Chapter 26 Cass

"Ryan! Hide behind the columns!" Running around was a mess. More foxes started appearing from hallways on my level and shooting at me. Seemed like a lot more blood would be shed tonight than needed.

Flipping up above 3 in front of me and stabbing another in the gut, I got closer to the sniper by the second. Until I stopped, a shot from the back of me and I fell hard on the ground. "Ryan! Ryan! Rya---

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I woke up the next morning with a bandage on the side of me and Ryan's voice along with someone else's from a nearby table. It was dark out. Or was it light out? I didn't know but whichever it was, there was no way a world could be this dark, not even Avalon.

The guy talking with Ryan looked over and saw my eyes open, "Ahh. He is waking up. Welcome to Darkmoor. Cass is it? Your brother has told me a lot about your adventures. I am sure you will find your stay here great until you are fully ready to leave to help the rest of the empire."

"We... we are in Darkmoor?" I got scared. Darkmoor isn't a place I would like to stay and rest, even if we were in a Marleybone controlled village but it was in the right path.

"Cass, look. you have been out for awhile. It has been a full month since the outcome with Floren. I have had to make a few coins to get us on a ship to here in Darkmoor. They wouldn't go any farther as the navy has fully closed off any interaction with the stormgate to Westminster."

A month? They must all think we died by now. Never have I spent a month on one mission of this proportion.

Chapter 25 Abby

"We have been running for hours, how long can it keep up? I try to say through giant gulps of air to Destiny. It feels like we have almost been running in circles now, which in fact we are now as I notice a mark we made on the wall 5 turns ago.

Looking back I get more afraid as what I see is a shadow of a deformed person with sharp claws and fangs that could chop you in half with one bite which freaks me out so much I run up ahead past Destiny even and go through another wall this time smacking into metal.

"Umm, Destiny. You may want to start running. Like to find the wa-" Before I can finish I get whacked in the stomach making me cough up some blood and fall to the side unable to move. I start to see blurs in my eyes then everything goes numb, I can't move or make a sound and feel cold metal against my skin. Yells come in the distance and then a brutal scream like someone dying.

***

When I wake up again I look like I am in Valencia, but war-torn and destroyed. Fires everywhere with statues, books, and artwork. Then there are clockworks, cold heartless clockworks everywhere until all I can here is fire, screams of others, and the gears moving in sync. I then join the screams because I realize what road I have joined. The death row, for pirates.

Chapter 24 Cass

"Now, there is no need for swords. I have sharpened the knives at the dinner table for your two only so it is enough to critically injure a person." Herath says while opening the door and leading us to the dining hall, "Now put on your smile and act happy Cass or they won't buy it entirely."

The giant doors to the hall open up as Herath announces our arrival. I still don't understand why people want us dead. They could just send us on a giant goose chase or something that sends us halfway across the Spiral realizing until we are too far away to do anything about it.

"Tonight we got Frozen Yogurt from the icy cold winds of Polaris, Killer Tomatoes from the overgrown forests of Wysteria, and Devil Ray steak from Drago-" Herath is surprisingly cut off by a gun shot making me grab my knife and hiding it behind me.

"Seems like the spy was found. So sad he won't stay for the main course of Marleybone citizens." Floren says as me and Ryan run to a good vantage point. I look up to the second level above us that circles the perimeter of the dining hall and see a sniper just barely out of view to see us. I start running to the stairs to catch him but he is focusing on Ryan still who is yelling at me to come back but I push it out of my head and focus at the task at hand given to us: eliminate Lord Floren Garenth.

Chapter 23 Ryan

Day and night I spend time in the infernal room looking for proof something is up while Cass spends his time getting lost in the never ending room of books to pull out to reveal something. When Cass comes back in later during the day I collapse on the couch with a sigh, "I give up, there is nothing against them I can find in this room but I still think we should leave. We have stayed and accepted their hospitality long enough. I will tell them at dinner tonight."

As soon as I finished my sentence I hear murmuring in the hall getting closer until what sounds what Allister talking, , "But Floren, his brother still has suspects of us. We can't continue the plan if doesn't beli-" Allister is quickly interrupted, "Quiet you idiot or they may hear you. The plan can be changed to tonight at dinner. Quick deaths, the dogs won't ever see their so savior's bodies again and we will become equals of Marleybone. Now, go call them to their deaths."

Cass looks at me with the look of fighting and we each grab a saber on top of the fireplace and crouch near the door ready to spring at Allister. When the door finally opens, Cass closes the doors behind Allister as I press the icy-cold silver blade against his neck, "What do you want from us and who is commanding you. Tell us quick or I may get more than that fur on you off by mistake."

Allister takes a giant gulp as Cass presses the tip of his blade into the back of Allister, "My actual name is Herath, not Allister. I work for the Secret Branch in Marleybone who sent me to come help you kill one of the lords under command of Hythrias, Lord Floren Garenth, before he murders you two tonight at dinner."