Manu stood with his men outside the impenetrable domain; where the pillar of blue light stabbed into the heavens. To get here, he and his men had to spend flesh, and blood. After all, the jungles of Imprexis were notorious for being almost impossible to traverse. In fact, a few of them had died reaching this point.

All Manu could do was offer them a prayer to the emperor Zephara. They had been given the order, and the Golden Mercs would do anything for a golden coin. Of course, they’d spend it the next day in the city's tavern, gulping down the finest ale from around the world, and enjoying the company of the most beautiful men, and women, in Ruaturn.

Imprexis… Manu thought as he gazed up at the seemingly never ending vines of the impenetrable domain.

Imprexis was a land that was always shrouded in mystery. It was where monsters came to life, evolved, and grew sentience. They became human. With their powerful magic, nothing, and no-one ever had the chance of entering these jungles. Some named it the enchanted jungle. There have long been rumours that there is an ancient pyramid hidden somewhere within, but nobody has ever seen it.

It was another reason no-one had yet to enter the impenetrable domain. If one tried to burrow beneath it, they would be impaled by living vines. If they attempted to fly above it, the same vines would turn one into a kebab. Fertiliser for the enchanted vines.

So far, there had been no activity since the emergence of the pillar of light, and tensions were rising amongst the Golden Mercs. Nobody wanted to be here for much longer, and yet, he didn’t blame them. He was of the same mind. The sooner he could get back out of this dreadful heat, humidity, and death, the better.

Golden-fire ale. Manu resisted the urge to click his tongue.

Yet, he was resolute in his orders. He wouldn’t betray them even if it meant death. If Sesostris ordered him to come here, then he would do so without complaint. For all his master did, it was the least he could do…

“What’s that?” Khufu asked.

Manu was about to ask what he was talking about, but a green, almost black mist rolled out from behind the thick foliage to their left.

“Hallowed mist–” Manu’s eyes bulged.

It was the Hallowed Mist from the Shadowed isles. His heart pulsed. It shouldn’t be here; it was impossible. From the Shadowed Isles, to here, was thousands of miles, yet here it was.

“Everyone, retreat!” Manu barked out the order, but it was too late. The mist had already caught them. Surrounded them. Everyone backed up, confused, scared.

The mist didn’t smell of anything, but as it brushed against Manu’s flesh, the feeling of dread pulled at his heartstrings. His eyes attempted to pierce through the veil smoke, but he couldn’t see anything. He was being watched. The hairs tingling on the nape of his neck told him so.

Yidos grabbed his shoulder, her voice severe. “Commander, we need to get out of here.”

Frowning, Manu nodded. “Everyone follow my lead–”

However, his words were interrupted. The wall of vines next to him trembled. At first, he expected them to attack, but that wasn’t the case. From vivid green, they wilted ever so slowly. The deep shade of green transformed darker and darker until it turned black. In the next moment, it started falling. Piece by piece, the tall wall was dying until a large section of it collapsed.

Manu didn’t understand. Why was the impenetrable domain that had formed just a few days ago, dying? Was it the mist from the shadow isles doing it? He didn’t know.

Following the wall’s destruction, something emerged from the mist. A spectre. It didn’t have a form, and even looking closely, it looked just like a humanoid clump of air. It moved forward at an unthreatening pace.

Khufu, one of the newest recruits, held out his hand as his eyes lost their focus.

“Stop you fool!” Manu moved on instinct in an attempt to rip Khufu away, but it was too late. He wasn’t fast enough, and because of that, the spectre entered his body.

Eyes turning a ghastly dark green, the same colour of mist left his mouth in a haze the next moment. Then his veins changed, bones snapped from his wrist, arms, and back. Head snapping to Manu, tendrils of green emerged within his iris. Fingers grew into sharpened blades, he shot forward.

Thud. Yidos fired a penetrating arrow that met Khufu's charge. Through his skull, it splattered his brains against the decaying vines behind.

“Run!” Manu ordered and together with his Golden Merc’s, charged through the jungle.

Hallowed screams followed them. Chased them. Followed closely was the rushing of footsteps. Manu glanced back, and the same… monsters were following him, and his teams mad dash through the jungle.

Yidos fired numerous arrows that all hit their mark. One of the monsters tried to dodge, but in a split second the arrow ignited, and exploded. The force brought with it a wave that pushed back the jungle foliage in their surroundings.

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It was a testament to her power.

The foliage was becoming thinner, yet the monsters were gaining on them.

The Shadowed Isles is expanding. Manu thought as he broke through the tree-line. However, his heart only sank further.

In the distance was an island, but from it, it was pulsating out a thick billowing mist that was dark green in colour. It was the same mist that was chasing them. The same mist that brought forth the monsters.

He was about to turn, but his body jolted forward. Gazing down, a blade had pierced through his chest. Red bloomed like an eerie flower.

His own men had turned against him.

Stumbling forward, Yidos screamed. Multiple arrows splintered off, reaping the lives of dozens of men, and women in a second. Her eyes glowed a sinister bright green. But it wasn’t the same green of the hallowed mist.

They were primal and beautiful.

“Get out of here, Yidos.” Manu mumbled through the taste of iron as blood seeped past his lips.

Yidos grit her teeth, then fired an arrow straight into Manu’s skull.

“Imprexis is watching, Manu,” Yidos said. “We were right all along. The world will change, but we are ready.”

***

Victor gazed at the others. Would they attack him? Those were the thoughts running through his head as he held his dual wielded hand-scythes.

“Where’s Chloe?” Kira took a step forward. Cai mimicked her, standing more in front than beside.

Victor grit his teeth. “She’s dead.”

“What?” Kira’s eyes turned wicked. brandishing her weapon, she was about to charge at Victor, but cai held her back. “Let me go!”

“Did you kill her?” Declan asked, also with his weapon at the ready.

“Of course I didn’t,” Victor snapped. “It was Thraz who killed her. Skeletons appeared from everywhere, we were just trying to escape.”

“You’re a liar!” Kira said.

“Believe what you want, but Chloe was my friend.” Victor trembled. Images of her body being split in half tore at his mind. They were images that reminded him of how weak he was.

“Victor, do you have any shame?” Declan sighed. “Skeletons appeared, just trying to escape? Such elementary words are meant to convince us?”

“Screw this.” Victor’s eyes turned red and an aura that shocked the others emerged from his soul.

Most took steps back in fear. Even the strongest of the group weren’t spared as Victor could finally taste what he had been missing. For so long he had lost his way. He had been so stupid.

He took a few words from his father: to not become injured to become prey, and took them as gospel. No, he was wrong. If one wanted to carve a path of blood, one had to be prepared to welcome wounds as a kiss of life.

In the end, it was Noah that had taught him his mistake.

Victor blinked forward at a speed that left the others shocked. His fear had stunned them. Even if they were to react in time, it was of no use.

His blade glide passed Cai’s throat. Blood spurted as he blinked amongst them once more. He aimed for the pretty dark elf, but her friend got in the way.

No matter. His blade flicked through the air, around the male dark elf’s huge sword, and through his throat. Straight through until nothing was left to connect his head.

Head falling to the floor, an arrow pierced the air. He blinked, but he wasn’t fast enough. The arrow gouged a slice into his arm. Blood spilled, but no longer would he be fearful of a wound. It was a necessary sacrifice.

Isn’t that right, Noah? Victor smiled as he blinked forward once more. He appeared in front of Chloe’s sister, his weapon cleaving toward her face.

Just as it was about to make contact, Cai used his body as a shield. Blood poured from his throat, yet there was breath still remaining.

Victor grunted, and cut Cai’s throat once more until his head slammed onto the floor.

“Lorena, stop his movement!” Declan shouted his command.

Lorena acted as swift as the wind. Her arrow shot out, then splintered off.

He blinked once again, but a piece of shrapnel tore into his flesh. It was jagged, like broken glass, yet it didn’t matter. His armour quickly pushed out the piece of arrow, and restored his wound in seconds.

Perks of an Epic tier armour set. Victor moved. His scythe flashed, and two more men were killed. He remembered one of them, the halfling healer, Jonathan.

Victor was about to attack again, but booming footsteps from his rear made him cautious. He blinked a distance away before looking at the entrance. A familiar figure appeared, or two.

Thraz and Noah’s pathetic mount.

Everyone stopped. Afraid to make the first move.

Afraid. Victor took in a deep breath as power surged within his body. With so many feared, he could feel the added power in every muscle–

From the shadows between Krall and Thraz, a black spear appeared. He attempted to blink, but he couldn’t react in time.

It tore into his body, his chest. The breath was knocked out of him and he stumbled back a few steps before laying his eyes onto the newcomer.

Noah appeared out of the shadows like a phantom. Atop a strange beast, he grinned. Excitement was visible in his eyes, like a predator that had finally come upon its prey.

“Hey Victor, prepare to die.” Noah said with excitement as he bolted forward.

Victor willed his body to move, but it wouldn’t listen to him. However, in the next second, his body became weightless as a massive amount of power filled every inch of his body.

Naira, the Goddess of Fear, has picked you as her Chosen.

“Do not disappoint me, Aspect of Fear.”

An ancient voice thrummed within Victor’s head. With a smile of his own despite the grievous wound in his body, he moved.