Chapter 72: First Revenge
Less than five hours had passed since Ralph’s miraculous return to the Dawnless stronghold, yet the air was already thick with the scent of impending war.
The organization mobilized with ruthless efficiency, as a tide of vengeance surging forth.
Only the 6th and 5th-star members followed Baines into battle, their faces set with grim determination, while the third executive remained behind to oversee the lower ranks, his expression that of unease.
’Baines, what happened to you?" The once cheerful boy Ralph had known was gone, replaced by a figure of anger and vengeance.
Even as they marched, silence hung heavy between them, broken only by the crunch of boots on the rocky terrain.
For the two executives and Wick, Baines’s words were sparse, even countable on one hand. So it wasn’t strange that Baines wasn’t saying anything.
In Baines’ mind, a storm of analysis raged. He sifted through the information gleaned from the executives and Ralph, piecing together the puzzle of their enemy.
The Treyl family, a vassal of House Darkan, was a family known for its huge tax contributions rather than martial prowess.
Lacking the prestige of sun rankings, they had slipped under the empire’s radar. It was a perfect facade for their ambitions.
According to Ralph, their goal was audacious: to become the next dragons of the empire by infusing human bodies with draconic essence through forbidden experiments.
But such lofty plans held no sway over Baines’ thoughts.