Xander persisted in his quest to secure a boat to ferry them to Singing Lady Island. But the moment he dared to speak the name of that dreaded place, the sailors scattered like leaves in the wind, consumed by their own fear."Now I'm genuinely curious about what's hidden on that island," Bloodhound snarled ominously within Xander's mind.As Xander scoured the docks for a boat and hope dwindled, a grizzled, white-haired figure drinking from a battered leather pouch beckoned to him."Ho there, lad. Seek passage to Singing Lady Island, do ye?" the old man's voice croaked, echoing eerily in Xander's ears. The young adventurer turned to face the wobbly figure approaching him.The pungent scent of ale wafted from the old man, enveloping him in a cloud of inebriation."I'm the only one crazy enough to take ya there," he proclaimed, wiping the ale dribbling from his chin."Ten gold coins, firm as the rocks," he added, his tone as unsteady as his gait. The astonishingly low price took Xander

As Xander and Atheria ascended the staircase, he continued to tell her about the eerie singing he thought he had heard."Atheria, I'm serious. I heard it. Maybe this castle's tales aren't all myths," Xander said with a nervous chuckle.Atheria, however, rolled her eyes and teased, "Xander, you're not seriously telling me you're so scared that you've started hearing songs in the air now."Xander retorted, "Even an army can be unnerved by a ghost, you know."Before Atheria could respond, she took a step forward and felt a slight depression on the floor. Her eyes widened as Xander heard a subtle click, and the hair on his neck stood on end. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a cannon fired towards Atheria. It hurtled through the air with deadly speed.But just as it seemed all was lost, a man in gleaming silver armor leaped out from the shadows. With a swift, precise strike, he cut the cannonball in half, and then landed on the floor with a heavy thud, sending echoes through the ancient castle.I

Atheria, not one to be easily scared, found herself jumping in shock and fear at the sight of the snakeskin. She dashed behind Xander and instinctively clutched his hand tightly."What... what is that thing?" Atheria asked, still struggling to believe her eyes.Xander slowly walked forward and crouched before the snakeskin. "Whatever shed this skin, it did so recently. It's not even a month old," he said in a grave tone."How could that be? Okay, let's think about this rationally," Atheria took a deep breath, attempting to calm her frayed nerves. "This must be another snake. There's no way a cobra given to Mayana by the Duke a thousand years ago could still be alive," she reasoned."I bet this is just another one of the bandits' tricks," Atheria concluded."Yeah, let's attribute everything that's happening to the bandits' doing," Xander snickered."That's it!" Atheria had had enough of Xander's strange behavior. She threw her hands up in frustration and fear, then paced forward. "What

As Atheria teetered on the brink of unconsciousness, Bloodhound suddenly threw her aside with a powerful force. She landed a few meters away, clutching her neck, and immediately sensed a growing threat in the air.Weakly, she murmured, "What... is... that?"A shiver ran down her spine as she watched something coiling around Bloodhound's form. From the shadows emerged a sinister hissing sound that sent chills down her spine."Such an ugly creature," Bloodhound sneered, unperturbed by the looming danger. Atheria's eyes widened as she witnessed Bloodhound being ensnared by a colossal tail and lifted into the air. Illuminated by the torchlight, she could now clearly see the enormous serpent with glistening black scales, easily thirty-five feet long.Her shock quickly turned to determination as she remembered Xander's words."I wonder how your blood will taste," Bloodhound growled, meeting the serpent's gaze with unwavering resolve. Tension hung in the air as the two formidable beings enga

Atheria nodded in agreement with Xander's assessment. "The sooner we find the book, the sooner we can leave this godforsaken place," she said, her urgency clear in her voice.Xander sighed, knowing what he had to do. "I have to give control back to him," he muttered. Without further delay, he allowed Bloodhound to take over.Bloodhound, now in control of Xander's body, cracked his neck audibly. His crimson eyes scanned their surroundings, his senses alert."Hold me tight," Bloodhound growled, his tone brooking no argument. Atheria gripped Bloodhound's hands tightly as he prepared to leap.With a powerful jump, they soared upward, with Bloodhound's supernatural strength propelling them higher by grabbing the walls. After a few heart-pounding seconds, they landed back in the corridor above.Atheria looked around, her gaze falling upon countless bookshelves stretching as far as the eye could see. The library was massive, with ladders strategically placed to access books on the higher she