Hell's Bane (COMPLETED)

Chapter Thirty-Two: Dawn Once More

Kazim returned to Gladwyn only a year later to find his home in complete wreckage.

He could not say that he was surprised, and yet Kazim felt a pang of regret resonate through him as he realized that he would have no one to retell the journey he had been through. From the final showdown on the remains of the grove to his travels from the edge of the world, Kazim had been through more excitement than he had intended to over the past year. He was a peddler to some, and a criminal to others. He was a lost king to one province, and a thief to another.

Yet one thing remained constant.

I am Kazim Linwood, rightful bearer of the Devil's Crown, and heir to the reign of the Brimstone Faction.

But then, Kazim thought: Am I truly the heir to the Brimstone Faction if there is no more Brimstone Faction to serve?

Looking around, the leader suddenly felt a wave of quiet nostalgia and regret seep through him as the castle he once knew as home was barely recognizable. Sunlight illuminated through the cracked windows, casting light upon the bloodstained floor, where shattered glass and broken marble lay. Two of the pillars that once helped hold up the grand cathedral-like entrance to Gladwyn were smashed, and a third one was dearly chipped and close to toppling too. Stone crumbled, and moss and vines crept up along the thinning walls. Striding over to the center of the cathedral-entrance, Kazim gave a faint sigh as he kicked a lone body into the corner and cleared his throat, breaking the silence.

"I have returned."

His voice echoed through the halls, bouncing through the cathedral and up the stairs. Moments passed, and in its wake, only that chilling silence that was always there remained. Kazim sighed again and threw a pebble at the wall, giving off a faint tink- tink- tink-

And then, as if by script, a voice came from the stairs that said in a hushed and frightened tone: "Kazim? Is that..." The man's eyes widened as he recognized the Devil's Crown, and then repeated: "Is that..."

Kazim nodded and slowly strode over to where the man was, facing him. "I have returned with the Devil's Crown after many months of perilous journeys and battles across the infinite land. It is finally in our hands, and in the Brimstone Faction's hands alone."

The man gave a subtle recoil and then blinked. "The Devil's Crown? But... what about Oswin? How did you-"

"Are there any others?" Kazim interrupted, fearing the answer. "Are there any others here?"

The man nodded and, moments later, a dozen or so men and women filed in from the stairs, looking as if they saw a ghost.

"Kazim-"

"How-"

"Where-"

Kazim waved the question away and said, eyes wide: "Is this all?"

The man gave a shallow nod. "I fear that this is all that remains of the Scavenger, at least, all that remains of the Scavenger here."

"What do you mean?"

The man gave a deep sigh and said: "The morning after we left, the Scavenger was thrust into a state of confusion. You hadn't told anyone why you had left or where you were going..." The man swallowed. "...In fact, you still haven't told us, but all we knew was that you were gone, and so were many others, including Hugo, Joss, and the Gaulinslott Brunlin. We settled that you only had some other businesses to attend to and you would be back by the next day or two, but that was when we realized the Blade and Map was gone, too.'