CHAPTER 37 : THE SWAMPLoren, Anne, and Howard continue their journey forward, their journey to the northern mountains leading them through a seemingly endless expanse of dense forest. As they ventured deeper, the trees grew taller and more twisted, their gnarled branches clawing at the sky like skeletal fingers. The once-sturdy ground beneath them began to soften, transforming into the murky, mud-ridden depths of a sprawling swamp.A thick, damp fog began to settle, casting an eerie pall over the area and swallowing up the thin rays of sunlight that dared filter through the canopy. The swamp felt alive, the stagnant water rippling as if disturbed by unseen creatures lurking just below the surface. A cold, unpleasant odor hung heavy in the air, a noxious mix of decaying leaves and stagnant water that made every breath feel labored.“Why did it have to be a swamp? I’ve got a terrible feeling about this place.” Anne muttered, pulling her cloak tighter around herself. The ground grew so
CHAPTER 38 : THE HARP THAT WAITEDAs Anne lay under the witch’s hypnosis spell, she began to drift deeper into a dream, or rather, a nightmare. Memories of her past resurfaced, vivid and relentless, transporting her back to her childhood in Heilen Village, a place she had both loved and lost.In her dream, Anne found herself back in the familiar warmth of her family’s small cottage, surrounded by the earthy scent of herbs and the faint melody of her mother’s harp. The scene was peaceful, almost idyllic. She could see her mother, Maria, moving gracefully through the room, tending to herbs and preparing healing potions. Maria’s warm smile lit up the space, a gentle reminder of her nurturing spirit and dedication to the people of Heilen. Her mother was the village’s most skilled healer, known not only for her abilities but also for her kindness and unwavering strength.Across the room, her father, Shon, sat by the hearth, meticulously polishing his sword. He was a towering, strong man wi
CHAPTER 39 : MÉMOIREOn a bright morning, Claire decided to take young Anne to the market in town. It had been a few days since the last word of the war effort, and the silence hung over Heilen village like an unseen mist. Claire tried to keep Anne busy with small outings to the plaza and quiet afternoons at home, but she couldn’t entirely shield the child from the unease filling the air. Despite her best efforts to mask her worry, Claire’s heart tightened each time she looked at Anne, who still clutched the harp Maria had given her.The town plaza was bustling that day, villagers going about their business, some with faint lines of worry etched across their faces, others glancing toward the bulletin board as if waiting for news. Claire and Anne walked through the crowd, with Anne skipping along, holding tightly to her aunt’s hand.As they approached the square, Claire’s gaze was drawn to the large bulletin board at the center. There, a new announcement was posted, a large, neatly wri
CHAPTER 40 : HAUNTING REGRETSAs the witch’s chilling whispers lingered in Howard’s mind, he felt himself slipping into a dark, dreamlike haze. He drifted deeper and deeper, his surroundings dissolving until he found himself standing in the middle of a vast battlefield. Smoke and ash choked the air, and the echo of steel clashing against steel filled his ears.The nightmarish battlefield stretched out endlessly before Howard, trapping him in its suffocating grip. The earth beneath him was soaked with the blood of countless fallen warriors, and the air reeked of smoke and despair. Every broken weapon, every torn banner embedded in the ground seemed to hold a memory of the battle’s brutal intensity, echoing with the silent screams of the lives lost here. The storm raging above mirrored the turmoil in Howard’s heart, casting flashes of blinding light that momentarily illuminated the devastation around him.Raindrops pelted down with merciless force, cold and unrelenting, mingling with th
CHAPTER 41 : A NEW JOURNEY“They’re in danger.” declared a paladin, his voice low but resolute as he spotted Loren and his friends trapped in the swamp’s nightmarish haze. Without hesitation, he sprinted towards them, the radiance of his armor cutting through the shadows.As he neared the witch, the paladin raised his hands, and a spiraling vortex of light swirled into existence, gathering energy before launching toward the witch with divine force.“Disturber!” the witch hissed, her eyes flashing with anger as she twisted her form to evade the radiant tornado. The power of light scorched the air as it passed, leaving a crackling trail that made her recoil, shadows writhing at the edges of her figure.“You will not harm these souls any longer,” the paladin said, his voice firm and unwavering. The witch’s laughter faded as her anger intensified, her form momentarily flickering under the power of his light. He advanced, his presence steady and commanding, ready to face her dark magic h
CHAPTER 42 : XUN“The third crystal will appear in Festerfort.” the system’s voice echoed, breaking through the eerie silence. This time, unlike its usual cryptic tones, the system delivered its message with unusual clarity and precision, as if the stakes demanded no room for ambiguity.In the shadows, a woman stood with poised determination. Her long black hair was tied back neatly, a contrast to her sharp, focused eyes. She worked quickly but methodically, inspecting her long rifle. Its sleek, shiny black surface gleamed in the faint light, a testament to the care and precision she devoted to her weapon. It was more than just a tool, it was an extension of herself. Satisfied with her preparations, she stood, slinging the rifle over her shoulder.The landscape before her was the remnants of what once had been a thriving city: Festerfort. Now, it was a place where time and war had left their indelible scars. The air was thick with the smell of moss and decay, as vegetation slowly rec
CHAPTER 43 : DAGGER AND BULLETXun hurled his dagger with expert precision toward the woman. As the blade sliced through the air, he suddenly disappeared, reappearing in the blink of an eye at the dagger’s trajectory. In one fluid motion, he seized the weapon mid-flight and slashed downward at the woman.But she was faster. Anticipating the attack, she twisted her body, narrowly avoiding the blade, and leapt backward. With a smooth movement, she raised her rifle and fired, the shot ringing out through the quiet ruins. Xun’s dagger flashed as he deflected the bullet, the sound of metal clashing against metal reverberating in the empty streets.Adjusting her stance, the woman shifted from defense to offense. Her rifle's barrel gleamed under the faint light as she unleashed a rapid volley of shots toward Xun, each bullet aimed with precision. Xun, however, moved like a shadow given form. His dagger spun and twirled in his hands, deflecting every bullet with unnerving precision, the metal
CHAPTER 44 : BLADES, BULLETS, AND BLOODThe ruins of Festerfort trembled with the chaos of battle. The rhythmic clang of metal meeting lead bullet echoed through the desolate city as Xun and the woman engaged in a deadly dance. Sparks erupted with each deflected shot, the woman’s rifle crackling like thunder while Xun’s dagger moved like a serpent, weaving through her onslaught with unnerving precision.Xun smirked as he deflected another bullet with a flick of his blade. “Persistent, aren’t you?” he taunted, circling her like a predator.The woman said nothing, her sharp eyes locked on him. She reloaded her rifle with practiced speed, the faint click of the mechanism the only answer to his mockery. Her movements were calculated, each step carefully measured as she sought the perfect angle to strike.Then, the ground shuddered.A low, guttural rumble rolled through the ruins, growing louder with each second. Dust and loose debris trembled, cascading from the remnants of nearby struct