Raven Born of Storm

CG Chapter 101: Raven Born of Storm

Hrafn, the capital of Vennturia, stood as the stronghold of the north and the birthplace of the strongest warriors of the seven kingdoms.

Inside the walls of Hrafn, men fought to the death every day to prove their strength.

Outside the city and in the middle of the icy wilderness, two figures stood in silence.

Above them, the northern aurora danced across the sky, unaffected by the dust of the mortal realm.

These men were none other than Folek and Hidden, who had come to assassinate the king of the north, Ragnar Skyweaver, and the crown prince, Zephyr Skyweaver.

Unfortunately, for them, this task wasn't going to be an easy one.

It was said that Ragnar Skyweaver was born under the Northern Star as a sign of Zephriah's blessing. This blessing granted him immense physical strength from a young age and a towering body, standing at three meters tall.

All of this combined not only paved Ragnar's path to becoming a grand knight but also led him to become the Northern Star, the strongest of the seven grand knights.

For two newly risen grand knights, who didn't have a chance to sharpen their swords, to face him head-on wasn't only reckless but suicidal.

However, things weren't hopeless.

The Strio oath is an oath that every northerner must pledge before the statue of Zephriah to become a real man.

This oath forbade them from declining to fight if they were challenged.

This gave Hidden and Folek a chance, one of them would challenge the king to an honorable fight, while the others would hide in the shadows.

They knew that Ragnar had absolute confidence in his strength which would leave him defenseless in case of a sudden attack.

Some might call his mindset foolish, and there was truth to that. But to Ragnar, anyone who shied away from battle was unworthy of being called a man, let alone have the right to follow their powerful god. As such, they would be killed to avoid bringing shame to the North.

Yet, the biggest problem wasn't Ragnar himself. It was that the two couldn't agree on who would face him in open combat and who would strike from the shadows, should the need arise.

"Fuck you, little red-haired brat! How many times do I have to tell you I'm the one who'll fight him." Hidden growled, "Do you know how long I've been cooped up in that tiny fucking mountain, teaching kids how to become full-fledged assassins? Hidden gripped his sword, ready to slice Folek if he dared disagree further.

Folek sighed and rubbed his temples, his headache building as he tried to deal with Hidden's fiery temper. "Are you really willing to put our plans in jeopardy just for your bloodlust? If you want to fight so badly, wait for the war. Then you can fight to your heart's content."

Hidden grumbled but finally relented. It wasn't as if he didn't know that, but he wasn't willing to waste the chance to fight the Northern Star. "Fine. But I'll take the others after we deal with him."

Now that they had come to an agreement, Hidden's lips twisted into a grin, as he turned to the surrounding empty trees, with bloodlust radiating from his eyes he ordered. "I won't say much, but once we kill the king, spread chaos in Vennturia, and leave no house intact. Kill, kill, kill."

His hands trembled with excitement as he stared at the capital, his eyes gleaming with hunger like he was looking at sheep waiting for slaughter.

Swish

Suddenly, an assassin hopped from a tree. He looked no different from the others, but the way he walked made him seem like a higher-ranked assassin.

"Should we interfere during the battle with the Northern Star?" He asked calmly.

Annoyed with the question, Hidden replied, 'Edward is finishing off the whole Astrial family alone. Do you think the two of us can't even handle a single man?

The assassin didn't speak, simply nodding before vanishing.

Finally, the group began to move. Hidden and the other assassins disappeared into the darkness, while Folek approached the city's gates openly.

Surprisingly, he wasn't stopped until reaching the front gates of the palace.

There he calmly declared, "In accordance with the Strio law," his voice maintaining its calmness, "I have come here to challenge Ragnar Skywaver for the title of the Northern Star."

The guards at the gate, who didn't seem affected by the cold in their short trunks, exchanged glances before bursting into laughter.

"You? A no-name nobody challenging the king?" One of them mocked, "Do you think anyone seeking death can just walk in and demand a fight? Go home before we toss you to the wolves."

Folek's expression remained unaffected by their remarks, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Whoosh

Before they could react, his sword flashed. A thin line of red appeared on both of their necks. The wound wasn't deep enough to kill them, but enough to act as a warning.

The guards stumbled back, clutching their necks, their eyes wide. Their laughter died out, replaced with shock.

"Now, do I have the right to challenge your king? Or am I still unworthy?" Folek asked, already knowing the guards' answer.

Just as he expected, the guards' demeanor shifted completely to one of respect. The northerners' reverence for power was no secret, and as such the two didn't feel any hatred but instead admiration for Folek's strength.

A little-known secret was that this trait originated from their first king. He had realized that Eldervale's heavenly will was no match for the power of the gods, and so he chose to switch sides.

The guards straightened, "Follow us," one of them said, his voice heavy with respect.

As they escorted him into the palace, neither of them knew of the shadows trailing behind, waiting to desecrate their sacred battle.