Temple

The skinwalker glanced at Adrian for a moment before shifting its attention to the outside, as if anticipating something.

Adrian, observing the skinwalker's behavior, reached a conclusion. "I don't think you can harm me, and it seems you're waiting for your other bodies to arrive," he remarked confidently as he proceeded toward the cave's exit.

"You'd make a decent detective. Maybe you should consider it. It's my first time encountering a shadow manifestor with such a sound mind. The last one I met looked crazy, which made it easy for me to take over their body." 

The skinwalker commented, directing his gaze towards Adrian, who remained unfazed.

"I'll take your compliments, but I'll be on my way now. It's still bugging me why you didn't try to take over my body," Adrian said, standing at the entrance of the cave and looking back as he posed his final question.

The skinwalker continued to gaze at him with his signature smile, providing an answer to Adrian's question.

Adrian thought to himself, 'He's not going to answer me,' as he exited the cave.

Leaving the cave, Adrian didn't waste any time and started running in the upward direction. He knew this wasn't a good decision, as there might really be a temple up ahead, and the real body of the skinwalker might be waiting there for him.

But he didn't have much of a choice. The way that the skinwalker behaved, it clearly could be assumed that he was waiting for his other copies to get here and deal with him.

The reason behind why it didn't try attacking his soul was something Adrian didn't want to wait to find out. He was in a really bad situation, and escaping took priority.

As he continued climbing, the path around the cliff became increasingly unclear. It remained a narrow, winding way, suggesting that this was the sole route upward. However, the lack of proper markings or signs of any humans or people indicated that not many had visited this place.

'Where am I even?'

He could tell this wasn't the dream realm. Sleeping in the dream realm led to consequences that he himself didn't know, and one couldn't just sleep in the dream realm.

Then, was he in the real world? If that were true, then in which corner of the world, where so many slaves of different kinds were being sent to their death?

If Chris was good at anything, it was his network. He would have heard about such kidnappings or killings unless these people were thrown out voluntarily.

'That boy said—wait, not the boy, the skinwalker—that sacrifices were being done at the temple, and this route doesn't seem like the slavers would have taken.'

His thoughts raced faster than his pace, yet more questions than answers continued to plague his mind, causing a headache.

As he ascended and took another turn, Adrian looked back and noticed a distant black dot far below on the cliff.

'He's following me this time.'

Not certain which iteration of the skinwalker it was, Adrian didn't have time to wait and see, as it could lead to his demise.

Cursing his luck, Adrian found that there was no further way ahead as he took the turn.

He examined the wall beside him and noticed numerous grooves, indicating that many people had climbed from here to the top.

Turning his gaze upward, Adrian could discern the distance to the top, and, for once, fate seemed to favor him, granting a glimpse of the summit.

The summit appeared within sight, yet it still loomed dauntingly far above him.

'Not like I have any choice.'

Contemplating the perilous consequences of a potential fall, Adrian stared at his hands, now coated in an abyssal black that seemed darker than the encompassing night.

The more pressing concern wasn't the precarious climb but rather the relentless pursuit of the skinwalker, making the ascent even more perilous for Adrian.

Bracing himself, Adrian began his ascent up the cliff, cautiously gripping onto every available groove while carefully placing his feet. The climb was treacherous, and every move had to be deliberate to avoid any misstep.

Midway through his ascent, Adrian glanced down, finding no sign of pursuit. This absence offered a brief sense of security, motivating him to press on with his climb.

Exhaustion weighed heavily on Adrian, his weariness evident in every strained movement. Yet he clung to the hope that reaching the summit was his sole chance at survival.

Doubt crept into Adrian's mind, casting shadows on his hope. The uncertainty of finding refuge in the temple lingered, haunting his thoughts like a persistent specter.

'Then I'll just accept it as fate.' 

Amidst his contemplation, Adrian's hand met a smooth surface. Gazing upward, he realized he had successfully reached the summit.

'Finally.'

Exhausted, Adrian hoisted himself over the edge but opted to remain stationary. The strain on his body became evident, and the resilience of his werewolf form, now absent, struck him as more crucial than ever.

In the midst of his fatigue, Adrian, who had often cursed his werewolf heritage, now came to the realization that every species had its vulnerabilities and benefits.

'And this gawddam collar.' 

Uncertain of the significance of being Her shadow and the abilities he now possessed, Adrian couldn't help but curse under his breath.

Catching his breath, Adrian rose and peered down from the edge, the sight below sending shivers down his spine.

From the vantage point atop the cliff, Adrian witnessed the sight of nearly all the slaves and the lanky slaver laboriously climbing the rocky face. Among them, the boy from the twins lost his grip and tumbled down.

Adrian, initially believing the fall had been fatal, watched in shock as the boy rose from the ground, limbs twisted at unnatural angles, his neck casually resting on his shoulder as if it had been dislocated.

Contemplating the situation, Adrian considered the possibility that the skinwalker's power might be divided among the different copies, preventing rapid healing.

Contemplating this, Adrian shifted his focus away from the climbing figures and turned around to explore the top of the cliff.

In the distance, a temple revealed itself, standing tall against the darkened sky.

Adrian, now at the top of the cliff, felt a sense of relief as he confirmed that the temple he had heard about was indeed before him, not just an illusion.

Adrian, uncertain about the consequences of his choice, began making his way towards the temple.