《Into The Storm》 .1 The year was 1485 and the Kingdom of Frinnor was prospering, more people moving in, more houses being built to accommodate the growing population. The miners journeyed deeper down, chipping away at the walls of raw carbon, loading the black coal into carts. The lumberjacks chopped their axes at the forests, cutting the trees down, sawing the wood, turning it into floorboards, rafters and walls. The archers stood at the battlements of the kingdom, next to the cannons, watching out for any potential threats, protecting the kingdom. The king, Edmund II, was sat in his throne of gold, as always. His right hand clasped his chin and his left hand held the arm of the throne, his fingers drumming away in thought endlessly. Edmund was a tall man, taller than most of the villagers in the entire kingdom. He was clad in long, grey robes that had the appearance of them being covered in dust. There was a long, white cape around his neck, falling down to the floor and a bejeweled, hollow golden crown sitting upon his head, complete with red rubies and black bloodstones. Edmund had long, wavy black hair that went down to his shoulders, just managing to touch them. There was a large, golden ring on his right index finger with a shield and the head and mane of a lion delicately engraved onto it. That was Edmund for you. A great king, but still loaded with gold. Not to mention taxes. Next to him, sat his wife, Elspeth. She was not as tall as her husband, but what she lacked in height, she made up for in ethereal beauty. She was clad in a long, white robe, a diamond necklace around her neck, complete with a head of blonde straight hair. She too, wore a bejeweled, hollow golden crown, also adorned with sapphires and diamonds. Suddenly, the large, double doors of the palace opened themselves up and a knight walked inside. Edmund stopped drumming his fingers and took away his hand from his chin, looked at the knight that strode up to him. She was clad in a shining suit of armour, complete with fan plates, greaves and sabatons. The whole lot. It was just the helmet that was missing. After all, she did like to look at her enemies face to face as she cut them down. She liked to see the humiliation in their eyes as they realised that they had been beaten in a fight by a woman. She liked that power. There was a four foot longsword strapped to her side, kept in a polished, steel scabbard. The knight had long, thick, glorious golden blonde hair that went down to her hips, flowing like a waterfall of honey. Her eyes glinted like flawless emeralds. Her name, was Rosalis Ventris, the herald and custodian of the king and queen. If there was anyone in the kingdom that could do a job for either of them, it was her, no matter what it would be. Be it a rescue mission or diving into complete suicide. If there was anyone that tried to assassinate the royals, she would be there to protect them both, no matter the threat, no matter the odds. Rosalis stopped in front of Edmund, her left hand resting on the pommel of her sword, her right being prepared to draw it at a moment¡¯s notice of any threat. She may have been a maiden, but she had a heart of ice and nerves of steel. There were not many female knights in the kingdom. As far as Rosalis was concerned, she was the only one. ¡°I thought that you were getting slow.¡± The king told her. ¡°Maybe you need to resign.¡± ¡°Speak for yourself.¡± She replied. ¡°I think that you¡¯re starting to grow a beard.¡± Edmund looked at her slightly angrily, but then burst out into a wheezing laughter. Rosalis chuckled. ¡°You summoned for me, my lord?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes, indeed I did.¡± Edmund replied. ¡°I have a momentous task for you to undertake.¡± ¡°Anything.¡± ¡°I have heard of rumors that a man named...Wolfgrimm, I think that he is called, is planning a war to take over Frinnor.¡± Rosalis did not seem one bit fazed by the news, it seemed to be almost normal to her. ¡°A war?¡± Edmund nodded. ¡°Indeed. I need you to find Wolfgrimm and take care of him.¡± ¡°You want me to kill him?¡± ¡°Yes I do. Kill him in any way that you see fit, just make sure that he does not come back. We can not risk Frinnor being destroyed.¡± Rosalis inclined her head in a small, respectful bow and looked up at Edmund. ¡°Of course, my lord.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Edmund stood up from his throne. ¡°Come.¡± Without one question asked, she followed after him as he walked past her, his cape flowing after him like a waterfall of freshly spilled blood. They walked down the corridors of the castle and entered a room with a large oak table that had a map meticulously painted on it, signifying the five kingdoms of the land. Hebia, the kingdom stuck in a boggy swamp, the land taken over by unbearable stench and creatures of nightmares. Ponazia, the kingdom where it will not stop snowing, an eternal winter gripping it like an icy fist. Doyeya, the kingdom stuck in the middle of an endless stormy sea, there being no escape. It was a place where no ship could be steered. A perfect prison. Edmund tapped his finger on Wolfholde. The dark kingdom that reeked of fear and tyranny, many villagers trying to escape its razor claws but failing. The king looked up at his custodian and herald, his palms on the table, himself hunched over the map. ¡°That¡¯s where your journey will take you.¡± He told her. ¡°It will be half a day¡¯s ride, but, many cartmen refuse to enter that accursed place. And with good reason. My guess is that they will stop by the entrance to the forest, here.¡± He tapped his finger on another part of the map. ¡°You will need to walk through it to get to Wolfgrimm¡¯s castle. I have no knowledge of the forest, so I am afraid that I cannot help you. But I have heard tales of bandits roaming around. I do not know if they are mere stories or if they are agents of Wolfgrimm. You will have to be careful and on the lookout for any threats.¡± ¡°What of Wolfholde?¡± ¡°You need to have no fear of Wolfholde. It is the castle that should concern you. It is heavily guarded. Walking through Wolfholde should pose no threat to you. But once you get to the castle, you will need to find a way to sneak inside it. Wolfgrimm¡¯s henchmen take no prisoners. Let me give you some advice, if I may. You will need to be light on your feet, there are guards at every corner. They do not care if you are a maiden in armour, they will attempt to kill you by any means necessary. These people are insane and take lives with no regard. Sneak through without raising an alarm, assassinate Wolfgrimm, and thousands of lives may be saved, preventing a war between two kingdoms.¡± He stood up straight. ¡°You have my word, my lord.¡± Rosalis replied, inclining her head in a small bow. ¡°I shall do whatever it takes to prevent this war. Even if it means that I will have to take down Wolfgrimm with me.¡± ¡°Only as a last resort.¡± Edmund said. ¡°Indeed.¡± Edmund clasped his hands behind his back and allowed her to take her leave. Turning around, she walked off, beginning her monumental task. Pushing the double doors open, she let them slam behind herself. Edmund looked at the doors, worried, and sighed sadly. ¡°God help you, Rosalis.¡± Rosalis walked through the castle and entered her chambers. She drew her sword out and proceeded to sharpen it on a grindstone. What good would a dull blade do in an assassination? She stood up, going over to a table and placed her sword and palms down onto it. She closed her eyes and breathed heavily, composing herself. Taking her sword, she looked at her reflection in the steel of the blade. With her armour and weapon ready, she exited the castle, beginning her quest. 2 ¡° Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡° 3 Wolfgrimm sat at the long table, his feet placed on top of it in a relaxed manner, crossed over each other. There were other people around him, his henchmen. A large feast had been prepared, just for the sake of having one. There was food all over the place and spilled wine on the dirty stone floor. The wooden plates were filthy and stained. It seemed that no one in there cared about their table manners. Wolfgrimm was a tall man. He was clad in a large suit of armour, a torn and tattered black cape hanging from his neck, marks from victorious battles. His hair was shaved short, almost to the point of being bald. There were a pair of long sideburns on either side of his head. His face, complete with a thin layer of shaved stubble, was lined with large, ugly scars. There was one going diagonally across his right eye and another two slashes across his opposite cheek. There was another large scar going down the side of his lips, down to his chin. A fifth scar was present on his forehead, almost reaching his left eye. His skin was like leather and his hard eyes seemed to burn from within. All in all, Wolfgrimm was an impressively intimidating man. He took his chalice and drank the wine that was in it. Placing it down onto the table, he took his feet off and stood up from his seat, walked over to the balcony of the castle. He stood at the structure, letting the wind pelt his face. He looked out towards the dark forest and stood there, wondering when will be the perfect time to strike.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. 4 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 5 Wolfgrimm walked through the black forests of Wolfholde, walking down a path. Then he saw them. Three cloaked figures stood in front of him. ¡°I would like to know what the future holds for me.¡± Wolfgrimm announced. Suddenly, all three of the witches looked up at him. ¡°Is it really what you wish to see?¡± One of them asked in a rough and raspy voice. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied. ¡°You may not like what you will witness.¡± The second witch pointed out. ¡°Just get on with it.¡± Wolfgrimm said testily, his patience on the brink.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°As you wish.¡± The witch shuffled over to a small cage and opened it, taking out a small kicking rabbit. Shuffling back over to the basin, she held the rabbit over it and drew out a dagger. Without hesitation, she drew the blade across the rabbit¡¯s throat, letting its blood run down into the basin. One of the other witches looked down at the blood, dabbling her hands around it in, whispering an ancient ritual. The third witch looked up at him, having witnessed the ritual. ¡°You will meet your fate at the hands of a maiden.¡± Wolfgrimm suddenly frowned, confused. ¡°Rosalis? She¡¯s just a mere woman.¡± The witch dabbling around in the blood looked up at him. ¡°She is a woman that is in charge of protecting a king.¡± She pointed out. ¡°Kill her first, and Frinnor will be yours to command. Once she is dead, it will be free to take over and Edmund will be on his knees.¡± Wolfgrimm looked down at the basin of blood and stared at it, not one expression on his face. 6 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 7 Terrowin Parsefal made his way through the dark corridors of Wolfholde¡¯s palace, ready to deliver the news to Wolfgrimm. He walked through the large double doors and stood in front of his lord. Wolfgrimm was sat in a large dark throne that looked like a tree trunk that had exploded from the inside. There were tens of shards of dark metal sticking outwards, looking like they could easily impale anyone. The king of Wolfholde looked at his spy. ¡°You bring news?¡± ¡°Indeed I do, my lord.¡± Terrowin replied, inclining his head in a bow. He looked up. ¡°The custodian and herald of King Edmund II of Frinnor is journeying here.¡± Wolfgrimm suddenly smiled. ¡°So, Rosalis Ventris is coming after me.¡± He nodded his head upwards at him. ¡°Fetch the mercenaries.¡± Terrowin bowed and turned around, walking out of the hall.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Terrowin walked down the corridors of the castle and stopped at a door. He opened it, not waiting for an invitation. The triplets, Favian, Fendrell and Hildegard Terricus all sat at a table, playing cards. ¡°Wolfgrimm wants to see you three.¡± Terrowin told them. Without one question asked, they put down their cards and followed after him. The triplet mercenaries stood in front of Wolfgrimm, eagerly waiting to see what mission he was going to give them. ¡°Your mission is simple,¡± Wolfgrimm said, standing up from his throne. He stepped over to a cabinet. ¡°kill Rosalis Ventris.¡± Opening the cabinet, he grabbed three small purses and turned around, chucking them one each. They all caught their pay and stuffed the purses into their clothes. ¡°You are free to kill anyone that gets in your way. That will be all.¡± Without waiting for anything else, the mercenaries made their way out of the castle, beginning their mission. 8 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 9 Seraphina stood in a part of the forest, experimenting with her powers, discovering new things, new ways to kill. She looked at a small bird perched on a thin twig. She stepped over to it and exhaled lightly in its face. Dark shadows came out and wafted right into the bird¡¯s face, disappearing a second later. The bird shook its head a couple of times and then stared at her. Suddenly, it flew off, colliding head first into a tree trunk. The dead bird dropped to the ground and Seraphina looked down at the carrion. She smiled and chuckled.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. 10 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡° ¡° ¡° 11 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡° ¡° 12 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 13 ¡° The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 14 Benedictus sat on a wooden throne, his hands and legs tied tightly with belts. Wolfgrimm stood in front of him. By his side, was a table with many tortuous instruments laid out, ready to be used on the victim. There was a hatchet and a knife, accompanied by a single, long, thin metal spike and a mallet. Resting in a pit of burning coals was a red hot poker. Wolfgrimm looked down at his victim, being prepared to go through with the inquisition. ¡°I am giving you one chance and one chance only to escape this without the pain that I will have to inflict upon you.¡± Wolfgrimm told him. ¡°I want to know everything that Rosalis is planning to do.¡± ¡°I will never betray her.¡± Benedictus told him. ¡°So be it.¡± Wolfgrimm took hold of one of the monk¡¯s fingers and bent it backwards, breaking it. Benedictus screamed. ¡°Is she planning to stop me?¡± He asked, still holding the monk¡¯s broken bones. ¡°How is she going to do that? She would need to bring an army with herself. But then again, she does have an army back in Frinnor.¡± Benedictus seethed through his teeth, gritting them through the pain. He looked up at the inquisitor. ¡°She will stop you. She may be alone, but she will find a way to stop you.¡± Wolfgrimm released the monk¡¯s broken fingers and then grabbed the hatchet from the table. In a flash, he brought it down onto the monk¡¯s fingers, separating three of them from the middle knuckle. Benedictus screamed in agony as they fell to the ground and blood began to splash onto the floor rapidly. He clenched his teeth and suppressed his screams, adrenaline running through him. Wolfgrimm released the hatchet, letting it hang there. He looked at him. ¡°You do understand that you are dead to her? She is not coming back for you. Unless she has some sort of a death wish. But no. It is just you and me here. I am giving you a chance to live here. Tell me what Rosalis is planning to do with me, and I will spare your life.¡± Benedictus breathed heavily and said nothing. Wolfgrimm drew out his greatsword and drew the blade across Benedictus¡¯ hand. A large wound opened up and fresh blood poured out, splashing onto the floor. He clenched his teeth, suppressing his scream and then chuckled slightly, began to laugh. ¡°I am right on the verge of death, so you are free to do whatever you like with me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Wolfgrimm sheathed his sword and stepped over to the poker that was burning in the pit of coals. He picked it up and brought it up to the monk¡¯s face, allowing him to feel the scorching heat from it. He grinned at him. ¡°Oh, I am going to enjoy this immensely.¡± Benedictus chuckled. ¡°Oh, I am sure that you are.¡± Wolfgrimm responded with a chuckle of his own and then pressed the burning poker to one of Benedictus¡¯ cheeks. He screamed as it sizzled, frying his skin, searing it. Some small wisps of smoke rose into the air and he took the poker away, looked at the scar. Turning round, Wolfgrimm threw the poker back into the pit of burning coals and reached for the knife. He looked closely as the monk. ¡°Are you familiar with the term lingchi?¡± Benedictus panted, letting the pain settle and then looked up at him. ¡°Can¡¯t say that I have.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°It is a torture method that is used by the Chinese. Not that I have been to China myself. To put it in simple terms, it is death by a thousand cuts. Prolonged torture.¡± He drew a long incision in one of the monk¡¯s cheeks. He screamed. Wolfgrimm looked at the first cut. ¡°I can do this all day and all night, there is nothing rushing me.¡± ¡°So...whilst you are enjoying yourself in causing me pain, you are simply going to let Rosalis plot behind your back on how to kill you?¡± He chuckled. Wolfgrimm frowned and then inflicted a second scar. ¡°What is she going to do? She is alone.¡± ¡°Need I remind you that it is not just her and Edmund? They both have knights at their command.¡± ¡°And I also have an army at my command. We are evenly matched. Well...not evenly, I would say. After all, I have the greater power here.¡± He sliced a third cut. Benedictus groaned in pain. ¡°She is outmatched, she would be heading straight for a slaughter.¡± ¡°It is not just brute strength that wins wars. There is strategy to it. Have you ever learned that?¡± Wolfgrimm inflicted a fourth cut, seeming to be in no rush at all. ¡°Why would I need to? I break down her army with mine, kill anyone that will fall to the ground with my blade and carry on until both Rosalis and her little king are dead. What is the challenge in that?¡± ¡°You will die in this war. Just you wait and see. You will get what you deserve, you sadist.¡± Wolfgrimm shrugged. ¡°What can I say? I a sadist.¡± He drew the knife back and forth along Benedictus¡¯ opposite cheek, inflicting at least ten cuts. He looked at the scarred and dying monk. All of a sudden, he put away the knife and took a cleaver, swung it down onto one of the monk¡¯s wrists. The blade cleaved through the bone like butter and Benedictus screamed in unimaginable agony as his hand was separated from his wrist. It fell to the floor and blood spurted out rapidly, covering the stone tiles. Once the pain had settled, Benedictus began to breathe heavily, trying to get over the shock and the fact that he now had one hand. ¡°Renounce God. Join me, and I will spare your life.¡± ¡°The Lord is with me and He always will be. You may be able to hack all of my limbs away one by one, but you will never take Him away from me.¡± ¡°Can I?¡± Without another word said, Wolfgrimm swung the cleaver into the monk¡¯s foot, shearing through the bone like it wasn¡¯t even there. Benedictus roared in agony again and then suddenly stopped, passing out, the pain being too much to bear. Wolfgrimm looked down at his work. Blood covered the place like a horror show. After a few small moments, Benedictus stirred and awoke. Sweat ran down his face and his remaining hand shook uncontrollably, adrenaline running through him. His face was as pale as death. ¡°I am..on...the verge of...death.¡± The dying monk pointed out, being almost too weak to form the words. ¡°Joining you...will be of...no use. I¡¯m a dead man.¡± Wolfgrimm then lost the point of it all. Benedictus was rather going to die than give in. So he decided to give him his wish. He took the cleaver and swung it down onto the table, letting it stay there and undid the belt buckles. Grabbing the monk by his hood, he dragged him out of the chair and began to drag him over to a balcony, leaving a large smear of dark red blood on the floor as he did so. Forcing the monk to his knees, he took his head and placed his neck onto the balcony. Benedictus closed his eyes and began to silently pray, knowing that this moment would be his last. Wolfgrimm drew his sword out and swung it down onto his neck, decapitating him. He took his headless corpse and threw it over the edge, letting it fall to the ground. He looked at his blood stained sword and then turned round, making his way back into his castle. 15 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡° 16 If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 17 Wolfgrimm paced around in his chambers, racking his brain constantly, trying to figure out a way to kill Rosalis and take Frinnor for himself. Suddenly, he heard some feet land onto the ground and immediately spun around, drawing his sword out in response to the potential threat. He pointed it at his adversary¡¯s neck. ¡°What do you want, witch?¡± He asked. ¡°I hear that you have a slight problem with a certain custodian and herald.¡± Seraphina replied, her voice sweet like honey. ¡°With my help, I can lead you to victory. I can help you kill Rosalis Ventris.¡± Wolfgrimm lowered his sword and then sheathed it. ¡°This idea pleases me.¡± He replied. ¡°I guess that we can call this a deal.¡± She said. Wolfgrimm gave a small flicker of a smile, glad that he now had a powerful ally in his army. ¡°So what say you?¡± Wolfgrimm stepped up to her, suddenly grabbing her back, pulling her into him. Her chest smacked itself against his armour. There was not one flicker of pain in her eyes. She looked up at him. Getting the message clearly, she suddenly clamped her lips down onto Wolfgrimm¡¯s own. They proceeded to kiss each other passionately, Seraphina giving out slight moans. Without waiting, she proceeded to strip him off his armour, chucking it down onto the floor, letting it clang. Wolfgrimm took off his sabatons and the rest of his armour and cape, scattering it about everywhere. Seraphina took off his tunic and trousers, also throwing them down onto the floor. She pushed him down onto the bed and climbed on top of him. She pulled her dress off of herself, stripping herself completely naked. She grabbed his cock and proceeded to stroke it, letting it stiffen by the second. Wolfgrimm fondled around with her perfectly round and firm breasts. She turned around and then got down onto his crotch, grabbing his stiff cock. She then licked it from the balls to the head, coating it in her slick saliva. Wolfgrimm stuck his tongue inside her, licking her out. Suddenly, Seraphina gave out a small whimper, followed by a loud moan. Without waiting for anything, she proceeded to suck on his cock, slickening it even more. Wolfgrimm suddenly grabbed her and chucked her down onto the bed. She took his cock and proceeded to guide it inside her. It slipped inside and Wolfgrimm began thrusting. Seraphina gasped slightly with every thrust, the intensity of her sharp breaths quickly increasing. She grabbed his back, her hands travelling down to his arse. Not being able to hold it back for much longer, she let out an orgasmic scream that echoed down the castle¡¯s corridors.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Both Wolfgrimm and Seraphina laid in the bed, stark naked and looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Please,¡± Wolfgrimm told his lover. ¡°go through the plan once more.¡± 18 If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 19 Wolfgrimm stood in front of the assassin, being prepared to use his services for his own gain. The assassin looked at him, not one flicker of a hesitation in his eyes. ¡°I want you to kill Rosalis.¡± Wolfgrimm simply told him. ¡°If you manage to kill her, you can go for the king. That will be all.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The assassin inclined his head in a small bow and then turned around, walking out to meet his target. 20 ¡° This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡° 21 Wolfgrimm stared at his reflection in the convex mirror. He grabbed hold of his cape, undoing the clasps. He chucked it down onto a chair, letting it hang off the backrest. Fighting a war in a cape would be a bloody nuisance to him. Growling, he cracked his neck and then grabbed his sword, making his way out of the room, on his way to burn down Frinnor.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. 22 This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 23 ¡°If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 24 ¡°The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° 25 ¡° This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. 26 ¡°This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡° ¡° 27 ¡°Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 28 ¡° ¡° ¡°No! ¡° ¡°Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 29 ¡° ¡° ¡°A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 30 ¡° ¡° ¡° Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 31 ¡° ¡° ¡°If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 32 Uliraf sat on the throne of Wolfholde¡¯s palace. The bishop stepped up to him, holding the dark crown in his hands. He lifted it above his head. ¡°By the power vested in me,¡± He announced. ¡°I now crown you King Uliraf I. Ruler and protector of Wolfholde.¡± He placed the crown down onto Uliraf¡¯s head and stepped away from him, looking at the crowd. ¡°Long live the king!¡± ¡°Long live the king!¡± The crowd echoed, repeating the chant several times. Uliraf smiled. After the ceremony, Uliraf made his way to his first destination, accompanied by a group of knights. Each one of them carried a metal mallet and a chisel in their hands. He entered a coal mine and walked down the endless tunnels, observing the chained slaves that broke apart the rocks with hammers and chisels. ¡°As your king, I command you all to stop!¡± He announced. Immediately, every single miner paused and turned to him. Uliraf gestured and the knights proceeded to break the miner¡¯s chains. They then blindfolded the miners and proceeded to lead them outside. Having been living underground for so long, their eyes were sensitive to sunlight, themselves turning into vampires. One by one, they were all released and led out. Uliraf stood in front of a pit as the knights chucked the broken chains into it. When the last chain clanged down, they proceeded to pour concrete over them, sealing them under the rock forever. Uliraf looked at one of the blindfolded miners and slowly took off his blindfold. The miner blinked a couple of times and looked around, allowing his eyes to adapt to the light. The rest of the miners were also given back their sight and they looked around, seeing the outside world for the first time in a couple of years. ¡°You are free men.¡± Uliraf told them. ¡°You can leave and do whatever you like.¡± And so, with that said, the miners left, free from the tyranny at last. The masters of the coal mines wandered around Wolfholde, there being nothing much for them to do. Their slaves were the ones that did all of the work for them. Suddenly, one master dropped to the ground as a rock flew into his skull. The slaves poured into the city, proceeding with killing their masters. One of them was forced to the ground. He pleaded for mercy, but it meant nothing to the freed slave as he proceeded to drive the chisel into his forehead. One master dropped to the ground, spilling his brains all over the pavement as one slave whacked his metal mallet into his skull, cracking it like an egg. Uliraf stood at the balcony of his palace, looking out at the rebellion and suddenly gave a small smile, chuckled.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Uliraf looked at the pile of corpses that were the masters and looked at the free men. ¡°Chuck them out into the sea.¡± He said. And with that single order, the masters¡¯ corpses were thrown out into the ocean and quickly washed away from Wolfholde. A group of Wolfgrimm¡¯s agents crept through Wolfholde, ready to meet their contact. There was a job for them, and they were the only ones skilled enough to do it. Terrowin, the spymaster, led the group, gathering up intel for them to use. They went through a pair of wooden doors and stared in shock as Uliraf stood in front of them. Behind him was an execution site, already prepared with nooses. They turned to run but a group of knights grabbed a hold of their hands and bound them with rope. Uliraf gestured to the stage and they grimly walked up to it and up the steps. Terrowin roared in rage. ¡°You goddamn traitor!¡± He yelled. Uliraf gave him a smirk for a single second before returning his lips to their original state. The executioner looped the nooses around their necks. Uliraf looked at the agents. ¡°If you have any last words, I suggest that you say them now.¡± He told them. Seeing that the agents had nothing to say, he nodded and the executioner pulled the lever, releasing the trapdoors. The agents and Terrowin jerked and jarred violently, their legs dancing the hempen jig. Their faces began to turn purple, thick blue veins showing. Suddenly, blood began to leak from their eyes, the vessels behind them exploding. A couple of moments later, they stopped. Uliraf stood in front of the population of Wolfholde. ¡°You are now free.¡± He told them. ¡°You are free from Wolfgrimm¡¯s tyranny, you are free to do whatever you like, not one chain tethering you in place. Your time has come to live your life how you want and your actions shall not be questioned. Not by me, not by anyone. It is true, that the memories of your labour will stay with you forever, but just remember, you will never need to go back to them. You need to go forward and leave all of this pain and trauma behind. The memories are just in your head, nowhere else. Just keep walking forward and forget about them, push them aside. Live your life of freedom as you have earned it. Remember, your masters are dead and gone. Take hold of your liberation in your grasp and never let go of it. Go back to your families, go back to your children. With me on the throne, you and this kingdom are safe, I can guarantee that. You need not live in fear any longer.¡± Suddenly, the crowd cheered, their fists in the air. 33 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 34 ¡°Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡° ¡° ¡° 35 ¡° ¡° ¡°In! My! Defence! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 36 ¡° ¡°The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 37 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Everything ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 38 ¡° ¡° You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. 39 ¡° ¡° ¡° If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡° 40 A group of knights stood underneath an archway of a bridge, conversing at night. ¡°So what should we do about Rosalis?¡± One of them asked. ¡°If she keeps going on like the way that she is going, she will be the death of the kingdom.¡± ¡°We should kill her.¡± Another suggested. ¡°It will be for the good of the kingdom. And then, we elect someone else to rule the city. I mean, think about it, the woman¡¯s insane. The executions, the deaths, the madness.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± A third said. ¡°This is just...insanity. Yes, I know that they were criminals but...¡± He trailed off not knowing what else to say. ¡°So it¡¯s settled then.¡± The first knight said. ¡°Rosalis needs to die.¡± 41 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 42 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 43 ¡° ¡° ¡° Five years ago... ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 44 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Three years ago...Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. 45 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° 46 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°