Bjorn and Bloodblade trained in a vast, open meadow, unaware that their journey had just become much more dangerous. Now, three factions of the Order, along with assassins and mercenaries, were hunting them.It had been a month since they fled the valley. Bloodblade kept them moving steadily southwest, avoiding any towns or cities. They seized every chance to train, just as they were doing now.In a large clearing, hundreds of meters wide, they sparred intensely. Bjorn realized why Bloodblade had earned his fearsome title. Bloodblade had a rare power called the blood source. He was born for the battlefield, where bloodshed was constant.Bloodblade could control blood. He could manipulate his opponent’s blood flow, immobilizing them or controlling weaker enemies. He could sense the life force of any living being nearby and track someone thousands of miles away with just a drop of blood, making him a perfect tracker and assassin.His blood-sensing abilities also gave him an edge in comb
Bjorn and Bloodblade trudged along a dusty road, unaware of the increasing danger they faced. It had been three days since Bloodblade's breakthrough, and after much deliberation, they decided it was time to interact with civilization again.Bloodblade needed seven rare herbs to create an antidote for the poison used on the patriarch. He already had two of the seven herbs and needed help finding the rest."One more time, I need to hear their names," Bloodblade requested."Moonshade leaf, Starfall sage, Elderbark roots…" Bjorn listed the herbs, describing their appearance and function.Bjorn paid close attention, determined to succeed in their mission despite the tedious task of learning about herbs."Good, good. One of the herbs grows in this region. I hope we can find it in the town ahead or at least get a lead on where to find it," Bloodblade mused aloud.They trekked for three long hours before spotting a town in the distance. With hurried steps, they arrived at the small town, whic
As Bjorn and Bloodblade stepped outside, his shadow stealthily attached itself back to him, while the other shadow followed their stalkers, keeping an eye on the people following them. Bjorn and Bloodblade left the town with determined steps. Immediately after they passed the gates, they set off on a run. They ran at a fast pace, making sure that whoever was tracking them could follow them but not make it too easy since they didn’t bother covering their tracks for them.They ran for hours before heading into the wilderness. Immediately after they got into the forest, Bjorn released his first shadow to scout ahead and provide the location of adept-level beasts.Bjorn was taking no chances since they didn’t know the cultivation base of their pursuers. To make sure they survived, he was going to devour the life force of the beasts his shadow would find.“Do you think you can find adept-level beasts with your blood sensory skill?” Bjorn asked out of the blue.“Why are you after beasts w
Bjorn and Bloodblade turned to face the masked individuals that stepped into the clearing. They were wearing black robes that covered every inch of their bodies, and their figures seemed hazy, making it hard to study anything about them.“Assassins!” Bjorn and Bloodblade thought at the same time, their eyes narrowing.The assassins were relaxed as they took in the state of the clearing with dead beasts littering the ground. “Impressive,” one of the assassins commented.“Why are you after us?” Bjorn asked in a frosty tone.The assassins seemed confident. Assassins are known to always strike from the shadows, but these ones were bold enough to face them head-on. “Either they are way stronger than us, or they are underestimating us,” Bjorn thought to himself.“If they underestimate us, I will make them pay dearly,” Bjorn vowed.“You knew we were coming after you?” the masked man standing in the middle asked in a bewildered tone.Neither Bjorn nor Bloodblade deigned to reply to them, just
While Bjorn fought the leader of the masked assassins, Bloodblade faced a fight on two fronts. He battled the assassin in front of him and struggled against the dark monkey's will inside him.Bloodblade rarely used this power because it put a huge strain on his body, leaving him extremely weak afterward. He also had to resist the will of the beast whose bloodline he was taking on. The ability to use any bloodline for a short time was extremely rare for a blood mage. But, like all power, it came at a great cost. Bloodblade had to fight to stay conscious and remember who he was, struggling against the bloodline's influence. If he lost, he risked turning into a mindless beast.Seeing Bjorn’s determination to hunt and devour beast lifeforce, just to be ready for anything, sparked something inside Bloodblade. He now understood why his father never spoiled him with resources, even though he could easily have done so. His father always pushed him to attain anything he wanted through hard w
Bjorn stood in the middle of the clearing, His heart was pounding as he narrowly dodged a short sword that was coming straight at his chest. Every part of him was focused on surviving. Then, he heard a loud victory roar from his friend, Bloodblade, and allowed himself a quick smile."That's what I'm talking about," Bjorn said, his voice full of relief and excitement. Blood dripped from a cut on his lip, but he smiled confidently, showing the blood in his teeth to his enemy.The assassin froze, taking a few steps back. His eyes widened with shock and disbelief. This wasn’t supposed to happen. They were told their targets were just beginner mages—not too weak, but certainly not strong enough to put up this kind of fight. Taking down adepts was supposed to be hard, almost impossible, but definitely not like this. And now, two of the assassins were already dead. The assassin kept a calm face, but inside, fear crept in. Failure was not an option, and he knew he would be punished."You’re m
Bjorn’s movements were swift and silent as he ran, his heart beating rapidly, with an unconscious Bloodblade slung over his shoulder, he had his shadows scouting ahead and making sure they encountered no threat as it’d be dangerous to come across any beast in their current situation.The night buzzed with the roars and howl of the beasts prowling the jungle, their cries echoing through the forest, the twisted giant branches of the trees casting deep and ancient shadows on the jungle floor. The jungle was thick, the tall vegetation clutching his body like phantom hands, the heavy rain soaked the trees and filled the air with the rich scent of wet earth, leaves and wood. Thunder rumbled overhead, shaking the ground, while flashes of lightning illuminated the sky and made the shadows appear more eerie.The creepy shadow suddenly informed Bjorn of a dark panther lying in ambush ahead. “Damnation, this is getting more dangerous.” Bjorn thought as he slowed down and changed directions, gi
"I can sense two snakes a hundred meters to our right," Bloodblade whispered to Bjorn beside him."One is coming up quickly behind us, and my shadow spots an adept-ranked one in the distance ahead," Bjorn replied as they hid on top of a huge tree with their invisible robe activated, hiding from the snake directly beneath them.The boys had come to discover that it's not so easy to get out of the Hollow Gloom Grove, as it is infested with thousands of snake-type beasts. The only reason Bjorn managed to survive the previous night was because it was a stormy night and most of the snakes had burrowed under the earth with their ability to manipulate the earth."Let's move," Bjorn said as he hurriedly followed the most optimistic path that his shadow mapped out for him.They moved steadily and stealthily, climbing the colossal trees sometimes and hiding under the roots at other times. On some occasions, they also encountered smaller, weaker snakes hiding from the stronger ones.Bjorn and Bl