Tywin's laughter echoed loudly and heartily, his substantial form shaking with amusement. He chuckled while rubbing his beard, wiping away a tear from the corner of his eye until he couldn't contain himself any longer.
Watching a man being devoured by a pack of hyenas from a balcony alongside Ulric, Tywin continued to revel in the gruesome spectacle.
"You've always known how to provide the finest forms of entertainment," Tywin remarked to Ulric, the distant screams of the man gradually fading in the pit below.
Ulric remained silent.
The duo was at Ulric's place, observing the grim scene from a balcony that afforded them a chilling view of the pit teeming with hyenas.
Tywin occupied the right, a looming figure with considerable girth. His figure noticeable for its size—though not in terms of muscle, rather a robust build. A lengthy beard framed his face, and his eyes exuded deception, pride, and a palpable sense of danger. Everything about him emitted a warning to steer clear.
On the left, Ulric stood lean and tall, possessing eyes that could cut through the thickest of atmospheres. His skin, pallid and lifeless, almost mirrored that of the deceased—a walking corpse seemed less intimidating in comparison.
Entering a room with both men, one might mistakenly assume Tywin to be the more approachable figure, for Ulric radiated an aura of pure evil.
"Congratulations on becoming the King's new advisor," Tywin remarked to Ulric, raising an ale to his lips.
Ulric turned to Tywin, his intense gaze fixed upon him. Tywin had been among his associates for years. Despite the lack of personal affinity, certain circumstances consistently brought them together.
"Thank you. This realm is in dire need of repair, and I believe I can guide the King in achieving that," Ulric responded, his voice resonating with an ancient undertone.
Tywin nodded, creating an illusion of understanding, though in truth, he cared little for Ulric's intentions. He sought only a momentary escape from thoughts of Lillian.
"Have you located her yet?" Ulric inquired, as if plucking the question from Tywin's mind.
A prolonged silence hung in the air before Tywin reluctantly replied, "No."
"I have a proposition for you, once you find her and successfully bring her back," Ulric declared abruptly.
"A proposition?" Tywin questioned, his features contorting into a frown, genuine curiosity overcoming his usual indifference.
"When, or if, you find her and manage to bring her back, I want you to hand her over to me," Ulric declared, his gaze locking onto Tywin's.
Tywin erupted in laughter, his body shaking lightly. "And why would I do that?" he asked, the humor replaced by deadly seriousness.
"Because it's an order from the King."
"An order from the King," Tywin scoffed. "You bloody snake."
For the first time, Ulric smirked, his eyes glinting with malevolence. "Don't worry, Tywin; you'll be rewarded handsomely."
"Damn your coins, Ulric. What do you want with her?" Tywin growled, his expression darkening.
"If you find her by the King's order, you are to hand her over to me or die. But I highly doubt you'll get to her first, for I have men searching everywhere for her," Ulric replied, sidestepping Tywin's question, his expression unreadable.
Tywin glared at him and rose to his feet. "You'd do well to kill me now, because if I walk out that door, you'll regret it later."
"Your death means nothing to me, friend. Nothing at all, for you are inconsequential. A fat drunk who failed to recognize what he had and offered it up as a trophy," Ulric retorted to Tywin, his eyes dark.
"If I had known you had her all this while, I..." Ulric stopped himself, realizing he had said too much. "You may leave, friend. Help yourself to some ale on your way out," Ulric mocked, smirking at Tywin, his gaze unwavering.
Tywin's lips twitched, but he said nothing and stomped out angrily.
After Tywin left, Ulric stood up from the balcony and walked inside, entering a dark chamber where five others like him awaited his guidance.
"We located him in the woods, Master. The trail leading to Pyralon," one of the men reported.
They all stood in a circle, and in the center lay a dead man, one of their own. He had been killed after being sent to retrieve Lillian.
"What do we do now, Master?" inquired another, seeking Ulric's guidance.
"We bury our brother. Then we initiate the grand plan. Our Goddess is in the hands of Lord Firebane, which means the Protectors are hindering our path once again. It is time to extinguish them, my brothers, once and for all," Ulric declared, his voice resonating with an ominous edge.
"Zatifan! Addidan!" Ulric called out to the two men.
"Yes, Master," they replied in unison.
"You know what to do."
At Ulric's words, Zatifan and Addidan bowed to Ulric and departed from the circle, each with a mission.
*********
Herald and his wife Patricia sat in their cozy living room, chatting and laughing, when Arya and her brother entered from their rooms.
"I wish I could go see her, Mother. Please take me to visit her. Lord Firebane did say we could go to his house if we needed anything," Arya pleaded with a hopeful expression.
"Arya, go finish your chores and stop going on and on about this," Patricia sighed, growing tired of her daughter's persistent request.
"But..." Arya was about to protest when a sudden, thunderous pounding on the door interrupted her.
The banging was forceful, resonating through the small cottage, making the door shudder with each strike.
"Who in the name of the Diviner is banging like that on my door?" Herald exclaimed angrily as he walked over and opened the door.
On the other side stood a man dressed in all black, with emerald eyes and a disconcerting smile.
"Good day, sir."
"Good day. And how may I help you?" Herald asked, squinting in annoyance as he regarded the stranger.
"You can't," the man replied, and in a sudden, horrifying display, he thrust his hand into Herald's chest, bursting through and killing him on the spot.
Blood spilled, and screams filled the air as Herald's lifeless body crumpled to the cold floor.
Patricia and her children screamed in horror, their faces etched with shock and fear as the man casually crossed over Herald's body and entered the house. He approached them slowly.
Patricia clutched her two children in fear as the ominous man approached them. Tears streamed down her face, her body trembling violently.
"What do you want from us?" she cried.
"A truly beautiful woman passed by here. You helped her, didn't you?" he asked, advancing slowly.
"We... we did," Patricia replied through tears.
"That's all I needed to know," the man said with a sinister smile before swiftly launching a dagger at Patricia. It hit her squarely in the chest.
Tears streamed down her eyes as she cast one last, longing look at her children before succumbing to death.
"Mother!" Herrick and Arya screamed in horror.
Arya sobbed, clinging desperately to her mother, shaking her slightly and pleading for her to wake up.
Meanwhile, Herrick screamed with rage, launching himself at the man in an attempt to attack him.
The man smiled, effortlessly grabbing Herrick by the neck with one arm and began to strangle him. "Foolish boy," the man intoned.
Arya's cry pierced the air as her brother's lifeless body fell to the ground. She was now the sole survivor.
The man's cold gaze shifted to Arya. In tears, she began to slide backward on the floor, desperately trying to escape, only to collide with the wall behind her.
"Please... don't... kill... me," she cried, her voice trembling, and her body shaking in fear.
The man approached her slowly, stepping over the lifeless bodies in his path until he reached her. Squatting to her level, Arya hid her face between her knees.
"Don't worry, little fish. I'm not going to kill you. You are useful, unlike the rest of your family," the man said as he forcefully reached for her chin, making her meet his eyes.
The moment she made eye contact, he dissolved into a black mist and entered her body.
Arya's demeanor shifted, a malevolent smile replacing the fear on her face. Standing up from the floor, she walked out of the cottage, now a vessel for something far more sinister. She had a new purpose, and the path led her to Lillian.