DIVINE BANE-Chapter 74: blood for blood

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, its golden light spilled across the square where the villagers stood gathered. The man crucified to the pole began to stir. At first, just a twitch of his fingers. Then his head slowly rose, his long, matted hair falling from his face as his eyes opened.

His gaze scanned the crowd, men, women, children, all staring up at him with a mixture of fear, awe, and guilt.

Then... something changed.

His eyes flared wide.

Bloodshot.

Ferocious. The veins in his arms bulged against the rope that bound him.

"You..." he growled, voice ragged and soaked in rage.

"You left me... You didn't believe me...!"

Gasps rippled through the villagers. A child hid behind his mother.

"I begged for help... I screamed for help...!" he roared, his voice a broken, primal thing. "But all of you... ALL OF YOU TURNED YOUR BACKS!"

The crowd took a hesitant step back as his fury exploded in a fit of struggling. His body writhed against the bindings. His teeth clenched, lips curling into a twisted, hateful snarl.

"I WILL KILL YOU... I WILL KILL YOU ALL!" he bellowed, spit flying from his mouth.

"YOU DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE, NOT A SINGLE ONE OF YOU!"

A stone was dropped by someone in the crowd. No one dared speak.

Rina instinctively stepped forward, placing herself in front of Alex, whose arms were still bandaged. Alex's expression was unreadable, calm, but sharp as a blade.

The elder's wife's face was pale, heartbroken. She whispered softly, almost to herself, "He's gone..."

Edric's voice was now hoarse from screaming, but his hate didn't waver.

"BURN THIS VILLAGE TO THE GROUND! LET IT ROT LIKE YOU ALL LEFT ME TO ROT!"

His eyes met Alex's, wild and broken.

"YOU , I WILL KILL YOU!"

The air went still.

As Edric's bindings snapped and his body dropped from the pole with a dull thud, a wave of panic surged through the villagers.

Someone screamed. Others ran. Children were pulled into homes, doors slammed, shutters closed. A deep, bone-chilling silence followed, broken only by the sound of Edric's feet dragging across the dirt toward one person Alex.

His gaze was locked on the boy. Not as a target, not with strategy but just pure, blind rage.

Alex didn't flinch. He lowered his stance, narrowed his eyes, and calmly muttered,

"Heed my command, come forth Vasuki."

Blue light shimmered along his arm. The tattoo writhed to life and in a flash, transformed into a glowing blade, humming with cold, righteous energy.

The villagers who remained watched in silent terror as the boy readied himself to strike.

Edric's limbs cracked as fur began to bristle along his arms, his body twitching, seizing in the beginnings of transformation. His nails elongated. His mouth split open, teeth forming.

But just as the beast began to take shape-

Shunk.

A sound like metal through meat.

Edric's eyes bulged as a staff, its tip plated with silver, burst from his chest. Blood gushed. He gasped, choking, and slowly turned around.

Behind him stood a woman, one of the villagers. Her hair disheveled, her hands shaking, her face twisted in a storm of emotions.

Fear. Sadness. Madness. And laughter. All at once.

"You took her from me,"

she whispered, then louder—"YOU TOOK MY DAUGHTER, YOU BEAST! DIE!!"

With a guttural scream, she yanked the staff free and stabbed him again and again.

And again.

Edric's transformation halted. His monstrous body began to shrink. His bones cracked and reshaped. By the time he collapsed, twitching, into the dirt, he was human again. A broken, lifeless man.

The woman straddled him, crying, laughing, shouting, her sanity unraveling with every motion of her arm.

"WHAT DID MY ANNIE DO TO YOU, HUH?! SHE WAS JUST A LITTLE GIRL! SHE—SHE DID NOTHING! NOTHING!!"

"You don't deserve sympathy... you don't deserve forgiveness... ROT IN HELL!"

The blood pooled around her knees.

That's when Alex stepped in.

He swiftly grabbed the staff mid-swing, twisted it free from her hands, and tossed it aside. Then he wrapped his arms around her trembling body and held her firmly to stop her from hurting herself.

She sobbed against him, fists pounding weakly against his chest.

"My Annie... my poor Annie... he took her... he took her..."

Alex closed his eyes. His voice, calm but warm, echoed through the silent crowd.

"Yes, ma'am. I know."

"You can cry."

And she did, held in the arms of the boy who had saved them all.

***

In the quiet of the Ravenhart estate, Aurora sat in her study, sunlight pouring gently through the tall windows, casting long shadows over stacks of parchment. Her violet eyes scanned documents with surgical precision, a slight crease forming on her brow.

Behind her stood Zander, silent as ever, patiently waiting in case she needed anything.

Without looking back, Aurora sighed softly and spoke,

"Haa... Zander, can you do me a favor?"

Zander straightened.

"Of course, my lady. Anything for you."

She slid a paper toward him across the desk.

"I need someone to deliver these goods to Castle grave City. Along with that, speak to the mayor about the ongoing reconstruction efforts, progress reports, manpower, supply issues. The usual."

Zander picked up the paper and glanced through it.

"Understood. When would you like me to leave?"

Aurora returned her gaze to the next stack of papers.

"The sooner the better. You can leave today."

Zander gave a small nod.

"Then I'll clear out my remaining tasks and head out shortly."

"Good. Thank you, Zander."

He bowed slightly and turned, exiting the room as Aurora dove back into her work, her quill dancing across the parchment.

As Zander walked through the estate grounds, the afternoon sun beat down gently, casting golden hues across the stone paths. Passing by the training yard, he paused for a moment.

There, all alone, was Rick.

The boy was drenched in sweat, shirt sticking to his back, his grip tight around a worn wooden sword. He swung again and again, each movement precise but labored, as if punishing himself with every motion.

Zander watched in silence, his expression unreadable.

Zander paused, then turned back toward the training yard.

Rick continued his swings, completely focused until he heard footsteps approaching. He stopped mid-swing, noticing the tall figure of Zander nearing him.

"Aren't you tired, boy?" Zander asked, his tone even but laced with a faint hint of concern.

Rick immediately straightened up and bowed respectfully.

"Good afternoon, Butler Zander."

Zander offered a slight nod in return.

"Good afternoon, Rick. You've been at it for quite a while. Aren't you tired?"

Rick wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, then shook his head.

"No, sir. I want to get stronger. Strong enough to protect the estate... just like Sir Jaeger did. If anything ever threatens this place, I want to be able to stand against it."

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Zander studied the boy for a moment. The resolve in Rick's eyes wasn't born of childish fantasy, it was something deeper.

Real.

Earnest.

The butler's usually composed face softened, just a little.

"That's a noble goal," he said.

"But strength isn't forged overnight. Even Jaeger didn't become who he was in a day."

Rick nodded, gripping his wooden sword tighter.

"I know... but if I stop now, I'll never catch up."

Zander's gaze lingered on him.

"Then keep swinging. But don't forget, strength means nothing without control and purpose. Remember that."

With that, Zander turned, his coat fluttering slightly in the wind as he walked off to prepare for his departure leaving behind a boy with sore arms, a tired heart, and a fire that burned a little brighter.

***

The lavish Ravenhart ship cut through the waves like a blade, its black and silver sails billowing high above the deep blue sea. Everything about the vessel screamed nobility, gleaming woodwork, velvet-lined hallways, and even a grand piano below deck that hadn't been played once.

But none of that mattered to Zed.

He was currently hunched over the railings at the edge of the upper deck, gripping it like it held the meaning of life itself.

"Ughhh... just kill me now..." he groaned, pale as parchment. His normally composed, noble face was twisted in agony.A bucket sat nearby. It was already... well-used.

One of the crewmates passed by, trying hard not to laugh. Zed glared up at him well, tried to. His eyes were half-lidded and watery.

"Why... did no one mention... this cursed sea rolls like a drunk ogre in his sleep?"

Another wave hit. Zed nearly tipped over with a groan. A few sailors chuckled under their breath.

He clutched the railing tighter.

"I've faced monsters... assassins... political nobles... But this...this sea is trying to kill me."

Eventually, he shuffled to the helm like a haunted man and slumped next to the captain, still swaying slightly.

"Captain..." he muttered weakly, "how long... until we reach Remora? Please... lie to me if you must."

The captain, a gruff man with a bushy grey beard and a permanent squint, glanced at him, then at the horizon.

"Ah. Well, young lord, if the winds favor us then fifteen more days."

Zed blinked at him. Slowly.

Then dropped to the deck dramatically.

"Just throw me overboard. I'll swim to Remora. I'll make better time."

The captain raised a brow.

"I admire the enthusiasm. But you'd probably just vomit in circles."

Zed groaned again and curled into a fetal position.

"Zander better be having a terrible time too..."