BOOK 3 - Destiny: House of Wolves (Shonen Anime Style)

Chapter 13: Following Step

Inside the House of Wolves's ketch...

The Fallen gathered... and waited, most of them as acolytes of the so-called Kell of Kells, and others as prisoners. The Winter Kell, Draksis, had fallen, and with him, fell the House of Winter. 'Either JOIN the Wolves or DIE'... Those were the 2 options the new prisoners had.

As Eramis walked through the huge ship, watching the possible new recruits for her House, she entered the Kell's chamber and met with Skolas. It was time to check the following step in their plan.

"Eramis... Talk..." Skolas said, sitting on his ketch throne.

"It is done" Eramis stated firmly. "House of Winter is ours, my Kell... and neither the lightbearers nor the filthy awoken even showed up"

"That is where you are wrong" another voice said from behind, startling Skolas and Eramis as they turned to see Taniks entering the chamber as well.

"Huh?"

Skolas turned to Taniks. "Scarred one... Explain..." said the Kell of Kells as Taniks took out something from his cloak. It was the helmet of a Reef warrior.

"Wh-where did you get that?"

"Queen's Wrath scum..." replied Taniks. "Some of them were on Venus when we attacked the House of Winter. I engaged them before barging into the ketch, but some of them escaped"

"Mmmh... yeah... I was counting on this..." Skolas replied, leaning forward with a pensive expression.

"My Kell?" asked Eramis.

"Whether it was by the Awoken or the guardians, we were bound to be discovered sooner of later. It does not matter at this point though. We just need to play our cards correctly" Skolas turned to Taniks once more. "Where are the Awoken? I assume you captured them"

Taniks looked in slight awe. "Captured them? Why would I let that garbage live?" said the mercenary, getting a glare from the Kell of Kells. He was clearly not happy with Taniks's actions. "My job here is to kill any trash standing on our way. Sparing worthless insects isn't what you pay me for"

"You..."

"Watch! Your! Tongue! Eliksni!!" Eramis suddenly yelled, the atmosphere tensing up as Skolas stood up from his throne at last.

"Hehe... What? Are you mad at me?" Taniks asked in a mocking voice. "You probably forgot about it, but I'm not your pawn, unlike the rest of the scum you call subordinates. I am simply doing the job you hired me for" Skolas started walking down the stairs of his chamber, approaching Taniks slowly. "I do not believe one bit in what you claim yourself to be. If tomorrow someone offers me a better job with a far better pay, I would leave this circus of a House without question... You should consider yourself lucky... KELL OF KELLS"

"Lucky?" Skolas asked sarcastically. "Mmh... Yes... Lucky... I'm sorry, but if there is one thing in this world that I hate... it's luck" Taniks got weirded out. "My life has been one long dark tunnel. I couldn't see what was ahead on the way... but I knew that, the harder I worked, the closer I was to the goal"

"What are you saying?" Taniks asked as the Kell of Kells was getting closer and closer.

"Will... Discipline... Treachery... Lies... I used these and many more tools to get where I am now... but luck... Luck is NOT one of them" Finally, Skolas stepped in front of the big mercenary, glaring at him with piercing eyes. "If anyone here is lucky, that's you... Scarred one. Where were you before all this? That's right... Rotting in prison... Your prestige... shattered..."