Outskirts of the Blood kingdom. The Wastelands... The harsh sun shone brightly on the dry atmosphere, the sands were baked hot, and there was no water in sight. Dead trees could be found in various areas of the never-ending desert, along with carcasses of dead animals. A smoky stench surrounded the atmosphere, and a dense fog could be seen further into the desert. Calhoun, along with his two-man guards, trotted slowly into the wasteland. They had consumed almost half of the food and water they brought along with them, and it eventually became a scarce commodity they didn't dare use anyhow. He cursed his father again for making him go on this stressful journey, wondering how he would help his guards as he was the only one capable of surviving the deserts. The guards put up a blank face, but Calhoun knew that they were barely keeping it together. Unlike him, who, thanks to the power he was born with, could survive the harshness of the boiling sun, his guards weren'

The dark lonely night carried with it a sense of mysteriousness. The loud silence was just another one of the unique traits of the forest that embraced the earlier feeling wholeheartedly, walking hand in hand with it. Despite the lack of wind, the leaves still moved in a rhythm familiar to them. The air was chilly, but Calhoun and his guards had gotten used to it. Firoza was huddled between two thick blankets lent over to her by the guards. She lay down asleep as the men all stayed awake, keeping alert. Calhoun thought about his father. He wondered what the man would do if he were to find himself in his situation. An unknown person had the power to lay with ease destruction on an entire city, and they didn't know his agenda; if he was going to be a friend or a foe. Calhoun sighed. One thing about him was that he despised thinking too much about things. Once he saw an opening in any situation he found himself in, he struck it immediately. At least then, he knew what he was fi

Elena and her group had made it back to the Red Queen's restaurant. Unlike Wazir, who had eaten till he could drop, Elena, Mac and Forest were starving. Their faces were sullen due to hunger, while Wazir trotted away, oblivious to their situation. "That was filling. Thank you for sharing your meal with me!" He said as they settled down in the restaurant. "You're welcome," Forest answered drily, heading straight to the kitchen. Elena went to her room, leaving Mac and Wazir alone. "So, you asked me to remind you about the Job offer I was seeking?" "Yes, I did. Now, what exactly were you doing before... You know, we found you?" Mac asked, genuinely curious. "Well, I was what you would call a wanderer. I do small jobs for whatever pay you can give. I was just unfortunate when Elena and Forest found me. I wanted to use what I had saved up to enjoy myself." Forest came out of the kitchen, holding two medium-sized bowls filled with food. He placed one in front o

Elena sat outside the restaurant, studying the night sky. She was sitting on an old chair which she had dragged out of the restaurant. The night breeze felt like a cold caress on her skin, softly blowing her hair as it built up an atmosphere for reminiscing. The Duke, his son and Beau Rage had left earlier. According to Mac, they had left a huge tip behind. Mac was so happy about their achievement he didn't notice that something was wrong with her. Elena didn't even have the heart to tell him how she felt. She knew that there would come a day when she would have to tell them her real identity, but she wanted to enjoy life as a normal citizen, even for a little bit. All their customers finally left when they had eaten their fill. Just like their normal routine after work, they all gathered at a table and counted out their earnings for the day. Thanks to the VIP guests, they made three times more than they normally made in a day, and that was by far a lot. Elena tried to b

Somewhere in another land... Hidden deep inside the covering of a forest existed a cave. Inside stood a gathering of men, all covered in white garb and white hood. There were about a thousand of them. They exuded danger, and their appearance explained their power. They were all humming, chanting in a strange language. The drum hitting could be heard at a three-second interval, and the men all swayed to its rhythm. Suddenly, they all started stomping their feet on the ground, shouting a familiar chant at the same time. Their voices grew higher and higher, and when they heard the sound of a horn, they all went silent. The environment was mysterious and suspicious. Even with their faces covered, one could feel the bloodthirst and devious happiness they exuded. A powerful voice broke the silence in the cave. "Brothers," he called out. His voice could be heard in every area of the cave. "The time has come for us to finally come out. As guided by our Ruler and father,