Cerdic and Aldric raced through the corridor. Cerdic dragged his little brother along. They ran as fast as they could. He could see the main door just ahead. But just at that moment—
A shadow jumped down from the upper floor and swung a dagger directly at Cerdic. Cerdic stopped in time to avoid getting his throat slit open. But it scratched his neck, leaving a thin line of blood.
Crow didn't hesitate and raised her dagger again. Cerdic pulled Aldric behind him. His hands instinctively looking for something to defend. He still had a short dagger in his belt. His hands trembled. But he stood firm.
Crow laughed eerily. She then blurred forward like a phantom.
Crash!
Someone slammed into her from the side.
Garon.
The old steward tackled her with a roar. They both crashed into the nearby wall. The woman shrieked and twisted Garon's right arm at an unnatural angle. The sound of bones cracking was heard as Garon let out a cry. But even then, he didn't give up. He dragged her with his left arm and headbutted her.
"Go!" Garon roared as he tried to keep the woman at bay. 'Don't just stand there; escape!"
"Garon... Gareth and Victor... they..."
"All dead!" Garon yelled. "Just go! You are all that is left."
Cerdic hesitated for a moment. It was obvious Garon wouldn't survive if he escaped. But then he looked at his little brother's terrified face, and his expression turned determined. The next moment, he grabbed Aldric and ran out of the front door. The view outside was horrendous. There were many bodies of dead guards scattered along the way. Blood soaked the soil in the courtyard. But Cerdic wasn't seeing anything but the front gate. He could hear the screams of Garon as he ran.
"I am sorry, Garon."
Cerdic murmured as the two of them charged past the gates. Soon, they disappeared into the darkness.
Back in the mansion, Crow was fuming as she grabbed Garon by his head and slammed him into the wall. His blood was smeared across the stone. Many of his bones were broken. But Crow wasn't finished.
"You let them escape!" She screamed as she rained punches down on him. "Do you have any idea what horrifying punishment my master will make me go through?"
Garon coughed up blood and gasped for air.
There was a sound of some door being blasted open. A few moments later, Tick entered the corridor.
"That brat locked me in!" He growled.
Crow glared at him and then gave him a heavy punch on the chest, sending him staggering back.
"Ouch! What the hell was that for?" Tick stared at her.
"You pathetic sack of bones! Wasn't it your job to finish off Regulus' wife and children? His sons just escaped."
"I just got careless." Tick looked embarrassed. "Furthermore, weren't you supposed to get anyone who tries to run away?"
"This loyal dog of Brightmoon blocked me." She pointed at Garon, who was now beaten so badly that he was unrecognisable. Her fingers were twitching to finish the old man off. But she was still seething and wanted to vent her anger more.
Then, the taller man arrived. He wiped the blood off his dagger.
"Moth, how are things in your wing?" Crow asked.
"My side is done," he said. "Godwin's wife, his sons, and all the servants and guards in that wing,"
"But the two brats of Regulus escaped," Crow said.
"No worries," Moth said, laughing. "Those little brats, can they outrun us?"
Tick and Crow also laughed.
"Let me finish him off; then we can chase them down." Crow raised her hand, preparing to land a killing blow on Garon. Garon opened his eyes with some difficulty. He saw the shadowy woman preparing to kill him.
"A—are you from the Dawn sect?" Garon asked with difficulty.
"Why do you want to know?" Crow scoffed.
"We are not," Tick replied. Crow glared at him. "What? He is dying anyway," he said lazily.
Garon coughed up blood again.
"Cultivators... wiping out a... mortal family," he laughed in ridicule. "Do you... have any... shame... cough!"
"Cultivators?" Moth sighed. "I wish we were."
"Old fart, just shut your mouth already," Crow slashed, slitting Garon's throat. "Forget about being cultivators. Even being a mortal would be better than being us."
There was a moment of silence. Then Moth took a step forward.
"Let's go," he said. "I can still track their scent. Those brats won't escape."
"Let's go then." Crow also walked. She opened the main door and was about to walk towards the front gates. But then, she coughed up blood and went down on one knee, clutching her chest.
"Seems like you overdid it," Moth said.
"She always does," Tick chuckled.
Crow breathed heavily.
"I need to take the medicine," she said.
"Hm...fine, you two go back," Moth said. "It doesn't need three of us to chase down two kids."
"No. I will go." Tick stepped up. "It was my duty to kill them anyway. You take her to master,"
"But you are not as good as me at tracking," Moth argued.
"Don't look down on me; it's just two brats," Tick scoffed.
Moth thought for a moment and then nodded. "Let it be then." He helped Crow up. She looked even more frail now. Her skin was pale, and blood trickled down the side of her mouth.
"Come back before sunrise, whether you get them or not," Moth said warningly. "Or you may not live to see the next day."
"I know my limits," Tick said, smirking.
"Alright, then let's go." Moth said as he lifted Crow into his arms. With one leap he was over the walls. With a second leap, he disappeared behind the trees.
Tick followed them out. But he was going in a different direction.
"Time to hunt." Tick sniffed the air. A few moments later, he headed towards a different direction than Moth and Crow. That was the exact direction Cerdic and Aldric disappeared.