Xander maintained his composure as he faced King Roberts, concealing the turmoil of emotions brewing beneath the surface."How's Kingdom Zania, by the way?" King Roberts inquired, his tone casual.Xander took a sip of the sparkling water, the delicate bubbles providing a momentary distraction from the intense conversation. "The same as always. But Zania is too peaceful for a businessman such as me."The king's laughter resonated through the hall, causing some nobles to glance in their direction."That is true. How can a weapons merchant survive with no war?" King Roberts chuckled heartily, his demeanor relaxed.Atheria observed the exchange, surprised by Xander's composed manner. He didn't seem nervous at all. Unbeknownst to Xander, there was royal blood in his veins; he was the true prince of Drakonia. It was a pity that even Xander remained ignorant of his true origins."Speaking of war, I assume you know about our little civil war in Mooncrest?" King Roberts continued, gesturing fo
As the sky gradually darkened, the gala came to an end, and the nobles began to exit the grand hall of Mooncrest Castle. Atheria let out a relieved sigh, her shoulders visibly relaxing."It's finally over," she remarked, her voice tinged with exhaustion.Xander stood leaning against one of the elegant marble pillars, his gaze fixed on the procession of nobles leaving the hall. The chandeliers above cast a soft, golden glow, illuminating the opulent surroundings. "Yes," Xander replied, his eyes scanning the departing nobles. "But our work is far from finished."He couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over him earlier. The ease with which King Roberts had agreed to their terms still troubled him, and he knew they needed to be vigilant in the coming daysAs Xander waited by the pillar, his thoughts consumed by the impending meeting with King Roberts, a young maid approached him. "Excuse me, my lord," she began politely, her voice soft and respectful, "the king is waiti
Bloodhound kicked the sofa with enough force to send it flying across the room, crashing into one of the royal guards and Velrian, knocking them to the ground. The remaining two royal guards shouted in panic, "Protect the king!""It's too late for that," Bloodhound mocked them with a wicked grin.He conjured the blood sword, a menacing weapon oozing with dark crimson energy. The blade pulsed with an otherworldly power, making it look even more terrifying.King Roberts, in a desperate attempt to save himself, ordered his guards, "Kill him!"Bloodhound wasted no time. With incredible speed, he dashed towards the two royal guards who stood before the king, his red eyes locked onto his prey.The king cursed under his breath, his frustration boiling over. "Kill him, you fools! Kill him quickly!" he shouted at the royal guards, who were desperately trying to fend off Bloodhound's relentless assault.As Bloodhound fought with unmatched ferocity, the sofa pinned down Velrian and the other roy
Bloodhound, with his feral grin, scoffed at Velrian's magical defenses. "Magic tricks won't work against me," he hissed, his voice dripping with menace.In a sudden, vicious strike, Bloodhound swung his crimson blade at the ethereal sword and shield conjured by Velrian. The sword and shield shattered into a burst of glowing specks of light, leaving Velrian stunned by the sheer power of the attack.Bloodhound wasted no time. With a burst of unnatural speed, he closed the gap between himself and the bewildered mage. His blood sword was raised high, poised to cut through Velrian's head in a single, deadly stroke.In a desperate bid to defend himself, Velrian cast another spell, summoning a powerful protective barrier. The barrier shimmered with an ethereal light, forming a semi-transparent, dome-like shield around him. It was a potent defense, radiant and formidable.Bloodhound, undeterred and exuding malevolence, growled with mockery at the shimmering barrier. "Is this all you've got?"
Atheria surveyed the gruesome aftermath of their battle, a shiver coursing down her spine. The once elegant room was now a chaotic mess. Broken furniture lay strewn about like the shattered remnants of some macabre celebration. Blood splatters painted the walls and floor in grotesque patterns, and the air was heavy with the metallic scent of death."This room must be soundproofed," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Otherwise, we would've been swarmed by the guards by now."Bloodhound, still wiping the last traces of the creature's blood from his mouth, grinned wickedly. "It would have been a grand feast, my dear Atheria, if they had come."Atheria's eyes narrowed as she scolded him, her anger palpable. "You and your bloodlust. It's disturbing, you know that?"Bloodhound chuckled darkly, his amusement unfazed by her scolding. "You might be the only one who dares to yell at me and live to tell the tale."Rolling her eyes, Atheria refocused on the dire situation. "We need
The eerie laughter still echoed through the hall, setting Atheria's nerves on edge. She couldn't pinpoint the source of the chilling voice. As she strained her senses to the fullest, she suddenly noticed a dark, flickering shape running like a shadow on the wall. Panic seized her as she realized that whatever this presence was, it wasn't human.Bloodhound, on the other hand, reacted quite differently. He seemed exhilarated by the hunt, his eyes glinting with predatory excitement. His lips curled into a sinister grin as he taunted the unseen intruder."Why don't you show yourself?" Bloodhound's voice dripped with menace. "I'd rather not waste time hunting you down. If you step into the light, I promise to make your death quick and relatively painless. Relatively."Bloodhound's voice oozed with menace, his lips curling into a sinister grin. "If you don't, I'll tear into your flesh, drink your blood, and stomp you into a paste when I find you."Atheria, standing beside him, rolled her ey
Atheria's gaze swept over the gruesome aftermath of the battle, and she couldn't help but shudder at the carnage that surrounded them. Limbs lay strewn across the floor, and the stench of blood hung heavily in the air.As she scanned the broken room, her eyes landed on a dark, thick book nestled in a shadowy corner. Its pages seemed to almost pulse with an eerie energy, and it emitted a faint, otherworldly hum."What's this?" Atheria muttered to herself, her curiosity piqued. She cautiously approached the mysterious tome, her fingers brushing lightly against its leather-bound cover. The moment her hand made contact with the book, a tingling sensation coursed through her, and her heart quickened.Bloodhound, still panting from the intense battle, turned his attention toward her. "What have you found?"She picked up the book, holding it gingerly as if it might bite. "This... this seems important," she replied, her voice tinged with both fascination and trepidation. The book was ancient,
Xander and Atheria rode for several hours, their horses carrying them swiftly through the night. As they approached the outskirts of Diamond City, the moonlight revealed the glistening walls that surrounded the city.Atheria looked at the city wall, her voice filled with a mix of hope and trepidation. "Hopefully, this all ends soon."Deep within Xander, Bloodhound growled ominously. "I have a feeling things are just about to heat up," he muttered, his voice a sinister undertone to their journey.As Xander and Atheria rode closer to the city, the landscape transformed. They soon found themselves on a tranquil path leading to the city gates. The moonlight filtered through the leaves of a massive banyan tree, casting intricate patterns on the ground beneath. The air was filled with the gentle rustling of leaves and the distant sounds of the city.Atheria's keen eyes spotted a figure sitting beneath the banyan tree, and she leaned toward Xander, asking, "Is that Jackson?"Xander squinted
Three grueling days after their harrowing encounter with the yetis, the trio finally saw their destination looming on the horizon: the dark forest. The sight of it was enough to dampen the spirits of even the most stalwart adventurer. Towering trees, so dense and tall that they seemed to swallow the light, stood as silent sentinels guarding secrets untold. A mist clung to the forest floor, giving the entire landscape an ethereal, yet ominous, quality."Ah, the dark forest. Just the sort of place you'd expect to find in a cheerful tale of adventure and heroism," Xander quipped, his voice dripping with sarcasm as they approached. "I bet it's filled with sunshine, rainbows, and friendly woodland creatures just dying to invite us over for tea."Atheria rolled her eyes, a smirk playing on her lips. "Oh, definitely. I hear the dark, soul-sucking void at its heart is particularly inviting this time of year. We should definitely RSVP."Erik, who had been quiet, his gaze fixed on the forest's
As the trio braced themselves for the yetis' counterattack, the creatures proved their cunning once more. Rather than engaging directly in their weakened state, the yetis used the storm to their advantage, disappearing into the swirling snow to regroup and launch a more strategic assault."We can't let them regroup!" Atheria shouted, her voice barely audible over the howling wind. She continued to fire arrows into the storm, hoping to disrupt the yetis' movements.Xander, breathing heavily from the exertion and the effects of Erik's spell beginning to wane, scanned the edges of their makeshift battleground for any sign of the yetis. "These bastards are smarter than they look. We need to stick together, watch each other's backs."Erik, his energy drained, nodded in agreement, trying to muster what little magic he had left for another protective barrier. "They're using the storm as cover. We need to be ready for anything."Suddenly, from the depths of the blizzard, a large ice boulder,
As Xander engaged the yeti in a fierce melee, his determination and vampiric strength driving him forward, the battle took a sudden turn. From the shadows of the storm, more yetis emerged, joining the fray with a coordinated assault. These new adversaries didn't engage directly in the close combat but instead launched a barrage of ice boulders and sharp icicles from a distance, adding a new layer of danger to the already chaotic battle."Damn it, there's more of them!" Xander cursed, narrowly dodging a large icicle that whistled past his ear, his focus split between the towering yeti before him and the incoming projectiles. "Erik, Atheria, we've got company!"Atheria, her eyes wide at the sight of additional yetis, quickly shifted her focus to the new threats. "Xander, keep on the big one! We'll handle the others!" She loosed arrow after arrow with precision, each one aimed at the shadows from which the ice attacks originated.Erik, recognizing the need for a defensive strategy, began
Forced back into the merciless embrace of the storm, the trio navigated the blizzard's fury with renewed caution. The failure of Erik's plan had not dampened their spirits, but it had certainly underscored the power and cunning of their yeti adversaries. The yetis, sensing their momentary advantage, intensified their barrage, the size and frequency of the ice boulders growing as if to crush any hope the trio had of escaping unscathed."This is insane!" Xander shouted, barely dodging another massive ice boulder that crashed into the snow beside them, sending a shower of icy fragments into the air. "They're not just throwing ice anymore; they're aiming to kill!"Atheria, her eyes scanning the swirling chaos for any sign of their attackers, nodded grimly. "Yetis are known for their strength, but this...this is something else. It's like they're toying with us, testing our defenses."Erik, his energy reserves slowly recovering, added, "And they're using the storm as cover, striking from th
As the trio prepared themselves inside the cave, the onslaught of ice balls intensified, each one larger and thrown with more force than the last. The situation quickly escalated from a mere annoyance to a dire threat. Xander, dodging another icy projectile, couldn't contain his frustration. "Bloody hell! These yetis have one hell of an arm. What's their plan, turn us into an ice sculpture exhibition?"Erik, his gaze fixed on the cave entrance, where the ice balls seemed to be targeting with alarming accuracy, had a grim realization. "They're not just attacking us. They're trying to seal us in. If they manage to block the entrance with enough ice, we'll be trapped here."Atheria, understanding the gravity of their predicament, quickly assessed their options. "We can't let that happen. We need to make a move before we're completely buried. It's clear they want us either trapped or dead."The notion of being trapped by a deliberate strategy employed by the yetis only added to Xander's g
Huddled in the cave as the storm unleashed its fury outside, the trio tried to make the best of their situation, sharing stories and attempting to keep their spirits high despite the ominous atmosphere. The howling of the wind and the relentless barrage of snow against the cave entrance created a cacophony that drowned out all other sounds. It was during a brief lull in the storm's roar that Xander, his senses always on alert, tensed up, his head tilting slightly as if trying to catch a sound far off in the distance."Did you guys hear that?" he asked, his voice cutting through the relative quiet of the cave.Atheria and Erik paused, listening intently. "Hear what? Just the storm, isn't it?" Atheria replied, a hint of concern creeping into her voice."No, there was something else...a roar. Not like any animal I've heard before," Xander insisted, his eyes narrowing as he tried to peer out into the swirling snow.Erik stood up, moving closer to the cave entrance, his magical senses exte
Several hours had passed since their conversation about Erik joining them on their journey, the landscape gradually shifting as they approached a vast, frozen lake. The air grew colder, the chill biting through their cloaks. Erik, scanning the area with a practiced eye, suggested they make camp. "This looks like a good spot," Erik announced, gesturing towards a clearing near the frozen lake. "We should rest here for the night. The lake will provide us with fresh water, and we can use the open space to our advantage should we need to defend ourselves." Xander and Atheria nodded in agreement, dismounting their horses and beginning to set up camp. Erik, taking a few steps away from the setup, concentrated for a moment before extending his hands. With a few whispered words, a spell ignited from his fingertips, creating a campfire that crackled to life, its warmth a welcome respite from the encroaching cold. "Show-off," Xander teased, but his tone was light, appreciative of the warmth Er
As the trio reached the outskirts of the monastery, preparing to venture towards the source of the corruption, Erik, with his usual blend of humor and practicality, suggested a recon mission."Maybe we three should scout ahead before we bring the whole monk brigade," Erik joked, casting a sideways glance at Xander and Atheria. "No offense to our robed friends, but I'm not sure they're cut out for dragon corpse duty. Plus, it's not exactly a field trip."Laylan, who had joined them to provide final instructions, nodded in agreement. "Erik has a point. It's wise to assess the situation first. And Erik, you're familiar with the forest, aren't you?"Erik shrugged, a half-smile on his face. "Familiar enough to know it's not exactly a stroll through the park even on a good day. But yeah, I know the way."Laylan's expression grew serious, his eyes reflecting the gravity of their task. "Be cautious. The corruption from the dragon's corpse may have... unintended side effects. The forest could
Meanwhile, in the silence of his quarters, Xander sat bolt upright in his bed, a sheen of sweat covering his brow, his breathing heavy and erratic. The darkness of the monk's quarters seemed to press in on him, the echoes of his dream still vivid in his mind. It was then that Erik and Atheria, having noticed the light under his door, walked into the room, concern etched on their faces."Erik, Atheria," Xander gasped, trying to regain his composure. "I... I had a dream. It was so vivid, so real."Atheria moved closer, her brow furrowed in worry. "You're sweating buckets. What did you dream about?"Leaning against the doorframe, Erik added, "Yeah, mate, you look like you've just run a marathon. Must have been some dream."Xander wiped his forehead, the images from his dream still swirling in his head. "It was more like a nightmare. I saw a giant golden statue, towering over a crowd of people. There was... there was so much tension, fear. The statue was about to fall, and everyone was pa