Chapter 40
Vander rushed out from behind the tree94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7epANSavy4
and immediately rolled to the ground as two arrows embedded themselves in the94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtd1wICkRrc
dirt right where he had been standing. Despite being assassins and spies, it94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCMeMauG5B
seemed as though the Green Serpents were crack shots with the bow, but he94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepu61utnDc
decided to see what would happen when they faced someone who was expecting94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWccfXvlcv
them. He scooped up a couple of rocks from off the ground and palmed them as he94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHurPF01ODg
charged his enemies.
More94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlk8tdz3yI0
arrows were thrown at him, but it seemed as though they were drawn quickly94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDlSkrl3l3
without much aim. Some whizzed over his head while others got stuck in the94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFv8xuvt3p
ground a few feet in front of him. One came dangerously close to him, but he94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3hSkRXj76
smacked it away with his sword. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted some94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqQR8IAYo8
movement. Taking quick aim, he threw a rock hitting a Serpent’s shooting hand.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNPijg4ASQ
With a cry of pain, he dropped the bow, but drew a knife instead.
“I’ll94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgLdOjWPBw
gut you.” He snarled and rushed him with the dagger poised low. Vander stepped94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLjl71vC6J1
back as the dagger was thrusted forward. He grabbed the serpent’s arm and94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOs2PCI0ob
yanked the poor man off his feet before slamming his palm into the guy’s nose.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTezeY9xGH
Blood spurted as his nose broke and embedded itself into the brain, killing him94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPj81NAaph
instantly. He quickly lifted the body up as two arrows hit him in the back. He94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblWMoJuvD1
rushed forward using the freshly made corpse as protection until he could see94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKaL4jkpZ0u
who he was looking for: three Serpents standing in front of him.
Unlike94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQX5M5MscCg
the one he had just killed, these three looked like veterans. They had deep94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0nCm5uzvu
green face paint and wore outfits that helped them blend into their94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJeXAramBQ
surroundings. There was a hardened look in their eyes as they stared at him.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNLsxHMChp
Knowing their bows would be useless if close combat, they lowered them to the94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPjRMyGIhh
ground then removed their quivers. Each one removed a large knife from the94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nxGftowFz
sheathe strapped to their backs.
“You94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvJODusIq5
might be a Blade, but you aren’t a match for all three of us.” One of them94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmHwCKUMoJ
growled. As if practiced, they spread out keeping Vander between them. From94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Ev3AzmdZe
here he could tell that the knives were poisoned, one wayward scratch would94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOa8zunvkjr
send him to the afterlife, but he couldn’t stay here as he was. That was just94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenywr1HE3K
asking to be killed.
Vander94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7oWY7My8vy
threw the dead serpent at the one in front of him. As he fell scream in a94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNozaha45vB
tangle of bodies, Vander went to the left to handle the one there. He slashed94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfyBfkKRSIN
with his sword, but the serpent was nimble. He rolled over the sword strike,94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMerrIeDGdL
landing on his feet. He stabbed with the daggers, but Vander grabbed the wrist,94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCnAWHXwMa
guiding it away from him. He kicked out the back of the leg sending the Serpent94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWPyuy1w15
to the ground. As he fell, he brought his boot up catching Vander in the94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbeSENO2zG
stomach and sending him flying onto his back. He rolled and brought his sword94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqHnnmdCt2
up in time to block the second serpent’s daggers. He pushed him stumbling94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBSzH4dxmy
sideways then scrambled to his feet. Before the serpent could adjust, Vander94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aTbrc31Sy
slashed his back open with his sword.
Blood94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCT5Wedw4D
sprayed as the man stumbled and fell to the ground. There was no time to check94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAeyykIfFC
to make sure he was dead as another was on him. The man was a whirlwind with94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHxckjo7wQ
his daggers, spinning, slashing, and stabbing. The dagger cut his pants,94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJ2JTHRFvh
jacket, and shirt, but luckily it wasn’t deep enough to draw blood, but soon94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sHwMc1U57
enough he could get past his guard. He wanted to keep one alive for94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvl9qDeVc5P
interrogation, but that didn’t seem like it would be likely. So, he waited for94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkPk7zQuAN
a brief opening before cutting down with the sword. With a scream, one of the94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdro1ZUFEV
serpents’ hands hit the ground in a bloody heap. Before he could scream more,94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrfQzQ5Hok
Vander cut his throat.
“Die!” The serpent who had been94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUKbpp0TDs
tangled up jumped from behind him. Panic raced in Vander’s chest. He had94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDrYDJaiIs4
forgotten about him and now it was too late for him to protect himself as the94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6a3Ccdqua
daggers raced towards his throat. Acting on instinct, he lunged underneath the94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4teskYo85
daggers grabbing the serpent around the waist bringing them both to the ground.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0VaY1OHIb
Vander’s fingers turned to claws as he tore out the man’s throat.
He could feel the demon clawing94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNMU8kZA76
closer to the surface. It wanted out, a way to release its aggressions, but now94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmgr0i1Xuf
was not the time. Vander bit down on the impulse shoving the beast back into94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonsOJnmTgh
the recesses of his soul. Soon, but not now. He had to get Kiara and Eliza back94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3iTPPrpmRC
first then all hell could break loose.
Vander spent some time going94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3AJPe8wr5x
through the pockets of the dead serpents to see if they had left behind any94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuRxZrnLWi
tools for him to use. He found several poisoned knives and needles, but the94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRbo8V5XDz
rest were weapons that would be too much for him to carry so he discarded them.
Before leaving94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwdzV1ygrg
the area, he dragged Briar and Forest’s bodies back towards the road. He never94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1LL1G3Qte
should have brought them here. This was his penance and his alone. Now they94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaRkxKYDZv
were dead. He would have to carry that burden, but he swore he would make the94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4JlpyQYQm
Serpents, and Eve, pay for what they had done.
He remembered the94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiz0IeJN4Yo
village from his travels across the country. He knew that it would be heavily94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoRhoa6M79
fortified, especially now that the challenge had been issues towards him to get94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yBJ49nACN
the queen back. He would have to come prepared. So, he scooped up a bow along with94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnXDRz3pOa
a quiver of arrows. They would know he was there, but only after some of them94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAunqHiB1u
had died.
The sun was94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡweC8ValdAu
beginning to rise when he spotted the walls through the forest. The village was94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6QRh8o07G
aptly named because it bordered the forest. This was a hunting village, taking94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCSEKhzLzL
out small game and deer to feed everyone. He wasn’t quite sure when the94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NTplkkMMH
Serpents moved in, but it must have been recently as they have had no reports94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2kZ4Idmu9
of the village being under attack.
As he looked at94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKgG7J3zm3
the front gate, he noticed several men wearing green cloaks and talking amongst94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qCLDLmiBG
themselves. Without caring about who they were, Vander notched an arrow to his94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxwuhRBSYG
bow, took aim, then fired. The arrow took a guard in the throat and before the94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkmJ9M3Rat
others could react, several more arrows flew into parts of their body. One took94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXn8UPVT4W
an arrow in the shoulder, while the third took one through the knee. Both went94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzEDhxQD8U
down screaming, but they weren’t killing shots. It was enough to bring more94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4EJ1puFBT
Serpents out for him to kill.
They were pouring out of the village94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJzPw3OohO
now to get vengeance for their fallen comrades. He only had time to take down94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQaPJ1DVyj
two more before the rest were on him. He tossed aside the bow and quiver and94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSFEXSQm3A
drew his sword to strike against his attackers.
The first one went down with barely94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryZq41msCG
any effort. He sidestepped out of the way and ran him through. He blocked a94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYjh5BhqYo
strike from the next one then pushed him aside, but soon he was overpowered by94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXDwl6r6Td
the sheer volume of people. As he raised his sword, one kicked his wrist94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6fDX28Rpe
sending it spiraling out of his hand. He was punched in the jaw and knocked to94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfv1fPc4A0e
the ground. He tried to fight back, but several pinned his arms and pointed a94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvQyfbz5TZ
sword right at his neck.
“Stop!” Vander heard Eve shout. She94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gqGRCPqn1
pushed her way through the group and if he held out any hope that she hadn’t94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6xi3VBBJE
betrayed them the look in her eyes combined with what she was wearing sealed94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFMAv34zBb
her betrayal in stone.
She wore a sleeveless green shirt94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTHrXH1cXl
showing off lean muscles and a massive snake tattoo going down her left arm.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvrxjgl6U0
Her hair was pulled back but covered with a green hood. She wore two daggers on94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKiYiBgoqMS
her belt.
“So, you did betray us.” Vander spat.
“Betray you?” she laughed. “I was94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5gmleniIX
never apart of you.” Now that he got a good look at her, he realized that she94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1jF6kuX5x
had been messing with him from the beginning. She was broader than she looked94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvn4ZHLyRn
before, more heavily muscled. She wasn’t sixteen, she was likely someone older94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTp5lerICPq
than he was. It also explained the gaps in the recruits’ skills. She had been94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlZLdXKN1O
playing them for fools since the very beginning.
“They trusted you,” Vander struggled.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYshHHNCN7
“I trusted you.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8iI7kFT3L
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“I’ll have to make a visit to94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡML06gu6V7M
whoever your informant is.” She grinned. “He almost ruined everything, but94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDT7iuNxga
luckily you were so easy to fool. Get him up.” Vander was hauled to his feet by94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkB4vOSlCV
several strong hands. “We will take what we need from you then I will spend a94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtL9FroQCGg
lot more time cutting you to pieces. I’ve always wanted to hear you scream.”
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Maybe, just maybe, Peyton will come94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpRh7W9Eho
here himself that way he could show everyone that he was innocent. He would94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YtsuC09uL
have to bide his time and wait, however. Hopefully his reinforcements would94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa14tI24sPm
arrive to save them, but he shouldn’t count on it. If Peyton knew they were94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdmAPqWsXu
mobilizing the army he would make it quick. For now, he willed his body to94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYsyy5uC3G
relax. However, he wasn’t going to let them get away with it. He and the demon94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQF7znrxdW
were going to have a lot of fun before they were killed.
