It had been just a few minutes since their talks about the dead guards and the enigmatic Sir Garran. They were still travelling, but suddenly something happened.
One moment, the caravan was travelling through the sand then at the next moment, creatures burst from the ground. They were scary things made of shadowy dark smoke and claws. They were the Hollows
"They have attacked the rear this time." someone yelled.
Solen moved his neck and then turned himself too. The air had turned cold, thick with strange pressure. It was the killing intent from the hollows. From near the carriages, they moved towards the rear guard who stood between them and the carriages.
The guards barely had time to react. Garran's voice cut through the chaos, sharp as a blade. "Hold the formation! Protect the carriages."
Solen gripped his weapon tighter, his knuckles white. His heart beated fast in his chest. He'd thought he was ready for something to happen, But reality was usually different from expectations.
Then one of the creatures, a wolf-shaped monster made of darkness, ran towards him. Its eyes gave a strange white glow, it's fang looking as if it was hungry for feast.
Solen tried to move but he couldn't. His body was refusing to listen, he had frozen.
For a moment, everything slowed — the world, the creature. Everything. He thought it was his end, his death.
But then something suddenly hit him hard from the side.
He crashed into the sand. The creature's claws slashed the space where he'd been standing an instant ago.
"Idiot! What are you doing?" a voice barked.
It was Borin the old man. He stood in front of him, his spear raised, his stance solid and battle ready. He then caught the wolf's second strike and shoved it back, grunting with effort.
"Stay focused, boy."
Solen blinked, shaking off the daze. He pushed himself up, and said, "R-right! Sorry!"
The wolf lunged again, a blur of black but Borin stepped aside to dodge and his spear's tip slicing across the creature's side. But the wound closed instantly, darkness knitting over itself.
Solen moved towards it too, trying to close him and help Borin. Every time the creature attacked, Borin blocked or parried and then while the wolf was down, Solen would make a strike, the creature turned toward him — leaving its flank open. After some successful strikes, the wolf tried to escape but Solen and Borin didn't let it.
The hollow wolf stumbled slightly on it's unsteady legs.
"Don't give it space or else it will escape." Borin roared.
"Right."
Solen darted forward, driving his blade straight through its chest. The creature tried to resist, its body shaking violently but in the end it couldn't and it dissolved into a cloud of black mist.
For a moment there was only silence. Then the mist began to rise, swirling lazily before starting to fade.
And in his mind the cold, quiet voice of his system came.
[Soul Detected: Lesser Hollow — Feral Wolf Type]
"Residual Soul Fragments detected."
"Would you like to Store the soul in the vessel?"
[Store in Vessel] [No]
Solen's breath came heavy. He looked at the fading mist, and at the faint violet glow from his lantern.
The words of Pale echoed faintly in his head. "Each time you devour, your humanity wanes."
But this time didn't even hesitate this time.
This near death experience of him had taught him one thing only the strong had the time and energy to worry about things like morality and humanity. The weak didn't have such rights. And he who was barely trying to survive, most certainly didn't.
"Store it," he whispered.
The lantern on his belt flickered — its violet core pulsing once, then twice, before drawing in the black mist like a breath. The air trembled faintly, then stilled.
The system responded.
[Soul Stored Successfully]
Vessel Capacity: 1 / 10
Remaining Duration: 11 hours, 59 minutes
Solen then let out a slow breath. His hands were still trembling from the battle. "Well at least, that's one down."
He glanced up — Borin had already moved a few meters away, keeping another creature off one of the other guards. The old man moved with a strange rhythm — slow, deliberate, but never wasting motion. It was kind of like Sir Garran, but Sir Garran was much much better at it.
Solen watched for a moment, then wiped the sweat from his forehead and raised his weapon again. There were still more shadows moving across the dunes.
He moved towards Borin.
He muttered under his breath, a wry edge to his voice, "No time to rest for the damned."
And with that, he ran back into the fight.
Solen sprinted towards Borin, who was still locked in combat with another of the wolf-like hollows. The old man's spear attacked again and again, each strike pushing the creature back, but not far enough. Every time it seemed to weaken, its shadowy flesh pulled together once more, like smoke refusing to scatter.
"I've got your back." Solen shouted.
Borin grunted but didn't look back. "About time, boy. What took you so long. Keep it away from me."
Solen circled around the wolf hollow, trying to find a good spot. Another hollow darted toward their direction, but two other guards intercepted it. The desert had turned into chaos, there were battles everywhere.
The one they were fighting against lunged toward Borin again, its claws aiming for his chest. Solen moved instinctively, parrying the attack with his sword and kicking the creature's leg out from beneath it. The thing stumbled, and Borin seized the opening — his spear pierced straight through its head.
The hollow screamed but as it died it vanished into black mist.
Solen didn't hesitate to store the soul.
[Soul Detected]
[Store in Vessel — Confirmed]
[Soul Stored Successfully — 2 / 10]
The lantern at his side glowed violet again as the soul vanished into it,.
Another creature came at him from the side. This one was a bit smaller, thinner, fast. Solen barely dodged the claws that grazed his shoulder. His heart hammered, but this time he didn't freeze. He tried and successfully dodged and then tried to attack
The blade hit nothing — yet the hollow shrieked and turned into mist. It was Borin, he had attacked with his spear. Another soul moved in the air and again his lantern stored it.
One after another, the creatures fell. And one after another, their souls disappeared into the faintly glowing lantern.
[Soul Stored Successfully — 4 / 10]
[Soul Stored Successfully — 5 / 10]
The notifications flickered faintly in his vision as he killed.
He moved in rhythm with Borin now. The old man blocked and deflected with practiced precision, while Solen struck quick and clean whenever he saw an opening. Between them, they helped slay a few more.
Silence followed, broken only by the heavy panting of the guards.
Solen stood still for a moment, chest rising and falling. His arm ached, but not nearly as much as it should have. Maybe it was the adrenaline rush.
He opened the system interface briefly.
[Vessel Capacity Used: 6 / 10]
[Remaining Duration: 11 Hours, 02 Minutes]
Six souls — all gathered in a single fight.
He exhaled slowly. "Not bad."
While there were more monster he didn't always have the time to select the option to store the soul. He had move almost instantly to help others.
Nearby, Borin wiped the sweat from his forehead, leaning on his spear. "You did good, boy," he said between breaths. "Still green, but better than before. You didn't freeze this time. Hmm and while your skills are still shitty, you are stronger than what I had thought. You held back at the trial huh?"
Solen didn't answer and just smiled.
Borin snorted at his silence and didn't continue to question it.
He glanced toward the front — Garran was standing motionless among the fallen monsters, blade still in hand, expression cold and unreadable.
For a brief moment, Solen thought the head guard's gaze flicked toward him. A faint glimmer of recognition, or suspicion. Then it was gone.
Solen swallowed and looked away.
"Come on, boy," Borin said, nudging his shoulder. "Let's help the others gather the wounded. No time to rest just yet."
Solen nodded, tightening his grip on his weapon. "Right."