Bloodhound, fueled by his relentless determination, chased after the elusive shadows in search of Roland's spirit."Where did that damn knight go?" he roared, his voice echoing through the desolate castle.His pursuit led him to an open battleground just outside the castle's imposing walls. Relentless rain poured from the sky, drenching the ground below. The battleground was strewn with a collection of dummies and rusted swords and armor, a haunting reminder of battles long past."A training ground for the knights, I assume," Bloodhound mused to himself as he surveyed the scene. To his astonishment, the rain-soaked training ground held more secrets than he could have imagined. Ghostly figures, composed of shimmering, ephemeral dust, moved with precision and grace as they practiced their combat skills on the dummies.As Bloodhound approached, he overheard the spectral soldiers engaged in a conversation about their former lord."Did I ever tell you about the time the Duke single-handedl
But suddenly, just as Xander was about to dash out of the room and confront the vengeful spirit, Bloodhound's keen senses detected a glistening arrow shooting out of nowhere. The arrow struck the vengeful spirit, causing it to emit a furious, agonized roar."ARGGHH!" Xander heard the spirit's enraged cry as it dissolved into nothingness, leaving the room clear.Bloodhound was initially surprised, his frustration evident at having his target snatched away. However, his anger was quickly overshadowed by curiosity when Atheria teleported into the room to meet him. She held a peculiar silver bow, and the arrow she had shot glistened ominously."I had her!" Bloodhound growled, his frustration causing his temper to flare as he confronted Atheria. His fangs were bared, and his predatory instincts were fully on display.Atheria, though, refused to back down even as Bloodhound advanced on her. "Don't be a fool," she retorted. "You have no idea who she is or what she's capable of."Despite Bloo
“Three months have passed since Rosaline and I agreed to work together to rid Mayana of the evil entity that clings to her. I can barely find time to write in my diary. These three months feel wasted as I sense we've made no progress in saving Mayana and Roland. I've had to keep a watchful eye on Roland, and I fear that Mayana and he suspect me of becoming a tyrant. If only I could reveal the truth to them,” Atheria read from the duke's journal.“Finally, there's a glimmer of hope on the horizon – a rogue mage well-versed in dealing with malevolent spirits. It took a significant favor to locate this mage, and when I told Rosaline about our discovery, she was just as elated as I am. Tomorrow, we shall meet this mage,” Atheria continued, flipping to the next page with great curiosity.“Fate appears to be playing a cruel game with us. The mage we were meant to meet met an unfortunate end – bitten by a snake. Rosaline made every effort to extract the venom from his body, but she failed. I
Atheria and Bloodhound reached the imposing wooden doors of the throne hall on the fifth floor. Standing before these doors, Atheria commented, "This must be it, the throne hall."Bloodhound nodded and growled with an air of grim determination, "Let's end this."He pushed the massive doors open with a strength that seemed to surge through him, causing his muscles to bulge and his stature to grow by a few inches. The doors groaned in protest before finally yielding.Finally, with a shuddering creak, the door swung open, and an unsettling rush of bats suddenly poured forth from the room, making Atheria curse loudly, "Damn bats! Get away from me!" She waved her arms to fend them off as they swirled around, their tiny, frenzied forms adding to the eerie ambiance of the castle.The throne hall appeared like a place lost in time, forgotten for thousands of years. Mighty stone pillars lined each side of the hall, their surfaces etched with intricate patterns, though age had eroded much of t
Atheria's voice trembled as she stuttered, "Ro-Rosaline? How... how is it possible?"But before any answers could be given, Rosaline, or whatever malevolent force now controlled her form, silenced Atheria with a resounding slap across the face. Atheria reeled from the blow, her cheek burning with pain.Bloodhound, not spared from Rosaline's wrath, received a powerful slap as well. The force of the blow sent him crashing into one of the massive pillars that lined the throne hall. Atheria and Bloodhound, now both dazed and disoriented, found themselves suspended by an invisible force that bound them tightly to the very pillars they collided with.Growling in frustration, they strained against the unseen restraints, their muscles bulging with effort as they struggled to break free. Their eyes, filled with determination and defiance, locked onto Rosaline's malevolent form as they sought a way to escape her clutches."It was me all along! There was never any evil spirit!" Rosaline's voice
Atheria stood frozen in awe as she gazed upon the spectral form of Duke Dregan. He appeared as he must have in life, with dark hair and donned in a regal crimson red attire. In one hand, he held a small axe, a symbol of his authority and determination.Duke Dregan's presence seemed to fill the hall with an aura of authority. His eyes, fierce and resolute, locked onto Roland's spirit, who had backed away under the weight of the Duke's spirit.In a voice that resonated with both command and compassion, Duke Dregan declared, "You and Rosaline will not harm these two," his gaze shifting between Atheria and Bloodhound.Rosaline's vengeful spirit manifested once more, this time wielding the very axe Duke Dregan had thrown earlier. Her spectral form was twisted with rage as she let out a bone-chilling roar. "How dare you show your face again in my castle!" she hissed, her anger making her presence even more sinister.Duke Dregan's gaze remained steady, unyielding. He declared with unwavering
With Bloodhound defeated and Duke Dregan locked in a fierce battle against Roland, there was nothing to prevent the malevolent spirit of Rosaline from seizing control of Atheria's body."Such young flesh... all mine..." Rosaline's voice oozed with chilling malevolence as her spectral form transformed into a wisp of smoky darkness, darting straight into Atheria's vulnerable form.Atheria growled, her senses assaulted by a vile taste and a nauseating stench. But her body was unresponsive; she felt as if she were caged within her own flesh, another, far more sinister presence now in control."HAHAHAHA," echoed Rosaline's eerie laughter, her possession of Atheria's body complete this time. The first instance had been only a partial takeover, but now Rosaline had full dominion."I am complete!" Rosaline's triumphant roar reverberated through the castle, chilling the very stones.Atheria's once vibrant blue eyes turned into ghostly, vacant orbs, their light extinguished."Get out of my body
Duke Dregan, still occupying Xander's body, looked at Atheria with a sense of warmth and wisdom in his eyes. He gently replied to her query, "I have been waiting for you both for a very long time. You see, Rosaline never anticipated that not just one, but two blood mages would come to aid me in ending her malevolent existence."Atheria was puzzled. "But how did you know we would come?"Dregan's smile was soft, almost nostalgic. "It was a hundred years after my death when a mage, a wise and powerful one, found his way to this castle. He spoke to me without Rosaline sensing it, thanks to a potent ritual he performed. This mage told me about Rosaline's ultimate demise being at the hands of two blood mages."A sense of awe and wonder filled Atheria. "So, it was a prophecy of sorts?"Dregan nodded. "Indeed, a prophecy foretelling the arrival of two blood mages who would bring about the end of Rosaline's malevolence. You two are the ones I've been waiting for."Bloodhound, who had been quie