As Rathurn Burns.

Chapter 11: Amissum

Everything looks distorted. My head is spinning. Something or someone is running in my mind . Their heavy foots steps bring me pain. It feels like years have passed when my vision clears. I find myself in the woods. I hobble to my feet. My muscles were stiff as rocks. The sound of voices filled the air. One was familiar and the other was foreign. As soon as I realised who the voice belonged to I hoisted myself up a tree and prayed to the Gods that I had been unheard.

" She was here. I feel her presence. She cannot be too far ahead. "

My eyes widened as Fabron stood below me. The man at his side was unfamiliar but something told me he was not to be trusted.

" I fear that you underestimated her capability. She should be treated like any other threat. Anyone who could fight Kaufman and live is a threat to the Tenebris as a whole. How is it that your brother is dead but you only care about the girl? Do you not care for Kaufman or has all your humanity been beaten out of you ? Perhaps your childhood damaged you. You were sane once . Those days are long gone. Now you are corrupted by the memories of the torture you faced as a child. Constantly under the scornful eyes of those who help whips stained in your blood. The feeling of sleeping on cold hard stone despite the open wounds all over your body the burned bright red and yellow as pus and blood seeped from them. I once remember seeing you at the place of the holy. Sancti it was. You stood at its doors begging for entrance . Entrance you were denied by a woman in holy attire. Her name was Mary. Named after the virgin herself. She warned you to never return to the Sancti again. "The damned are not welcome in the house of the pure." No one ever thought to suspect a fourteen year old boy when they found her dead body the next day. No one would have even considered that you, Fabron , would be the one to but a knife in her back. It's almost funny really. Veloces stabbed Kaufman in the exact same spot ."

" How dare you. Know that as we stand here in this forest I no see no reason to keep you alive. Think of the fact that I am tolerating you as a blessing."

"I dare because you are fighting a dangerous enemy . Veloces is not what she is. She is a snake that seems to be a mere toothless worm. You proudly wear your battlescars and strength on your chest. She hides hers . A secret weapon . Sharp and deadly. She is better than you."

"That is not true. I am her superior. Aren't I? "

"That is a question that only one person can answer. Kaufman. He is dead . If you seek the answer so desperately it is my wish that you may join him in death."

Fabron turned to face the man slowly but said nothing.

4/H=�}�