Alaric stood there for a mont, then turned away. His eyes moved to Vivienne, still unconscious by the cart.
Then to Kelard.
Who was struggling to his feet.
He saw his brother’s corpse. Saw the hooded figure standing over it.
And sothing inside him broke.
"YOU BASTARD!" Kelard roared and lunged forward one final ti.
"Earthen Spike!"
A jagged pillar of stone erupted from the ground, aid directly at Alaric’s chest.
[Burst Step!]
Alaric flickered to the side.
Kelard was already moving, closing the distance. His fist ca up, wrapped in stone gauntlets.
Alaric’s hand snapped forward.
[Lightning Bolt!]
The spell struck Kelard’s chest. He staggered but kept coming, teeth gritted, refusing to fall.
"For my brother!"
His stone-wrapped fist crashed toward Alaric’s face.
But—
Alaric drew his blade in a single fluid motion.
[Fla Blade!]
The sword ignited. It swept upward in a diagonal slash that t Kelard’s descending strike.
The fla cut through stone gauntlet. Through flesh. Through bone.
Through neck.
Kelard’s head separated from his shoulders.
His body took two more steps forward, before collapsing.
The head hit the cobblestones with a wet sound. It rolled twice, coming to rest facing the overturned cart.
Kelard’s eyes were still open. Still filled with that final, futile rage.
Alaric flicked his blade once, spattering blood across the stones, then sheathed it.
He turned to the broken, burning carriage.
[Immolation Aura!]
Heat radiated from his body. He raised his hand, index finger glowing red-hot like a branding iron.
Slowly, deliberately, he pressed it against the charred wood.
The ssage burned itself into the surface, each letter smoking, glowing orange before cooling to black.
"HERETICS DESERVE NOTHING BUT DEATH"
"BURN THE DISEASE BEFORE IT SPREADS"
He stepped back, admiring his work. The words would be seen.
Understood. No investigation would follow seriously. Not for declared heretics. The Church would approve. The Crown would look away.
Just another traitor’s family eting justice.
Then he heard a soft groan behind him.
Alaric turned.
Vivienne was stirring. Her head lolled to the side. Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first.
Then they cleared.
And the first thing she saw was...
Kelard’s head. Right there. Inches from her face. His eyes staring at nothing. His mouth slightly open. Blood pooling beneath the severed neck.
For a mont, she didn’t move. Didn’t breathe.
Her hands reached out, trembling, and lifted the head. She cradled it against her chest, rocking it slowly.
"No... no no no... Not you. Not my boy. Not my baby..."
Her eyes swept the street, searching desperately.
And that’s when she saw Renard’s corpse.
Burned. Mutilated.
"NOOOO!"
A raw and primal scream tore from her throat. It echoed off the stone buildings, piercing even the thunder.
She collapsed forward over Kelard’s head, her body shaking with sobs so violent they seed to tear her apart from the inside.
Her carefully maintained composure had shattered completely.
Both her sons. Both of them were dead. Gone.
In just single night.
Then through her tears, through the rain and grief, she beca aware of footsteps approaching.
Tap!
Tap!
She looked up.
The hooded figure stood before her, silhouetted against the burning carriage.
His face was obscured by the scarf again, but his eyes... those cold, crimson eyes watched her with sothing that might have been curiosity, amusent perhaps.
Vivienne’s grief transford in an instant.
Into fury.
She then placed Kelard’s head down gently, with care, as if it was made of glass. Then shot up to her feet, legs shaking.
"You!" Her voice was hoarse, broken. "YOU DID THIS!"
Alaric said nothing. Just watched.
"You monster! You demon!" She staggered toward him. "My sons! My children! They were innocent! They did nothing!"
He remained still as she reached him.
Her hands ca up and struck his chest. A weak blow. No strength behind it.
She hit him again. Again. Sobbing, cursing, beating uselessly against him.
"Damn you! Damn you to hell!" Each word ca after another feeble strike. "Why?! WHY?!"
All the hurt poured out. All the betrayal.
Finally her strength gave out, head dropped forward, pressing against his chest. Her fist clutched his cloak, holding on as if it were the only solid thing left in a world that had collapsed.
"Why?" she whispered into his chest, voice breaking. "Why did you do it? After everything... everything I did for you..."
A hiccup.
"I betrayed my husband. I stabbed him in the back. For you." She looked up at him, tears streaming. "You said... you promised... you’d only take down Casten. That you’d give power. Position. Freedom."
Her voice rose, cracking.
"You promised ! That I’d finally have the life I deserved!"
She stared into his eyes, searching desperately for so explanation. So reason.
"So why did you take my family? Why did you kill my boys?!"
For a long mont, Alaric was silent.
Then his hand shot out.
It clamped around her throat like a vice.
Vivienne’s eyes bulged. She tried to gasp but couldn’t. Her hands flew to his wrist, clawing weakly.
He lifted her slightly, forcing her onto her toes. Brought his face close to hers.
"You’re nothing," he hissed, his voice cold. "Nothing but a tool."
He squeezed tighter.
"A convenient ans to an end. Did you really think you mattered? That your pathetic betrayal made you special?"
Vivienne’s face was turning purple. Her mouth opened and closed soundlessly.
"Your husband was trash. You’re worse, a traitor who sold her own blood for empty promises." His eyes bored into hers. "And tools that have served their purpose..."
His grip tightened.
"Need to be disposed of."
The rain began to stop.
Clouds above slowly began to drift apart, revealing patches of dark sky and the pale sliver of moon.
Alaric’s grip tightened on Vivienne’s throat.
Her struggles weakened. Her vision tunneled. The world narrowed to those rciless eyes and the crushing pressure around her windpipe.
Then—
Shlrrrkk!
The sound of tearing flesh filled the air.
Vivienne’s eyes went wide.
Blood bubbled up from her lips, spilling down her chin.
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