A Venchefulled Sight

In the middle of the third night Hellas, Sol, and Cristal continue to move toward their target. They watch their steps as they try to make as minimal sound as "for some" humanly possible. Sol's dark aura cloaks the 3 individuals as they travel through the night.

Hellas every ten steps hold his hand in the air beckoning the two behind him to stop. Every time he looks around with his bow drawn, even if his sight is limited. They decided to continue through the night since they found one of the deserter's remains. Concluding that an ambush in the night might be more beneficial.

"I don't see or feel any presence." Sol says looking around with eyes accustomed to the dark, the emerald eyes easily separating all the dark shades and what they are.

"Still, it doesn't feel right. Perhaps we should return for the night." Hellas replies, his eyes not accustomed to the dark still darting around. Trying to identify every sound, every broken twig, and gust of wind.

"Any particular reason? What is this feeling?" Cristal asks with her mace drawn, not using her divine power to keep the element of surprise.

"Once when I was around eleven I tracked a large beast. It was a heavy winter and food was scarce." Hellas begins to tell a story. The two accompanying him move next to him, so he can whisper, just in case. "It escaped my trap and was wounded heavily. So I in my foolish youthful brazenness decided to go finish it off. The trail led into the nearby forest... More specifically a small self-made cabinet in the forest." Hellas continues to look around, even with his two more than-capable friends in near proximity. "It was made by some acquaintances, they used it to hide illegally poached goods from the lord of that area. I as the oldest remaining of our little household made an agreement with them. If guards ever came to ask any questions I told them it used to be a house from my late father which had become abandoned since his passing. In return, I received an amount of the poached goods and was allowed to store my own." The story gathers attention from Sol as he interrupts the conversation.

"You're telling me Pallas, that slick tongue who exudes "I've got connections so deal with it" wasn't educated from a young age?" Sol asks, seating himself as his dark aura mixes with the surrounding darkness. Becoming one and under his complete control.

"Well, Pallas always had quite the way with words. It's how she gained the attention of the lord's wife. The woman had already given birth to a son, but her childbirth was a difficult process so to avoid any tragedies they took precautions. Still, the wife of the lord longed for a daughter, and apparently, one of the guards relayed our situation. She took the initiative herself and was immediately smitten with Pallas." Hellas explains as he plays with the necklace of the rose he wears. Not entirely focused on the present anymore.

"What did I say about focus? Wake up, Hellas." Cristal commands softly, her gaze the only one still actively looking around.

"Sorry. To quickly finish the story. I followed the track inside the cabinet and found a wounded bear devouring all the supplies. Eating the poached deer and boars. I can still remember it turning around and rushing toward me. How it felt like to be hunted instead of being the hunter." Hellas shivers slightly as he speaks, the night not necessarily having grown colder than before. "This is that same feeling, we're no longer hunters. There is something else roaming around. We should wait for daylight and deal with whatever remains." The pink-haired ranger suggests, looking at his two companions in earnest.

"We can. But keep in mind every day we waste is another that assassins could target the grand duke and more importantly put Gunnir and Tika in danger. What do you think?" The paladin turns to Sol, the one most familiar with the night. He closes his emerald-colored eyes as his dark and bloodied aura spreads wider through the forest. Animals run for cover as it feels like the sky itself had become eager to kill. Crows cackle loudly as they take to the sky. All flocking together, making it sound like the dark sky laughs maniacally. He continues to scour the forest with his magic and finally, he finds a creature of unmatched bloodlust, a creature made of vengeance. A creature created out of Secessus's own essence. The child he offered the choice.

'You survived... What a pity.' Secessus only thinks as he feels the shaded form of the monstrosity he created. The chaos in the creature is clear as it feels the familiar yet unfamiliar magical presence engulfing it. A loud screech fills the forest or rather a mix of a growl and a child-like scream. Devoid of any true intellect.

"What are you doing?" Cristal asks as the long-winded creature yell passes by. Sol returns his aura before she spoke.

"I can kill it if you like. Well, at least I hope so." He simply responds looking in the direction where the scream came from. His voice matched the mood of the bloodied night that he had spread. His entire presence changed from the companion who was eagerly listening to the story a few minutes ago.

"Why the uncertainty?" Cristal asks as her hand traces the darkness around. Visibly uncomfortable with what it has become.

"Well, at first sight, I should be able to kill it. Then again tricks can be hidden underneath. Which makes it hard to predict." The emerald-colored eyes do not look at the paladin, Sol's head simply following the far-distance creature. "It's coming closer." Cristal and Hellas immediately face the direction that Sol's watching. Their weapons are drawn, ready for combat.

"If you want, there are also some deserters left. You guys can deal with them, and I'll deal with this beast." Sol says as he stands up, enhancing his blood-bound spear with even more blood magic.

"What? No!" Hellas responds immediately, clearly disgruntled by the thought.

"Don't worry. Trust me about this. Go deal with the deserters and I promise you that I will have dealt with this creature." Sol's mix of blood and dark aura spreads once again through the surroundings more fervently than before. Even the trees seem to want to flee as their branches shake wildly because of the wind.

"Let's go Hellas." Cristal commands as she walks off, forcefully grabbing the pink-haired ranger.