Snippet #6524

Aylward watched as Genox stepped forward joined them in the alley. "You give yourself too much credit, Genox. I'm not foolish enough to believe that you would not know who I am. Or do you? I am no fool either, Egan was never truly the "king", all this time, was he? He was merely a puppet, and you the puppet master. If you wish to continue this reign of terror..." Aylward leapt up into the air, the wind pushing him up onto the roof of the nearest building. "Then you'd better make sure you don't go anywhere my arrows can reach you. Consider this a promise rather than a threat." Aylward turned and left with those words. His plans to talk to the Montale girl had been foiled by Genox's appearance, but there was always time to approach her later.

Aylward returned to his tavern, and sat near the window pondering the exchange between him and Genox. His plan would unfold soon enough, and he had made sure every last detail was taken care of, yet somehow a nagging feeling told him there were things he didn't yet see, and they could cost him his life, and the lives of all those who were in the rebellion. How ready was Aylward to take Genox on and come out victorious? Even Aylward himself could not answer the question.

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Lucas snuck back into town and returned to his home in the slums. He laid on his bed, but could not sleep. The events of the past few days weighed heavily on his mind and he still remembered the question the Black Phoenix had asked him. Was he ready to pay the price for the power of his clan's guardian spirit? He glanced at his blade that stood leaning against the wall. It had now turned black, with the Phoenix's spirit residing the blade. Yet the added power to his blade was trivial compared to the true power that he would gain if he was willing to accept the Black Phoenix's deal. When would that moment come when he was forced to accept it, or had enough courage to do so? When he faced Genox?

The thought of Genox brought another disturbing query to his mind. If Genox was the true king all this time, who had brought about his existence? There was no one who could attain immortality without some sort of freak accident like Lucas had gone through or a powerful form of magic only the most powerful of beings could employ. There was certainly more to Genox's plans than to merely continue the reign of terror and keep his power rooted in Russataia. More was at stake, was any of them ready to face the fight that lay ahead?

If there is being who can stop this evil... Please come to our aid if you can hear this. Lucas called out silently in his mind, certain it remained just as a thought.