The temple bells toll through the annex, the tired grumbles and snores in protest arise from the sleeping disciples. A smaller bell chimes through the hall, getting louder in passing. It synchronizes with the footsteps of the women outside who ring them incessantly to gather the attention of the disciples. The tired eyes gaze to the windows greeting a dark sky and the sound of happily singing birds to indicate the early morning hours. It's the usual time to wake up all the disciples to jump start their days and responsibilities. A young woman grumbled, pulling the thin blanket over her head in an attempt to drown out the ceaseless sound of bells. The annex that accommodated the disciples appeared simplistic. A long rectangular room lined with small single beds and flat mattresses with a single, hard pillow and thin cotton blanket on each bed. The entire annex possessed a dull impression lacking in most colors and warmth. To the foot of the bed stood a small wooden chest; inside held

The first sketch Florian pulls from the papers holds the name 'Rennier'. She pages through the disorganized notes in the notebook to look for the information corresponding to the person named Rennier. Rennier, a shadow guard to the first prince with no known stories of his origin. Due to his questionable origin most deemed him to be a commoner or of lower class, he was unofficially promoted to the title of baron under the name 'Ian Kellis' thanks to his faithful service to the first prince. He began working for the first prince as a child and was chosen through strict selection amongst the shadow guards. 'Looks like the shadow guards aren't under the knights but rather working under direct descendants of the imperial family.' It is estimated that Rennier is a few years younger than the first prince but no one knows his true age. He served Nicodemus faithfully while he was still the crown prince and continued to work for him after the coronation of the second prince. He acts as eyes

The execution grounds are bare, on the right stands a series of small dirt cells built with stone walls and heavy metal bars which aim to keep prisoners from escaping. To the left, a minuscule camp-site with a stone pit for the fire. Everything surrounds and highlights the center of attention, a grand wooden platform. Atop the wooden platform resides worn ropes, a crank to drop the flooring beneath the broken barrels and a daunting, rusted guillotine. Followed by a bloodied block of stone... an executioner's block and a large wooden stake residing in the ground. These were unusual grounds, most would have a specific method but Hayle is every executioner's dream, it contained gallows to hang, a guillotine to behead, a block to bludgeon and even a stake to burn... Any and all executions in such a remote place would prove painful and inefficient. The resulting suffering may have very well been deemed fitting for a traitor. Florian recalls a rather horrific tale she heard from one of the

"Isn't this a little excessive!?" Khio fumed, kicking another knight in the head and downing them. Three lay at her feet unconscious, another two lying by Rhetta. "There are too many knights around here...It's not for us seeing that they felt safe only leaving us with four." Rhetta looked around, thankfully with no other knights in sight. "Looking at the uniform they're not local knights. These belong to the second division. The security of the village should be under the supervision of the lord's knights, not imperial knights." Rhetta notes her observations finding the entire situation to be out of the ordinary. "Did they find out about the escape!?" Khio's panicked voice provides another possible reason. "Rhetta!! Khio!!" They stop dead in their tracks when they hear their names shouted in the distance and from the direction they had been running from. As opposed to the bitter and angered voices of the knights, the voice they heard almost sounded harmless in comparison. They ca

The prince shows a troubled expression glancing over at the window from which the two shadow guards had just escaped from. A crude, rough hand grabs his shoulder and pulls the prince from any other thought. "Your highness, you must divulge what you were discussing with the traitor." The knight's words were void of respect, insistent and malicious. They were a command, not a question. Even the most basic respect had faded when Nicodemus lost his support and power. It still amazes him nevertheless when he experiences the discourteous behaviours of those once loyal to him. "I have nothing to say." Nicodemus spoke coldly, the knights arranged themselves to chase after Rennier and left two knights to stand guard at the door. "Shouldn't we arrest him?" One of the knights whisper to his companion "It's not like he's going to get up and walk away." the other replied, loudly without whispering, earning an emotionless look from Nicodemus. Rennier runs into depths of the imperial hunting gro