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Ivan's Lament IV
The moment they entered the temple, Ivan felt a searing pain shoot down his back, threading down the mark on his back. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground in front of the priests that greeted them.
“What’s wrong with the boy?” An alarmed priest asked. They immediately crowded around him.
“-Back…” he grunted out, reaching out to grab a hold of anything that could let him ease the pain. Orlov immediately pushed the priest back and ripped off Ivan’s cape and coat and other layers revealing his deeply scarred back.
“It’s blood red,” one priest commented in shock.
“Look at the shape of that!” another exclaimed. They all fought to get a good look at the boy’s back whi
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