“Why didn't you stay with the group? It's too dangerous here.” Aria dismounted and stepped into the shadowy thicket.

Neven extended his finger, a faint silver glow at the tip. “There's blood here.”

The silvery blood sparkled under the moonlight, like stardust. Aria immediately knew what it was. When Lucius killed the executioner, this was the color of the blood that flowed out.

“Demigod blood…” Aria's voice was carried away by the night wind, tinged with awe.

Neven stood up, eyes fixed on the bloodstains, following the trail into the dense, dead forest. Aria quickly followed, her heart filled with an unknown fear.

“This blood… it looks fresh,” Neven speculated.

“Is he still alive? Is the demigod still alive?” Aria's voice trembled with anxiety.

“Yes, it seems likely.”

“Neven, we need to inform the others. We can't handle a demigod alone.”

By now, the night patrol had disappeared into the darkness, leaving just the two of them wandering in the wilderness.

“They won't believe me. I'm not what I used to be.” Neven quickened his pace. “If it really is a demigod, I think he must be severely injured.”

“Wait, Neven. You've never seen a demigod's power up close. They're incredibly powerful.”

“If we go back to find the group now, we might miss our chance to find the demigod. Look, he went this way.” Neven pointed to the blood on the branches, not looking back. He paused, squinting, his face serious. “Seems like… that direction.” They continued following the blood trail, the moonlight obscured by thick leaves, the wind howling like ghostly wails.

A piercing howl echoed from afar.

“Sounds like a Night Ghoul,” Aria said, fearfully scanning the darkness, which seemed to blur everything around them.

“That sound isn’t a Night Ghoul.” Neven corrected her. “Stay close. There's a field of rotting corpses ahead. I’ve been here before, many years ago.”

Aria's breath hitched as a sudden chill prickled down her spine, a foreboding sensation settling heavily within her. Ahead loomed the haunting presence of a mass grave, its existence a grim testament to the horrors that had unfolded in this forsaken place. With a mixture of apprehension and morbid curiosity, she shadowed Neven, his determined stride leading them closer to the eerie scene.

The air was heavy with the stench of death, an oppressive weight that hung thick in the stillness. Aria's gaze flitted uneasily over the unburied corpses strewn haphazardly around, each one a silent witness to the unfathomable tragedy that had befallen them. The sight of their mangled forms sent a shiver down her spine, her stomach twisting with revulsion.

Bathed in the soft glow of moonlight, the grotesque tableau before her seemed all the more surreal. Long, eerie shadows danced across the twisted limbs and contorted faces, casting a macabre spell over the desolate landscape. With each step closer, the darkness seemed to close in around her, a suffocating embrace that threatened to consume her whole.

As they reached the edge of the mass grave, Aria's legs threatened to give way beneath her, the overwhelming horror of the scene threatening to engulf her entirely. With a trembling hand, she reached out to steady herself, her fingers curling tightly around her knees in a desperate attempt to anchor herself in the face of such overwhelming darkness.

Neven hurried over, his voice filled with concern. “Are you okay?”

Aria waved him off. “I'm fine.”

At that moment, a sudden sound of snapping twigs emanated from the nearby woods.

“Someone's there,” Neven said quietly, drawing his sword. He shouted, “Show yourself!”

A figure darted from behind a tree, fleeing deeper into the dark woods.

Neven cursed and dashed into the darkness.

Aria stumbled after him, her steps unsteady and hurried. She could see Neven’s silhouette fading into the distance until it vanished completely. She pushed herself to run faster, the leaves and twigs crunching underfoot, but she couldn’t keep up with Neven’s speed.

Suddenly, the sounds of a fierce struggle reached her. The clash of metal, accompanied by shouts and cries, reverberated through the darkness, filling the air with tension and danger. Aria’s mind went blank; the only thought was to catch up to Neven. She ran with all her might, her leg muscles burning with pain. She couldn’t stop; she knew Neven needed her.

Neven’s image kept flashing in her mind.

A sudden scream pierced the night, striking Aria’s heart. She came to a halt, her heart pounding in her ears, all other sounds abruptly silenced. The silent forest now only echoed with her heavy breaths and pounding heart.

From the north, a night beast’s roar rumbled, low and menacing.

Aria felt a coldness rising from her feet, spreading through her body. She quickened her pace, unsure if the scream was from the demigod or Neven.

She rushed forward, praying Neven was safe. In the narrow woods, a faint silver glow appeared ahead. The light was like a hazy moonbeam falling on the path. A sense of foreboding enveloped Aria; she knew what that silvery glow meant, tracing the outline of a form.

She slowed down, approaching a massive silver shape. Fear had never been this intense. Huge antlers, blooming with pure white flowers, adorned the head of a fallen Celestial Deer. Its wings spread out, one broken and pressed beneath its body. Snow covered this beautiful, lifeless creature. Beneath its twisted wing, a stream of silver blood flowed, forming a glowing river on the snowy ground. What shocked Aria more was the thin, deep wound along the deer’s body, as if something had been taken from within.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

A small blood-red orb rolled to her feet with a soft, cracking sound.

Aria stared curiously at the orb, but before she could inspect it further, Neven’s shout came from behind her.

“Aria, behind you!”

A shadow loomed over Aria. She turned in terror just as a hand clamped around her throat, lifting her effortlessly off the ground.

She gasped, her throat constricted, feet dangling above the ground.

A hooded figure stood before her, a dark presence shrouded in black. Aria clawed at the hand, struggling for breath.

“Let her go!” Neven’s voice drew closer, his footsteps stopping behind her.

“Why do you meddle in matters that don’t concern you?” a raspy voice snarled.

Aria kicked desperately, but the figure didn’t seem to feel it, tightening his grip on her throat. Her mouth opened in a silent scream, the lack of air becoming unbearable.

“Hand over the heart, or I’ll snap her neck.” The figure’s voice was harsh, grating.

“Alright, don’t hurt her. I’ll give it to you.” Neven threw something to the ground, the sound muffled in the snow.

Aria’s vision blurred, her throat felt like it was being crushed. The suffocation was like icy needles piercing her windpipe, her consciousness slipping away.Her heart pounded in her chest, her head buzzing with noise. Her fingers slipped from the hand gripping her throat, her strength drained. The air was thin, her breaths shallow and painful. Tears blurred her vision, Neven’s anxious figure a shadow in the darkness.

She must have blacked out for a moment. When she opened her eyes again, her vision was still blurry, but she could feel cold tears on her cheeks. Muffled sounds gradually became clearer.

“Pick up the blood-red orb!” the raspy voice cut through the silence, sharp as a blade. Aria blinked, tears clouding her sight, but she could see the figure’s hand gripping her throat.Her vision wavered, her body sinking into darkness like a heavy stone.

When she woke up again, she found herself lying in the snow, gasping for air. She shakily lifted her head, the person who had tried to strangle her was gone. Silver blood droplets stained the snow, disappearing into the dark forest.

Neven let out a muffled groan, kneeling nearby with his head buried in the snow. He cradled one of his hands, shaking violently.

Aria struggled to her feet and stumbled towards him, her steps unsteady. Blood-stained fragments littered the ground, and his hand was bleeding profusely. “What happened to your hand?” Aria asked, kneeling beside him.

“Hearteater Worm...” he choked out.

Aria gasped, recalling Sable’s warning: "Never let that worm burrow into you. It will devour your heart." She pulled his hand closer, horrified by what she saw. Neven’s palm had a gaping hole, as if something had exploded inside it, the flesh torn open.

“What happened? How could you handle a Hearteater Worm?” Aria asked.

“If I didn’t, he threatened to kill you.” Neven squinted, pulling his injured hand back. “This hurts more than they said it would…”

“We need to get back to Moon Tower. Alexander will know what to do.”

“Too far… I can’t make it…”

“Then what do we do? It will kill you.”

“It won’t kill me… until it finds my heart… I know a place, not far from here…” He bit his pale lip, barely able to speak from the pain, sweat running down his jawline.

Aria helped the trembling Neven as they walked in the direction he indicated. They climbed a hill in the withered forest. Under the night sky, a black, solitary tower stood stark against the barren ridge, dark and foreboding like a spike driven into the mountaintop.

They reached the tower, and Aria banged on the iron door. There was no response for a long time.

“Who could be here? It’s so remote, far from Moon Tower,” Aria said worriedly.

“This is… an entrance. There will always be someone guarding it,” Neven said weakly, leaning against the stone wall, his face growing paler.

“An entrance to what?” Aria asked.

His pale face showed a bitter smile, and Aria immediately shut her mouth, regretting her thoughtlessness in questioning him during his weakest moment.

Just then, a faint light shone through the crack in the door.

A hunched, ugly man holding an oil lamp opened the door. He didn’t even look at them, asking indifferently, “Do you have a token?”

“He’s injured, we need to…” Before Aria could finish, the doorkeeper snapped, “If you don’t have one, you can’t come in. No exceptions.”

Neven pushed against the door, preventing him from closing it. He fought to keep his voice steady despite the pain. “I am Neven. Tell your master I need shelter here for the night. I’ll fulfill one of his requests.”

The door slammed shut.

In the cold night, Neven slowly leaned against the door. He exhaled a cloud of mist, closed his eyes, and his clenched fist continued to bleed. Aria watched his increasingly pale face, her heart pounding. They waited in silence until slow footsteps sounded from inside, and Aria finally felt a sense of relief.

Inside the tower, it was dark and cold, with spiraling stairs ascending upwards. The wooden beams were warped and decayed, filthy and dilapidated. A large table took up most of the cramped space.

The doorkeeper lit a fire in the hearth and tightly closed the curtains. This place was farther from Moon Tower, surrounded by the howls of Night Ghouls.

“Don’t open the curtains. Night Ghouls are drawn to firelight,” the doorkeeper rasped.

“Can you heat some water for me?” Neven asked weakly.

“I’ll get it…” he replied impatiently, climbing the stairs.

Aria quickly removed her armor, feeling suffocated by its weight. Finally, she unbuckled the last piece from her leg and turned, asking anxiously, “What do we do now?”

Neven pushed aside the items on the table, and there was a clattering sound as something fell to the floor. Suddenly, he stopped, emitting a pained groan, gripping the table tightly as sweat dripped in large drops from his forehead.

“It’s at my back, you need to draw it out…” Neven said, trembling as he tried to unfasten his armor, his fingers fumbling.

Aria stepped forward, her hands trembling even more than his, palms slick with sweat. She took a deep breath and began to undo his armor. As she continued unbuttoning his linen shirt, she was shocked by what she saw. Neven's chest was covered in scars, just as frightening as his back. Sword cuts, burns—no one should have so many scars.

When she nervously undid the last button, his muscular chest was exposed. She lowered her eyes, feeling a sense of intimacy that made her uncomfortable. Besides Thanatos, no one had ever been this close to her. It was even more unbelievable that this person had the same face as Thanatos.

“Are you blushing?” Neven’s voice was slightly hoarse.

“No…” she replied softly, turning her gaze away.

“If I died for you, would you be sad?” He lifted Aria’s chin, making her face his haggard visage.

“Tell me how I can help you,” Aria asked anxiously.

Neven slowly leaned in, his breath hot like fire, brushing against Aria’s cheek with an irresistible allure. Her heartbeat quickened with his proximity, a strange, inexplicable force drawing her in. Their noses almost touched, their lips mere inches apart.

“Don’t…” Aria’s voice was a faint whisper. She tried to push him away, but seeing Neven’s pain-twisted face, her hands fell limply. Neven’s arm encircled her waist, pulling her close. His eyes held a deep, unwavering affection that made her heart ache. “But right now, I just want this…” he said in a low voice.

A soft, warm kiss landed on Aria’s lips, featherlight at first, then growing more intense and passionate. Their breaths mingled, filled with a faint fragrance, like angels mourning their kiss. Aria’s heart pounded wildly, enveloped in Neven’s warmth, driving away all the cold and fear.

Neven gently caressed her back, his touch tender yet firm. Aria felt completely enveloped in his warmth, her fears and anxieties melting away.

The world around them seemed insignificant in that moment.