Do you know why it's called the Blackwood Forest?

Arwan's voice remained unchanged as he said. "Well, I think you need to rethink that."

Slowly standing up, Arwan laughed before saying. "You aren't my match."

Whoosh...

Disappearing from where he stood with a grin atop his face, Arwan appeared in front of Theo.

Clang!!

Thud... Thud...

Skiiiiidddddddd...

Barely being able to defend Arwan's punch with his dagger, Theo was sent flying 2 meters away. Rebounding on the ground twice before he was able to get his footing.

Whoosh...

Theo had just managed to regain his footing when he saw a fist coated in a reddish aura approach his face.

Bam!!

Squarely landing on Theo's face, a few of Theo's teeth were knocked out as the cave trembled due to the force behind Arwan's punch.

Thud... 

Skiiiiidddddddd...

Unable to withstand the force that traveled through him, Theo was sent spiraling away with a disfigured face.

"Huff... Huff..." Theo gasped as he hurriedly picked himself up, quickly setting up defensive means for Arwan's next attack.

Coating himself fully in the shadowy aura released by the dagger, Theo was struck with the realization that Arwan had toyed with him since the start of their fight.

If he hadn't used his shadowy aura on the part where Arwan's punch landed, Theo would have immediately dissipated upon contact with Arwan's reddish aura just like what happened to the cocky Elf.

'Damn, my body won't move.' Arwan thought, gritting his teeth as he tried to move his body that was rooted in place.

'Don't tell me it's already thirty minutes.' Arwan said to himself after he remembered his conversation with the Skeletal Demon.

'It's not but soon.' As the voice of the Skeletal Demon resounded in Arwan's mind, a constant stream of smoke was being released by the latter.

"He seems to be paralyzed," Theo muttered, seeing Arwan was still in the same spot.

"But he might as well be baiting me in."

Thinking about his best option for Arwan's current state, Theo narrowed his eyes as he poured every ounce of his Mana into his dagger.

"Unseal," Theo muttered after his dagger had begun glowing in a black unholy light.

When the dagger's glow had reached its peak, its light consumed Theo's form as a purplish Magic Circle appeared beneath him.

The Magic Circle constantly pulsated in a strong evil light accompanied by what seemed to be the wails of the deceased.

'Damn, I need to move.' Arwan thought forcing himself to take a step after he felt threatened by what was happening before him.

Finally taking a step, Arwan was sweating bullets as he tried to bring his other leg forward.

'Oh, crap.'

That was the last thought on Arwan's mind as his vision darkened and his body limply fell to the floor.

"You should be dead for real this time." A demonic voice said as it echoed through the cave.

Beside where Arwan's dead body lay, a demonic being stood proudly radiating an aura of evil from every strand of its unholy existence.

It had a curved pitch-black horn on the left side of its head, light gray skin that was littered with cracks, and strange-looking tattoos that constantly moved all over its body. This was the thing that Theo had exchanged a few years of his life to transform into.

Theo looked at Arwan for some time before walking towards Adrian. He didn't regret exchanging his life to transform even if he had killed Arwan in one shot he deemed it was worth it.

"It still hasn't disappeared." Theo frowned, looking at the Water Barrier that was still around Adrian.

Bending down to pick up the baby, Theo said. "I'm sure it would dissipate sooner or later."

As he walked towards the Cave's exit, Theo pulled out a crystal device from his robes before saying. "Phase one has been completed, Your Highness."

"Good bring him to the Castle." A feminine voice echoed through the crystal.

"But Your Highness I thought we decided to kill him immediately. Even though I can't kill him now, bringing him to the Ragnar Kingdom isn't a wise move." Theo replied, trying his best to not raise his tone.

"I'm the head of our branch and my decision is final. I'll expect you before nightfall." The woman said before hanging up.

"To hell with her." Knowing it would be foolish to disobey her orders, Theo could only grit his teeth as he stepped out of the cave.

****

"Your Majesty, we received a letter that said the child you had with the Elvish Princess Aurora had been kidnapped." A messenger said, bowing till his forehead kissed the floor.

"I see." The King of the Ragnar Kingdom said, looking at the messenger from the corner of his eye.

He had long silky white hair that seemed to be a white waterfall, crystal blue eyes that were coated with indifference, a figure that radiated strength despite his old age, and an aura of royalty was radiated off his being.

"You may go." The King said, not having the slightest change in his emotions. Whether the child lived or died was none of his business since he had many children and more were still coming.

"Huh?" Shocked by the King's lack of emotions, the Messenger had heard that the King didn't value the lives of his children but he didn't expect it to be to this extent.

Giving the Messenger a cold glare after hearing his surprised reply, the King coldly said. "Out of my sight."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Broken from his previous shock by the King's words, the Messenger said as he walked towards the door with his head facing the King.

Thump...

"I'm going to my room Alistar, if anyone needs me tell the servants to come call me." The King said, adjusting his robes before walking out of the throne room.

"Sigh... Here we go again." After the King had left, Alistar placed his hands on his face while sighing.

Disappearing from where he stood without leaving a trace, Alistar was on his way to save another child of the foolish King he served.

****

As Alistar's figure materialized in the Blackwood Forest, he looked around for a while as a smile appeared on his face.

"I didn't expect to run into a member of the Church of Malum," Alistar said, landing beside a hooded figure not too far away from the tree he had appeared.

"Give me the baby and we'll call it even," Not giving the figure a chance to respond, Alistar said with a smile before placing his hand on a tree beside him.

"What if I say no?" A demonic voice said from underneath the hood.

"Then you'll regret it," Alistar said without the slightest trace of danger in his voice.

"If that is the case then you'll have to take him away from me." The hooded figure said after deducing Alistar to be a pushover.

"Are you sure about that?" Smiling with his eyes closed, Alistar wanted to confirm if the hooded figure was sure about his choice.

Whoosh...

"Yes, I am." The person said calmly, backing away from Alistar.

"I see." As his attitude had a 180-degree switch, Alistar said with killing intent radiating from him.

"Huh." Startled by the killing intent that could surpass that of a serial killer, the figure was about to take a step back when Alistar appeared by his side.

"Do you know why it's called the Blackwood Forest?" Alistar whispered into the figure's ear, with a smirk on his face.