Chapter 227: Nesroth
The Arbiter watched quietly as Bronoda squirmed, wrestling with himself. He knew the man was hiding something, and he was going to find out what, no matter how dirty his hands had to get.
‘Well, I could just let the guards handle it,’ he thought, and was about to gesture toward one of them when Bronoda suddenly spoke up. The Arbiter waved the guard off and listened.
“T-The Ninth Vein asked about the Gor’Mekhai… and the status of the Murkroot Hollow,” Bronoda said.
“Tell me everything you told him,” the Arbiter said coldly.
Bronoda shivered and began to recount his entire conversation with Malakai. Everything they discussed.
By the time he was done, the Arbiter’s expression had darkened so much that Bronoda wanted to disappear.
‘It’s worse than I thought. Shit.’
The Arbiter slammed his fist against the table, rattling it. Bronoda flinched, but the man didn’t seem to care. He had fallen into deep thought.
‘I thought it was salvageable, but…’
He remembered enjoying one of his hobbies when a guard had come to inform him about the Ninth Vein’s entry into the Murkroot Hollow, and that three adjudicators had returned from the forest, one of them missing a hand. They had all been seen heading in the same direction.
He had been curious and summoned the adjudicators, only to find out what had happened.
That the Ninth Vein had entered into the forest along with other squad members… and had possibly made contact with a Gor’Mekhai.
It was bad news. And he dreaded how she would act if word reached her.
His goal with summoning Bronoda had been to assess just how bad the situation was.
And now… he had just learned that this fool had basically spilled everything.
‘If the Sanguine Clan finds out now…’
The Arbiter shook his head. The resources in that forest were far too precious to let the Sanguine take control.
‘I have to inform her.’
His cold gaze returned to Bronoda.
“Kill them.”
Bronoda’s eyes tore wide. But before he could react, his world tilted. He looked down, and saw himself falling, while his body was still seated.
The realization hit like a slap.
‘Ahh. I’ve been beheaded.’
His vision was claimed by darkness just before his head hit the floor and rolled to a stop in front of the battered bodies of his mates.
There was silence.
Then, an explosion of darkness tore out from Bronoda’s corpse. His severed head snapped back toward his darkness drenched body, and the Arbiter calmly rose to his feet as the Grade Three creature began to form.
The room remained intact despite the creature’s power. Not a quake reached the outside. He had built this basement specifically for this purpose, crafted from materials even a Grade Three would struggle to break through.
More importantly, it blocked out any signal from the outside world. Which meant the AI on the lifeguard wouldn’t be able to pick up on any deaths.
The Arbiter calmly removed the napkin tucked into the button on his chest, gaze fixed on the creature.
The Arbiter was short, and many would call him a small man, just slightly above being a dwarf.
His face wasn’t ugly, but it wasn’t handsome either. The only thing he had going for him was his hardened, muscular frame. His spiky orange hair and blazing eyes hinted at his clan, the Adrenari.
What happened next was a blur.
One moment, the Arbiter stood calmly by the table. The next, he was tearing through the large frame of the darkness creature, crazed eyes glowing.
The other two were eventually killed as well, the Arbiter dispatching them easily.
Afterward, he walked out of the basement, his figure drenched in black ichor.
“Get me another suit. And prepare the carriage,” the Arbiter said, already making his way to the bathroom to clean himself up.
A few minutes later, freshly changed, he stepped into his carriage.
“Take me to the Blood Commander’s mansion.”
“Yes, Arbiter,” the coachman said.
Soon, they were airborne.
Throughout the ride, the Arbiter thought about how best to approach it. He would have to relay everything to her soon, and he already had a good idea of how she would react.
‘I might have to take care of him.’
It was a bad position to be in, but it was a necessary one. He would have no choice.
‘It’s worth it.’
He remembered what they had discovered in that forest, and her plan. He steeled his mind. It would all be worth it eventually.
The carriage ride took several minutes. Unfortunately, the Equiladors had some sort of speed limit when flying within the city.
Eventually, the Arbiter reached his destination and landed. He stared at the sprawling mansion through the carriage window, one that dwarfed even his own by many margins.
He ignored its grandeur. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen it. His gaze locked onto a guard as they reached the gates.
“Arbiter Nesroth!” The guard saluted sharply, and Nesroth gave a short nod.
“She’s expecting me.”
“Of course, Arbiter.”
The guard gestured to the others and the gates opened, allowing the carriage to enter.
As Nesroth disembarked, he adjusted the helm of his suit and pushed down the unease rising within him before walking toward the mansion.
“She’s waiting for you, Arbiter.”
A butler stood at the entrance with a small bow. Nesroth nodded calmly and followed behind him in silence as he was led through long halls and up a flight of steps, until they stopped before a set of tall double doors.
“You may go in, Arbiter,” the butler said, gesturing toward the entrance.
Nesroth looked at the doors for a few seconds, then took a deep breath. He straightened himself, pushed down the tension clawing at his chest, and stepped forward.
The moment he opened the door and entered, the scent hit him. Gentle. Tranquil.
It washed over him like a wave, and for a moment, he felt the urge to let everything go. To bare himself. To relax.
Nesroth pushed through the feeling and swept his gaze around the room.
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