ALL MAKER

Blood and Bread

ALL MAKER

Chapter - Blood and Bread

Beneath the kingdom, in the damp, suffocating darkness of an underground tunnel, two bandits walked side by side. Edric led the way, his steps deliberate, while Oswald trailed behind, his words echoing faintly against the cold, stone walls. The torchlight flickered.

"We didn't miss the deadline, did we?" Oswald asked, his voice wavering between nerves and impatience.

"No," Edric replied without turning back. "We've got time. The 'meal' has to be delivered between midnight and noon. We'll make it."

Oswald nodded, his hand tightening on the hilt of his blade. "Then let's find that boy and feed him to the angel. It's his fault, after all."

Edric paused for a moment, glancing over his shoulder. "Hey, Oswald... do you remember the first time we met?"

"What? Why bring that up now?" Oswald frowned, his tone sharp with confusion.

"You were so afraid," Edric said, a faint, almost wistful smile crossing his face. "I can still see it—how terrified you looked when you were dragged into the prison for stealing a loaf of bread."

"Why are you talking about that?" Oswald's unease grew as he glanced warily at Edric.

"And then," Edric continued, his voice lowering, "you looked even more afraid when I told you I'd killed my father... for revenge. Because he murdered my mother."

The silence between them was heavy, broken only by the distant drip of water from the tunnel's ceiling.

"What are you trying to say?" Oswald asked, his words slow and deliberate.

Edric stopped walking, turning to face his companion fully. "Let's leave this behind, Oswald. Let's run away from this kingdom, from all of this."

Oswald's brow furrowed. "What? You're kidding, right? We're so close. Two more meals, Edric. Just two more, and we'll have the money. Why stop now, after everything we've done?"

Edric's gaze softened, his expression weighed down by something deeper than fatigue. "The king gave us the orders, sure. But I've been thinking... it's time to stop."

"And what about that boy?" Oswald's voice rose, anger and frustration cutting through the air. "Two of our friends are dead because of him! Are you saying we just let that go?"

Edric shook his head slowly. "Revenge... it's a dead-end road, Oswald. I've walked it. I know where it leads."

"You're the last person who should be saying revenge is bad," Oswald snapped, his anger simmering.

Edric sighed. "Listen. There's a way out of this kingdom. The tunnel splits up ahead, and one path leads to a hole that's been opened by the rains. We can escape. Together."

He pointed toward the distant shadows of the tunnel's fork, his voice tinged with hope. But before he could take another step, he felt a sudden pull. The knife in his pocket was gone.

The sharp pain came before the realization. Edric staggered as Oswald drove the blade into his back, straight into his heart.

Edric gasped, his breath shallow as he turned his head to look at Oswald. His lips curled into a faint, sad smile. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I made you into this."

The light in Edric's eyes faded as he collapsed to the ground.

Oswald stood over the body, the knife slick with blood in his trembling hand. His chest heaved as he stared at the crimson staining his palms.

Its...all his...fault...his fault..ITS ALL HIS FAULT!!

"I WILL KILL THAT BASTARD!!!" Oswald screamed.

END OF CHAPTER