Check out my books on Kindle.

Zigarete, her mind a maelstrom of determination and simmering resentment, led her squadron of the Empire's finest through the dense, soggy underbrush of Rainfell. The rain pelted relentlessly upon her crimson and onyx Inquisitor's garb, the water hissing into steam as it touched her flaming spear. The weapon, cast an eerie glow on the surrounding foliage, the flames licking the moisture from the air and leaving a trail of scorched earth in their wake.

She could not, however, burn away the memory of her recent degradation at the hands of the Tracker, her betrayer turned tormentor. Inside the wooden shed, with its holes bored at groin height, she had been reduced to nothing more than an object for the soldiers' pleasure. The taste of their cum, the feel of their cocks thrusting through the crude openings, had been a bitter draught to swallow, but swallow she did, for the sake of her pride.

With each step forward, Zigarete pushed those memories deeper into the recesses of her mind. Her focus now lay on the task at hand: to root out the Resistance's underground compound hidden somewhere within the heart of Rainfell. The rebellion had grown bolder, their actions a thorn in the side of the Empire, and it was her duty to bring them to heel. As the Inquisitor's spearpoint pierced the veil of the forest, the shadows seemed to retreat before her. The underbrush ignited at her command, the flames racing ahead to clear the way.

The men under her command, were much better than the men she had left Cliffside with, they had been hardened by fighting the beasts that wandered Rainfell's outskirts, and only the best were sent to keep watch of the Dread Sorcerer's tower. Those veterans where now with her. Much better than the bumbling Garth. They had unknowingly taken part in her humiliation, but fortunately the Tracker had kept his word, and the identity of the "woman in the shed" was kept a secret.

The first signs of enemy resistance came in the form of hastily erected barricades, crude but effective in their design. Zigarete did not hesitate; with a swift, practiced motion, she hurled her spear, the projectile slicing through the air and detonating upon impact in a brilliant explosion of fire and splinters. The path ahead was now clear, and the Inquisitor pressed onward, her men close behind, the embers of their resolve fanned by her relentless advance. The information provided by the Pirate Union spy had been precise, and now, as they navigated the treacherous terrain, the entrance to the Resistance compound loomed ahead.

The hidden door was cleverly concealed within a wall of tangled roots and moss-covered stones. Zigarete approached, her keen eyes scanning for any concealed traps. The door yielded to her touch, revealing a dimly lit tunnel that burrowed into the heart of the earth. She paused, her senses alert for the faintest whisper of movement.

As the Inquisitor and her men ventured into the tunnel, the air grew thick with the musk of damp earth and the metallic tang of blood. The passageway widened into a cavernous chamber, where the Resistance had clearly been preparing for this very confrontation. Faen and lizardfolk soldiers stood ranks, their weapons at the ready, their eyes burning with defiance.

The leader of the Resistance force, King Hokk, with a crown of woven ivy and a bow slung across his back, stepped forward. His voice echoed through the chamber as he declared, "You shall advance no further, Inquisitor. The Resistance will not yield."

Zigarete's response was swift and brutal. With a flick of her wrist, her spear ignited, the flames casting dancing shadows across the chamber. "Your defiance is futile," she announced, her voice a lash of ice. "Stand down, or face the consequences."

The faen leader, undeterred, loosed an arrow aimed straight for Zigarete's heart. The projectile, however, disintegrated upon contact with the spear's fiery shield. The chamber erupted into chaos as the Resistance forces surged forward, a tidal wave of steel and fury. The Inquisitor's soldiers, disciplined and battle-hardened, clashed with the Resistance ranks, the sound of steel ringing out against the stone walls. Zigarete moved with lethal precision, her spear a blur of motion as she cut a swath through the enemy lines. The rebels fought with the courage of the damned, their resolve fuelled by the knowledge that they were defending their home, their people, and their freedom but would it be enough?

As the battle raged on, Zigarete found herself face-to-face with Hokk. The two leaders locked eyes. The faen drew his longsword, the blade singing as it sliced through the air. Zigarete parried his strike with her spear, the impact sending sparks scattering across the cavern floor.

Their duel unfolded as battle raged on around them, a deadly dance of attack and counterattack. Zigarete's martial prowess was matched by old king's experience. The Inquisitor's spear thrust forward, the flames licking hungrily at the air, but the faen's sword intercepted its path, deflecting the attack with a resonant clang.

Despite the Resistance's resolve, the Empire's forces, slowly but surely gained the upper hand. The chamber filled with the clash of arms, the cries of the wounded, and the dying whispers of those who had fallen. As the last of the Resistance fighters were subdued, Zigarete stood victorious, her spear poised above the fallen faen king. He had fought well, but his age had gotten the better of him. Zigarete placed the spear at the kings throat, ready to end the upstart's life.

King Hokk lay on the damp stone, his sword arm aching, his crown askew. Panting heavily, he locked his gaze with Zigarete's, the Grand Inquisitor of the Empire. The fiery spear, now extinguished, rested against his throat. He knew this was the end; his rebellion had faltered, and his soldiers lay vanquished around him. Yet, within the well of his defeat, a spark of desperation flared to life.

"Wait," Hokk gasped, "I have information that may be of value to you, Inquisitor."

Zigarete, her breathing steady, her eyes alight with victory, did not immediately withdraw her spear. She regarded the fallen king with a mixture of curiosity and contempt. "Speak, and do so quickly."

Hokk swallowed hard, the cold edge of the spear grazing his skin. "The sorcerer... Jonn Nightmare... he lives," he began, knowing the weight these words carried. "We have been hiding him, we were going to use his power to... to further our cause." A ripple of surprise passed through Zigarete's sharp features. The sorcerer, was dead, the Tracker presenting his severed head as proof. Yet here was Hokk, offering a different truth, a revelation that cast doubt upon the Tracker's claims.

"Explain yourself," Zigarete demanded, her voice a low growl as she processed the implications of Hokk's claim.

King Hokk, sensing the sliver of hope his words had planted, related the tale of Jonathan's arrival and his integration into the Resistance. He spoke of the sorcerer's ability to manipulate emotions and how they were going to use his cum to fuel division within the Empire.

As the story unfolded, Zigarete's mind raced. If Jonn Nightmare was indeed alive, it meant that the Tracker had deceived her, had used her to further his own mysterious agenda. The Grand Inquisitor's gaze hardened, and her voice, when she spoke, was laced with venom. "Where is he?" she hissed, pressing the spearpoint more insistently against Hokk's throat.

"Down… below, in the holding cells."

"Good." Zigarete pulled her spear back and activated its fire. "Now time for your pitiful rebellion to end. A splash of blood filled Zigarete's sight. But… it wasn't the blood of the fallen king. Zigarete looks down to see a spear piercing her from behind. She dropped down to her knees, turning around, she saw the bodies of her men, none remained alive. Standing over her was… the Tracker.

"It is an shame we wont be able to spend more quality time together." the Tracker sighed. "I had so many things planned for you. But unfortunately my loud-mouthed father-in-law had to go run his mouth."

Father-in-law? Zigarete couldn't believe what she was hearing. She clutched the spear piercing through her as her flaming spear dropped to the ground. The Tracker stepped around Zigarete and looked down at King Hokk.

"Tellik, oh thank the-" Hokk's words were silenced by the Tracker's grave face.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone of your weakness, you will die a hero. The resistance and Kianna are in good hands." The Tracker mace crushed Hokk's head. He flicked the blood from his weapon as he walked back past Zigarete.

"You fucking traitor…" Zigarete grunted through clenched teeth.

"Traitor?" the Tracker turned around. "I have always been true. True to my people, and true to Adearath. I've always despised the Empire, but perhaps not as much as I have always despised you."

Zigarete tried to speak back but the pain was too much.

"As a parting gift to you, my love, I will let you bleed out here. Just as you have bled my people. Let your final moments be cold and alone." The Tracker left the chamber as Zigarete collapsed to the floor.@@novelbin@@