Transaction

While Sheyken sunk as he came to terms that he had missed his opportunity, he lifted his head and saw Tenebris and Sanguis right after they disappeared. Realizing that they were watching him, he gathered himself and looked at the Nixeor's house.

"Even if I wanted to, I cannot go in there. There might be dangerous traps plus I do not know how to use the teleport. Maybe Singal can tell me how it works."

He thought as he turned back to go to the square only to hear screams coming from all over the village. He paid no heed to what he was hearing and ran back.

'If they were watching me, does that mean they had taken care of those two witches? well, I knew they would win, but to take care of them that quick?'

He thought as he ran past Ningal's burnt house and then Vitula's house which made him think about Falgur. He noticed a red hue had enveloped the village but it was barely visible as you could just as well miss it if you were not paying attention. He reached the square and he was surprised to see both Susin and Sisun still alive.

Sisun now looked like whatever beauty she had had been stripped away from her as she was down on both knees begging Tenebris and Sanguis to kill her. When the death loop had finally stopped, she took one of her twin blades and tried to kill herself feeling the blade cut through her throat, only for her to revive again. She had already lost all hope but knowing that killing herself would not let the nightmare stop, she now surrendered herself to begging to be killed as she could not let go of the sensation of dying over and over again. It was still a miracle that she was still sane.

Susin was also on the ground on both knees with no expression on his face as his hood was no longer covering his face. He looked younger than Sisun as he looked to be a teenager. He just seemed lost as his mouth was wide open and was drooling.

Sheyken did not know what to make of it. He turned his attention to Tenebris as next to her were two people. An old fat short man with a mustache that looked like a bar owner was terrified out of his wits as he was shaking like a leaf. Standing next to him topless and with a six-pack was a young man who had blond hair and blue eyes. A young lady killer was amongst all this chaos and was not fazed by it whatsoever. Sheyken could not be more jealous as the kid that was as tall as him and seemed to be his age had stolen his master's look.

As the screams continued around him, he finally reached them as Sanguis paid no attention to Sisun's plea to be killed he gave him a slight nod while Tenebris smiled at him.

'Wow, that must be him. He fits the description father gave me of him. I did not think he would look so fierce though. I knew that he must be the one behind all this and these monsters or I would be one of those screaming too right now. He looks so cool in those clothes. I wonder if I can get one of those.'

Falgur thought as he saw Sheyken walking up to them.

'I'm, going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die. All- mother, at least let me have one more drink before I meet my end.'

The old bar owner-looking man prayed. What Sheyken was not seeing was that where the villagers had thought to run away and hid wherever they could, they were having the limbs tone off of their bodies and when they were at the height of their pain, they would find it attached back again. It was just like Sisun's experience only that they were not dying.

After a while of bearing such pain, a sinister-looking black mouth appeared in the sky telling them to go to the square if they did not want to die for now. It sounded creepy and it made goosebumps go all over their skin. One by one they started to appear in the square with the first one there being Dunnam's guards as they looked like they had lost all hope of escaping. The place field with people who look lost and dejected. Dunnam was brought by another villager as he looked like Susin who was broken.

Clap, clap clap clap. Tenebris clapped as she moved forward to address the villagers but was a little annoyed that Sheyken did not come to stand next to her. The same portal that appeared when Sanguis made his appearance appeared in front of the villagers.

"I would like to congratulate you on providing us with entertainment. We truly missed this, but sadly, every good thing has to come to an end."

The faces of the villagers darkened when she said that as they thought she meant it was the end of the line for them and all their suffering was just for their entertainment. Clearly, even though they had lived a peaceful life while sending their kids on dangerous hunts to make them strong. Even if some died, it was the way they lived but ever since Vintus left they had just been a plaything for the strong.

"If you do not want to die just yet, this gate will take you to the promised land where you will be useful to us, but only those who want to go through it can pass through it. if you have reservations about your fate, you will not pass through. That would mean we will have to play with each other a little bit more. So do not make my poor Sang work extra time. He is a perfectionist, so please do not make him mad and show him that he did a perfect job."

All the villagers were relieved to hear that they will not die straight away as the feeling of having their limbs ripped off was fresh in their minds.

"Step into your new life and as I promised, you will not die just yet"

Tenebris said with an innocent smile. Sheyken could not help but feel a little gratification as he smiled a little since he had an idea of what they will find at the other side of the portal. He had no sympathy for them after what they did. He was also interested in how Tenebris power worked, but he was not about to ask anytime soon. Staying away from her was priority number one.

Falgur was watching Sheyken the whole time as even though he was standing next to monsters, as scary as it was, he was fascinated about the boy who was as old as him but already acquainted with such powerful and cruel beings.

Adruna and Silth were the first ones to make the walking towards the portal. While they looked gloomy and miserable as they went in, all the villagers started moving. The place cleared out with Dunnam, Sisun, and Susin being the last ones to go through. They had no issue passing through as Sisun hoped to finally die when she reached the other side, while Susin and Dunnam who were broken just followed what they told them to do.

Looking at Dunnam, Sheyken wanted to end him himself but he was not about to deny him the suffering he deserved. As the place went quiet as only three people and two monsters were left in the village, he looked at the two people left and not knowing why the old man was there, he turned to Sanguis.

"Who is that."

He said pointing at the old man. Sanguis just looked at Tenebris who smiled with excitement. She went close to him which did not go well with Sheyken's nerves.

"I found him in a tunnel he was digging from that building and it was almost about to reach the village's wall. So, I thought you would like to talk to him before we take him."

The old man fainted when he heard the words 'take him'. Sheyken just looked at him and thought to himself. After looking at the sign of where Tenebris pointed, he remembered something.

'Lasore's eat and drink. I remember Ningal saying I could get a room there but it was not safe in the village at that time. I guess he is the owner. If he was digging a tunnel then that means he was trying to escape.'

"Alright, you can leave him with me."

He finally said. Tenebris was happy that she had done something he approved of. Sanguis gave him two marble-sized pure white crystals.

"With this, our transaction is done. The master thanks you and said that if you have any other deals you would want to make, do not hesitate to contact her."

Sanguis said as he slightly bowed.

"She also said to remind you to keep her dairy in your pockets and nowhere else."

He said as he passed him, going in Falgurs direction. Sheyken started sweating as he said those words like a warning and not just a friendly reminder. He reached Falgur and started to look at him up and down.

"Not bad at all. You were the only one in this village who he wanted to save and Judging by your hair, I see what kind of Blessing you have. Not bad at all. Since it looks like you will be traveling with him, if he decides to come back to us, you can be my disciple."

Sanguis said. He was not amused that Zararloch's disciple was already making such bold moves in the world, so he wanted a disciple of his own. Falgur was scared out of his wits. This was not the first experience after going outside for the first time in his life he had pictured, but he was looking at a monster that looked gentlemanly scary. Not to mention the first sounds he heard of the outside world where of people screaming at the top of their lives in pain and when he looked around he saw a woman begging to be killed. Since he knew that at least they were Sheyken's acquaintances it lessened his anxiety.

"Yes, Master."

He said with a tremble in his voice as he bowed down. Sanguis liked the sound of that. He let out his hand.

"Take this, it will help you train your Blessing."

Falgur took what he was given and saw that it was an earring that looked to have a small blue stone embedded in it.

"Thank you, master. I will make the most of it without fail."

Sanguis was just loving the answers the boy was giving him.

"Good, all I ask of you then is to grow more powerful than him."

They both looked at Sheyken who was now being harassed by Tenebris.

"Of course, master. That is not even up for discussion. I will try to make you proud."

Falgur said with a face full of determination. Sanguis nodded and left him disappearing into the portal. While Sanguis was talking to Falgur, Tenebris took the opportunity to talk to her hubby in her eyes.

"Hi Sheyken, do you mind not telling anyone about our secret?"

She said in a sweet little voice trying to act sexy and for Sanguis not to hear her.

'This bitch! She tried to make me her love slave and now she is acting like it was nothing. Fuck!.... Do I even have a choice if she asks?'

He thought as he looked at her.

"Do not worry. So long as you never try something like that ever again, I will keep it to myself."

Tenebris could not help but be happy. She came closer to him.

"Then, just call it my gift to you. Now you have a natural resistance to curses. I can feel it in your blood. You will be able to tell when someone wants to curse you."

'So now she is acting like she intended me to exorcise it and gain this ability.'

"But to make it up to you I will give you this."

She continued as she gave him something that looked like a rose, was black like her and consisted of only 3 petals

"You made the right choice to bring us here. Do not make the mistake after seeing those two witches the way they where just now and think they were not scary powerful. We are just miles above them, but they would have crushed you like it was nothing. Since I know you will run to such people again, I think it is only right I protect you if you come across such powerful people you can not do anything about until you come of age and we marry of course."

She said with a big smile. She was making sense to Sheyken until she talked about marriage again. He still did not know what the flower was for.

"If someone who is as powerful as those guys tries to bully you, just pluck one of the petals off of this flower and I will appear for a brief time, but you can call on me anytime you miss me."

She said as Sanguis went into the portal.

"I would love to stay honey, but I need to go. Those sacrifices only allowed us this much time. Do not hesitate to call upon me when you miss me."

She said as she hurried after Sanguis and disappeared into the portal. The spell formation then disappeared after that. While looking at where the portal was and complicated about his gift from her Falgur came and whistled beside him as he stared at where the portal was too.

"Damn man, already hitched at your age. She even gave you a flower. She must really love you and she seems like a nice woman."

Sheyken at that moment wanted to punch him in the face.