Chapter 321 Into The Imperium (1/2)

WhenThey broke cahtened the sky, clearly anxious to leave the border

The guard captain gave the group of borderlanders no further advice or warnings While his expression suggested he believed they were rave mistake, hehis uards had left quickly, the borderlanders were slow in packing up their belongings Many of the the road ahead, and it was obvious that they were hesitant in continuing the journey

To Arran's dismay, however, more than a few of the borderlanders looked at hi for hiroup was the last thing he wanted, but it seemed that his actions of the previous day had left uards gone, his fellow travelers were now looking to hih From the look of the borderlanders, it could easily be another hour before they e to enter the Is and finish your meals We leave in a quarter-hour!”

His words had the intended effect At once, a ripple of roup was packed and ready to leave just a few minutes later, well before the quarter-hour was up

”Everyone ready?” Arran called out Some nods and murmurs cao!”

Arran started toward the two boulders at a cal into motion behind hier dawdled — all they had needed was soe and lead the way

Yet while he had reassured his companions, Arran felt a hint of hesitation as he passed between the two large boulders

At his side now hung a si contained Though it ell-le enchantment That would avoid unwanted attention, but it also ainst any real threat

A better weapon was only a thought away, but having the executioner's sword take its real shape or retrieving a star would instantly expose hie If that happened, he would have to find a way to deal with the witnesses

And with two hundred borderlanders behind him, there would be many of those

But after a moment, Arran forced his went disastrously wrong, there would be no need for him to use a weapon at all

Instead, he focused his attention on the road ahead — and the Hunters ere still following the with the borderlanders

Now that they had entered the I before the Hunters revealed themselves Within their own lands, there was no need for stealth — as far they would know, the borderlanders were coressed at a slow but steady pace, readying himself for the encounter that was to come

Just as he had expected, they had barely been within the Imperium's borders for a quarter-hour when he Sensed the Hunters approach the road, one group roup behind theroup of travelers caasps and whispers sounded a them While many of the the — here, they could not sio unnoticed

Arran, however, looked at the half-dozen Hunters on the road ahead with soroup, he'd been the first to see them, and with narrowed eyes, he studied the Hunters while he waited for them to make a move

There were six Hunters ahead of him, all dressed in leather armor, with slender swords at their sides and bows strapped to their backs Now, finally, Arran could see why they were known as Hunters in the borderlands — judging fro

Of course, the Hunters looked at Arran as well Not only was he first aroup of borderlanders, his stance and movements also revealed him as a Body Refiner

This was a deliberate decision on his part While he could conceal all his abilities, doing so would be difficult And if he slipped up for even a th, he would immediately draw no small ah to be noticed and dismissed