Chapter 30: Shadows In The Night

    A few days later...

    The moon hung high in the night sky, casting a pale glow over the towering walls of Grand Vizier Cedric Raine''s territory.

    The cobblestone streets lay quiet, except for the occasional clatter of armored boots. A group of knights stationed near the main gate engaged in a casual conversation, their voices were low but lively.

    "Been three nights straight, and not a peep," grumbled Ser Garwin, leaning lazily on his spear. "Tell me again why we have to patrol when the place is locked up tighter than the emperor''s treasury?"

    Ser Colten, his younger companion, smirked, adjusting his helmet. "Because, Garwin, unlike you, some of us actually enjoy getting paid. Besides, you never know what might creep around these parts."

    "Oh, spare me the ''duty'' talk," Garwin retorted. "You just like waving that sword of yours around. Ain''t that right, Ser Alric?"

    Alric, the most senior of the three, chuckled. "Better a sword than your oversized gut, Garwin. Maybe if you carried yourself like a proper knight, you wouldn''t be assigned wall duty."

    Garwin opened his mouth for a sharp comeback when Colten''s voice cut through the banter. "Wait... Did you see that?"

    The other two turned to him, eyebrows raised. "See what?" Garwin asked skeptically, following Colten''s gaze toward the wall.

    "There! A shadow—it leaped over the wall. I swear I saw it!" Colten hissed, gripping his sword hilt.

    "Shadow?" Garwin snorted. "Colten, how much ale did you sneak before the shift? Or are you seeing ghosts now?

    "I''m serious!" Colten snapped, his tone sharp. "You can laugh all you want, but something was there."

    "Calm down, lad," Alric said, raising a placating hand. "If it''ll ease your mind, I''ll check the perimeter. But you''ve got to stop jumping at shadows."

    Colten frowned but nodded reluctantly. "Fine. Forget I said anything."

    The knights resumed their patrol, though Colten''s eyes continued to dart uneasily toward the shadows beyond the walls.

    Making his way into the dark alleyways of the city after leaping over the wall earlier, Ivan crouched low, his body melding with the shadows as he peeked out...

    His crimson eyes glinted faintly, locking onto a massive manor in the distance, its silhouette framed against the moonlit sky.

    "That must be it," Ivan murmured to himself.

    The other knight placed his hand under his jaw, then smiled, "You have a point."

    Ivan dismissed their chatter as trivial distractions, his mind focused on his mission. He moved like a wisp of smoke, scaling the walls of the manor with ease until he reached a large window on the second floor. Peering in, he spotted something.

    Inside, the Grand Vizier Cedric Raine sat at a lavish dining table with his wife, Lady Raine. They conversed, with a dangerous touch of arrogance and indulgence.

    "I heard Lord Farrand finally pledged his allegiance," Cedric said, cutting into a thick piece of roasted meat. "He was hesitant, but the promise of Akerian forces sealed the deal."

    Lady Raine sipped from her crystal goblet, her smile both sly and satisfied. "Good. The more nobles we bring to our cause, the weaker the emperor becomes. Soon, he''ll have no one left to rely on."

    Cedric chuckled. "That''s the idea. The Akerians won''t just send us forces; they''ve promised supplies and gold as well. With that kind of backing, rebellion is inevitable."

    "As long as they join our side." he grinned, "They won''t get crushed."

    Lady Raine leaned forward, a playful sparkle in her eye. "Speaking of backing, dear husband, I want to send for that ointment from the East. The one that reduces aging. Imagine my skin, flawless as a maiden''s, even in the midst of our rise to power."

    Cedric raised a brow, smirking. "Your obsession with beauty knows no bounds. First, it was new jewels. Then dresses. Now ointments? Shall I also fetch you the stars from the heavens?"

    "I wouldn''t say no," she teased, a smug grin on her lips. "Besides, once you''re on the throne, we''ll have access to everything. Why not start now?"

    Cedric laughed, his voice echoing through the room. "You have a point."

    Outside the window, Ivan observed the scene, his expression unreadable. He whispered to himself, his tone laced with disdain.

    "To speak of treachery so boldly at your dining table... You must truly believe the emperor is powerless to stop you."

    The Deathwalker turned his gaze from the couple and melted back into the shadows.

    "Keep on deluding yourselves..."

    "Soon... You''ll be plunged into the abyss."

    His figure faded seamlessly into the night, leaving no trace of his passage as he pressed deeper into the manor, heading towards the study.