Kelvanya took Tyrilda away from the tower, outside the walls. ’Don’t ever complain about it again.’ Kelvanya could not stand their members.Least of all, her. Always acting like a brute. Once hurt, when looked at without fear,she would tremble.She was just a grown-up bully with a thirst for blood.Tyrilda looked uncertain at first, but Kelvanya’s words, they were enough. She crushed bones with only her fingers.She had beaten knights of various houses. This would not be the day to bow down.Not while such wishes spread among them all.Kelvanya didn’t look away as Tyrilda moved her damaged arm out of its cast. The pain had ended a day ago. If it still needed healing, then it would be done with the blood of others.Tyrilda met Kelvanya’s gaze for the first time.It would be the last. Tyrilda moved closer, opening and closing her damaged hand to get a better feel for it.Kelvanya merely looked at her, throwing away her bow in response to the challenge.Pulling out a steak knife.

  Tyrilda swept her good arm toward Kelvanya. Kelvanya dodged it; she knew that if Tyrilda wanted a solid strike, she would need both hands. That was what the knife was for. Tyrilda tried to kick Kelvanya, sweeping her off her feet.She simply jumped backward.Out of reach of Tyrilda’s grasp as she lunged for her.

  Tyrilda snarled in a rage that deepened with every missed strike.Until she charged blindly toward Kelvanya. Kelvanya could not react to the sudden charge as Tyrilda’s body slammed into hers.Before Kelvanya could be thrown aside, she drove her knife into Tyrilda’s shoulder and used the momentum to vault over her, landing behind her. Losing her knife.Tyrilda pulled out the knife and turned around to face Kelvanya again. Tyrilda threw the knife aside, stepping closer to Kelvanya.

  Kelvanya could only put distance between herself and Tyrilda. She would catch up. Would this be the end? Kelvanya couldn’t help but give something that could be called a smile.Tyrilda was just playing with her.Seeing her smile, Tyrilda tried to reach her torment. Before she could grab her, a voice rang out. ’Is this what we do to our companions? Is this the duty we were given?To kill our sister-in-arms.’The beast growled as he stepped forward.

  Tyrilda turned around to face Grummulde. ‘Why bother? Didn’t you want to see every human dead?’ Tyrilda hissed in rage. Finally getting a chance for vengeance on one. Instead, adding another name to the list.

  ’Even I know when to stop and ask questions about what is right and wrong.My wishes may be true,but that doesn’t mean I want it to truly happen. What about yours?’Grummulde drove his bo-axe into the ground.‘Even so, if you want to continue, why not me?’

  Tyrilda walked up to him. Grummulde was already large, but even then Tyrilda stood taller.’Next time, when healed,I will take both of you.’She walked past Grummulde, shoving him aside with her good shoulder.

  ’How childish.But what else can I expect from a human.’Grummulde remarked, keeping Tyrilda within sight so as not to be attacked from behind.As he walked up to Kelvanya. ‘How pathetically heroic to try to fight her in your least accommodating fighting style.’Grummulde laughed a little. ’I ain’t going to lie.It would be a shame to lose a human like you.Even if you believe that lunatic.’

  ’I know, but we are so close to our objective now.We need to believe just a little longer.I am ready for that.’ Grummulde shrugged in disapproval at her answer. ’You and your wishes.My duty has already been done.Now it is just watching it unfold.’Grummulde looked proudly toward the north, toward Dunten, toward his land. ’Whatever wish you think he is going to make true,it will never come.It will be a lie to keep his supporters close.Just like your kings, your protectors.’

  Kelvanya answered only with a stone-cold gaze.She was done listening to him.His judgment.As if he wasn’t part of the same bargain she was in.The ‘honorable’ Grummulde judging others while doing the exact same thing.The hypocrite claimed he was better.She went back inside the walls.Grummulde didn’t follow; he only watched from the side as she went back in.His soft smile faded into seriousness.What had the world come to?He found a rock to sit on and watch the north.An eternal war. Was it I who wanted it. Or did the red smile talk me into it? Or maybe I had been with them for far too long. Gone soft toward the humans. Grummulde thought as he planted his bo-axe beside him.The only thing he had smelled for years was blood.Now that it was finally unraveling, there was nothing left but emptiness.How much could someone long to be back home? To tell them how the Emperium was not worth it. He snarled. Lost in his thoughts. Trying to find something else to hate besides himself. The thousands who were going to die in the next war. Would his son be among them as well?

  As Kelvanya went inside, Ranzolf stood in the courtyard of the inner walls.Absolutely mad. Cutting himself as he rumbled at nothing.Kelvanya tried to ignore him. Hoping he would stay in his own misery. Ranzolf saw Kelvanya enter and closed in on her with a half-smile, half-frown. ’You, because of you, I lost my fight. My moment. That Red Smile first. Then Grummulde held him.Then I could have finished it, but no. You called us all back here for that damn boy. Those wishes. Mine almost came true in the moment you stopped.’

  ’Orders are orders. We had the boy. We brought him to where he needed to be. If you want to blame someone, blame our lord.’Kelvanya replied; it was the only response she had, otherwise she would be wordless before someone she had crossed, Hurt on a more personal level.

  ’Yes. The disappointment is gnawing.Do not play with something that is fun. Too much time. Too much disappointment afterward.Now, where is Tyrilda? Maybe she won’t be disappointing today.’Ranzolf growled and huffed as he scratched his face with his sword.Steam rose from the places he had cut.Kelvanya wondered if it was worrying that it didn’t bother her. Not just the man. The action seemed so normal. The thought disgusted her. She turned away from Ranzolf. Wanting to go back inside, talk with Hartmar, and check on the boy.

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  Ranzolf grabbed her by the shoulder, realizing she didn’t have her bow with her. Kelvanya closed her eyes for a second, knowing what Ranzolf could do now if he wished. ‘Anything more you want to ask?’ Hoping to satisfy Ranzolf.

  ’I know we will see them again. Remember, the purple one is mine.’Ranzolf’s face looked deadly serious, yet somehow his eyes looked happy. You could almost hear his heart beating. Surprisingly, you’d expect him not to have one.His grip loosened and slowly let go of Kelvanya’s shoulder, as if hesitating to do something.Maybe because she didn’t have her bow, he didn’t do anything too crazy.Knowing him, he would probably like to take the first three arrows before taking it seriously.Where is the fun in fighting a warrior without his weapon?Knights you fight at their strongest;peasants are the ones you kill to fill time.He shook his head slightly, considering the different outcomes if he acted in defiance now.Even if one called him mad, he wasn’t crazy enough to listen to the urges in his head.

  ’Now I will visit our dear Tyrilda. I think she will like someone to spar with.’Ranzolf walked away, laughing. Screaming as he did. ’The fun we will all find soon. Let my dream be your all.’

  Kelvanya ignored the words of a madman and went into the tower. Hartmar was seated in one of the nine chairs, watching Frugin. He stood unmoving in a corner with his axe in both hands. ‘Does that mean they are still talking?’

  Hartmar turned around Knowing who was talking yet still wanting to check. ’He is. Surprisingly, but maybe that’s a good thing. I almost had to break the poor kid’s arm.’

  He sounded like himself, the professional with a heart.Even more so than… his name was better set aside from now.The only thing that could be hoped was that he was happy with how his job had brought them all this far. That he died with the peace of knowing they had succeeded because of him.

  Kelvanya sat next to him. ‘Then that can only mean our plan is closing in.’

  Hartmar gave a nod of acceptance. ‘Indeed, Kian is right now properly learning what our lord wants him to do.’

  Kelvanya automatically looked at Frugin. Is this the reason he keeps to himself, hoping we forget him. Hartmar always tries to read what people mean and says what keeps him on everyone’s good side. ’As long as the boy is alright, then it will all end well. Don’t you think so too, Frugin.’Kelvanya tried to make Frugin talk. The man with no words. Or at least half of them.’Lord. Know. Best.’ It was as if every word hurt him to say.As if it were his one weakness. There were always theories about what had happened to Frugin under the lords rule.Some said he had been tortured by Heiron and turned into a slave.Others thought he was a demon summoned by Heiron himself and tricked into obedience.The most bizarre theory was that Heiron created him himself, using the bodies of those closest to him.So that loyalty would stay in Frugin forever, turning him into a dog.Not a far stretch, thinking about it. Better to leave him be. ‘Hartmar, how is it to be back here after seven years?’

  Hartmar looked around the tower as if searching for something easily lost. ’I have a feeling I didn’t miss much. It still looks the same. Wait, there may be a change.Frugin has moved an inch since last time.’ Frugin took another step to the side. As if implying that he still had free movement.

  ’No wait. He just walked back to his old place.’ Hartmar called out to Frugin jokingly. Frugin gritted his teeth. Kelvanya couldn’t stop the feeling of some brightness returning to her life.For so long, she had been dependent on all these maniacs.It was nice to have Hartmar back, after the only other normal one.Maybe the coldness came from being here for too long.Hartmar was always busy working undercover and gaining information.Always knowing everything about the regions he was in. Almost magic in its own right. Frugin turned his axe. Putting the axe head onto the ground, holding the pommel with one hand.The other he held at his side, as if standing at attention.

  Kelvanya sighed. She and Hartmar turned around. Sventerlo stood silently in the doorway. He made no sound. His laugh said enough. ’Come let’s meet our lord now. It will be better to move up than to stand down here, right?’Sventerlo went up the stairs. ‘Come, come.’ He beckoned as he went up. Kelvanya noticed Hartmar’s one good eye. Luckily, that eye was not the one Frugin could see.It looked ready to fight them all.Kelvanya followed after Sventerlo,then Hartmar, and last came Frugin, his entire body moving like a statue come to life with rustic movements.

  Ascending the stairwell, Hartmar felt how the stone had aged even further. The walls seemed more fused together than ever. While the camp had grown, the tower was certainly dying.They tried to keep its myth alive for themselves.Once done, it would fall so easily.As if it had never mattered. They entered their lord’s office,lining up so he could see them all.He looked at them through his mask. Kian was seated in one of the chairs, unmoving. He looked like a husk from behind. ’Kian and I had a good talk. We came to an agreement that he would help us with the ritual.That means we can set it up tomorrow night and begin.The end we were waiting for is finally in motion. Now take our dear guest and bring him to his room. One is still empty.’ Kian stood up from the chair and walked to the line. He kept looking at the ground. ’Sventerlo, Frugin. You two stay here.’ Heiron added. Sventerlo went to his right side, while Frugin took the left. The demon–angel mask split the two sides. As the light came in from his back.Heiron looked at the two. Waiting for the others to go.Kelvanya took the boy’s hand and walked. Hartmar kept standing, looking straight at Heiron.Maybe for a moment too long, for Frugin took a step toward him. At that, Hartmar turned and went down, closing the doors behind him.

  Heiron wasted no time letting the other two wait.’Friends, I know you would expect this.Better yet. I know you all know. Among us, Among the Judgment Executioners. The tension that they build. The promise of what we want to do is no longer enough,and we need to act fast to prove to them that the word is true.’

  Sventerlo took one of the chairs, dropping his act. He plopped into it and said casually, ’Then you’d better hope that your ritual works. I have tried protecting you for a long time. I don’t know how much longer I can do it. Those animals you recruiteddon’t deserve wishes, and the others are becoming aware.The boy needs to live, if he can.If not, be prepared for a battle.’