The Knights of Grimm - Act 4 - Whispers of Arkhonex

Chapter 87 - The Calm Before...

Salem

The sound of Nevermores and Lesser Wyverns roaring echoed as they circled the darkened, cursed, skies of what was once known as Sunhelm, the Keep of House Arc. But now, mangled and remade after the Fall of Arkhonex, it was merely known as Salem's Sanctum. Corrupted by the Grimm and the Shadow Dust Crystals that penetrated the sky, it was literally the opposite of what the Embered Grove was. Where the Embered Grove was beautiful, a forestry of infinite and pure life and light – Salem's Sanctum was a Realm of Death, nothing more than that.

She sat on her thrown, she stared at the chairs where they all once sat. Tyrian was always sat closest to her, just as Arthur Watts used to. They were easily her most trusted and closest allies, Watts was more than that to her though, he was a friend and her most trusted adviser. She missed them, she really did miss them, because now her hall was deafly silent. She sighed as she looked at the chair that Cinder once sat, and then at the one where Hazel used to sit.

Traitors...

The word hissed in the back of her mind as she glared at the chairs. I could have given them everything, they could be the rulers of these lands, they could have been blessed with so many gifts... but they shunned me. After everything I did for them... Everything I sacrificed for them... it still was not enough.

And here I sit in my tower... alone once again.

Footsteps approached the other side of the two heavy doors, and before he could open them, Salem used her magical power to throw the doors open for him. Vir Nominis Umbra was stood on the other side, always with that smile on his face. It was a combination of intimidating and charming in nature. He looked around as he walked inside, it was cleaner than when he was here last. "Hmm... did some house cleaning, did ya?" He asked her curiously, sliding his finger across the table, finding not a spec of dust on there.

"You may be my superior, but this is still my home." Salem told him, and Vir Nominis Umbra chuckled, pulling one of the chairs out and he sat down.

"Yes... yes, it is your home. You have managed to keep Arkhonex under our control for an exceptionally long time." Vir Nominis Umbra said as he fiddled with his shoelaces.

"Until now." Salem said. "Why did you not let me attack them? With my forces we could have wiped them out."

"Patience, your majesty. You will have your battle soon."

"You didn't answer my question."

Vir Nominis Umbra glanced at her and he sat back into the chair sighing and swallowing. "It's no secret that I enjoy playing both sides. Makes the game more interesting that way when I am holding the cards of both sides. Merlot managed to deceive me; I applaud him for that. But his efforts shall be for nothing. I let them take down Donovan, Whitley and Kelham because they needed to go. I caught wind of their plans to try and double-cross me a long time ago. Hell, I was actually tempted to humour them, to let them try and carry out their master plan." Vir Nominis Umbra chuckled, using his fingers to quote the words master plan. "The three of them had lived out their usefulness to me, Whitley may still have his two lives, but they will ran out quite soon, that I promise you. Jacques Schnee is the last on my list to tick off, I will be curious to see how that goes up in Atlas."

"I understand that, those cowards and ambitions worms were bound to meet their end at some point, hell for some of them I was hoping to do it myself." Salem explained. "But why let them take the Acolytes of Lien? We could have used our Grimm Forces to wipe out both sides in a single attack."

"We could have, but that would have failed, and our forces would have fallen with Ruby Rose and all those Huntsmen on the field. With all those ruins and unfamiliar landscape due to the destruction caused by the Drift of Wandering Star? It would not be worth our time." He explained.