Arriving at the borderline
Author: Anakin Detour
last update2024-11-22 20:44:17

Meanwhile, at a mountainous landscape. A helicopter landed gracefully, Norman, Bethany and two other escorts stepped out. The Mountains were a little farther, crossing the territory of both nations. So technically they were still in Valkoria, about 20 ft away from Eldrida.

Norman sighed deeply, staring at the mountains. About to climb up before a noise caught his attention. He heard angry voices echoing down the dirt path. He turned to see a group of seven men surrounding an elderly man.  The old man was clutching an intricately carved wooden chest, its polished surface gleaming even in the dim light.

“Come on, old man,” one of them sneered, his tone dripping with menace. “Hand it over. Don’t make this difficult.”

“These are priceless heirlooms!” the old man protested, his voice trembling. “They belong to my family and this village. Generations of history are inside this chest! You can’t just take it!”

The apparent leader of the group chuckled darkly, stepping closer. “History? We’re not running a museum. Hand it over, or you’ll regret it.”

The old man hesitated, his eyes narrowing. “You don’t belong here, do you? You’re not from this town. Who are you?”

The leader’s grin faltered for a moment, but he quickly masked it. “We’re locals, just like you. What, you don’t recognize your neighbors?”

The elderly man’s suspicion deepened. “Neighbors? I’ve lived here my whole life, and I’ve never seen your faces. What’s going on here?”

Annoyed by his persistence, another man grabbed the old man by the collar and yanked him forward. “You’re asking too many questions. Maybe you need a lesson in minding your own business!”

The man yelped as he was thrown to the ground, the chest falling from his hands. The lock broke on impact, and a cascade of gleaming gold coins, intricately designed jewelry, and a few ancient scrolls spilled out onto the dirt. The old man scrambled to gather them, but one of the men kicked the chest, scattering the treasures further.

“Stop it!” the old man cried. “Please, these items are sacred!”

The leader crouched down, grabbing the man by the chin. “Sacred? Not anymore, old man. Now they belong to us. Stay down, and we might leave you in one piece.”

As the group began pocketing the treasures, another young man approached cautiously. “Hey! Leave him alone!”

The spies turned toward the new arrival, their eyes narrowing. “And who’s this hero?” one of them taunted.

The man balled his fists. “You don’t belong here. You’re not locals, are you?”

The leader’s grin faded entirely. “You’re pretty bold for someone unarmed. Maybe you need to learn what happens to meddlers.”

Two of the men moved toward him, who tried to back away, but they were faster. They knocked him down with a hard punch to the gut, and he crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain.

The old man watched in horror. “Stop this! Do you think you'll get away with this? The Executioner will punish you!”

At the mention of the Executioner, the group hesitated briefly, their leader glancing toward the mountain range. Then he smirked. “The Executioner? In this remote village? Don’t make me laugh. He’s not some all-seeing god. Now, shut up and stay down.”

But before the group could continue, a cold voice cut through the air like a blade.

“What was that about omnipresent gods?”

The men froze, the leader spinning around to face the source of the voice. His face paled as his eyes landed on the figure standing in the shadow of the mountains.

Norman stepped into the light, his piercing gaze locked on the group. His presence was imposing, his reputation far preceding him.

“The Executioner!” the leader stammered, his bravado crumbling.

The men exchanged panicked glances, their earlier confidence evaporating. They had been caught red-handed, and now they realized their worst fears were standing before them.

Norman’s gaze swept over the scene—the beaten people, the scattered goods, and the trembling spies. His expression hardened.

“Who were you trying to silence? And you're from Eldrida, right?” Norman asked, his expression darkened, and his tone dangerous.

Immediately all those men dropped their knees. “Please forgive us, Executioner. We've made a terrible mistake crossing the border.”

The residents all came out, immediately they saw Norman. Their hero had come to save them, like he always did.

Norman’s eyes narrowed. “Mistake? Crossing into Valkoria, beating innocent people, stealing their treasure—these are not mistakes. Who sent you? Was it the president of Eldrida?”

Related Chapters

  • After Rejection, she crawled to my feet for forgiveness    Punishing the spies from Eldrida

    The men were trembling. They were in fact a spy, sent to check if the defenses of Valkoria were as strong as before. If their defenses over this area had weakened, their next plan would be a massive invasion to take over the small land and extend their territory. But they dared not leak their plans to the Executioner, he's the last person that needed to know about this. Trembling, the leader spoke. “Please, Executioner. We have no intentions to kill anyone, I only made that statement to intimidate. Please have mercy.” The leader trembled, his lips twitching as he struggled to come up with an excuse. “N-no one sent us, Executioner. We’re just thieves. We meant no harm.” Norman’s gaze pierced him, unflinching. “Thieves? You dare lie to my face?” The leader lowered his head further, sweat dripping down his face. “P-please, Executioner. We didn’t mean to hurt anyone. We’ll leave and never return. Spare us!” Norman’s expression darkened. He already knew the truth—these men w

  • After Rejection, she crawled to my feet for forgiveness    Escorts from the president of Eldrida

    Norman trudged up the mountain, through the knee-deep snow, his boots crunching against the frozen crystals, the chilled air sharp with each breath. He neared the summit where his mentor's grave stood, marked only by a single stone. Up here, untouched by the world below, it felt as if time had paused, leaving only the wind and the silent snowfall. He finally reached the grave and knelt, brushing fresh snow off the stone’s rough surface. "It’s done," he said, his voice low but steady. "I kept my promise to you. Valkoria is at peace." The wind howled around him, but he barely felt it, his gaze fixed on the stone. He thought of his mentor’s unwavering guidance, the countless battles fought together. His master had taught him everything he knew. And his last wish was for Norman to remain good, and bring peace to Valkoria. "I'm tired," he admitted, almost to himself. "And I think... I think I’ve done enough.” Norman had fulfilled that promise, for two years he had done what many

  • After Rejection, she crawled to my feet for forgiveness    Evidence of Norman's corruption

    Norman stepped inside, taking in the changes, though his expression remained blank. He sat on the bed without a word. “How do you like it?” Bethany asked, hoping for a response. “Is there anything else you might need?” Norman barely acknowledged her, giving a small, indifferent nod. He cared less about the luxuries she added in the cell, as he had lost interest in material things a long time ago. To him they were nothing but distractions. Seeing his mood, Bethany nodded and walked out of the cell. She dared not risk offending him. Immediately she was out, she dialed on her phone and called deputy Mayor — Mr. Harris. “Hello Chief.” He picked up almost immediately. “Mr. Harris, have you met with the mayor? What did you find out?” she asked impatiently. “I did, but he didn't give me any evidence regarding the accusations. And he seems to be unmoved by Mr. Norman's arrest, not even his daughter, Lana.” Harris said, sounding disappointed. “What? Those bastards, do they real

  • After Rejection, she crawled to my feet for forgiveness    Norman's accusations

    Even the Mayor couldn't afford to buy this type of mansion. How on earth would Norman, a mere acting Mayor own such a property? It only makes sense that Norman was in fact embezzling funds. “What? These are all expensive mansions, how can Norman own all these properties? And in Crestview hills?” Shockwaves rippled through Lana's mind. Crestview Hills, a neighborhood where the city's elite reside. The thought of him living among mansions and manicured lawns was jarring. "Crestview Hills? You can't be serious. How did you...?" she stuttered, her eyes wide with disbelief. “I'm as shocked as you, Lana. But that's the truth. And not only that, I found out some ladies are living inside the mansion too.” Lucas said further. Lana frown deepened, “Some ladies?!” Her shock was replaced with anger, and a hint of jealousy. “Has that trash been cheating on me?” Her urge to completely expose him increased. “So what do we do now, Mr. Lucas?” Henry asked. “This is enough evidence we need to b

  • After Rejection, she crawled to my feet for forgiveness    Arriving at Crestview Hills

    Bethany refused to believe this, maybe he just said that because be didn't want to come out of prison. Norman hadn't been making any effort to free himself, so maybe he just agreed to this.She couldn't take Norman's words, so she decided to investigate for herself.Bethany rushed down to her office, and was surprised at the number of people waiting for her.Amongst them was, Lucas, Harris and other high officials, these were all the people that had worked in office with Norman. He hasn't been in office for some days, and then they found out he was arrested for embezzlement, surprised they all rushed down to the station to confirm themselves.“Good thing you're here, Chief Bethany.” Lucas said with a grin.Bethany's mood changed the moment she saw Lucas, she has had an unimaginable hatred for him after his accusations of Norman.She glared at him. "What proof do you have that Norman is guilty of any crime?"Others in the room quickly chimed in, their voices rising."Yes, Mayor, let's

  • After Rejection, she crawled to my feet for forgiveness    Exposing Lucas and Henry

    The estate had several houses in it. So Lucas and Henry, led them to one of the houses. Lucas rang the doorbell.This had already sparked interest in the viewers, wight thousands of viewers and comments.Seeing that they were taking too long to respond, Henry rang the bell again and shouted. “Open up. We're government officials, we came for an investigation!”At this moment the tension was high, everyone curious to see the so called ‘mistress’ of Norman. Bethany bit her lips, hoping for a negative result.Meanwhile Henry kept on ranting. “Just you wait, you'll see what I'm talking about. Norman is a criminal, and today his little lies will be exposed.”Lucas also brimmed with excitement.People watching the broadcast were flooding in with comments, everyone was curious to know the truth.“What's she gonna look like?”“She's the mistress of the acting Mayor, I'm sure she's going to be stunning!”“LMFAO, can't believe Mr. Norman is a criminal.”Meanwhile Bethany and Harris stared at eac

  • After Rejection, she crawled to my feet for forgiveness    Exposing Lucas and Henry II

    Lucas shifted uneasily, sweat forming on his forehead as he fumbled for words. Henry, however, maintained his composure, his expression hardening as if he was doubling down.Bethany, seething with anger, pointed an accusatory finger at both of them. "You two should be ashamed. Not only do you fail to appreciate Norman's kindness, but you also have the audacity to defame him publicly? Are you so blinded by your agenda that you can't see the truth?"Henry’s jaw tightened, refusing to back down. "Kindness? If he really wanted to help these women, why buy them such expensive houses? Why not something simpler? This just screams of ulterior motives."Bethany shot him a fiery glare. "So, let me get this straight. Women whose husbands gave their lives defending this nation don't deserve these homes? You think you deserve them more than they do? Is that it?"Henry faltered for a moment but quickly recovered. "That's not what I’m saying," he snapped. "I’m saying this entire setup is suspicious.

  • After Rejection, she crawled to my feet for forgiveness    Plans failed

    Their cries grew louder, and then one of the women, overcome with despair, stepped onto the front steps and raised her voice in a dramatic plea. “If this is what we are worth to you, then I don’t deserve to live!” She moved to the edge of the steps, her intent clear.Gasps filled the air as the crowd froze. Lucas went pale, panic flashing across his face. He darted toward her, his voice trembling. “Stop! Don’t do this! There’s no need for such measures!” The officials intervened quickly, pulling the woman back and calming her. Lucas, visibly shaken, turned to Henry, his voice low but urgent. “Fix this. Now. If this escalates further, we’re finished.” He knew if anything bad happened here, he's reputation as the Mayor would be destroyed, he might even be locked up.Henry, cornered and realizing there was no way out, bowed his head slightly. When he spoke again, his voice was softer, more genuine. “I’m sorry. Truly sorry. For everything we’ve done today. It was wrong.”The widows quiet

Latest Chapter

  • Chapter 23

    Lucas gritted his teeth, he's been trying all day to convince the officials that Norman's accusations were true. but he's yet to provide solid evidence making his claim hard for anyone to believe. Another official added, “Norman’s absence is already causing unrest. If we don’t handle this properly, the public outcry could escalate into something worse.” Lucas leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing as he listened. His jaw tightened, his lips forming a thin line. “Are you all implying that this city can’t function without one man?” he snapped, his voice cold and sharp. “We’re not implying anything,” the first official replied, clearly undeterred. “We’re stating facts. Norman’s influence runs deep. He’s respected by the people and feared by the criminals. Without him, the city loses its backbone.” Another chimed in, their tone bordering on a warning. “The longer you keep him detained, the more likely we are to face protests, or worse. You should release him immediately.” The

  • Chapter 22

    Lucas gritted his teeth, he's been trying all day to convince the officials that Norman's accusations were true. but he's yet to provide solid evidence making his claim hard for anyone to believe. Another official added, “Norman’s absence is already causing unrest. If we don’t handle this properly, the public outcry could escalate into something worse.” Lucas leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing as he listened. His jaw tightened, his lips forming a thin line. “Are you all implying that this city can’t function without one man?” he snapped, his voice cold and sharp. “We’re not implying anything,” the first official replied, clearly undeterred. “We’re stating facts. Norman’s influence runs deep. He’s respected by the people and feared by the criminals. Without him, the city loses its backbone.” Another chimed in, their tone bordering on a warning. “The longer you keep him detained, the more likely we are to face protests, or worse. You should release him immediately.” The

  • Chapter 21

    Lucas gritted his teeth, he's been trying all day to convince the officials that Norman's accusations were true. but he's yet to provide solid evidence making his claim hard for anyone to believe. Another official added, “Norman’s absence is already causing unrest. If we don’t handle this properly, the public outcry could escalate into something worse.” Lucas leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing as he listened. His jaw tightened, his lips forming a thin line. “Are you all implying that this city can’t function without one man?” he snapped, his voice cold and sharp. “We’re not implying anything,” the first official replied, clearly undeterred. “We’re stating facts. Norman’s influence runs deep. He’s respected by the people and feared by the criminals. Without him, the city loses its backbone.” Another chimed in, their tone bordering on a warning. “The longer you keep him detained, the more likely we are to face protests, or worse. You should release him immediately.” The

  • Chapter 20

    Lucas gritted his teeth, he's been trying all day to convince the officials that Norman's accusations were true. but he's yet to provide solid evidence making his claim hard for anyone to believe. Another official added, “Norman’s absence is already causing unrest. If we don’t handle this properly, the public outcry could escalate into something worse.” Lucas leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing as he listened. His jaw tightened, his lips forming a thin line. “Are you all implying that this city can’t function without one man?” he snapped, his voice cold and sharp. “We’re not implying anything,” the first official replied, clearly undeterred. “We’re stating facts. Norman’s influence runs deep. He’s respected by the people and feared by the criminals. Without him, the city loses its backbone.” Another chimed in, their tone bordering on a warning. “The longer you keep him detained, the more likely we are to face protests, or worse. You should release him immediately.” The

  • Chapter 19

    Lucas gritted his teeth, he's been trying all day to convince the officials that Norman's accusations were true. but he's yet to provide solid evidence making his claim hard for anyone to believe. Another official added, “Norman’s absence is already causing unrest. If we don’t handle this properly, the public outcry could escalate into something worse.” Lucas leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing as he listened. His jaw tightened, his lips forming a thin line. “Are you all implying that this city can’t function without one man?” he snapped, his voice cold and sharp. “We’re not implying anything,” the first official replied, clearly undeterred. “We’re stating facts. Norman’s influence runs deep. He’s respected by the people and feared by the criminals. Without him, the city loses its backbone.” Another chimed in, their tone bordering on a warning. “The longer you keep him detained, the more likely we are to face protests, or worse. You should release him immediately.” The

  • Chapter 18

    Lucas gritted his teeth, he's been trying all day to convince the officials that Norman's accusations were true. but he's yet to provide solid evidence making his claim hard for anyone to believe. Another official added, “Norman’s absence is already causing unrest. If we don’t handle this properly, the public outcry could escalate into something worse.” Lucas leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing as he listened. His jaw tightened, his lips forming a thin line. “Are you all implying that this city can’t function without one man?” he snapped, his voice cold and sharp. “We’re not implying anything,” the first official replied, clearly undeterred. “We’re stating facts. Norman’s influence runs deep. He’s respected by the people and feared by the criminals. Without him, the city loses its backbone.” Another chimed in, their tone bordering on a warning. “The longer you keep him detained, the more likely we are to face protests, or worse. You should release him immediately.” The room

  • Chapter 17

    Lucas frowned, he knew exactly why they were here. He was about to speak before Henry spoke abruptly. “If this is about Norman's case, he's still guilty, and you don't have to worry we're getting the evidence.” He said with disdain. Harris gritted his teeth as he glared at Henry. “I wasn't talking to you Mr. Havord, and you aren't the acting Mayor yet, don't act like one.” The words were like arrows, it shattered Henry's pride, he was about to speak but Lucas gestured for him to halt. “Let's go to the general office to discuss this.” He said to the other officials and they all head to a much larger office. **** One official started, “Norman’s absence is already causing unrest. If we don’t handle this properly, the public outcry could escalate into something worse.” Lucas leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing as he listened. His jaw tightened, his lips forming a thin line. “Are you all implying that this city can’t function without one man?” he snapped, his voice cold and sha

  • Chapter 16

    At Lucas's office Lucas leaned back in his leather chair, his hands massaging the temple of his head. After going through the annual cost Norman spends to provide for the families of fallen heroes, he still had doubts if these were legit. The expenses were so high, Henry and Lana was also present in the office, both as shocked as Lucas. “This… This is insane,” Henry finally spat, gesturing at the screen. “We’re expected to pay how much to these families every year?” Lucas leaned forward, clasping his hands. “Seventy-point-eight million. That’s what Norman had allocated annually. Seventy. Point. Eight. Million. For widows and orphans.” His voice dripped with contempt as he emphasized each word. It was unbelievable. “Ridiculous,” Lana chimed in, leaning forward with a cold smile. “Why should their sob stories drain our city’s coffers? Their husbands and fathers chose the line of duty. They knew the risks.” Henry turned, his anger palpable. “They act like the city owes them for etern

  • Return of the Scorpion

    Henry's crew and the reporters were still packing up their things to leave, before Lucas leaned in, his voice low and firm. "You’ve got your orders. Clear them out. Now!"Henry nodded, jaw tightening as he turned to his crew. "Wrap it up. Everyone out, quickly."The crew fastened up, exchanging uneasy glances. Cameras were hastily folded away, and the reporters shuffled backward.“Norman doesn’t deserve this!” someone shouted from the crowd.“What evidence do they even have?” another voice chimed in, trembling with anger.“This is abuse of power, the Mayor is irresponsible!”Bethany stood rooted, her fists clenched at her sides. She stepped forward as the reporters disappeared into the distance. “Mr. Havord, this has gone too far,” she said, her voice steady but sharp. “Norman hasn’t done anything wrong. You know that as well as I do.”Henry spun on his heel, his face clouded with irritation. “Chief Bethany, don’t start. If he’s innocent, where’s the proof? Why hasn’t anyone come for

Scan code to read on App