Chapter: Chapter Thirty-FourThe path stretched endlessly before them, shrouded in a thick, swirling mist. The trees that lined either side loomed tall and menacing, their twisted branches clawing at the sky like skeletal fingers. The air was eerily still, as if the forest itself was holding its breath. Gideon walked ahead, his eyes scanning around. His grip tightened around the hilt of his sword, though he knew a blade would do little against the kind of danger that lurked in this forsaken place. His companions followed closely behind, their expressions tense. Jareth exhaled loudly. “You know, I’ve heard stories about this place,” he said, his voice breaking the silence. Kai groaned. “Please, not another one of your stories.” Lucinda smirked. “Oh, let him speak, Kai. At least if we die, we’ll be entertained on the way.” Jareth grinned. “Glad someone appreciates my wisdom. Now, as I was saying this path was once home to a group of royal soldiers, the elite warriors of King Aerioneth. They were known as t
Last Updated: 2025-04-03
Chapter: Chapter Thirty-threeGideon walked along a narrow, lonely path, the silence pressing down on him like a heavy weight. His breath came in slow, steady puffs as he scanned his surroundings. The air was thick with mist, curling low against the damp earth. The trees on either side stretched high into the sky, their twisted branches forming eerie, jagged shapes in the darkness.Then—A movement.Gideon’s heart stilled for a fraction of a second.There, just ahead, an image stood at the edge of the path.The girl.The same girl he had seen before.Her long white dress swayed slightly, even though there was no wind. Her dark hair cascaded down her shoulders, partially covering her face.Gideon’s pulse quickened.Without thinking, he took a step forward. Then another.She turned.And ran.“No! Wait!” Gideon called, breaking into a sprint.His boots pounded against the ground as he chased after her. The trees blurred past him, the mist swirling around his legs. She moved like a whisper, always just out of reach, h
Last Updated: 2025-04-03
Chapter: Chapter Thirty-two“Gideon!”Seraphina’s voice cut through the night, urgent and filled with relief.Gideon turned just as she and the others, Jareth, Kai and Lucinda, emerged from the dense trees, their faces illuminated by the pale glow of the moon. Leaves crunched beneath their hurried footsteps as they approached him.“There you are!” Jareth huffed, placing his hands on his knees. “Do you have any idea how long we’ve been looking for you?”“Where did you go?” Kai added, frowning. “One minute you were with us, the next you vanished.”Gideon exhaled, his thoughts still reeling from everything he had seen. “I saw her,” he said.Lucinda’s eyes narrowed. “Her?”“The girl from the forest,” he clarified. “And…” He hesitated, knowing the weight of his next words. “I saw Lord Roderick.”Seraphina stiffened. The change in her was immediate. Her shoulders tensed, her expression darkened, and she averted her gaze.“I saw My father too,” she said softly.The sadness in her voice was unmistakable. Without another
Last Updated: 2025-04-03
Chapter: Chapter Thiry-OneSeraphina’s heart was pounding as she ventured deeper into the forest. The silence that surrounded her seemed to press in on all sides, suffocating her thoughts. She had been searching for hours, calling out for Gideon, but there had been no sign of him. The others were nowhere to be seen either.As she moved, her boots crunching on the forest floor, a sudden noise made her freeze in her tracks. The sound was faint at first, like a whisper carried on the wind. But then it grew louder, more distinct. It was a voice, one she recognized.“Seraphina…”Her breath caught in her throat. She turned slowly, her eyes scanning the trees around her. There, standing under a tall oak tree, was a figure she had not seen in years. Her father.“Father?” she whispered, taking a hesitant step toward him.He stood tall, his arms crossed over his chest, a disappointed look on his face. “I can’t believe you chose this path,” he said, his voice cold. “The Knights, Seraphina? You were meant for more than thi
Last Updated: 2025-01-17
Chapter: Chapter ThirtyGideon and his companions trudged down the winding path from the hilltop, the looming shadow of Ravenhelm fading into the horizon behind them. The group had barely rested after the night’s events, but there was no time to waste. Gideon’s vision of the girl consumed his thoughts, the memory of her golden hair and the fox on her shoulder vivid in his mind.“We’re close to the village,” Seraphina said, pointing ahead. “It’s small, but someone here might know something about the girl.”Gideon nodded, his jaw set with determination. “We’ll ask everyone if we have to. Someone has to know.”Kai, walking a little behind them, yawned loudly. “And if no one knows? What then?”“Then we keep searching,” Gideon said firmly, glancing over his shoulder. “We don’t give up.”The village came into view as they rounded a bend. It was quaint, with narrow cobblestone streets and tightly packed cottages. Smoke curled from chimneys, and villagers bustled about, carrying baskets of goods or chatting in small
Last Updated: 2025-01-17
Chapter: Chapter Twenty-Nine“They attacked the Knights Academy,” Gideon said, breaking the heavy silence as he gazed at the campfire. His voice was low, almost hollow, but it carried the weight of everything he’d been holding back since reading Lord Roderick’s letter.Jareth looked up sharply, his lute forgotten. “What?”Gideon nodded, staring into the flames. “It happened days ago. Dark creatures breached the academy. They came out of nowhere, slaughtering knights in their wake.” His hands tightened into fists on his knees. “Lord Roderick was injured. Badly.”Seraphina, sitting closest to him, reached out a hand. “Gideon...”“I should’ve been there,” he said, cutting her off, his voice filled with regret. “If I had known sooner, I could’ve fought alongside them. I could’ve—” He stopped himself, the words choking in his throat.“You couldn’t have known,” Seraphina said softly. “Don’t do this to yourself.”Kai, who had been leaning against a tree, looked confused. “Who’s Lord Roderick?” he asked, glancing between
Last Updated: 2025-01-16
Chapter: Chapter NineKelvin groaned as he pushed himself off the ground, his body aching from the crash. Every muscle screamed in protest, and the sharp sting of his injured shoulder made his breath hitch. Blood seeped through his torn shirt, dripping onto the asphalt. The air was thick with the scent of burning metal and gasoline, the remnants of the crash smoldering behind him.He tried to steady himself, planting one foot firmly on the ground, but before he could fully rise, a shadow loomed over him. A powerful fist crashed into his face, snapping his head back and sending him sprawling onto the ground again.“Thought you’d make it out of this alive, huh?” growled the burly man with the beard, his voice dripping with contempt. He cracked his knuckles, towering over Kelvin like a predator savoring its prey.Kelvin rolled onto his side, spitting blood onto the pavement. “Still better than working for Victor,” he muttered, his voice hoarse.The man sneered, his boot slamming into Kelvin’s ribs. The impact
Last Updated: 2025-01-25
Chapter: Chapter EightKelvin sprinted out of the abandoned building, his chest heaving. The cool night air hit his face, but he didn’t have time to savor it. Parked a few feet away, gleaming under a faint moonlight, was a sleek black sports car with the name Black Phantom engraved on the side. It looked fast, exactly what he needed.Without hesitation, Kelvin approached the car, pulling a small multi-tool from his pocket. He smashed the driver’s window with a swift blow, unlocked the door, and slid inside. His hands moved quickly, destroying the ignition switch and exposing a cluster of wires. He found the positive leads, twisted them together, and the engine roared to life.“Sorry about the mess,” he muttered to the car’s absent owner before slamming his foot on the accelerator.Kelvin’s phone buzzed as he sped down the dark streets, the map April had sent him glowing on the borrowed device.“Kelvin, are you close?” April’s voice crackled through the line.“Almost,” Kelvin said, weaving through sparse tra
Last Updated: 2025-01-25
Chapter: Chapter SevenKelvin gripped the steering wheel tightly as his car sped down the dimly lit road. The tires screeched when he braked hard, making a sharp U-turn toward the location Maria had given him. His pulse raced, his mind swarming with doubts and questions. Could Maria really be trusted? Or was this another trap?He tapped the button on his steering wheel to call April. She picked up almost immediately.“Kelvin, what’s going on?” April’s voice was sharp with concern.“It’s Maria,” Kelvin said, glancing at the GPS on his dashboard. “She called me. She’s not part of Victor’s business, she just found out. She says she has a document that contains everything, all of Victor’s dirty deals. She wants me to meet her to pick it up.”There was a pause. Then April spoke, her tone skeptical. “And you believe her? Kelvin, she could be lying to cover for him. Or worse, leading you into a trap.”“I don’t think so,” Kelvin replied firmly. “She sounded shaken, April. She knows something now, and she wants to h
Last Updated: 2025-01-25
Chapter: Chapter sixKelvin sat at a corner table in Le Mirage, the elegant hum of conversations and the soft clinking of glasses filling the air. The restaurant was bathed in warm, golden light, its high ceilings adorned with intricate chandeliers. He glanced at his watch, his nerves hidden behind a mask of calm. Maria wasn’t late, yet but every passing minute felt heavier than the last.He took a sip of water, his mind rehearsing the conversation he planned to have. He couldn’t afford to slip. Every word mattered.The soft sound of heels clicking against the marble floor drew his attention. He looked up to see Maria entering the restaurant, her red dress once again catching the light. She scanned the room before spotting him and smiled apologetically as she approached.“Kelvin,” she said, her voice warm but slightly breathless. “I’m so sorry. Traffic was a nightmare.”“No need to apologize,” Kelvin said, standing as she arrived. “I just got here myself.” It was a lie, but one he told smoothly.They sat,
Last Updated: 2025-01-25
Chapter: Chapter FiveThe drive home was quiet, but Kelvin’s mind was anything but. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he replayed the evening in his head, particularly the brief exchange with Maria. There was something about her that lingered in his thoughts. Her grace, her poise, the way she effortlessly commanded attention, it all felt so natural, yet unnervingly deliberate.Is she aware of Victor’s dealings? The question gnawed at him as the city lights blurred past his windows.When he reached his townhouse, he parked in the driveway and stepped out into the crisp night air. The faint hum of distant traffic accompanied him as he unlocked the door and stepped inside.Kelvin didn’t bother turning on the living room lights. Instead, he went straight to his study, the faint glow of his desk lamp illuminating the room. Dropping into the leather chair, he leaned back and stared at the ceiling, his mind still tangled in questions.He poured himself a glass of scotch from the decanter on his desk, ta
Last Updated: 2025-01-25
Chapter: Chapter fourKelvin froze as the woman’s voice echoed in his mind. He looked her over, taking in the long, flowing hair that framed her delicate face, the sharp cheekbones, and the curve of her lips as she smiled at him. Her red dress clung to her body in all the right places, the rich crimson fabric shimmering under the chandelier lights. She was beautiful, captivating even, but what stood out most was her confidence. She didn’t look like one of the power-hungry politicians or business elites lurking in the room. She seemed... different.For the first time that evening, Kelvin felt unprepared. His mouth went dry, and when he finally spoke, his words stumbled out. “I—uh—do we know each other?”She laughed softly, her voice like velvet, and took a sip from the glass of wine in her hand. “No, we don’t,” she said, tilting her head slightly. “But you looked like someone who could use some company. I was looking for a dance partner. Would you care to join me?”Kelvin blinked, momentarily thrown off. He
Last Updated: 2025-01-25
