Blood flowed from the clump of bodies onto the icy floors of the cavern, freezing before getting anywhere near Rhok. Still crouched in a corner, he sniffed at the air.It smelled wet with the scent of blood heavy in the air. He looked to his left and right, then closed his eyes, he expanded his shadow sense, looking, searching for anyone that may have escaped this onslaught.He opened his eyes and breathed out, standing up, he walked towards Scar, who was seemingly unharmed and protected by the surrounding ice. But he couldn't escape his mind control.A memory flashed through his mind, the bodies of pregnant women and dismembered body parts of humans, laid on an altar for some form of sacrifice. It has also been the time he had gotten the mind control ability, the problem with the skill was that it sapped him of his mental strength.“You can come out now, Liora" he whispered. The presence of another shadow welcomed itself into the cavern.“Are you okay? Do you need me to heal you?” Li

"You weren't meant to make it back alive" Ben took huge gulps from his mug, refilled it and had another. Looking past his brawny stature and veiny arms, he seemed like a more gentle person than Rhok had given him credit for. Although he could hardly see his lips moving with all the hair covering his chin."A day before you arrived, two men brought a sack of silver chips. They made a proposal which I couldn't refuse, to give the hardest mission available if a young man clad in black and a lady escort ever walked in here asking to be adventurers" Ben used the back of his hand to swipe the foam off his beard.Rhok sighed, settling into his cups, he was drained and tired, now more so than ever. Liora wasn't with him anymore, he had sent her to her room, just beside his. He still had more to speak with Ben on."And what about now?" He asked, feeling a growing anticipation. A bag of silver chips was a lot of money, all that just to get rid of me? Hadn't he considered his daughter's life?"T

"Here you go", Ben handed out two silver ornaments to Rhok and Liora. Rhok looked at the ornament, it had three silver swords all crossed against each other like an asterisk.He held it up in the light, "But we're just starting" Rhok looked at Ben, expecting an answer. The big man shook his head slightly."You deserve it!" He sighed, finding a chair to sit down. "The mission you accomplished wasn't something that two bronze adventurers could handle, I doubt even two silver Adventurers could defeat Scar and bring back his head for all to see".Rhok nodded understanding the situation. He looked to his side, Liora seemed content enough with her new ornaments. Her's were exactly the same as his, with a rope attached to it so it could be worn on the neck."Also," Ben said pointing his hands at Rhok. " I'm sure you know how divided the kingdom is. Mere citizens aren't allowed to reach places that adventurers can, so always wear your silver blades...""Is that what you call them?" He sighed.

Something was terribly wrong. That shadow, shape, gait, it all felt so wrong, unlike anything Rhok had ever seen.He hadn't noticed it at first, seeing the dismembered bodies of the villagers who gathered around, he expected the shadows that lay about to be in dishevel. Until he saw that monstrosity.He couldn't make sense of it, was it an animal, a beast, or perhaps a species that he had never seen before, in any case, the bloodlust coming from the monster was suffocating.Liora was about to say something, but he couldn't risk giving out their locations. There was still some light that leaked into the cave from the entrance, giving him leeway to hide and observe the beast. He simply couldn't understand its shadow.He held her mouth before she spoke, dragging her into a corner hidden in the shadows, he stayed there, his heart thumping wildly as he felt the presence approaching him.Each step sent vibrations through the entire cave, Rhok thought about how this kind of monster would exi

"A spirit Mage?" Liora whispered, she had never seen one in her life, of course, she hadn't been allowed to go out much often, but being a Spirit Mage was even rarer than making a contract with a spirit.Yet one stood in front of her, unbelievable."Why hide yourself from my presence? Why not offer your aide to the ones you called here? Such insolence" Rhok turned with a frown on his face, although Eryn couldn't see it because she facing the ground with her head bowed."The spirits... They warned me... I couldn't defy them" she confessed."Defy them? You? Who is given the authority over them is bothered with such frivolities?" Rhok walked towards her, raising his hand up.Shadows surrounded Eryn, wrapping around her as a snake would its prey, squeezing her, attempting to squish her into a pulp."Please..." She cried out, choking and gasping for breath, but nothing changed."You dare... Risk his body? Bringing him to battle a demon? While you cower and hide in fear?" Rhok clenched his