Chapter 10 : The Brothers' Conspiracy
The moonlight slipped through the high window, casting pale lines across the stone floor.
In the middle of the room, John sat on a large wooden chair, leaning forward with his hands clasped under his chin. The fireplace behind him had long since gone out, leaving the moon as the only source of light.
John closed his eyes for a moment; the image of Cloud flashed in his mind. He slowly reopened them, muttering in a low tone,
"What will he do this time...?"
He clenched his fists tightly, veins bulging, as if merely thinking of his brother ignited hidden fires within him.
Gazing at the shadows dancing on the walls, he said,
"Whatever he's planning, if he dares stand in my way..."
A fierce smile curled his lips, exposing John's ruthless nature.
He sat there in silence, staring at the dying ember he had personally extinguished, much like he intended to snuff out anything Edward tried to ignite.
After sitting still for several minutes, he suddenly rose from his chair and walked towards the window. He flung it open, allowing the howling wind to strike his face and sweep into the room like a dragon seeking to devour everything.
At that moment, amidst the roaring winds, a black silhouette appeared in the distance—a bird resembling an eagle, covered in dark gray feathers, its broad wings like the sails of a warship, and its eyes glowing faintly red like embers.
It landed lightly on the edge of the open window, raising its head to fix a sharp gaze on John.
John knew this creature well. It was one of the spirit birds tied to his family for generations, used to deliver messages too sensitive to be trusted to human hands.
But this time, the matter was even more personal—and highly confidential!
The bird extended its leg, to which was tied a small blackened silver cylinder. John took it cautiously, breaking the seal engraved with the family's lion claw insignia.
He opened the message. Two lines of text appeared:
"The raid on the Dark Bat Nest will resume.
The target who survived five years ago... has returned to sow destruction near Dew City, under Baron Frank Lombard."
A strange expression crossed John's face. He looked at the bird, which watched him as if waiting for a response.
In a low, serious voice, he said,
"It seems I must adjust my plans before the Emperor's official orders are issued!"
He slowly rolled up the message, his eyes gleaming with dark determination. Then he turned his back on the window, leaving the bird to soar into the stormy skies.
The greatest variable now was Ronald!
"By my calculations, Ronald should return within a few days, but I have no idea when the imperial decree will arrive... We are closest to Baron Lombard's domain, and there's also Earl Galliard. Most likely, both he and I will reinforce the Baron,"
John thought, plotting his next move.
"Most likely, either I or Edward will be assigned to this mission. One of our factions will surely suffer. My eldest brother was part of the previous operation to exterminate the Dark Bat Nest, so technically, he should lead the mission again—but he has not yet returned from his current mission. There's a possibility he might participate if directly commanded. This remains an unknown variable!"
John mused, glancing at the bird before him.
"What I must do is..."
A wide, terrifying smile stretched across his face as he waved the bird away and stared at the distant horizon.
"At the very least, I'll remove an obstacle from my path, hahahaha!"
---
Meanwhile, just minutes earlier, atop the southern gate walls of the city, stood a tall, powerfully-built man. His silver uniform clung to his frame, and the fierce winds made his golden hair whip wildly like the banner of a mighty kingdom.
This man was none other than Edward!
His gaze pierced the heavy, clouded skies. Even the moonlight was suppressed by the endless waves of clouds.
Suddenly, through the raging winds, a dark gray-feathered bird with piercing eyes appeared, flying swiftly toward the Earl's castle.
A slight smile played on Edward's lips as he leapt from the wall, intercepting the spirit eagle mid-air. He lightly gestured toward it, and black smoke erupted from his pores, carrying with it an aura of death and destruction.
"Soul-Devouring Smoke,"
Edward whispered.
The black smoke swiftly engulfed the bird's body, giving it no chance to escape. The bird struggled fiercely, flapping its wings in a desperate attempt to summon a gust strong enough to disperse the smoke. But its strength was pitifully insufficient, managing only to blow away small wisps.
The smoke seeped into the bird's nostrils and beak, penetrating deep within. The more it infiltrated, the more agonized the spirit eagle's screams became.
After two minutes of torment, the smoke finally thinned and faded, disappearing along with the last glimmer of life from the bird's eyes.
Calmly, Edward approached the fallen bird, whose body now lacked any trace of life. With a golden-black energy card, he lifted it effortlessly toward him. He grasped it in his hand, examining it with icy blue eyes as cold as a winter's frost. His fingers brushed over the bird's dark gray feathers.
His silver cloak flared wildly behind him, and his blue eyes gleamed with a chilling, lethal light. He retrieved the blackened silver cylinder tied to the bird's leg, twirling it lightly between his fingers. He gazed at the distinctive family seal—the lion insignia—and a slight, mocking smile touched his lips.
Muttering with a sneer as he broke the seal,
"You're quite good, John... Trying to play behind the scenes, yet still dancing in the palm of my hand."
He skillfully opened the letter and quickly read its contents.
A moment of silence passed...
Then Edward's left eyebrow rose slightly as he murmured,
"So that's how it is..."
his voice barely audible over the storm.
"Another raid on the Dark Bat Nest... and the survivor has returned to wreak havoc near Dew City under Baron Lombard's rule."
"Interesting..."
Edward whispered, his smile widening more than ever before.
---
End of Chapter