Words Written in Lightning

Dead Man's Footsteps

*I changed the name of the Archives, due to the fact that I finally decided a name that I liked as much as Stormlight. (There is a book series by my personal favorite author, Brandon Sanderson, called The Stormlight Archive. I knew about him when I wrote this--I'd read Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians & Mistborn--but I didn't know that They Way of Kings andWords of Radiance were called the Stormlight Archive, I swear!) They're now the Goldstorm, Whitefrost, Blueblaze, and one unknown Archive.

Chapter 5

Dead Man's Footsteps

Count Vincent Einzbern, Ryall Manor, Whiteridge

Count Vincent Einzbern had watched the entire fight from the shadows.

The man in black pulled the knife from Elden's body.

"Poor bastard. Just wanted his family back. . ." Vincent said.

The bounty hunter whirled around, preparing to throw the knife as he turned, though its power was useless--used up on Elden.

He sighed, shoulders dropping slightly. "It's you." His face contorted for a moment, returning to a long chin with sharp features. His hair darkened from short, straight, and pale to shoulder-length and curly black. His eyes morphed from red to gold.

The late Count Ien Einzbern's red-and-blue-eyed son, Vincent, walked out to face the gold-eyed bounty hunter.

"Took you long enough to kill him, Blaise," he said softly.

"Don't call me Blaise. It's been years since we talked--you hired me as Phantom the bounty hunter."

"The others I've hired took substantially less time," Vincent continued, ignoring him.

Blaise glared at Vincent. "Shut your damn mouth or I'll shut it for you," he said. "I'm not reckless like them other bounty hunters you've hired." He lit another cigar by snapping his fingers. "I'll get the job done, and I'll get it done right." He puffed out a breath of smoke.

Wish I had the strength to kill the bastards myself, Vincent thought.

Vincent was never the healthiest of men. Due to a multi-system medical condition--called tuberous sclerosis--he had one eye red and one eye blue. His hair was pale, tinged blue. He couldn't do physical labor since he'd break out in seizures if he did. He had to wear somewhat loose clothing--usually a black tailcoat with gold and red lace on the lapel--as opposed to the tight form-fitting uniforms that were in style these days. Vincent also carried a mahogany cane with a silver handle.

Though he wasn't the best for physical work, he was brilliant.

"Time to continue the framing of Visermann Ryall, Blaise."

Prince Edmond Ryall, Whiteridge

Elden returned some time later.

"Took you long enough," Lionel said. "I was starting to think you'd been murdered or something."

Elden stared at him flatly. Myles chuckled.

"So, what's the game plan?" Edmond asked.

"Lord Alexander ordered me to take you here and hide out for a span of two days, to make sure the palace and manor were safe," Elden said. "We've been here almost a full day."

Edmond nodded. That sounded like something his father would do.

"What are we supposed to do for these two days?" Myles asked, strolling over.