mother got disowned and kicked to the street when she told them she wouldn¡¯t change her mind. She began living in the slums with my father, and she was incredibly popular. She helped the other people with their problems out of pure generosity. My father loved her more than anything in the world.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°So, tell me¡­¡± A cold breeze rolled through the alleyway once more. Stella turned to the hooded man with eyes full of tears. Her voice was cracking. ¡°Tell me¡­ if you¡¯re not innocent for killing bad people¡­ if you¡¯re a bad person for killing evil people¡­ does that make me a bad person for killing such a wonderful person?!¡± The hooded man¡¯s eyes widened as his mouth opened slightly with surprise. The girl looked back to the ground and wiped her tears with her ragged sleeves and sobbed. In the dead of night, the sobbing was the only sound in the darkness. This continued for a few minutes when the hooded man finally broke the sobbing with his own words. ¡°My name is Julius Payne. I¡¯m also known as The Dreamer throughout Stormfell.¡± The girl stopped crying as she looked at Julius with curious eyes once again. ¡°I¡¯m known as The Dreamer because I was born from a lineage of people with visual prowess. I can influence the minds of others through the power of my eyes, which is a magic otherwise impossible through normal means.¡± Stella had stopped crying and listened with interest. After all, in her years in the slums, she had never met someone like Julius, much less left the city. ¡°My eyes that you saw before¡­ They are my most prized possession. After all, my appearance and my eyes are the only things I have to remember them by¡­¡± ¡°Did¡­ something happen to them? Your family?¡± Julius was released from his mind that was lost in reminiscence. The girl¡¯s eyes snapped him back from some horrifying memories. He was shocked that he had spoken so much. He wasn¡¯t the type to carry on about the past anymore. ¡°You think this is storytime or something? You think I¡¯m an innocent person? Listen. You didn¡¯t kill your mom. That is the way life is. Things happen and you must either move forward or remain stuck in the past. I can tell you from experience that the ladder is hell.¡± The girl looked up while her eyes widened. Her previously gloomy eyes showed no trace of themselves. ¡°I am The Dreamer. I entrance my foes into a dream. I torture them and put them through hell. I¡¯m a murderer. I¡¯m a sinister person. No, I¡¯m sinister itself.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± The girl broke into laughter at the man¡¯s monologue. She showed an incredibly innocent grin with the whites of her teeth seemingly illuminating the dark alley. ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re just so clearly not a bad person, it was funny to see yourself lie for no reason.¡± The man stared at her with a shocked expression on his face. ¡°Also, you may be The Dreamer, but that¡¯s not the reason!¡± He shifted his head slightly at the anticipation and curiosity of her words. ¡°You are called The Dreamer because you have a dream for the people like us. Those of us that live in poverty, with no voice in the kingdom. Stuck in the shadows of the rest of the kingdom, helpless beyond belief. You have a dream that the kingdom will take care of people like us! You, The Dreamer, are a good person!¡± He could no longer remain silent. He laughed loudly at the young girl before him. For some reason, for a faint moment, it looked like she had grown wings and ascended into the heavens. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about it that way. The things that I do are for the people, huh?¡± Stella laughed as well. She had finally told someone her deepest feelings, and she had learned that she must move forward. She had lived her life trying to atone for what she had believed to be her sins, but she learned that it was pointless to fret over something she had no control over. ¡®The way life is, huh¡­¡¯ ¡°Anyway, Julius. You can¡¯t leave the city, right?¡± Julius looked at her with frustrated eyes. ¡°I completely forgot for a moment! I can¡¯t. Why?¡± ¡°I think I know a place that you can hide until the hunt blows over.¡± Julius stared at the girl that had a mischievous smile on her face. (4) Hidden in Plain Sight Chapter 4: Hidden in Plain Sight Stella led Julius by hand as they weaved through the alleyways in the dark of night. Passing by tents and sticks with piles of garbage, Stella turned a corner and dropped to her knees. She began clawing at the crevice between the wall and ground that was encased in snow. Eventually, she hit a wooden bar on the wall that was roughly the size of a small window. The sound of metal clanking echoed through the alleyways. Unable to pinpoint exactly which direction the sound was coming from due to extreme exhaustion and blood loss, Julius drew his sword and prepared for a fight. At this point, he was on his last legs. The next fight would likely be his last if it was a decent opponent or group. ¡°Bingo!¡± Stella cried out. ¡°Hurry, get inside!¡± Julius looked back to the wall that Stella had been clawing at and saw a square hole that was barely big enough for someone to squeeze through. The sound of armor and guards hollering grew louder. ¡°I hope they don¡¯t sniff around too much.¡± Julius grabbed Stella by one hand and tossed her through the hole. Due to her small, childish frame, she went through without incident. He then dove through the square that was barely large enough to fit through. The room that the hole led to was pitch black and completely silent. The moonlight that shined through the window gave Stella enough light to walk over to the hole. She began to reach her hands out to bring snow back towards the window in an attempt to cover their tracks. She closed the wooden bar. This snuffed any moonlight that was seeping into the room and encased the two in total darkness. The only sound that could be heard was the heavy breathing of Julius and Stella and dripping water from melting snow. ¡°What is this place?¡± Asked Julius. ¡°I think it was some kind of storage¡­ ummm¡­ weapons maybe?¡± Replied Stella. ¡°Gunpowder.¡± The sound of an old woman struck Julius like a bolt of lightning. ¡°Who is it?! Who¡¯s there?!¡± Julius drew his sword. ¡°Calm down! It¡¯s just Auntie!¡± He was surprised by her sudden explanation. The old woman spoke. ¡°No matter what this place used to store, it is abandoned now. Now tell me¡­ why have you brought someone here, Stella?¡± ¡°Ummm¡­ it¡¯s kind of a long story. I don¡¯t really have time to tell it. I need to get back to my part of the slums before a plant notices that I¡¯ve left.¡± ¡°I see. If you are questioned by the guards, you can just claim ignorance. They do not know that I was with someone, so you should return to your place.¡± ¡°Right. Ummm. Julius¡­¡± Julius, despite being in complete darkness, could feel anxiety rising in his heart. The reason for this was known in his heart. ¡°We¡¯ll¡­ meet again, right?¡± Julius sighed as if annoyed by his younger sister. ¡°Of course we¡¯ll meet again. I¡¯ve seen who you are as a person, and want to make sure you are okay in the future. We will meet again. I swear it!¡± ¡°Right!¡± Stella yelled happily.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Despite the black cold surrounding him, he felt warmth at hearing her excitement. His current blindness did not prevent him from knowing the look of the smile on her face. ¡°Alright then! I¡¯m off!¡± Stella held her ear to the window to make sure no one was near. She then crawled out and closed it behind her. She could hear Julius before the window shut completely. ¡°Be safe!¡± Stella smiled once more as she ran off into the direction of her home. A cold breeze rolled through the alleyways. On the other side of Stormfell, in an enormous castle on top of a hill surrounded by fields of green. ¡°Your Majesty! Urgent news from Norkfell!¡± A large man with a bald head and pink beard sat on a throne. On top of his head, he wore a golden crown with ornate jewels. This crown signified the head of the Royal Family. The King of Stormfell opened the letter that his personal aid had retrieved from the kneeling messenger. As the man read, his eyes opened in surprise at the contents of the message. ¡°This¡­ is unacceptable. Notify the 2nd, 3rd, and 5thprinces. Send a message to the 4th, 6th, and 7thprincesses as well. Make sure everyone is under protection at all times. Also, contact him.¡± The personal aid that was in deep bow until this moment looked up in surprise. He immediately looked back to the floor and understood what to do. ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡± The aid and messenger left through the enormous doors opposite the throne. The King called out to the fortune teller off to the side at the foot of his throne. ¡°Krell. Show me Prince Noel.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡± The ugly hunchback called Krell held an orb in his hands. This was an effect of his personal magic that he was born with from his clan. An image of a scarred man appeared on the orb. The pink hair left that it was no doubt Prince Noel. His lips were melted away, but it was obvious that he was currently donning a smile for an unknown reason. Seeing the extent of these wounds, the King had observed enough and dismissed Krell. Besides the guards scattered throughout, the King was the only one left in the room. His extravagant yellow robes covered the floor around him. He shifted his head onto his arm as he looked at the ceiling while deep in thought. ¡°The Dreamer, huh¡­¡± Time passed. In Norkfell, armed guards run through the alleyways while on the hunt for the insurgent. They had been searching for over a day, but had yet to find The Dreamer. Other than a strange order by the Prince that left them with a sick taste in their mouth, they had made no actual progress. They had searched every single alley in the city multiple times, yet no clues had been found despite dead bodies in the slums. The head of the Norkfell City Guard stood in front of an extravagant bed. The figure of a man was underneath a white sheet. ¡°Prince Noel. Head City Guard James, reporting our current status.¡± The figure¡¯s head shifted slightly as he spoke in a rushed, eager, and pained tone. ¡°What is happening? Is there any more progress?¡± ¡°No, Sir. We¡¯ve had no progress in twelve hours now. We have searched all known buildings and homes. We have no reason to believe that anyone in the city would aid such a criminal, but we have been thorough in the search. Presently, the only possible conclusion is that The Dreamer is no longer in the city.¡± ¡°What?! How could he have escaped?! Didn¡¯t you lock down the exits of the city?!¡± James slightly recoiled at the harsh response by the royalty before him. He knew better than anyone what kind of things Prince Noel was capable of, especially when it came to The Dreamer. He rushed his next words in a slightly shaking voice. ¡°We did. However, there are many places of the wall that are unsupervised. If he had previously set up an escape plan capitalizing on the lack of guards in poor areas of the city, it is possible that he has long since left the city and entered the mountains.¡± Prince Noel remained unmoving in his sheet. The dead silence caused James an incredibly uncomfortable feeling of anxiety. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir! I will immediately lead a group of guards to slay him! Forgive me, I beg of you!¡± Prince Noel finally spoke after another full minute of silence. James was drenched in cold sweat underneath his armor. ¡°I understand, James. Do not beat yourself up too hard.¡± James¡¯s eyes widened before he exhaled a sigh of relief. An enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. His lips parted a slight grin at such a happy moment. ¡°That¡¯s my job.¡± ¡°Amon!¡± ¡°Cut his arm off and feed it to the dogs while he watches.¡± James¡¯s face showed intense surprise before he begged the Prince to reconsider. Before he could finish his begging, a large hand with a white glove grabbed him from behind and dragged him out of the room in a nonchalant manner. James¡¯s resistance was completely futile in the grip of the man called Amon. Prince Noel remained unmoving while his head faced the ceiling. His body began to shake, either from frustration or pain. Blood seeped through the sheets as he passed out. As his eyes shut, a faint groan of either pain or rage leaked out. (5) Everything Chapter 5: Everything In the complete darkness of the abandoned storage room, a man snored quietly. Enthralled in his task of assassination and escape, Julius was completely exhausted and had fallen asleep almost immediately after Stella had left. He dreamt about his past and future. Suddenly, the sound of a match being struck could be heard from the other side of the room. A small light illuminated the room, causing the snoring man to wake up. Holding the match was an old woman with wrinkles all over her face. She was clearly at the age where death should be near, but her eyes showed a splash of youth on her otherwise tired expression. The woman spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve been sleeping for long enough. I¡¯m called Auntie around here, so address me as such.¡± She spoke in a harsh, rude tone. However, immediately after finishing her disrespectful words, she grabbed a bowl of soup off of a wooden table that was next to her. She outreached her hand as she offered it to him. ¡°You¡¯re probably pretty hungry, right? It¡¯s not very good and it¡¯s cold, but-¡± Julius grabbed the bowl and gulped it down. He finished the soup in about 15 seconds and let out a belch. ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡± The old woman stared at him and let out a mocking sound as if discontent. Julius could already understand that she was a kind person that was simply acting rude. After all, he had slept in her home for hours without being interrupted. ¡°You were with Stella. Why?¡± Julius tightened the grip on the bowl that he was still holding. Just before answering her the truth, however, she continued speaking. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter why, actually. What matters is that she seemed to care for you. So let me ask you this: do you care for her as well, or is this merely an act to benefit yourself?¡± Auntie was no idiot. She had deduced from everything that had happened until now, as well as his sketchy appearance, that this man was a criminal being pursued. Her many years of experience told her that, while not all criminals were evil, they certainly weren¡¯t innocent. ¡°I care for Stella.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for my gain. Well, I was using her for myself, but¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I needed help and she offered.¡± Auntie sighed at this answer. She could roughly understand what had happened. ¡°That girl¡­ She¡¯s always helping others, when it is herself that¡¯s in the most pain.¡± Julius looked to the ground as he reflected on the burden that Stella had been carrying with her all of her life. He remembered how, despite being in risk, she was genuinely kind to him. The old woman noticed the expression on Julius¡¯s face. ¡°She¡­ told you. Other than me, you are the only person to know of her guilt.¡± Julius silently listened while his gaze was locked onto the ground. ¡°She¡¯s really a strange girl. I met her while getting food one day. No one would want to help an old woman that held no value, but a single child offered me half of her food.¡± ¡°From that day onward, we began seeing each other and discussing our lives. I told her about my life as an ex-merchant from Badland, and she told me about her mother and father.¡± ¡°After about a year, she told me that she felt it was her fault for her mother¡¯s death. Can you believe that? A child, who was kind enough to offer food to a useless old woman, felt that she was a killer. How laughable.¡± ¡°Do you know why that child is so kind?¡± Julius, for the first time in a while, looked up into the eyes of the woman. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t. I¡¯m the only one that knows. Seeing that Stella cares for you so much, I will tell you.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Julius¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°She¡¯s faking.¡± ¡°Well, she¡¯s not a mean person, but she¡¯s definitely not the saint at heart that you and everyone else thinks.¡± Julius was caught off guard at this answer. He thought about how she had acted, and thought that she was truly kind. However, assuming that Auntie was correct, he came to a conclusion based on her previous burden. ¡°She¡¯s filling the hole that her mother left. Right?¡± Auntie narrowed her eyes as she highly appraised the perception of the man in front of her. ¡°Smart boy. Of course she is. In her mind, she has robbed the world of the most pure and innocent person. Every time she sees someone in the slums, she thinks about how her mother would react if she wasn¡¯t dead. She felt that it was her task to perform the role of the dead, innocent, wonderful woman she had killed.¡± ¡°Of course, her mother wasn¡¯t as innocent as she thinks.¡± This surprised Julius as he widened his eyes in curiosity. She struck another match and threw the burnt one away. The extremely large matches lasted longer than a typical one. ¡°Don¡¯t make that face. Everyone in this world is guilty of something. I¡¯m guilty. You¡¯re guilty. Stella¡¯s guilty of being a fake. Her mother was guilty as well. She sold her body while in the slums in order to feed herself and her husband. Of course, her husband knew about this fact, but had no room to protest as they needed and income they could get. He never told Stella this because he didn¡¯t want to disappoint her. Who would have thought that painting her mother as a perfect woman would leave Stella in more pain than telling her the truth? Either way, the point still stands that she isn¡¯t innocent.¡± -Crack- The bowl in Julius¡¯s hand split in two pieces from the force of his grip. Auntie stared in disbelief at the surprising feat. ¡°You¡¯re wrong¡­ She is innocent. She had no choice but to sell her body. Just like how Stella had no choice but to fill the role of her perfect mother. They aren¡¯t to be blamed. They aren¡¯t the ones at fault.¡± ¡°The ones that are at fault¡­ are the Royal Family. The only thing to blame¡­ is the world itself. The ones that are wrong in this messed up world aren¡¯t those forced into poverty. They also aren¡¯t the ones that mind their own business and live their lives in solitude. The only ones that are wrong are those that created this world that we live in.¡± The old, wrinkled face of the woman showed surprise at the answer of the man in front of her. ¡°They take everything from us¡­ and they expect nothing to be taken from them. They kick and punch and scratch and bite, while we lay down and take it. It¡¯s this society, the way life is.¡± ¡°Why¡­ do you care about Stella?¡± The woman asked with curiosity. Her eyes were glowing with interest. ¡°I¡­ had a sister.¡± ¡°She was younger than me, and I took care of her as a diligent older brother. She was sweet and slightly mischievous. I suppose she reminded me of her.¡± Auntie smiled at this response. ¡°Then take care of her, as you would your sister. She deeply cares about you, and looks up to you. Don¡¯t let her down.¡± Julius tightened his hands into fists as he stood up to leave. ¡°Of course. I won¡¯t make the same mistake twice¡­ no matter what.¡± Auntie smiled wider in approval and pulled over a box with cloth in it. ¡°Put this on. You can¡¯t go out in the same clothes as before, or else they¡¯ll catch you immediately.¡± She tossed a purple ragged cloak at him. It was not nearly as nice as his black one, but he had no choice. ¡°Thank you.¡± He took down his hood and removed the cloak, releasing his hair and showing his unique appearance to Auntie for the first time. ¡°You¡­ purple hair¡­ those eyes¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­ from the Ancient Slayer Clan, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Payne?¡± Julius glanced at the shocked old woman and looked back to the window after putting his cloak on. ¡°Take care of yourself.¡± With those words and a determined expression, Julius left the storage room and went back into the cold alleys. Auntie remained unmoving while staring at the place he had been sleeping. ¡°No, it couldn¡¯t be. I thought all of the Slayers were decimated years ago.¡± The match she had been holding until now reached her hand and caused her to drop it from the heat. The light extinguished and all light left the room. In the main street of the city of Norkfell, the snow was beginning to fall harder. The once slushy streets were now covered in white. The people moved through the streets quickly in an attempt to stay out of the cold. They kept their heads down and moved straight forward towards their individual destinations. In the center of the street, however, the group parted to move around a public display. It was a wooden stage with wheels that had been locked down to remain unmoving. On top of the display was a gruesome sight. ¡°How terrible¡­¡± ¡°They truly have no mercy¡­¡± ¡°Quiet! What if someone were to hear you?¡± A man in a brown cloaked hood moved through the street. He thought about inviting Stella to join him on his trip. He had grown to care more about her through being separated. He kept his head down with his hood up and moved at the rate of the traffic. He had been walking in the main street for several minutes this way, so he was surprised when he bumped into a wooden stage. His hood fell slightly back as he looked up read the words written on the front. ¡°Those that would betray the Kingdom are not needed in society.¡± Julius¡¯s heart sank. A single pike was on top of the wooden stage with a severed head stuck on it. Julius¡¯s voice was barely audible as tears filled his eyes. ¡°Must¡­ they take¡­ everything?¡± On the pike sat the severed head of Stella. Her face was bloodied and her eyes were still open. They held none of the happiness and joy that they had in life. A cold breeze rolled through the street once more. The blonde hair on Stella¡¯s head waved in the wind, giving off the appearance of a single yellow flower in a cold and dark place. (6) Nothing Julius walked into the alleyway while holding the severed head in his arms. He fell to his knees on the stone ground while facing a wall. The snow had not collected on the ground here due to the high buildings. Despite this, however, he felt more cold than he had in a long time. His body was unmoving as he stared into the open eyes of the girl. She had clearly been tortured before death in an attempt to get information, but had refused to give in considering he was not found. Tears rolled out of his eyes like a waterfall. Even though he was crying, he wasn¡¯t sobbing and remained completely still. He spoke. ¡°Hey¡­ Stella¡­ tell me¡­ must they take everything? My family, my home, my history. Now they take people that remind me of my family¡­¡± ¡°I told you to take care of yourself¡­ why didn¡¯t you turn me in?! You could have lived!¡± Julius was yelling while tears still poured out of his eyes. ¡°I told the old hag¡­ that I¡¯d take care of you¡­ that I wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake twice¡­¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a day since I made the promise¡­ So why?! Why was I unable to protect you again?!¡± ¡°Stella¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ forgive me¡­¡± Julius was not an emotional man anymore. For years, he had abandoned any emotions that he considered pathetic, such as despair or fear. However, at the root of him as a human being, he was an incredibly passionate person. For the first time in years, he remembered what despair felt like. He moved his hand over her eyes and slowly shut them. Tears dropped from his face to hers. Her deathly pale skin that was still freckled looked as if it were crying from dying such a merciless death. Julius set her head down gently. He closed his eyes in an attempt to calm down. He sat for a few more moments before a highpitched, wicked voice echoed from behind him. ¡°Imagine crying tears for the death of a whore¡¯s daughter.¡± A cold breeze rolled through the alleyway. The breeze brought snow along with it, traveling at a horizontal yet unlinear pathway. The man that had spoken to Julius stood behind the kneeling man with other people behind him. Two women and four men were in the shadow of the alleyway, while the speaker stood in front of the others. The wind blew the hood on Julius¡¯s face down, completely exposing the back of his head to the group. One of the women raised her eyes at the unique hair color. He remained completely still as he was in complete shock of the words. ¡°Titus. Why offend him?¡± One of the men, who appeared to be more beast than man, asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Oy, brat. Today¡¯s your lucky day. Nightfallen has chosen you to be a member. We¡¯ll protect you from-¡± ¡°Shut your filthy mouth.¡± Julius turned and released his bloodlust towards the man. The group behind Titus felt the intense hate and dark aura that was being emitted. Titus slightly widened his eyes in anger as Julius locked eyes with him. Blood flowed out of his left eye as it widened. Before anyone had time to react, a sword had pierced the frozen Titus through the chest. He coughed blood as the others drew their weapons in preparation to kill. ¡°Titus!¡± One of the women in the group hollered in a cry.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°She¡¯s not a whore¡¯s child. I¡¯ll cleanse the world of any that would call her such.¡± Titus looked into the crazed eyes before him as the life slipped from his body. His arms went limp and fell to his sides. Julius looked up at the others and spoke in an incredibly disturbed voice. ¡°Does anyone else¡­ have anything to say?¡± The appearance given off from the man was truly a sight to behold. His lavender-red eyes that had blood leaking out of them combined with his swaying purple and black hair left the onlookers with a sense of fear in their hearts. They were well aware that, as some of the most powerful people across Stormfell, they were on par with the man before them. They knew that together, there wasn¡¯t a single individual alive that could beat them. However, they still felt fear in the deepest corner of their hearts. Perhaps a cornered dog is more dangerous than a prince gone mad. ¡°That is quiet enough.¡± Another man walked into the alleyway. The old man gave off an aura of extensive wisdom, yet was hunched over and frail. The wrinkles on his eyes showed years of hard-earned experience and respect. The men and women, who claimed to be in Nightfallen, dropped to their knees after a moment of surprise. The brunette woman that had yelled earlier spoke. ¡°Inner¡­ why have you come to a place like this? I thought the Inner Court had ordered us in order to remain untraceable?¡± The old man, who had an extremely long, white beard stroked it gently. He looked back and forth between the group and the man known as The Dreamer. He closed his eyes and spoke. ¡°I have been watching you, Julius. Ever since you met that child in the alleyways of the slums.¡± ¡°¡­ Do I look like somebody who wants to speak to an expired geezer right now?¡± ¡°You fool! Watch your tongue in the presence of an Inner!¡± The girl that been particularly upset at Titus¡¯s death lashed out. ¡°Hahaha!¡± The old man laughed. ¡°Join me, Julius Payne. I will work you to the edge of death, and you will perform loyally.¡± Julius grimaced at the insane words being uttered before him. ¡°And why¡­ would I do that?¡± ¡°I have some information that will change your destiny.¡± ¡°He is alive. And I know where he is.¡± The group, lost and confused, looked at each other in hopes of someone knowing what was happening. Only the silver-haired girl that had reacted to both The Dreamer¡¯s unique appearance and the name ¡®Payne¡¯ watched on in interest. ¡°¡­ I heard that he had died. I saw his corpse with my own eyes.¡± ¡°A farce.¡± The old man immediately shut him down. ¡°You know better than anyone the things that he is capable of. He is in a position of prestige, so it will be hard¡­ but the question remains. Will you join Nightfallen, the Justice of Stormfell?¡± Julius looked at the ground in thought. Blood continuously flowed out of his eyes. His left eye bled at an exceedingly fast pace. He ran his fingers through his hair before speaking in a cold yet determined tone. ¡°I¡¯ll join you.¡± This answer brought a smile onto the old man¡¯s face. The rest of the group¡¯s face¡¯s filled with tension, as the murderer of their friend was now a comrade. The silver-haired girl exhaled a cloud of fog into the cold air from relief. The group heard the clanking of armor and guards yelling about the missing head nearby. The brunette girl, who wore her hair in a long braid over her golden armor, chanted phrases from an ancient language. After a moment, a green portal opened on the wall of the alleyway. She stepped through the portal and disappeared as the rest of the men in Nightfallen followed. The silver-haired girl, who was the last to enter the portal besides the Inner and Julius, looked back before stepping through. She locked her green eyes with Julius and gave a respectful smile before turning her head and entering the portal. The Inner, who had a satisfied smile on his face, started to walk toward the spinning fog. Just before entering, he heard Julius speak from behind him. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to tell your Inner phonies that I know the truth.¡± Julius staggered past the still old man and disappeared into the portal. The old man¡¯s face showed an incredibly sinister look while he pondered on the man called The Dreamer. He whispered to himself before walking through the portal and leaving the city of Norkfell behind. ¡°Julius Payne¡­ You shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡± The snow came down harder. It piled into the alley, quickly covering the ground in white. The severed head of the once bright-eyed youth laid on the cold ground with a thin layer of ice on her eyelashes. Her eyes finally being shut and laid down to rest, she could finally meet her mother. A cold breeze rolled through the alleyway once more.