The black swamp was a terrible, endless maze of dead trees and deep, freezing water. The thick mud pulled at their boots with every single step. The only light came from the pale moon, which barely peeked through the thick, gray storm clouds.Yuchen walked first, pushing the tall, sharp green reeds out of the way. He held his small, bloody iron knife tightly in his right hand. His left arm was wrapped firmly around Seraphina’s waist, supporting most of her weight.She was completely exhausted. Her face was very pale, and her lips were turning blue from the freezing cold water. The deep sword wound on her side burned with a terrible, sharp pain every time she moved her leg. But she did not complain. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to keep walking. She knew that if they stopped in the deep water, they would die from the cold before the royal guards even found them."We need to keep moving west," Yuchen whispered quietly, his golden eyes scanning the dark trees. "The mud is get

Inside the highest tower of the Royal Palace, the King’s private war room was locked tight. The large, circular room was lit only by a few thick candles burning on a massive wooden table. Spread across the table was a giant, highly detailed map of the entire province.King Alaric stood at the head of the table. He wore a simple black robe, his iron crown resting next to the candles. He looked tired, angry, and incredibly impatient.High Lord Kaelen stood nervously near the door. He held a massive, heavy leather bag completely filled with pure gold bars. His hands were shaking.Without any warning, the heavy oak door handle turned. The door swung open smoothly, making absolutely no sound.Five figures stepped out of the dark hallway and into the dim candlelight. They did not wear heavy, clanking iron armor like the royal guards. They wore tight, completely black leather gear made from thick snake scales. Their faces were hidden behind dark gray cloth masks. Only their eyes were visible

Seraphina stood near the edge of the forge room, slowly stretching her arms. The deep sword wound on her side had finally closed into a smooth, pink scar. The green herbal paste and days of rest had completely healed her. She wore her clean silver-mithril armor again, the metal plates gleaming under the dim firelight.She looked across the room at Yuchen. He was sitting on a heavy wooden crate, staring at the glowing blue digital screen of his merchant system interface. His golden eyes moved fast as he typed lines of numbers into his virtual ledger.Seraphina’s chest felt warm just looking at his bruised, calm face. Ever since he had carried her through the forest, thrown a massive cart to save her life, and gentle hands had wrapped her bandages, something deep inside her had changed. Her heart beat a little faster whenever he walked into the room. But she was a proud noble knight. She would rather jump into a pit of fire than admit she had soft feelings for a stubborn, calculating sh

The night was pitch black. A heavy, freezing rain began to fall, washing the blood from Yuchen’s leg but making the dirt roads incredibly slippery.They ran for hours. They did not speak. They did not stop to drink water. They knew exactly who was chasing them. The Silent Vipers were the ultimate trackers. They could follow a single drop of blood or a crushed blade of grass for hundreds of miles.Seraphina’s lungs burned. Her legs felt like heavy lead. But every time she felt like collapsing, she looked at Yuchen. He was limping terribly. The poison was making his skin pale and cold. Yet, he kept pushing forward, completely refusing to quit. She tightened her grip around his waist, holding him up."We need a secure location," Yuchen finally gasped, leaning heavily against a wet oak tree. His system was flashing red constantly in the corner of his vision. "My physical stamina is sitting at four percent. The poison is overriding my healing algorithms.""There," Seraphina pointed through

The wind roared like a dying monster in Riven’s ears.He was falling. The massive, golden blast of pure magic had thrown him completely off the high cliff. The pitch-black darkness of the night swallowed him whole. Freezing rain whipped against his face.His brain worked with cold, calculated speed, even as he fell to his death. He was the leader of the Silent Vipers. He did not die easily.Riven twisted his body in the air. He ignored the terrible burning pain in his chest from Yuchen’s magic blast. He raised his right arm. He pressed a hidden button on his leather wristband.THWIP.A long, thin steel wire shot out from his wrist. The sharp metal hook at the end of the wire flew through the dark and wrapped tightly around a massive, thick tree root sticking out of the rocky cliff wall.The wire pulled completely tight.The sudden, violent stop nearly ripped Riven’s arm right out of its socket. He screamed in pure agony as his shoulder dislocated with a loud, wet popping sound. But th