Sanguine Vein

Amaris stood alone, feeling dumbfounded by Xylothar's words and actions. The realisation of how long he had been staying in the Underground Bloodhole before they met, and how long he would remain, eluded her. The speed at which he vanished left her shocked, as if he had teleported.

Lost in silence, she sat, contemplating Xylothar's offer. Did she have to choose a side, or could she simply follow her own desires? Her knowledge of the world was limited, leaving her unsure. Perhaps that was why he wanted her to explore.

Amaris pondered for ten minutes, eventually deciding to align with herself for now. She would seek vengeance against the demon who had murdered her parents and leave the answer to her future self. With a nod, her eyelids grew heavy, and she succumbed to sleep. The brightness of the outside sky, seemingly perpetual, didn't bother her as she fell into a deep slumber.

Zaleck stood guard while she slept, using her senses to detect any approaching demons. Meanwhile, Xylothar swiftly navigated through the dimly lit cave of the Underground Bloodhole, wasting no time. His figure flickered amidst the shadows as he effortlessly dispatched demons, his attire remaining pristine and unblemished. His journey deeper into the Bloodhole continued, his vigilant eyes scanning the surroundings, and his nose detecting any lingering scents in the air.

"It's here..." Xylothar murmured. A cold light flashed across his face. The pungent smell of silver invaded Xylothar's nostrils as he ventured deeper into the Underground Bloodhole.

The red cookie-like dirt gradually transformed into a pristine snow white, while a bone-chilling chill permeated the air. Xylothar quickened his pace, his footsteps echoing through the cave, creating slight tremors. The cave expanded, its walls gleaming in a glistening white, growing whiter and larger the further he went.

Suddenly, Xylothar halted, sensing a powerful demonic presence ahead. Gripping the handle of his rapier, he demanded its appearance.

"Come out... I know you can understand." 

The temperature suddenly plummeted to sub-zero, his breath crystallising in the air, yet his expression remained unwavering. And then the creature emerged.

Constructed from living ice, it embodied the essence of the unforgiving Arctic cold. Its pale, almost transparent flesh stretched tightly over its deformed features. Its eerie, piercing blue eyes held no warmth or emotion, resembling frozen sapphires. But what truly unsettled Xylothar was its grotesque, gaping maw, an impossible void lined with sharp, jagged, icicle-like teeth that multiplied and twisted in unimaginable directions.

"Ahkiyyini..." Xylothar muttered under his breath as he locked eyes with the ice demon. Xylothar pulled out his rapier and gripped the handle tightly, ready to attack.

Ahkiyyini didn't seem phased by Xylothar's appearance and let out a shriek, causing the cave to tremble slightly. Xylothar, unfazed by Ahkiyyini's cry, dashed towards him, rapier in hand. Xylothar lunged forward and thrust his rapier towards the demon. A silver soul ring appeared under his feet and glowed slightly.

"Lancet Thrust," Xylothar said calmly.

His rapier, now coated with a silver aura, cut through Ahkiyyini flesh effortlessly. Ahkiyyini shrieked in anguish and jumped back. A gaping wound appeared on Ahkiyyini flesh, leaking an icy liquid.

As Xylothar charged towards Ahkiyyini, the icy ground cracked beneath his feet, a testament to his immense strength. The demon, however, was not easily defeated. It retaliated with a flurry of ice shards, aiming to pierce Xylothar's flesh. But Xylothar was swift and agile, dodging the projectiles with ease.

With each dodge, Xylothar closed the distance between himself and Ahkiyyini. His rapier gleamed with a silver aura, ready to strike again. As he neared the demon, Xylothar unleashed a powerful strike, his rapier slicing through the air.

Ahkiyyini, sensing the impending danger, attempted to dodge, but it was too slow. Xylothar's blade found its mark, slicing through the demon's icy flesh once more. Ahkiyyini let out a guttural scream, its body trembling with pain and fury.

Unfazed by the demon's agony, Xylothar pressed on, his silver soul rings shining brightly. He unleashed a barrage of powerful attacks, each strike tearing through Ahkiyyini's defences. The air crackled with energy as the battle raged on, the sound of clashing weapons reverberating through the cave.

As the fight continued, the surrounding walls seemed to close in, almost suffocating in their icy presence. Xylothar's movements became more precise and calculated, his experience as a skilled hunter shining through. Ahkiyyini, on the other hand, grew weaker with each blow, its icy form fracturing.

Sensing the demon's imminent defeat, Xylothar gathered his strength for one last strike. With a swift motion, he thrust his rapier forward, aiming for Ahkiyyini's heart. The silver aura surrounding his weapon intensified, slicing through the air like a gleaming comet.

Ahkiyyini let out a last howl of agony as Xylothar's rapier sliced its head in half. The demon shattered into countless shards, its essence dispersing into the frigid air. Silence enveloped the cave once more, the only sound remaining the echo of Xylothar's light breaths.

Xylothar stood there, his body covered in a thin layer of frost, his rapier dripping with icy remnants.

"A mere rank thirty demon thought it could injure me? How amusing..." Xylothar said, his expression devoid of emotion.

He absorbed some of the mana coming from the dead corpse, his eyes closed as he focused on absorbing it. A bit of time would pass before he opened his eyes, and noticed an icy blue gem logged into the demon's eye.

"Is it a soul gem?" Xylothar wondered out loud as he grabbed it from the corpse's eye and stared at it. The icy blue soul gem was cold to the touch and had a bit of frostiness to it. Xylothar pocketed it and started scanning the room.

"I can't be wrong," he said, sniffing the area.

He closed his eyes and let his nose do the rest, and came to a wall full of icy crystals. Clenching his fist, he smashed through the wall and exposed an icy wall. Xylothar surveyed the icy wall, his crimson eyes scanning for any unusualities.

"Here it is," he said, spotting a small hole in the wall. It was barely noticeable, and one would need keen eyes to see it. He used his hands to dig out more of the wall, revealing a room behind it.

The room was white, just like the outside, but it had a green light coming from the middle of the room with the ground under it being yellow.

"A Sanguine Vein." Xylothar murmured out. He looked around the room some more, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Just the Sanguine Vein and green light in the middle.

He didn't approach it, but looked behind him and stared through the walls and directly at Amaris, who was sleeping.