Chapter 5

"You seem surprised," he narrowed his eyes as she reached for her dagger on her side. She didn't understand at all. "What spell did you cast upon me the other day?"

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," she scoffed. She couldn't use her powers, she had to deny it.

"I saw you, before I fell unconscious," he continued, determined to get the truth out, "Your little indigo magic that was directed towards me. What was that spell?"

"Look, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," Kayla replied back as she used the blade of her dagger to push away his grip from her throat and to the air. The handle flipped back and landed on her hand perfectly.

She pointed the sword at him, gathering her energy to kill this boy.

"I have a question," he said, rather calm, "How old are you?"

"Why on earth would I have to introduce myself?"

"You look the same age as me." he responded, dragging the conversation, "Allow me to introduce myself; I'm Jayden Cartensen, the Seventh Guard of the Royal Army."

"And why do you think I'd wanna know?" she narrowed her eyes.

"Do you know the felon witch case 20 years ago?" he asked, putting his hands in his pocket as the sword moved closer to him.

Kayla's heart beated, but she wanted to know where this conversation was heading.

"My father, Matthew Cartensen, was the First Guard and a bounty hunter for the King. And the King exclusively ordered him to catch this felon. She was a witch."

She gulped. It was her.

"The King didn't give him much information but that she was a newborn witch with a purple-stone necklace on her. He didn't know her name, or what she looked like, but he received information that a witch can get their powers by the age of 10, so he gave my father 10 years to find her."

"And what does that have to do with me?" she denied.

"If you're the Assassin of the North, it'd make sense over the destruction you've done over cities." he stated, "You're a witch after all,"

She narrowed her eyes, "Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you now."

"10 years later, my father was executed in the public as he killed two citizens in Joalarkin. To his defense, he clarified that the two citizens were protecting two kids, who ran away and never to be found again. He said one of them was a witch doing sorcery, but no one believed him." Jayden explained.

"Why are you talking about a story which I clearly don't have any connection to?" Kayla gritted her teeth.

"The two kids who ran away were the two citizens' children. The Duchess of Joalarkin requested the King to execute my father, as he didn't remember the girl's face well, and he wasn't sure if there was a necklace or not. But in a state like that, he wasn't sure of what he saw. But the King requested his execution anyways." he said.

"So?" she scoffed, "What are you saying?" She knew that girl was her.

He continued, "My father left a letter before he died, about the girl he saw doing witchcraft in Joalarkin. 10 years before, King Garland burned down the residence of House Allensilf of Pendagline, killing everyone in it but never explained why to the people. Pendagline was taken over by the King and the Royal Army after that. In my father's letter, he stated that it was because the people of House Allensilf were all witches."

The blonde girl stood there. All of them, they were all connected.

"And not only that, he also said that the first wife of King Garland was Faye Allensilf. And on the day their daughter was born, he found out that she was a witch who was planning to take over the kingdom as the queen, and everything went downhill; from the burning of Allensilfs' house to the search for the lost daughter. My father was commanded by the King to do that secretly. The King was ashamed that he married a witch of such greed. That's why he married Jeanette two years later, to hide the fact he married an ungrateful witch of filth."

Kayla panicked and now the blade was going further deep into his skin.

"And everyone in House Allensilf is dead, except for the lost daughter." Jayden narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to her.

He stroked her cheek and she shivered. He moved down to her neck, and under her black cloak, taking out a thick string of silver from it, pulling it out, and revealing the purple stone at the end.

She stepped back, her hand shaking as she swayed the sword on his cheek that left a bleeding mark, "You need to stop,"

"Was I being disrespectful, Princess?" Jayden asked in a sudden voice. "But nevertheless your title and birthright don't mean anything to me. You killed my father anyway."

~~~

20 years ago, on a fine day, it was supposed to be filled with happiness. Faye Allensilf laid on her bed as she pushed. The midwife kneeled down on the foot of the bed as she pushed.

In the room was only her and the midwife, and her grunts of pain were muffled by the thick walls of the castle.

After a small few yells, the sound of a baby crying was heard.

"Congratulations, My Lady," the midwife, who was also pregnant, stood up and took the baby to Faye. "It's a girl,"

Of course it was a girl. The bloodline of witches had to always continue with a girl.

Faye sat there, breathless, as the midwife approached her to give her the baby when the chambers' door was barged open by the King.

Faye thought he was there to check on her and their daughter, so she smiled and said, "Garland, your daughter-"

"Daughter?" he snorted. Following him from behind were two soldiers, wielding weapons.

"Garland, what is this?" Faye sat upright in pain, shuddering in confusion.

"You're a witch, that's what it is." he stated.

The blonde woman froze, and gulped, "If I am a witch, then what's wrong with it?"

"Oh, not only that you have that black magic in you, but you are also willing to use that dangerous power of yours to take over the kingdom." he yelled. "You're nothing, Faye. You're an ungrateful woman who's been brought into the castle as my wife and you are to betray me."

"Garland, there has been a misunderstanding. Who told you that? Is it your mistress?" she asked, and under the blanket, she took off the purple-stone necklace and placed it in the midwife's pocket.

The midwife realized, and looked at her. Faye didn't glance back.

"You knew I had a mistress?" Garland asked.

"Do you think I wouldn't find out? DO YOU THINK I WOULDN'T FIND OUT THAT YOUR MISTRESS WAS-" her face was slapped by Garland as he approached her.

"In other words, my mistress is much better than you. At least she isn't ungrateful." he grabbed her by her hair and made her look up to him, "You're nothing but a filthy witch. How many people are living in the residence of House Allensilf? I'm pretty sure it wasn't just you and your mother and father. The other family were there too as well, right? You witches must have used an invisibility spell of some sort to make sure you weren't visible in the house. I REGRET MAKING HOUSE ALLENSILF A NOBLE."

Faye spitted on Garland's face, and her hand was about to flick when the two soldiers held her back, and tied her hands together.

"Bring her to the dungeons." Garland said, "From today onwards, Faye Allensilf is dead."

The baby cried, as if knowing her mother was in pain.

Faye, who was still in pain from labor, was forced to walk out of bed, without holding her baby once.

Garland looked to the midwife who had the baby in her hands, "Kill the baby. From today onwards, both the queen and the baby are dead."

The midwife looked down, "Yes, Your Majesty. Understood."

As soon as the King left, the midwife reached down into her dress's pocket and took out the necklace.

"Poor girl," she muttered to the baby who was crying as she placed the necklace in the blanket that was covering her.

Immediately after that, the midwife went into the basements, using the underground path to get to the town.

She placed the baby under her cloak, and since she was pregnant, no one would suspect her. She quickly used the forest to get to Joalarkin, which was very much near to Coranius.

All the midwife wanted was so that this child would be safe.

~~~

In Joalarkin, she saw two people, a married couple, going around the city as traveling merchants with two horses and a wagon.

One was a man, quite tall with brown hair and blue eyes, and the other was a woman, with blonde hair and dark eyes. The woman was pregnant, yet it seemed that it hadn't been long.

Traveling merchants usually don't have a settled place for home, and they also limit their interaction with people as they're straightforward people. And since they were going to have a child, taking care of this newborn baby didn't seem too much.

The midwife immediately found a piece of parchment to write on with some ink and a quill in the stall. She wrote about everything about this child, from her necklace to her parents and to what was happening in Coranius.

She hoped for the best for the child.

The midwife put the baby and the piece of paper in their wagon, covered by a few soft blankets, as they were serving the customers. Immediately after that, she ran back to Coranius.

~~~

The midwife lied with all her heart to the King.

"I was taking a torch to burn the baby and it was suddenly gone. I swear on my life." she cried as she kneeled down in his presence. "Why would I lie, Your Majesty? I'm pregnant. I'd do anything to save my baby, so please, Your Majesty, trust me. I swear I don't know." she sobbed as she kneeled, holding her belly-bump.

Garland gritted his teeth at the midwife who kneeled in front of him.

"But I think I saw someone taking the baby," she lied, "Someone in a black cloak and was very tall. I tried to catch up but they disappeared. I swear on my life, Your Majesty."

"Lock the midwife in the cellar overnight. Take away her title as midwife to just a maid." Garland said. He knew that if she lied, there was no good thing she or her baby could've gotten. Also, because if he lost this woman, he would lose his most trusted soldier as well. "If she's found to be lying, torture her until she gives the truth."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you."

~~~

Johanius and Catherine Nellister were staggered at the baby's appearance in their wagon. They went away from Joalarkin and arrived at the sidewalk near the forest.

There, they read the letter. At first, the two were terrified, but as future parents, they couldn't just throw away this baby, especially if it was going to be killed.

"But we're going to risk our lives by keeping this baby, Johanius," Catherine objected.

"But we can't let this innocent baby die can't we, Catherine?" he asked back, "She may be a witch, but she is also the princess and heir to the throne of the Bounds,"

"Why must we defend a daughter of royal blood when you and I both know that Garland isn't a good King at all?" she asked back.

"This baby isn't the King's daughter as he threw her away." Johanius stated, "She's a daughter of House Allensilf."

Catherine stood there, not knowing what to say.

"House Allensilf was the only noble house that has ever been there for all the people. When all the nobles took our money, they gave us money. Witches or not, they were still kind to us," he replied.

The woman clenched her jaw, "Fine. But if she endangers our child, then we can't take care of her any longer,"

"Alright. Let's give her a name, shall we?" he asked.

"Kayla sounds beautiful," she said, "Kayla Nellister."

"It does sound beautiful, my dear," he replied, "Hello, Kayla Nellister, welcome to the world."

The two people moved around from city to city, and six months later, when they were in Emitha, Catherine gave birth to a baby boy which they named Adrian Nellister.

~~~

Matthew Cartensen was the King's right hand and specially assigned for this case. He needed the money to raise his family, and he needed to make the King trust him so he could throw him off the throne.

A day after the newborn baby disappeared, he was ordered to burn down the residence of House Allensilf. And he did.

The citizens of Pendagline had tried to stop the Royal Army and the First Guard, but they slaughtered anyone who did. They didn't even know that House Allensilf, the noblest noble house, were witches, but even if they did know, they wouldn't react negatively. House Allensilf had saved them from many troubles.

Yells of women were heard from inside the house. The shrieks of the husband of the 9th Daughter, Faye's mom and Kayla's grandmother, were heard as well. He was the only man in the house, and since all the other daughters' husbands were dead since they were immortal and they're not, it was pretty much a house filled with innocent women.

And when the fire extinguished, the bones and bodies of the witches and the only man were thrown away into the ocean. Surprisingly, the paintings, which were hidden in a tungsten cabinet, were still intact.

After that, Pendagline was taken over by King Garland and the Royal Army, and the citizens suffered greatly.

~~~

Two years after the event, and with the news that the Queen and her child had died during childbirth, Garland forced a woman, whom he had kidnapped from Pendagline, to marry him, and soon after, her name was changed to Jeanette Moore.

And after that, she gave birth to Titus Moore, the Prince of the Bounds.

On the other hand, Matthew Cartensen was still searching for the baby. It remained a secret between only him, the midwife and the King. No one else knew about this baby witch and witch Queen.

And Garland hoped it remained that way.

~~~

Adrian and Kayla grew to be two kids who looked like twins, and wherever they went, Johanius always made sure that she went out with clothes that covered her neck, so that no one would see her necklace.

They moved around a lot, and Kayla felt peace at most with her adoptive family and her crazy brother.

She was intelligent for her age. She could grab onto topics that were meant for older people, like how the nobles were not noble at all.

At their age of 9, Johanius and Catherine explained everything to them. They wanted Kayla to know the truth because she deserved it, and at first, she felt surprised, but she didn't feel honor at all.

They had brought her to Pendagline only once, and she saw the burnt down house of her family there.

Her birthright as the Princess of the Bounds, Witch of Royal Blood and Heir to the Throne, they didn't mean anything if her father had killed her mother.

She didn't believe anything else but her mother being dead, but she decided that once and if she was older, she'd face the King and take back what was hers.

~~~

By the time they were almost 10 years old, they had moved back to Joalarkin.

At that time, a few days before, Lillith Harrivandik, the former Duchess of Joalarkin, had committed suicide, and now, Adelaide Harrivandik was the Duchess. But the word had not gone out that much yet, so only little people knew.

It was Kayla's birthday, and they were staying in a small hut near the mountains. Kayla and Adrian were both in front of the house, eating their lunch around a bonfire. She had clothes that went up to their neck, and even if it was scorching hot, she needed to wear it to hide her necklace.

As kids, the two did everything together, from playing to chatting to everything. And Adrian had been her sunshine since they were just toddlers.

Suddenly, a small spark of purple-blue shot out from her hand. The girl flinched and jumped off the log she was sitting on.

"What was that?" she asked in surprise.

"It can't be colored wind, can't it?" Adrian asked back in fascination.

"No," she replied and sat on the log, flicking her hand again and the flare came out. "Is it my magic?" she asked.

"Possibly,"

From afar, Matthew Cartensen was still on his search for the child, as that day was the last day of the 10 years, or else the King would take him down from his title as the First Guard and his bounty hunter.

And it was maybe luck, or something, but he saw two kids from afar, with one of them having colored-mist from her hands.

He only had one thought in his head: the witch.

"HEY! YOU! WITCH! STOP THERE!" Matthew yelled as his horse galloped, approaching the two kids.

Johanius and Catherine, who were inside the hut, immediately went outside and saw the man with the star on his armor.

The two ran to the children and pushed them away, where Matthew was aiming for with his sword.

"RUN!" Catherine yelled to her two children as her throat was slitted on his blade.

"Catherine-" Johanius whimpered before glaring at the Guard, who stepped down from his horse, about to run after the two innocent children. "You won't get away with this-" was his last words before Matthew stabbed him in his chest, and twisted his sword in it.

The man fell to the ground, and his last movement was taking his wife's dead hand as he closed his eyes.

"Mom- Dad!" Adrian had his voice muffled as Kayla covered his mouth. They hid under a huge rock, covered with vines.

Tears fell from both their faces. All that Kayla felt was guilt. It was because of her.

The Guard was about to go after them into the deep mountains, when a voice called out.

A woman's voice yelled, "WHAT IS THIS MESS?"

The two children peeked from the gaps of the vines covering them. A woman, tall with black hair and beautiful green eyes, in a red dress. She looked like she was from a noble family, and that was obvious as many soldiers followed behind her.

She saved them. She gave them time to run.

"Let's go!" Kayla said, as she grabbed Adrian's arm, "We have to go unless you want to die!"

The two ran off into the deep forest, making sure their steps weren't heard and ran and ran and ran.

Because now, all that they both had was gone.

~~~

"Duchess Adelaide," Matthew bowed, hiding his bloody sword on his back, "The witch. The witch child was here."

"Excuse me?" the woman kept a straight-face, "YOU KILL TWO CITIZENS AND YOU TELL ME A WITCH WAS HERE?"

"Duchess, there were two kids, and they ran off into the forest. One of them had this colored mist coming out of her hand. Please, let me go after them, I can prove it."

"The witch that was missing had a necklace. Did she have a necklace?" Adelaide narrowed her eyes, still in fury.

"I'm not- I'm not sure. But Duchess-"

"SOLDIERS!" she yelled, and the soldiers behind her came forward, "TAKE THIS MAN TO CORANIUS. NOW."

~~~

Matthew Cartensen, who had committed a crime in killing two innocent citizens, was taken down from his title and rank.

Duchess Adelaide pressed charges, and of course, as a noble one, she won.

His wife, Penelope, and his son, Jayden, couldn't do anything about it. Matthew was going to be executed anyway.

Before he did, Matthew had written a letter that explained about everything that had happened, and if it was possible, he wanted someone to find justice for him. He just wanted the money and trust to make his family proud.

He left the letter and his ring for Jayden.

And the young boy of 10 years old, had to witness his father being decapitated in public. He swore that he would find the witch who did it to his father, and lay his vengeance upon her.

Because vengeance blind people to make irrational targets.

~~~

The two kids had walked forever that day. They had cried, they had yelled. They had nothing.

Kayla's mouth broke into a sob, "Adrian, I'm sorry. I'm so sorr-"

"It wasn't your fault, Kay," he sadly said as he sat on a log and put his head in his knees, "I don't understand why people don't like witches. I don't think you're a bad person."

She clenched her jaw and sat next to him as tears fell, "I think it's better if we go our separate ways now. So you can be safe,"

"No, why would I? You're my sister and my only friend." he said, "Other than that, you're in danger. You're hunted. And I want to help you find your justice."

He bent down and took two twigs, rubbing them together to light it up, then shoved it in front of Kayla's face. It was dark, and the bright light from the fire made them both see their crying faces clearly.

"Blow," he said, "It's your birthday,"

She pursed her lips into a thin smile, and blew the light.

Adrian clapped, "Happy birthday, Grape," he snorted.

"Grape?"

"Because your powers are like purple and blue, like a grape," he said.

She gave a sad scoff, "Thank you, Ryan,"

"You couldn't give me a better nickname?" he scowled, trying to cheer her up.

"We need to rest," she changed the topic, "I'll find some leaves and you make the fire. I'll be right back,"

~~~

The two continued their journey the next day, and after a long walk past the forest and the mountains, it seemed they reached the farthest city possible. Pendagline.

The Royal Army were doing checks to enter the city.

Pendagline was not like the other cities. It had a wall around it that the Royal Army had built because they knew many people hated the fact House Allensilf was burnt down. It was for protection and isolation.

The city had changed magnificently. People were now like slaves by the army, and nothing like prosperity.

"What brings you here?" the soldier asked the two kids who looked like they've been rolling on mud.

"We're here to find money," Kayla hastily said.

"Money?" the soldier scoffed and pushed her onto the ground, "What are you going to do with that small body of yours?"

Adrian stepped in front of her, "I don't know? Beg?" he said, "Isn't that quite obvious?"

Kayla stood right up, "Why does finding money seem to be your business?"

"This girl has some attitude," the soldier slapped her out of a sudden, "Learn to be respectful,"

"I will be respectful to those who earn my respect." she stated. "And if you can use that little brain of yours, then you'd probably find out that you haven't earned it. So step out of me and my brother's way or-"

"Or what?" the soldier narrowed his eyes, grabbing her by her neck and squeezing it, "Where are your parents?"

"Sir, please let go of her," Adrian tried to pull the man's arm but he elbowed him.

Kayla choked.

"Where are your parents?" he gritted his teeth.

She suffocated, "Dead."

The soldier scoffed and squeezed her neck tighter, "You two are filthy orphans who dare disrespect a Captain? Oh, wait, no, your future Second Guard. That's who I am." he stated.

"Please put her down, she's one of my friends." a boy from the entrance said. He had messy brown hair and broken spectacles.

The man turned around and saw a boy as well, "Aren't you the son of the mother I beat up?" he laughed, "Well then, if these losers are you friends, so be it," he dropped Kayla to the ground and she coughed, holding her neck.

Adrian went over to her and helped her up.

The brown-haired boy told them to come inside the gates and the two slowly entered Pendagline.

"Good luck begging, losers. No one would give you money," the man said to them, pushing both their heads as they walked.

"You both good?" the brown-haired boy asked and took both of them to an empty alley.

"Why did you help us?" Kayla asked, touching her neck that was red.

"You both seem pathetic like me." he replied, "I'm Alex by the way," he lent out his hand and tried to take Adrian's hand to shake but he missed, "Sorry I can't see very well,"

"That's fine," Adrian shook his hand for him, "I'm Adrian."

"I'm Kayla," she continued.

"I don't know why you came here to Pendagline, when other cities are better," Alex said, sitting on a barrel, "The soldiers killed my parents. They beat up and tortured my father til he died for fun, and did the same thing to my mother many many times, until she died. My aunt's been missing for like 18 years and I have no idea if she even exists,"

"I'm sorry," Kayla and Adrian both said sympathetically.

"We're all used to it here. I'm not the only one."

The two started to feel they should run from this city. But no. Until how long would they have to keep running?

"We're on a run,"

"On a run? From who?"

"We're going to tell you a secret, and we're going to hope that you'll accept it. Or else, we'll just kill you to keep this secret," Kayla said, wiping her face.

"What secret?"

"She's a witch."

~~~

Although that sentence haunted Alex for years, they still managed to become friends.

It wasn't easy finding money in a city like that. But getting away from Joalarkin and Coranius seemed fair enough.

The three roamed the city together, and sometimes stole things for their daily needs.

The people were tired, too tired to get mad, and when they steal something, they'd just let it go. They were kids after all.

The soldiers on the other hand, patrolled the city everyday. And the now-Second Guard, Millen Torwick, had abused and killed someone everyday.

The former residence of House Allensilf was made into the army's base, and the people worked as slaves to put it all back together. The furniture and things of the Allensilfs were put in the storage room, as the house turned into a place of pain.

The three always tried to avoid him, but on some unlucky days, he caught them. He sent them to the house, and abused and assaulted them many times. He kicked them, slapped them, for no particular reason. He did things to them without their permission, and enjoyed every single bit of their pain.

Torwick was insane. Insane enough to make the three go insane.

Kayla always dreamed of killing him. And she would make it come true one day.

Alex, Adrian and Kayla studied and trained hard. With sticks that were made into swords, and from wasted substances that were made into deathly potions. Kayla practiced her sorcery to a point where she could control it well.

They always stayed in an abandoned part of buildings that people don't go to. And sometimes, they starved and shivered in the cold.

And even with that pain, they could still hear the drunk soldiers of the Royal Army in the house, yelling of happiness, as the people outside suffered.

~~~

Jayden trained hard once he got into the Royal Army. He never liked the army; everyone in it was hideous. He was quiet yet talented, because in his mind were all the different things he wanted to do to the King.

He wanted revenge on his father's death, and on the witch who caused it.

All his life, he only studied and trained. Studied and trained. To be the best. To be the only one who could be trusted by the King.

He was going to continue his father's legacy and bring him justice.

He was blinded by his anger, and he didn't have friends or companions. He would kill anyone that would stand in his way to take over the Bounds, and make it a much better place.

~~~

On one fine day, a few weeks after her 20th birthday, Kayla had planned it all with her now-trained friends.

She loved them. They had been there for her, and now, she was determined to take revenge on the King and everyone.

So, Kayla went to the house, and Adrian and Alex went to the entrances, to ambush them.

She stepped in the territory of the Royal Army, and the gates of it closed behind her.

"HEY! WHO ARE YOU?" one of them yelled as she flicked her hand, taking him up above and throwing him off to a wall, sending a knife to his chest.

The rest of the soldiers there ran towards her, all wielded in arm. And as a young witch, she wasn't as strong as other witches, but definitely stronger than these rats.

She snatched a sword from one of them and stabbed three soldiers at once. Taking another small sprite of her magic, she aimed it across ten soldiers, and with her other hand, she had ten knives, and stabbed them all in their heads.

An arrow was shot past her forearm, leaving a scar. In the windows of the top floor, soldiers were shooting at her. She halted all the arrows at once, sending all of them back to the soldiers that all in the floor died.

Spears were being thrown, and she caught one of them, going after them, and cutting off one of their heads. Another man slashed his sword against her cheek and she held it back with her flame, making him stab himself instead.

She went inside the house, killing off each and every last one of the soldiers.

She hung one of them in the chandelier, and she ripped another apart. She was weaponless, except for her sorcery and the weapons she had retrieved from the dead rats.

She walked up to the second floor, throwing a man out the window and landed on the hard rocky streets on the front.

As she stabbed another soldier, someone had pulled the trigger on the crossbow and she caught the arrow, looking back at who shot it. Millen Torwick.

"Finally you showed up, Guard Torwick," she formed a smile, "I'm a bit on a killing spree today. And I've never felt better," she paced towards him and he cornered against a wall.

She flicked her hand and he flew up in the air. He couldn't move.

"LET GO! YOU FILTHY ORPHAN, LET GO!" he yelled and she flicked her other hand to a knife and ripped his mouth. There was no scream, just tears of pain.

"Are you in pain?" she asked, pouting her lips, "That's not half of what you did to everyone for the past 20 years. What you did to the families, to the men, to the women, to the children, to my friends, to me. You mercilessly did things they didn't deserve." she said, "But that's all fine. The kingdom will be in my hands at the end,"

With the same knife, she cut off his fingers, and toes, and his meat. She lifted her hand and Torwick fell to the ground.

"I'm very very very happy today," she exclaimed in delight, taking the same knife as Torwick cried like a baby. She placed the knife on his neck and tugged on his collar with her bare hands, "Bye bye, Torwick," she slit his throat and through, and his head came off. She stared at his head for a while, and smiled, "I can't wait until Garland's head is in my hands,"

~~~

With the horses from the Royal Army who were all now dead by the three, and the citizens of Pendagline who wanted revenge, all was made.

Kayla moved into her residence as she buried the bodies near the mountains, and with the clothes and help from the people who cherished her as their savior, she could rebuild the Bounds.

She introduced herself as just Kayla Nellister, as if she used her real name, the word could spread and Garland could flee or hunt her down.

The news spread to the cities of Emitha and Glandithe near it as Pendagline was closed off. And soon, it reached the King.

The leader of the North was called the Assassin of the North, but no one, who was not part of the North, knew what they looked like.

With the wall around the city, Kayla had charmed it secretly so no one could leave and enter except for animals, her, Adrian and Alex.

All the cities conquered by the North, all of them were bordered by walls that Kayla made when there were no citizens in the area. It was all so perfect for their retaliation. The North had loyal citizens filled with vengeance, and so they would never want to tell any authorities about who the leader was.

Alex and Adrian were by Kayla's side for the longest time, and only they knew her secret as a witch.

The people of Pendagline didn't know Kayla was a witch. None of them did. And she didn't want them to know: both because she was scared they'd not accept her, and that they could die.

From that day of the slaughter of the Royal Army and the taking over of Pendagline, it all started.

The revolution started.