Hell's Bane (COMPLETED)

Chapter Thirteen: Waxing Moon

The first thing Hugo noticed was the shimmering jewel-crusted sword on top of a marble pedestal, reflecting light from the lanterns placed on the finely-smoothed walls.

"We made it," Hugo finally managed to say, and then hung his head. "May all the others rest in peace."

"There will be much more bloodshed from now," Davis said, and then walked over to the pedestal, stroking the hilt of the sword. "The lives that were lost in search for Kazim's Blade was only one of hundreds, all ready to be struck down when the time comes." The leader admired the sword for a moment more before he finally wrapped his hand around the hilt. "This, though. This has certainly been a blow to my brother's side, but I assure you that it will only get worse from here. The war is still far from over, and the Blade was only one of-"

The leader suddenly jumped as a gunshot rang out, and Davis heard a bullet whizzing past his ear before finally hitting the wall behind him. Gritting his teeth, Davis snatched the Blade and held it on tight as dozens of soldiers, also completely armored, suddenly began swarming into the chamber from a tunnel concealed from sight, only visible at an angle. Smugly, a man, the leader of them all, walked forward with his rifle trained on Davis.

"Took you long enough," he said, cocking the gun. "There are no survivors, I assure you. On the mountains which you went countless miles towards and up to, will be forever littered with the blood and corpses of the Blind Wanderers who foolishly followed you to their deaths, a reminder that all who dare oppose the Scavenger and who weave webs of false testimonies will-"

"Who are you?" Hugo asked, breaking the tension.

The man grinned, and the explorer could see that there was blood oozing out of his cracked lips.

"What you should really be asking is: who is he?" the man finally replied, pointing an accusing finger at Davis, who stood there calmly, staring at the man with emotionless eyes. "How do you know that you're not working for the wrong side?"

"What would you possibly be implying there?" Hugo challenged.

The person shrugged. "The Scavenger is far superior in many ways, and we could use someone like you, who mistakenly stumbled upon the secret and now finds himself roped into this mess of killings and espionage..."

Hugo waited.

"...Many things aren't how they appear at first sight, my boy," the person continued on. "Look at your leader here... a weakling, a total coward, and somebody who hides in their underground hole and barely made it out of my far more supreme reign. Do you really believe following this person who simply lays back and waits for others to suffer and finally bring back an artifact? Let me ask you – do you really?"

"You still haven't answered," Joss said, crossing his arms. "Who the hell are you?"

The leader stretched, but briefly, still keeping his rifle trained on his brother. "I thought you would've figured that out by now. I am Kazim Linwood, leader of the Scavenger, brother of the leader whom you call Davis, and rightful heir to the Devil's Crown and the reign of the Brimstone Faction. You can help me, Hugo Chance, Drea Kvigr, Joss Deorádhan, and Susan Theolise. Though all of you have fought against me, I am offering you this one chance. A chance to know the truth and fight for the side who will win, as the scale of the world wills."

Joss scoffed the moment Kazim stopped talking. "Did you script that? Great speech, but 'scale of the world'? What are you, some priest? At least we aren't savages. You're willing to kill, and that divides the line."