...

..

Pushing open the door with my shoulder there was only a large single hallway leading down and off the right just barely lit, The racide smell of blood and oil that filled the air smashed against my face.

Taking a step though the door I could smell the faint oil and blood wafting through the air. The air inside the building felt warm and Still. Taking a step deeper into the room I could feel the deep footprints etched into the wood of the floor.

This place has heavy traffic… counting with my next step I edge closer and closer down the end of the hallway, the rotten smell of iron and oil grew stronger with each step, looking closer at the farthest hallway wall the shadows of fire flickered back and forth. Quickly turning the corner I was brought to a horrifying scene.

The rooms walls and floor was littered with various torture tools varying from flog to a Bronze bull tucked into the corner…I was dumbfounded… but then I saw it Sitting in the middle of the room a large iron pot its lid fasten with molten iron chain red hot from the fire that was blazing beneath…. The shallow echoes of dying out banging chained against the pot.

I was stunned… such a primitive.. Quickly jumping back to thought and extinguishing the fire with a quick breath of my icy mana. Like a wave of winter the pot quickly cooled before violently cracking under the pressure shooting the chain to the floor. The pot quickly cracked and rubbed before a small amount of oil began to leak from the crack… the banging stopped. The frost in the air quickly settled coming to a quiet rest on the floor.

Who was inside…?

The sound of oil dripping to the floor silently came to a stop. Walking a step closer the oil from the pot stuck beneath my paws. Pushing my head against the pot it quickly cracked once more before splintering into. Pushing my head to the floor i stood silent..

Alex's body lay silent, unmoving in the pool of oil and blood… by the looks of it they broke most of his finger and the rest of his limbs… I could even notice a couple bones poking beneath the skin… I'm surprised I could still hear him banging… looking over the body one last time I took note of each wound and burn. Quickly saying a prayer… and devouring the rest of his remaining body whole… Burnt and tasteless.

Quietly turning to the door I exited silently with my head held low… if that's what they did to their own kind…

*Ping

Stats and skills of a grateful person have been inherited after death…

New skill acquired: Woodworking lvl 2, Physical strength increase, Guardians heart lvl 1

Guardians heart lvl 1

Your blood quickens supplying more oxygen to your body when protecting someone you care for.

Woodworking lvl 2

Just by feeling alone you can tell the different grains of the wood, as well and mold it easier to the desired state.

..I'm sorry for your loss Fang.

…It's alright Anki, I can see why the old man left this realm.

Taking the next step I quickly hasten out of the village back to the first camp closest to the forest.

If they all left the village where could they have gone?

After pacing down the path I finally came to the first camp. It was still and silent.

“Snow, Brue?”

*Coo

Snow quickly swooped down from some nearby tree tops cleverly shaden by the darkness of night. Before landing back on my head and resting silently. Within a couple of seconds Brue quietly came from one of the nearby tents. With a shaky voice he asked.

“Did you find Meaire or Alex?”

For a second I stood silent…

“No… They must have taken them somewhere… let's head back to the Den for now… everyone there is gone.”

“But.. they couldn't have gotten far, we have to look.”

“That's enough Brue… all look in the morning once more. That's all we can do for now.”

With slow steps he quietly turned back to the first entrance before disappearing into the woods. Looking up at Snow I nodded.

“Follow him back to the Den and be back by morning… I wanna check a few things.”

With a groan of a Coo Snow quickly left the top of my head and headed after Brue.

Anki? Can you pull up the new Quest again?

*Ping

Yep no problem.

Rescue the Demon’s trapped in Rotwood guard post village. Reward: Increase in Territory, ???

That means there is more than one in the village right?... Then where? Looking up at the moons the first was just barely above the horizon while the other was closely following… I only have about an hour left until the sun starts to rise.

Motioning to the path, I started back for the village… Now the Brue back at camp I only have Meaire to find… Shaking my head I quicken my pace down the path. Finally peaking back over the hill the village was just barely in view… Now There was a small group of people outside the gates, quickly jumping into the nearby bushes of the path. I slowed down and tried to walk as best I could to the village.

Where did they come out from? I could find anything… peeking out through the grass I could barely see the group of people… they looked mostly like normal townspeople… the vivid image of Alex flashed through my head. Violently shaking my head a few times, I calmed down.

There are no here people.

Looking back at the group it seemed to have doubled in size; there were now about thirty of them outside the gate…

What were they doing?

…

After a couple minutes of watching it, the group just seemed to become larger and larger… There didn't seem to be any threats amongst them besides the rather large number of them. It was a very odd assortment of people varying from old to even toddlers… Why have they all gathered?

*Gong

The sound of metal slamming together gently rang through the field, Before a small golden hair like crack appeared not forty feet from the village gate.

*Gong

The metal clashed once more but this time. In unionsion all the villages got to their knees, bowing respectfully….? Within the next second the large crack was spread open quickly gaining size until it was around seven feet tall, quickly two Knights clad in silver and Iron rushed from the silhouette. Before standing pose as the sides of the now gaping whole between them.

Bringing both of their swords to their Chest their voices echoed in unions through the field.

“Stand for Ildir God of Punishment.”