Hey guys! Here I am with a brand new chapter for you guys to read and enjoy. Also, on the next chapter Ruby and her friends will finally arrive at Beacon, I have a few ideas about how the initiation is going to be but I haven't settled it yet. Expect another sex scene for the young couple sometime soon, I will try to do it better than the last one, at least I hope so. Before I forget, the other chapters were removed so I could make some improvements as I got a few new ideas for the story. Again, I'm sorry for what happened guys.

Well, that's all I had to say for now, I hope you will like the new ideas I have in stored, have a great read everyone, bye.

A Shattered Life

Chapter 24: Mysteries in the Shadows

The night had fallen upon the chaotic land of Gwain. No more than two hours ago the sky was painted with hues of pink, orange and red, but all color had faded leaving only a pitch black mattress with no shining stars to look at. A cold breeze flew across Hydrox's mask, the air was so chilled it hurt to breathe. The ground was already laid with white frost and any water that had been liquid under the sun had now become ice. "You pathetic loyalists are nothing but a bug beneath my foot." He stared at the prisoners that were on their knees with their hands tied with some rope. "I will crush you without hesitation or doubt, your existence threatens the new world that my Queen is building."

Hydrox placed his hand on the weapon's hilt and pulled it backwards quite fast, revealing a long katana, the blade's color was black and there were a few religious symbols that have been delicately etched into the blade, which adds to the elegance of this magnificent weapon. "What I have in my hands is a tool of pure justice, with it I will take your miserable life's away." He pointed the sharp edge of his katana at a soldier's throat, the man began trembling with fear and tears were running down his cheeks. "Shaking like a little girl? Hahaha! This is just precious." Laughed Hydrox.

With a quick swing the prisoner's throat was cut open and the blood sprayed across the grass. "The glow of the blood under the moon light is really marvelous." Said the masked warrior as he approached another captured loyalist. "Don't be a coward and accept your fate, you made your choice when you decided to raise your sword against me and my mistress." Hydrox was burning with determination, he truly believes in Salem's cause. "Prepare to die!"

He aimed his blade at the prisoner's chest and pierced it. "Ahhhh!" Bursts of tearing pain pulsed through his head, panic slowly took over his mind. "I-I...I d-don't want to die, p-please let me live, I have a wife and a son that I w-wish t-to see again." For a moment he focused on the awful pain he was feeling, honing in on every sensation. Where it came from, how badly it hurt and how badly he wanted it to stop.

"That's what all of them say." Hydrox removed his blade and with a turn he decapitated the poor man without a second thought. "You four there! Clean this mess and make sure those bodies are burned far away from here, I don't want their ugly carcases anywhere near this castle." He ordered, then he placed his katana back to it's holster. "This land is full with weaklings but that will change soon, otherwise everything will be destroyed by my own hand."

"Careful with your words freak." Said a mysterious figure that came out from the shadows. "You never know who's listening."

"Hades?" Hydrox was surprised to see her. "What brings the leader of the Inferno Legion to this region? I thought you were still at Haven gathering supplies for your next assignment."

"I was but Salem requested my presence at this town." She answered. Hades armor has a squared helm with an open face, covering just up to the eyes. Attached to the forehead area are two horn shaped ornaments. The shoulders are fairly pointy, tall and large in size. They're decorated with metal chains, hanging from the edges of the shoulderplates. The breastplate is made from many layers of squared metal sheets. It covers everything from the neck down and ending at the groin, but the legs are fairly exposed to allow for more movement space. "Also, this settlement doesn't belong to you or Solomon so you won't do a thing freak, only our Goddess shall decide what will happen to this place."

"You are correct about that my dear, but nevertheless these people must learn to obey their new masters if we are going to use them for our cause." Replied the masked man. "Tomorrow the rest of the loyalists will finally perish and Gwain's conquest will come to an end. With the resistance gone the citizens morale is going to break, we shall take advantage of that and turn them to our side by promising them a lot of riches if they serve well."

Hades nodded, agreeing with her companion. "Not a bad idea freak, you sometimes surprise me with that tiny brain of yours." She mocked. "Those fools will fight against our enemies more fiercely if there's a reward involved. Hahaha! What a bunch of animals, they don't even know they are being played."

"I'm glad you agree with me, but if you call me that again I will feed you your own eyes." He threatened.

"How dare you threaten me like that?!" Hades was angry beyond belief, she never liked Hydrox because of his attitude, so killing him would only bring happiness to her world. "My mace will make you eat those words you scum!" She was ready to fight.

Then, as they were about to start their battle, a woman entered the courtyard and she was accompanied by Cinder and Lord Solomon. "Calm down, both of you." When the two warriors turned around they immediately stored their weapons and kneeled. "That's better, I don't want my own servants to fight against one another without proper cause." She said.

"Our apologies my Queen, it won't happen again I swear." Replied Hades.

"Good to know." She smiled. Salem's skin is a deathly pallor, covered with tortuous, deep red and blue veins that run up her arms and face. The sclera of her eyes are jet black and her irises glow red. She also has a black diamond-shaped marking in the center of her forehead. "Now, I want you two to raise yourselves and pay close attention to what I'm about to say."

Hydrox and Hades followed Salem's orders. "We are all ears my sweet Goddess." He bowed his head.

"Taking Gwain was no easy effort, the Mirage Knights proved themselves to be stronger opponents than we anticipated but in the end they couldn't match our power. Unfortunately, even with this victory we lost the Maidens artifact and more importantly the heir to my throne managed to escape." She said while staring at Solomon with a bitter expression.

"W-What?!" Solomon was baffled as he had no idea what she was talking about. "T-That's impossible! I mean all the prisoners that were incarcerated during the rebellion were executed, the only prisoner that we took at those first days was...Aiden's son, Geo." Sweat streamed down his forehead. "He...he is your son?" Fear ran down his spine has he remembered the horrible things he made the young boy go through, he knew that Salem would make him pay for what he did. "B-But that makes no sense, his skin doesn't share the same color as yours my Queen, there must be some mistake."

Salem approached him. "Don't call him by that awful name." She said. "His name is Caedos, the other one he received from Aiden is insulting to my lineage." Her eyes stared directly at Solomon's and she saw fear in them, she then placed her hand on his right cheek. "If you are wondering if you are going to be punished by your failure the answer is, yes."

Solomon fell to his knees trembling uncontrollably. "P-Please forgive me, I-I won't fail you again I promise." He begged, but the Goddess of death paid no attention to his words and walked away from him.

"Tyrian will be the one to deliver your punishment and let me say that he is looking forward to it." She then stood in the middle of her servants. "Hades! Gather your fleet as quickly as possible and move to Vale, I want you to be my eyes and ears there. Take Cinder with you, she's a powerful tool to have in your arsenal, just make sure she remains out of sight for a while."

"Understood." She bowed her head. "I'll leave at once to make the arrangements for the trip." Said the leader of the Inferno Legion. "Come along child, we have much to discuss." Hades and Cinder made their way to the exit of the courtyard.

"Hydrox! How's your pet doing?" Asked Salem.

"The parasite is nearly complete, all I need is a body for it to grow." He answered.

"I see, well, you can use Aiden's body for your experiment, I believe he wouldn't mind." She replied. "Also, I'm sending you to Vale as well but your mission is going to be quite different from Hades. I want you to find my dear son and his girlfriend, bring them to me, and if they resist you are allowed to hurt them, but if you go to far your own life will be forfeit."

"But my Queen that girl, Ruby is a Silver Eyes. She should be destroyed with extreme prejudice before she can awake her true power." Hydrox was concerned with the red warrior's hidden potential.

Salem laughed. "Hahaha! Even if that silly girl manages to control it she won't be much of a threat. I can crush her with a single hand, but since she's important to my son, I will let her live, he would never forgive me if I ordered her death." She said, then she touched his shoulder. "If you accomplish this difficult task, the rewards you will receive will be beyond your wildest dreams. But, in case you fail, you know what will happen."

"Of course, I won't disappoint you." Hydrox opened his other eye and the color revealed was purple. "Now, in case my parasite manages to survive inside the old man's rotting corpse. Where can I test it? I wish to see it in action with my own eyes."

"Unleash it on this retched town, wipe it from existence if you can." Said Salem. "This place only reminds me of what that traitorous Aiden took from me, I want everything to burn and these people to suffer for what he did."

"No! Please no." Begged Solomon on his knees. "You promised this town was going to be mine, we had a deal."

"Exactly, we had a deal but you failed to deliver." She turned her back on him. "Hydrox, follow me we still have many things to discuss." She and her servant walked to the castle.

"T-That...bitch." He muttered under his breath.

"What a horrible thing to say." Said a mysterious voice in the shadows. Lord Solomon looked at his surroundings but saw nothing, he couldn't figure out where the voice was coming from. "Our Goddess is holy and beautiful, those who speak ill about her must be punished. Hahaha!" A scorpion tail wrapped around Solomon's neck and dragged him to the shadows.

"No! No! Let me go you animal!" He yelled.

"You and I are going to have so much fun together! HAHAHAHAHA!"