Dante walked back through the dim streets, a few of his men falling in step beside him. Soon, the rest of his troops returned from their search, faces weary.
"Sir, bad news—we couldn't find them," one reported.
"Oh, that's very bad news, indeed," Dante replied dryly. "But I want you all to report to headquarters, then go home. I'll take responsibility for this, and maybe we'll continue the search tomorrow."
His troops exchanged glances, relief evident in their eyes. They smiled and nodded.
"Thank you, Sir Dante," a few said before dispersing into the night.
Dante watched them go, the weight of failure and relief mingling in his chest as the city settled into darkness.
Suddenly, shadows appeared behind him.
"It looks like you failed your mission, Knight Commander," a familiar voice said.
Dante turned and saw familiar faces.
He smiled and answered, "It seems I did. We have to continue the search tomorrow, Mergoth." He glanced at the others. "The search is over for now—no need to bring Garrick and Gendry."
Gendry bowed his head, embarrassed, knowing it was his fault.
"What did you do with the bodies, Gendry?" Dante asked.
With a shy voice, Gendry replied, "I fed them to the monsters, Sir. I'm very sorry for my mistakes."
Garrick smiled and interrupted, "Good thing the girl named Sibel was found by one of our men. We dispatched the body immediately."
Dante nodded. "Well, the search is over for now. You three should go home and rest. We'll start fresh tomorrow. I'm pretty sure he can't get away now that the barrier has locked the city."
He began to walk away, but Mergoth's mischievous grin stopped him.
"Our Lord wants the child captured now," Mergoth said, voice dripping with mockery. "It would be so sad if Frings' favorite knight—the strongest in this city—could not fulfill his master's wish."
Dante heard the words but forced himself not to react. 'He's trying to get under my skin,' Dante thought, tightening his jaw. ' I won't let him.'
"My decision is final," Dante said firmly. "The search will continue tomorrow. If we can't find them, then we'll just have to say it failed."
Mergoth's expression darkened. "I don't think you understand, Knight Commander. The Avalorian ambassador is in our territory. If Rethrus and the kid join the Avalorians, our family—or even this entire city—will be doomed. Remember, the king's power is absolute. Do you really want to risk our Lord's anger?"
He stepped closer, his voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. "I mean, maybe it's not a big deal to you. But for our Lord? If you lose the girl, Lord Frings might want something in return."
Mergoth's smile widened, cold and sharp. "Or someone."
Dante froze, his breath catching in his throat.
"How's Clea doing?" Mergoth asked, his tone casual and cruel. "I bet she's grown into a beautiful young woman—just like her mother."
Dante's eyes widened in shock and rage. In a flash, he lunged forward and grabbed Mergoth by the throat.
"Don't you ever utter those words again," Dante growled, his voice trembling with fury.
Gendry and Garrick, startled, drew their weapons, tension crackling in the air.
Mergoth, struggling to breathe, managed a strained laugh. "What? I'm just telling the truth. Our Lord wants the girl now. As Knight Commander, it's your job to fulfill his wishes," he sneered, his eyes glinting with malice. "Or else."
Outside the city, deep within the dense forest, monsters prowled under the cloak of night. Their twisted forms slithered between the trees, eyes glowing with hunger and malice. The creatures snarled and snapped at the air, restless and dangerous.
But inside a dome of swirling darkness, all was still.
Rethrus sat beside a small fire, its flickering flames casting long shadows against the barrier's inky walls. Wrapped snugly in his cloak, Xiaolan rested peacefully, her breathing slow and steady. She was exhausted from their long flight, but safe here—shielded by the barrier forged from dark magic.
Rethrus pulled out some snacks and gently fed her, a faint smile touching his lips. 'I'm glad I bought these earlier,' he thought. 'Never imagined monsters could be afraid of me.'
The barrier hummed softly, a protective shroud of living shadow that absorbed the forest's eerie sounds and kept the predators at bay. Outside, the monsters prowled and growled, their glowing eyes unable to pierce the veil of darkness that surrounded the camp.
The swirling blackness seemed almost alive, shifting and twisting with a will of its own, guarding its fragile occupants from the dangers lurking just beyond.
Rethrus's gaze swept the dense woods beyond the barrier. The forest was alive with rustling leaves, distant howls, and the occasional snap of a branch—reminders that peril waited patiently outside their sanctuary.
He tightened his grip on Xiaolan's small hand, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. The path ahead was uncertain and fraught with danger, but for now, within this living shadow, they could rest.
Rethrus was utterly exhausted, and Xiaolan slept softly on his chest. Though it was still early evening, the weariness of their journey weighed heavily on them both, pulling them into a deep, fragile sleep.
Suddenly, in the distance, the city's barrier flickered—darkness briefly wavering before snapping back into place with a faint hum.
Some time have passed, the forest around them erupted with noise.
The cries of monsters grew louder—some fleeing in terror, others howling in pain as creatures were torn apart. The chaos shattered the night's calm.
Rethrus stirred awake, heart pounding. Gently, he laid Xiaolan down, using his sling bag as a pillow to keep her comfortable.
"Something's coming," he whispered, gripping his staff tightly. He stood up, opened the barrier, and stepped outside. With a wave of his hand, he locked the barrier again, sealing Xiaolan safely inside.
The sounds of battle grew louder—monsters howling in terror, their cries abruptly cut off by savage roars and crushing blows. One by one, the creatures were torn apart, their twisted forms falling lifeless to the ground.
Rethrus's heart pounded in his chest as he watched from within the safety of his barrier. The sheer power of whatever was moving through the woods was undeniable. It was a force of destruction unlike anything he had ever encountered—relentless, merciless, and terrifying.
Fear twisted inside him, for his own life, and for Xiaolan's. The thought of this unstoppable force breaking through and reaching her filled him with a cold dread. He tightened his grip on his staff, muscles tense, every sense alert.
'What kind of monster could slaughter others of its kind so effortlessly? And why was it heading this way?'
Rethrus swallowed hard, steeling himself. He knew that whatever was coming would test him beyond anything he had faced before. There was no turning back now.
The noise thundered closer—closer—until it was a roar in Rethrus's ears.
He dropped into a battle stance, every nerve on fire, every muscle coiled like a spring.
Suddenly, a massive dire wolf lunged from the shadows, jaws snapping. Before Rethrus could even raise his hand to cast a spell, the beast's face was ripped apart—split in two by a blade that seemed to materialize from the darkness itself.
Flames erupted from the blackness, a sudden blaze that cut through the night like a burning sword.
A pyromancer, Rethrus realized, heart pounding.
Out of the swirling shadows stepped a figure wreathed in fire, eyes blazing with cold fury.
"Oh, he's here," the fiery man said, voice low and dangerous. Behind him, others emerged, their gazes sharp and unyielding.
Mergoth's voice slithered through the night, dripping with mockery. "Looks like you're the reason some monsters won't dare cross this place anymore."
Gendry's breath hitched as he spotted Xiaolan. "There's the girl."
Garrick's eyes gleamed. "So this is the Chosen One". He's the one who conjured the fire.
Rethrus's mind raced, shock and adrenaline crashing together. He was outnumbered, outmatched—but he refused to back down.
"I can take them," he snarled silently, gripping his staff tighter, ready to unleash everything he had.
Then, from the shadows, a new figure stepped forward—and Rethrus's blood ran cold.
It was Dante.
"Rethrus," Dante's voice cut through the chaos like a blade, sharp and commanding, "hand over the child. End this now, or you'll regret it."
"You should have kept running, kid," Dante thought, eyes cold as ice.
Rethrus's heart hammered. The night had just turned into a battlefield—and there was no turning back.