Divine Heritage: Only I Can Judge The gods-Chapter 18: A few more Homicides

"W-why?"

Michael fell to his knees, a genuine look of confusion on his face. The knife had struck his heart and although the dagger was slowing down his blood loss, he would die soon.

Ark walked to his front and watched as blood dripped from his mouth.

"Well it's simple, you're working for the usurper lord."

The man's eyes widened slightly, that was the only confirmation Ark needed to know he was right.

"H-how did you know?"

There were many reasons why Ark had slowly grown suspicious of him but there was one that stood above the rest....

And that was his reaction when he called him to discuss a potential rebellion. But of course, he had to start with the others.

"Has anyone ever told you that you say one thing and then do the opposite?"

The man looked confused but Ark continued.

"You keep pushing the guard to rebel against the lord, encouraging resentment among them, but when it's time for you to step up and lead them you shrink back into the background."

Ark had noticed the sheer amount of times he would make a comment or so about the lord or lady and when he would be asked the solution he would remain silent.

He could easily recognize Michael's tactic, especially since he was doing the same thing.

"You act like the devil, slowly pushing us all to the edge of the fire and prompting us to jump, all while acting as though you were completely unaware."

"Now, the question is why? You could have simply been a coward trying to get people to do the dirty work for you but..."

Things had become clearer the day Michael spoke to him in secret. During that time, Ark's name had been sung amongst the guards due to his recent exploits.

He was the perfect person to lead a rebellion... so the lord likely made a request of Michael.

"I'm assuming the new lord sent you to confirm if I have the guts to rebel, didn't he?"

Michael shifted uncomfortably, at this point his movements had become weak and he was already nearly at the doorway of death.

After his meeting with the lord, Michael could not exactly act as passively as he did before, with the lord getting slightly panicked he made Michael act against his normal tactics.

So he had asked him directly, right to Ark's face he had asked them to start a rebellion. Why then, was the cowardly Michael now very willing to have his name attached to the rebellion?

Not only that but to suggest Ark be the leader when he had far more influence over the guards than him...

Shortly after he seemed to have agreed with Ark's response and acted as though he had taken his advice, Michael went back to the default settings.

And resumed his regular role as an instrument of the lord.

At that, point his antics became rather obvious. Michael was no fool, but the lord had made him into one.

He was not interested in a rebellion, all he was trying to do was find out if Ark would actually agree to it.

This was because—

"Anyone found guilty of rebelling would go missing, you were the Lord's spy."

It was strange really how unconcerned the lord seemed about the lesser guards. What he had done was as clear as day and yet he looked like he was not afraid of getting killed.

But in truth, it was not that he was unafraid, he had them checkmated the whole time.

And this man... was his best piece.

Michael's face contorted after he heard the explanation. He tried to rise to his feet but failed miserably at it, so instead he looked up at Ark, anger burning in his eyes.

"But you couldn't have been sure! You stabbed your best friend because of mere speculations?!"

Ark laughed lightly.

He was right, even with everything laid down, there was no easy way for him to be a hundred percent sure.

And yet he was running out of time, so he did the only logical thing he could do.

He eliminated the anomaly.

Ark smiled.

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"It's simple really, I no longer need you for my plans. So what's wrong with having you disappear?"

Michael gritted his teeth and tried to lunge at Ark but all he managed to was deepen the wound. He collapsed on his side, his eyes staring into nothingness.

His voice became weak as he spoke.

"They'll know it was you, I went out with you you know?" He let out a dry laugh. "Have fun courting death bastard."

"Huh? Oh but they do not."

Ark had simply signaled him in the most inconspicuous way possible and with Michael wanting to keep their interaction a secret, he would have left quietly as well.

No one would know what happened to Michael, and his death would even go far in ensuring Ark's plans succeeded.

But Michael did not respond, because by then... he was already dead. He went to the grave thinking the one who killed him would face some sort of judgement.

Ark stared at his body for a long time, unsure of how to feel.

This was a trial, he was not real and yet he felt a slight sting in the bottom of his heart.

Was it normal to take a life like that whether he was real or not?

"Hmmm... a question for another time then."

He had decided a long time ago to go through any length to succeed, as long as his conscience would allow it.

After all...

Ark pulled out the dagger and began to dig.

...Michael was not the only one that would die by his hands today.

***

Far at the other side of the camp Kiera, was pacing around her tiny cell. By now the room had gotten a foul smell of urine and faeces and yet she had to endure.

She had thought of many ways of escaping this cell already and she would have done so if not for the second person involved in the plan.

Normally, she would have completely disregarded him but to her surprise, his plan was actually stellar.

Kiera had heard Ark's plan and had to confess about the ingenuity of it, although it bore some similarities to hers the nature of his person was very much evident in his plans.

She had to wait.

And yet it was not easy.

She was about to go back to her regular spot and sleep to conserve energy when she heard something slam violently against the carriage wall.

The force was so severe that the carriage shook, almost causing her to fall.

Then the sound of something slowly sliding down its walls reached her ears as well.

She leaned into the back of the wall.

Today was the day Ark was meant to get her and yet she had no way of knowing what had happened out there.

There was a chance he had been captured or even killed in which case, her only potential visitor would be her uncle's assassins.

'Is it Ark or is it him?'

She had suspected that her uncle planned to kill her soon and yet she didn't expect it to be this soon.

Kiera hid the only weapon she had managed to craft behind her back.

The handle of the iron bucket that she had sharpened all through the time she had spent there.

But when the door to the carriage swung open, she was greeted by a familiar figure.

Ark held a torch in one hand and a bloody dagger in the other. On his waist, two swords were strapped securely.

With blood slowly dripping down his face and rather dark smile, he then said:

"Happy death day."