2026-01-05 21:17:28He stopped as he began to sense something was wrong.
The squad, seven figures in identical uniforms, stood in a line, perfectly still. Too still. They weren't talking, weren't moving, weren't doing anything a group of warriors on an active monster hunt should be doing.
They were just... standing there. Watching him.
"Sir?"
Kael's voice came out smaller than he intended. "What's going on? Why aren't they…"
"Kael."
The voice came from the line of squad members. A woman's voice. Familiar and beloved and currently devoid of all warmth.
Lyanna stepped forward from the group.
She looked different in the Elite Squad uniform. More dangerous. Her golden hair was pulled back in a practical braid, and her sky-blue eyes, those eyes he'd stared into last night while making love, regarded him with the cold assessment of a butcher examining meat.
"Lyanna!"
Relief and confusion warred in Kael's chest.
"Thank gods you're here. Something's wrong, I think we need to…"
"Nothing's wrong, darling."
The endearment should have sounded sweet. Instead, it sounded like mockery.
"Everything is going exactly according to plan."
Kael's hand tightened on his knife.
"What plan? What are you talking about?"
Behind him, Kael heard movement. He spun around and saw Marcus backing away, back toward the tunnel they'd entered through. The captain's expression was neutral, professional, as if he were simply completing a routine task.
"Sir? Where are you going? The monster.. "
"There is no monster, Ashford."
Marcus's voice echoed in the chamber.
"Well, not the kind you're thinking of, anyway."
Cold dread began spreading through Kael's veins like poison. He looked from Marcus to Lyanna to the rest of the squad, his mind refusing to accept what his instincts were screaming at him.
"I don't understand.”
"Of course you don't."
Marcus had reached the tunnel entrance now. He stood in the opening, backlit by the faint light from beyond, his face cast in shadow.
"You were always too trusting. Too naive. Too... weak."
That word, weak, hit Kael like a physical blow.
"We're leaving now."
Marcus continued.
"Our work here is done. Squad, fall back."
"No."
Kael took a step forward, reaching out as if he could physically stop what was happening.
"Wait. You can't just, there's a mission. We have to…"
The squad began moving, filing past Kael toward Marcus and the exit tunnel. They moved in perfect synchronisation, trained warriors following orders. Not one of them looked at him. Not one of them hesitated.
Except Lyanna. She paused beside him, so close he could smell her perfume, the same perfume she'd worn last night.
"Lyanna, what's happening?"
Kael's voice cracked.
"Why are you…"
"This was fun while it lasted."
She said softly, her lips curved in a small, sad smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"You were actually quite sweet. Better in bed than I expected, too."
The words were knives sliding between his ribs.
"What?"
"But business is business, darling."
She reached up and patted his cheek, the gesture almost affectionate.
"No hard feelings."
"Lyanna, please. I don't…”
"Goodbye, Kael."
She walked past him without looking back.
"Die well, darling."
The words, HIS words, the ones he'd said to her in happiness just yesterday, spoken back to him with such casual cruelty, broke something fundamental in Kael's chest.
He stumbled after her, reaching out, desperate to understand, to fix this, to wake up from whatever nightmare this was.
"LYANNA!"
She didn't turn around. She joined the rest of the squad at the tunnel entrance, and they began filing out one by one. Marcus stood aside, letting them pass, his expression still professionally blank.
"WAIT!"
Kael ran toward them, panic and confusion making his movements clumsy.
"YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE ME HERE! WHAT ABOUT THE MISSION?! LYANNA! LYANNA, PLEASE!"
The last squad member disappeared into the tunnel. Only Marcus remained, standing in the entrance. He looked at Kael with something that might have been pity or satisfaction or both.
"Your parents will be glad you died."
Marcus said, his voice echoing in the chamber.
Then he stepped backwards into the darkness.
And a massive iron gate slammed down, sealing the tunnel entrance with a deafening CRASH that made the crystals rattle.
Kael ran the last few steps and crashed into the gate, his hands wrapping around the cold iron bars.
"NO! NO NO NO! WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY PARENTS…”
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CHAPTER 109
The odd smell hit him first. Old, dry paper, heavy with dust that dated back centuries, filled the room. He could feel it with his magic and beneath it was something else. It felt like defeat that bitter scent filled the air. knew, of course, knew that shadow magic always carried a strange aura, even when it was old and unknown. And somehow it felt like its presence was mocking him. Kael stood at the centre of the grand hall of the Duskborne estate. He was numb and pain had hadloped him completely because his blood magic had failed. His violent violet eyes stared blankly into the dark. The terrifying stillness that promised death hung heavily in the room. He remembered the fangs tearing through his muscle and skin on the altar. He remembered the betrayal of the cowardly king who celebrated with gold and spat on his grave. Those memories were the heavy red stamp on his heart. He was pumped up and ready to strike but he had no target to hit. Gamora had escaped and he didn't know how the
CHAPTER 108
The air was heavy with chantings and celebration in his memories. The whole place was bustling with activities and the crowd cheered endlessly. Unknown to them was the danger that was awaiting them. They were too engrossed in false celebrations and had turned their backs on justice. No one was asking about what happened at the void a few days ago simply because they weren't affected by the corruption in the city, which had crept down to every nook and cranny of the place, moving down to every heart and being passed on from generation to generation. Lady Morrigan and Duke Severin were supposed to be part of the nobles in attendance at this event but couldn't as they had declared war through Kael anonymously on the capital. However, the view was ecstatic and foods and drinks were passed round children women men servants animals they were all rejoicing as everything was in plenty just the same corruption and evil were in excess. These were things Master Rendall would never tolerate if he
CHAPTER 107
Kael stood at the centre, and couldn't decipher what was scribbled into the stone floor of the hidden room. He was pumped up and ready to strike the enemy that was hiding from him. The odd smell hit him first as he prepared the blood magic. Old paper dry and heavy with dust that dated back centuries filled his nose. He didn't feel it with his magic and beneath it was s, let's's,,let'ssss,",",",",",",,,,,,ss's's's'se. It felt like dried blood, and a metallic scent filled the air. He knew of course that shadow magic always carried a strange aura even when it was old and unknown. And somehow it felt like its presence was here apart from the ones he knew. But of course, darkness couldn't be owned by men who just wanted it for pleasure it needed men who had the grit to do whatever it takes to protect it. He turned to Elira and signalled her to watch him. From her hands, green orbs shone softly not bright enough to alert anyone outside but enough to see the markings on the wall. He studied
CHAPTER 106
The journey through the western marshes became a gruelling march of pure suffering. Gamora stumbled forward and her left arm hung uselessly at her side. The sharp and cold pain had evolved into a constant and agonising burn. It felt like hot iron running through her veins. The odd smell hit her first every time she took a breath. It was the scent of her own magic burning away under the overwhelming force of Kael. The boy was pumped up and ready to strike and his brain was processing faster than any scholar could have found the perfect weapon. The blood magic was a wildfire that could not be tamed. Gamora was a master of the void but she had never faced an enemy who was willing to destroy himself to win.King Aldric and Queen Seraphine followed closely behind her. They were quiet now. The terrifying stillness that promised death had silenced their complaints. They saw the way Gamora was suffering, and fear burned in them, shaking their souls. They knew that if the mighty merchant of th
CHAPTER 105
The fog was thick and the air was heavy in the Western area. The chilling smell hit her first as Gamora walked through the dead trees. It was the smell of rotting wood and old mud that dated back centuries; she could feel it with her magic, and beneath it was something else. It felt like a warning that filled the air. She knew of course that void magic always carried a strange aura even when it was old and unknown. But somehow it felt like a new presence was here apart from the ones she knew. Gamora kept her face hidden beneath her dark robes. The green orbs shone softly from her hands. They were not bright enough to be alert to any hidden enemy, but they were enough to see the markings on the wet ground. She was leading the cowardly King Aldric and Queen Seraphine to the coast.A sudden pain pulsed in her left wrist. It was not the ache from earlier when Kael breached the abyss. This was a sharp and cold pain that shot up her arm. Gamora stopped walking and her fingers tightened. Th
CHAPTER 104
Chapter 104The war room was hidden deep beneath the Duskborne estate. The air was heavy in the cave, and silence reigned. Days had passed after the raid on the royal archive and the disastrous journey into the void. News had spread that the Lord Regent had vanished but Kael was here hiding in the dark. He stood by the massive wooden table, staring calmly at the large map of the kingdom spread out across it. He was clad in his eerie black robe and his hands were folded in meditation. He was numb and pain had enveloped him completely. The failure in the void was a heavy red stamp on his pride and it was driving him crazy. His brain processed faster than any scholar could but he still had no headway.Elira stood by the corner and tapped her feet endlessly. Her green eyes were scanning the map but she saw nothing useful. She was pumped up and ready to strike but they had no specific target. The western marshes were vast and covered in thick fog. Gamora was using the void magic to hide th
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