Darkness slowly crept over the lands of Fairmoor as the sun finally set, lighting up the world in a hue of orange and gold before plunging into a sea of black. As the shadows crept over the streets of Wandermere, lights began to appear from the endless buildings that lined the streets, glittering like stars, as the nocturnal side of the town began to waken.

A stranger walked down the streets, ignoring the sounds of laughter and mirth around him, avoiding the heavily armoured soldiers patrolling the city. He was cloaked in grey, and the twin daggers that could be seen from underneath his cloak deterred any person from approaching him.

He made his way down the busy streets till he reached a big building, with round windows at each level. Above the door hung a signboard that read "The Roaring Rhino".

He opened the door to be greeted by the sound of laughter and singing. He took in his surroundings as the room was lit up by the light of the fireplace at one side, which was constantly being tended. There was a vast assortment of men and women in the room, and there was a general shout of Welcome! as they saw the newcomer. A group of squinty-eyed men were talking amongst themselves and drinking heartily in a corner, while merchants from the south dressed in fine clothes were busy playing cards. The singing came from the bar from a group of young workers who clearly had one drink too many after a hard day's work.

Many of the bar's patrons were gathered around the fireplace in front of which two men were busy wrestling. The more burly one ducked and flipped the other, who crashed onto a table full of cutlery. The audience cheered as the victor thumped his chest and roared.

The stranger smiled slightly and walked towards the far end of the room. A lone man was sitting in the shadows near the wall, looking at the stranger. He had a tall tankard and a plate of food before him, from which he took an occasional bite. He wore high boots that were caked with mud, and a travel-stained brown green cloak was drawn about him. In spite of the heat of the room he wore a hood that overshadowed his face.

The stranger came up to the table, and the man motioned for him to sit. He did so, flagging a waitress for a meal and a drink. He turned towards the man. "It is a cloudy night."

"It is," the man replied, looking at the stranger. "But the moon will be seen again."

The tension from the shoulders of the stranger was released on hearing the pass-phrase. "There is a wind in the air, which will blow the clouds away."

The man threw back his hood, revealing a young face with keen eyes and long shaggy hair flowing down his shoulders. "It is good to see you in one piece, Latham."

Latham, the stranger, smiled slightly. His food arrived, and they talked while they ate.

"How fares my city?" the man asked, taking a sip of his ale.

Latham appeared thoughtful as he bit into his chicken. "It has worsened since the last winter. The soldiers are taking away all the able-bodied men they can find - farmhands, merchants, blacksmiths."

A shadow passed over Slade's face. "Where are they taking them?"

"Nobody knows. They're never seen again."

Slade pinched the bridge of his nose in indignation. "If I had an army, I would take back my kingdom by force. But alas, my journey is not fated to be so easy. But come! Tell me everything else about how Ravenwood fares."

"I have little good news to give you. Those soldiers make it difficult enough to get anything done. They get shops closed down on their whims, arresting anyone who cares to raise a voice. All the good food and wines are hoarded at the palace, and most of what is produced is sent to Carterian outposts all across Argentinum. We are barely scraping by. Your people need you, my prince. Nobody is safe from them in the whole of Argentinum, yes, in in this city. Watch." Their gaze turned to a couple of Carterian soldiers who had suddenly arrived at the pub, silencing the entire place.

"You!" One of them shouted to the bartender. "Ale, immediately! We have to be somewhere else quick!" The scared bartender nodded and scampered away in search of the better-quality ale.

The other soldier turned his gaze towards a waitress. He took off his helm and gazed her body up and down, the list in his eyes making her shiver in fear. She remained frozen as he caressed her cheek and pulled her towards him. She closed her eyes.

"Here is a pretty one!" He told his companion. "She'll be enough for a few nights at the least!" Both of them laughed as she shivered. The soldier groped her, feeling her up.

"That's my sister!" A voice cried out from the bar's patrons, and a young man emerged from the crowd. Without waiting he flung himself at the soldier, breaking him and the woman apart. Before the man could do anything, the mace of the other soldier crashed upon his head, and he fell down, unconscious.

"Let this be a lesson for all of you!" He shouted, raising his mace in the air. "Any of you who step out of line again, we deal with them! And we won't be gentle as we have been now!" He kicked the unconscious man's body. "If you want to join this dog, be our guest! Stay out of our way if you don't want trouble to find you. Come on, let's go." He motioned to the other soldier, and they left, after delivering another kick to the man. The crowd was silent, then everyone started talking animatedly among themselves, while the waitress ran to her brother.

Latham turned towards Slade. "You see a glimpse of it yourself."

Slade's fair face was troubled."This does little to ease my anxiety. Yet I fear it may be a while before the banner of our family is seen again on Ravenwood tower."

"Yes, but here is the twist," Latham leaned forward, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Lucifer Carterian is not present in Ravenwood."

He continued speaking as the other was shocked. "I've not heard the details, but Lucifer received some disturbing news lately. He left Ravenwood three nights ago with a huge army, with forced conscriptions from all over Argentinum. The land shook under their armoured boots."

"Where did he go?" Slade interrupted him.

"He was last seen passing Argoroth, but people are saying that he has gone to fight the Blood Empire."

"The Blood Empire," Slade furrowed his eyebrows. "Somehow I'd never believed its existence. In all my years, we've never been threatened by it."

"Never threatened?" Latham laughed. He leaned back, taking a drink from his tankard. "The Blood Empire is as real as you and me. It's the greatest nightmare of Argentinum. Why do you think your father had called for an alliance between the kingdoms..." his voice faded as Slade's face clouded over, recalling the events of that day.

"Tell me," Slade asked, his voice heavy with emotion. "My father....does he still live?"

Latham didn't reply as he looked at the other. He had grown old, while the prince was still innocent, not experienced to the harshness of life. He reminded Latham of his own son, who was one of the unlucky ones to be forcefully taken by the Carterian soldiers. He sighed, not wanting to be the one to deliver the news, but he assented under the prince's pleading gaze.

"Your father," he spoke slowly, trying to deliver it in the best way possible. "He still lives. No, do not start," he stopped  Slade as he was rising. "He lives, but he's a prisoner in the west wing of the palace. He is powerless, and can exit his prison under the penalty of death. The palace is flooded with the Carterian people, few of our people remaining."

Slade gulped. "And Alexander?"

"He lives as well. Lucifer wanted to use his skills. He's been forced to swear loyalty to the Carterian royals for ever, and to kill any remaining loyalist of Ravenwood on sight. He sacrificed his freedom to save your father's life."

Slade wiped the treacherous tears that had started to flow down his cheeks. "Alexander....I can never repay what he has done for my family."

"I think you can," said Latham. "You can take back your homeland, you can free your father, and you can destroy the Carterians forever."

Slade nodded, his face set with determination. "And that is what I will do. Tell me, did Abraham, Lucifer's son, go with his father?"

Latham shook his head. "He's at the palace. I've never seen a man more cruel and bloodthirsty like him. He tortured his subjects as if they're cattle fodder, taking pleasure in their screams of agony and misery. He is your greatest threat. Kill him, and Ravenwood is yours."

They talked for some more time, and then Latham rose. He would have to be back in the palace by dawn of the next day. Slade grasped his hands as he was leaving. "You've been the best spy we've had, Latham. Thank you for all you have told me."

The night was falling as the two of them parted ways. Slade snuck out through the shadows and went on his way to the east, to the hidden monastery at the north of the Naradavari river.

The Monks of Dur-yodhan were an enigma, a group whose existence was known only to a few. They were the last remnant of the Order of Shadows, a secret organization that had worshipped an extinct religion for years. They seldom interfered in political matters of the kingdoms, but were perilous when threatened, since they housed some of the finest assassins in Argentinum. They had provided Trinity and him sanctuary, and trained them hard, and he was grateful to them.

The sky had grown dark, and become a canvas to a tapestry of stars. The pale light of the moon illuminated the world. The paved roads gave away to the forest floor as Slade left the outskirts of the city and made his way through the forest of Fairmoor. His heart and mind were heavy after all he heard from Latham, but he was relieved on hearing that his father and Alexander were alive.

The sudden sound of hushed voices nearby broke the thread of his thoughts. Quickly, he slunk against the nearest tree, straining his ears. Yes, he had not mistaken. There were hushed voices near him.

With the stealth of a predator stalking its prey, he dropped down to the ground and slowly made his way towards the source of the voices. He reached a dense group of bushes, and moved them slightly to see.

To his shock, he saw an entire group  of Carterian soldiers in full armour gathered in a small clearing. Many among them carried large axes while some others carried crossbows. One of them was talking to them in hushed tones. He leaned closer, trying to hear what was being said.

"...and then we rush in. Give them no chance to prepare. Their skills of assassination are otherworldly, and surprise is our only hope of winning."

"But we're in full armour!" A young soldier objected.

The speaker, clearly the leader, gave the soldier a reprimanding look. "No armour is good enough against the Monks of Dur-yodhan. It's not for nothing that people fear them. We have kept a watch on them for days, and we know where they will be." He raised his axe. "Death to all traitors of Argentinum!"

All the soldiers raised their weapons and repeated the whispered chant. With a jolt of shock Slade realized the truth. They were going to attack the monastery!

I can't let that happen! They must be warned!

Giving no more heed to the Carterian soldiers, Slade bolted, making a dash for the monastery, praying desperately that he wasn't too late.

Whew! At last! At least the self-quarantine from the coronavirus has allowed a long-delayed update. To everyone out there, stay safe from the coronavirus!