Hell's Bane (COMPLETED)

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Storm Beckons

Susan stood where she was, suddenly unmoving. "Then I'm going with you."

Davis shook his head again. "No, you need to warn the others. Tell them about the Scavenger. At least, just escape – I can't bear to know that I've killed someone else."

Susan crossed her arms. "I'm not leaving. You never told me about this."

"Susan, you're thinking very irrationally right now..."

"You're thinking irrationally, Oswin Linwood!" Davis looked around, afraid that someone had heard Susan's raised volume. "Do you really expect to take on the entire Scavenger by yourself?"

Davis sighed. "I have my own agenda. You need to trust me on this one, Susan. Please." And before the spy could respond, he left, only the faintest sound of his footsteps remaining. Susan's shoulders sagged.

"I suppose we should leave now," Ayn whispered. "While we still have a chance."

"That buffoon's going to get himself killed," Susan muttered, and then strode the other way. "I'm not saying that I'm going to help him, but I'm not leaving either. Go yourself, Ayn."

Ayn gave a cold chuckle. "Oh, the irony. I'm sent to spy on the Scavenger, and suddenly you take my role, and I'm free. No, my good friend. I'm staying with you."

"You might jeopardize our identities, though."

Ayn shook her head, fidgeting with her long, braided brown hair. "I've been hiding here for years now. If anything, you will."

Susan sighed and began walking even further from the gates. "Then come if you want. I suppose I also need company."

Ayn gave a thin smile. "Then what are we going to do here? Cause some damage? Assassinate Kazim, even?"

Susan shrugged. "No, just wait. Wait until the perfect moment, then strike."

It rained that day for Hugo, Joss, Amandalin, and their entire army. For most of them, they could only endure the cold and the rain falling onto and off of their head, while certain fortunate soldiers found something to cover their head with.

The landscape fogged, making it troublingly hard to navigate and spot out danger. They trudged on, the soil under them eventually becoming sticky and at the same time, muddy and wet. It was a frustrating task beyond words to wade through all of it.

"Hopefully we won't be fighting the Scavenger in this weather!" Hugo managed to say with a nervous laugh. "Hopefully!"

Joss grumbled. "Well if we really do, we might as well run and hope for another day."

Hugo strained his ears over the sound of the thunder and rain. "What did you say?!"

Joss sighed and repeated what he said, this time louder.

It went on like that for the rest of the afternoon, and only when the sky began to darken, did the rain slowly cease. By some misfortunate stroke of luck, or perhaps even fate was laughing at their efforts, the fog finally cleared once it was impossible to see through the pitch-darkness of the night.

Joss took an oath. But little did any of them or the soldiers realize, but they had been traveling the entire way blindly, and had unknowingly stepped right into Scavenger territory, and in the line of the Scavenger's sight.

Davis hurried up the stone stairs, flight after flight, wondering just how tall Gladwyn Castle was from the inside. Kazim's chambers dominated the entire final floor, doubling as a watchtower for the tyrannical leader.