Book 17, Indigo Prefecture – Chapter 40, Betrayal

The Skyrite Mountains. In the ground beneath the palace where Forhan lived. A dark, lightless underground hall.

The hall was chilly and forbidding. Currently, the only person within it was Forhan. Forhan was seated upon the throne in the hall, slouched over it like a beast in ambush, his eyes flashing with dim light, thinking thoughts only he knew.

“Inform the forces of the eight great clans?” Although Forhan did want Linley dead and to have the eight great clans do it, it was nothing more than a thought. As he seriously considered it, however…he began to hesitate.

This was because the only way to let the forces of the eight great clans know was to inform them.

As for the act of informing them, there was no way someone else could carry out this task, nor could anyone else be allowed to know of it. This was because this act would be considered a ‘betrayal of the clan’, a grave crime! Forhan, as an Elder, was confident that he would be able to easily pass this information regarding Linley to the eight great clans. If it were to leak out that he had done so, however, he, Forhan, would never have a place again amongst the Four Divine Beasts clan!

“Betrayal of the clan…is punishable by execution of all bodies.” Forhan remembered this punishment very clearly.

“For the sake of taking revenge upon Linley…to take such a great risk…is it worth it?” Forhan...