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Chapter 222 – The Game of Shadows
Chapter 222 – The Game of Shadows
The hunt had become something more than mere assassination.
Tonight, Seraphis wouldn’t just eliminate her targets.
She would play with them.
She would turn them against each other, plant seeds of doubt, and watch their own paranoia consume them from within.
Her next targets:
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Sylvaine Valefor – A cruel, manipulative noblewoman with deep ties to the Sleeper Experiment.
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Gregor "The Bloodhound" Drakos – A relentless enforcer, known for his brutal efficiency.
They trusted each other.
They worked together.
But by dawn—
One would kill the other.
And Seraphis would watch it happen.
The Silent Infiltration
The Valefor Estate was draped in elegance. Gilded chandeliers, flowing silk curtains, an air of decadence that masked the rotting filth beneath.
Seraphis walked through the halls unseen, her illusion magic rendering her as nothing more than a wisp of shadow.
Sylvaine Valefor's chamber was at the far end of the second floor, guarded by four elite warriors.
Not a problem.
With a whisper of magic, she projected false memories into their minds.
To them, she was the head servant delivering an urgent message.
They stepped aside without question.
She entered the chamber.
And the fun began.
Sylvaine’s Nightmare
Sylvaine Valefor slept soundly, oblivious to the danger creeping into her room.
Seraphis stood over her, watching.
Then—
She pressed a finger to Sylvaine’s forehead.
Dark tendrils of magic slithered into the noblewoman’s skull.
False memories bloomed.
Visions of betrayal.
Sylvaine’s mind twisted with fabricated recollections—
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Gregor attacking her.
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Gregor calling her a liability.
-
Gregor wanting her dead.
Her breathing quickened, her body shuddering as the nightmares took root.
Seraphis smiled.
When Sylvaine woke, she would believe with absolute certainty that Gregor had tried to kill her.
She would summon him for answers.
And they would fight.
Satisfied, Seraphis vanished into the shadows.
Her next stop: Gregor Drakos.
The Bloodhound's Curse
Gregor was a different breed.
A warrior, a monster in human form.
His home was a fortress. Thick stone walls, traps at every entrance, elite guards patrolling every hallway.
But none of that mattered.
Seraphis walked through them like a ghost.
Inside his chamber, she repeated the process.
Her magic seeped into his mind, feeding him lies.
When he woke, he would remember Sylvaine’s betrayal.
He would know that she was coming for him.
And so, when the summons arrived the next morning—
Gregor would not hesitate.
He would go.
And he would kill her.
The Bloody Duel
Morning came.
Seraphis perched atop a rooftop, a bag of caramelized popcorn in her lap, watching the estate courtyard below.
Gregor stood at one end, his blood-red armor gleaming in the sunlight.
Sylvaine stood opposite, a dagger in each hand, her face twisted in rage and confusion.
“What the hell is this, Gregor?” she hissed.
“You think I don’t know what you tried to do?” Gregor growled, his hands tightening around his greatsword.
Sylvaine’s eyes widened. “You attacked me first, bastard.”
Gregor’s snarl deepened. “Liar.”
Sylvaine lunged.
Gregor swung his greatsword, barely missing as she twisted out of the way.
Blades clashed.
Sparks flew.
Seraphis leaned back, crunching on a handful of popcorn.
This was fun.
The Battle of Betrayal
Sylvaine was fast, darting around Gregor like a viper.
But Gregor was relentless, his greatsword carving through the air in brutal arcs.
Each swing shattered the stone beneath them.
Each dodge brought Sylvaine closer to exhaustion.
She leaped, her daggers flashing—
Gregor caught her mid-air.
With one savage motion, he slammed her into the ground.
The force cracked the stone.
Sylvaine gasped, blood spilling from her lips.
Gregor raised his sword.
Sylvaine rolled away just in time, her dagger slicing across Gregor’s side.
Blood sprayed.
But Gregor didn’t even flinch.
Seraphis watched, impressed.
Sylvaine was desperate now.
Her attacks turned erratic, her movements sloppy.
Gregor saw it.
He capitalized on it.
His greatsword came down like a guillotine.
Sylvaine screamed.
And then—
Her head rolled.
Blood pooled beneath her lifeless body.
Seraphis popped another piece of popcorn into her mouth.
“Well,” she murmured. “That was fun.”
The Execution of Gregor Drakos
Gregor panted, blood dripping from his wounds.
He had won.
But victory had cost him.
He was weakened.
And Seraphis was not done playing.
She dropped down from the rooftop, landing softly behind him.
Gregor stiffened, turning just as she stepped into view.
His tired eyes narrowed.
Seraphis smiled. “I’ve had my fun.”
And then—
She moved.
A flash of silver.
Gregor had no time to react.
Her blade slid across his throat with a clean, perfect motion.
His eyes widened in shock.
His sword fell from his grasp.
Seraphis caught his body as it collapsed, lowering him slowly onto the blood-soaked courtyard.
His breath came in ragged gasps.
“You—” he choked, but the words never came.
Seraphis tilted her head, watching as his life drained away.
Then—
She decapitated him.
His head landed with a dull thud beside Sylvaine’s.
And with that—
Two more names were crossed off her list.
The Aftermath
Seraphis stood in the courtyard, surveying the carnage.
Bodies littered the ground.
The Bloodhound and the Viper—both slain by their own hands.
She had turned them against each other.
And in the end, she had won.
A smirk curled at her lips as she turned away, disappearing into the morning mist.
There were more names to erase.
More games to play.
And Seraphis was just getting started.