Chapter 9

A loud crack appeared on the ground and almost immediately huge sharp tendrils appeared from the ground and piercing some of the orcs and slightly grazing Cerrise's arm who immediately used a spear made of ice to cut it down. The movement was so fast that he was sure the orcs didn't know what killed them.

Almost immediately the others rushed and attacked the vines, as they were finishing they heard a loud screech followed by a sharp burst of wind.

An extremely large bird was flying in the air at a fast speed, it seemed as if it was waiting for them to finish fighting with the vines, it screeched again and almost immediately birds of similar sizes came from somewhere.

Soon, they formed a black cloud and landed on the trees around them, the darkness making them look even more menacing.

Cerrise looked at around and cursed silently, almost half the orcs were dead which lowered their fighting power in terms of number. His team mates held their respective weapons even Elor who had woken up at some point had stood up trembling. But it was not enough, the more he thought about it the more he felt that the king was trying to kill him, from landing unconscious to grouping him with people who could barely use mana then having monsters that required mana to defeat them attack them it was a way of making him fight the most.

The wind intensified, whipping through the village and sending shards of ice flying. The birds screech echoed once more, reverberating through the frozen air. The team braced themselves, ready to face the creatures.

The remaining orcs changed their targets and took a defensive position.

Cerrise, taking a deep breath, extended his hands towards the ground. The snow beneath the tree roots began to ripple and churn, transforming into ice spikes that shot up from the ground, attempting to immobilize the creature. But the beasts effortlessly shifted their forms from a huge bird to a small one, slipping between the spikes.

Asnir charged forward, swinging his weapon with precision. The blade struck the beast, but it seemed to pass right through its… shadowy form? The creature retaliated with a swipe of its clawed paw, sending Asnir tumbling backward through the snow.

Elor stepped forward, flames dancing around his fingers. He hurled fireballs at a soul beast, each impact sending ripples through the now clear smoky figure. The creature let out an unearthly screech, its form flickering and waning as if the flames were disrupting its existence.

Meanwhile, Rode focused his energies finishing the figures that had fallen, dark energies slipped through his fingers causing the beasts to fall.

Cerrise, uncaring of their initial struggles, observed the beasts closely. He could sense a pattern in their movements, a rhythm to their shifting forms. Enlightened he channeled his energy and unleashed a wave of frost that enveloped a bird in the middle of the flock.

As expected the others stopped in place as if frozen in time neither falling nor flying. He looked at the bird he had struck cold seemed to have seep into the creatures very essence, causing it to slow down and slowly solidify. Asnir, having recovered, lunged forward, striking the beast with his weapon. This time, the blade made solid contact, and the beast let out an agonized howl before disintegrating into a cloud of icy mist.

The wind gradually died down, and the village fell into a tense silence. The team stood there, catching their breath, their bodies covered in frost and adrenaline.

They tried gathering themselves. But Cerrise's sight was on on a black figure that lingered a while before leaving, it was a soul beast, a strong one, probably a general in strength. The creature's departure was no ordinary retreat—it bore an aura of a tactical withdrawal, as if it had accomplished something.

Why would a general come to such a small fight?

Why would a soul beast choose to inhabit this icy place?

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In a certain chamber, shadows formed by light danced upon walls and the air was heavy with the scent of exotic incense. Merhik, the duke of Carpathia dresssed in robes of deep sapphire, cast an inquiring gaze upon the mana screen in front of him. Its surface pulsed with ethereal energy, it was window peeking into distant realms where displaying the hunt showcasing different people in different places but only one was most prominent, a barren snow filled land.

Seated beside him, was the king exuding an aura of authority. His gaze never wavered from the screen before him, his fingers tracing, absentmindedy, the patterns along the rim of his tea cup.

Merhik's voice, though respectful, "Is this really necessary, your majesty? You've changed the meaning of the hunt."

A soft chuckle escaped the king's lips, a sound that danced between amusement and a deeper knowing. "Very necessary, Merhik. He's the consort's shadow. We need to see the extent of his potential."

Merhik's brows knitted, his gaze unwavering as he met the king's eyes. "You didn't do this to the other shadows. Is this because of his history?"

The king's eyes shifted back to the screen, his smile retaining a noble like quality. He took a slow sip of his tea, as if savoring the flavor of it before he responded. "His history, you say? Ah, you must be referring to his lineage, his mother's mistake." His gaze seemed to wander beyond the mana screen, as if peering into the depths of time itself. "If i wanted revenge, I would have subjected him to a worse fate, a cruel irony befitting his bloodline like a land of fire with no single drop of water where everything would be against him. But you know me, Merhik. I am not one to spill innocent blood because of the sins of another."

Silence hung in the air, unspoken truths rang like distant whispers. The king's eyes gleamed with a mixture of ageless wisdom and authority he looked at the young duke beside him. "Do you doubt my intentions?"

Merhik's lips parted, his voice soft yet laced with unspoken complexity. "I do not doubt your commitment to our kingdom, your majesty. But there are should be a boundary to your actions, more to it and your people will worry. They are starting to question your decision to let the commoners participate in the hunt."

The king's smile deepened "Don't underestimate me, Merhik. As for the consort's shadow, consider this a trial—a mixture of necessity and opportunity. By placing him in that desolate land, I test his wit. If he can stop the menace, the demons shall retreat, both the beasts and the villagers may reclaim their homes, and we shall be able to see the extent of his abilities,"

Merhik remained silent, his gaze remained locked on the screen, the figures shifting in the white landscape.