The wind howled through the night, carrying a scent of wildness that seeps through the body. The night is cold in the forest even though it's in the middle of summer. A tall Ombre lifted his head and surveys the surrounding. He looked human except for his crooked stature, thin body, and crimson hair. A mark of a skull on his neck composes of different geometrical shapes. The empty sockets of the skull are red as fire like it was branded on his skin. Dark circles around sinister crimson eyes directed below the trees, looking for his prey.
He sniffed the air and blinked in surprise; the information has been correct: they will be coming here. "Spread out, hide under bushes or trees. Be ready to attack by my command...or die." Under the bushes and trees are a group of 50 hooded men scrambling as they scatter themselves. After few moments, they're already lying in wait under cover of the darkest period of the night. The moon is covered with clouds, and there is deafening silence; for a second, a glint of a sword can be seen. The glinting is then swallowed by the darkness of the night.
"Crack," a sound reverberated as a twig snapped under the feet of a hooded man. "Another sound from you and you will never be heard from again..." An ominous voice full of killing intent sprang from their minds. This voice brought shivers to them than the cold forest ground. As the voice fades away, the sound of horses galloping toward them can be heard. "Get ready," he whispered. His body is vibrating from exhilaration. The hooded men started to draw their swords from the sheath and nock their arrows.
Silhouette dances on the ground and trees. White horses with riders gallop like the wind towards the ambush. The riders are tall and with noticeable grace and majesty. They are approaching fast as they glide through the forest like they are part of it.
As the group draws near, it can be seen that they are in an arrow formation. Their swords on their side, ready for action. The group is protecting a lady of significant bearing in the middle of the formation. She has long brown flowing hair, and her clothes are unadorned, yet it does not lessen her beauty. She possesses a heart-shaped face with slanted eyes, long eyelashes, slightly arched eyebrows. Her pupils are as green as the forest on a sunny day. She has high cheekbones and a straightedge nose; below are thin symmetrical lips. Her complexion is a mystery because of the insufficiency of light. But dark wavy lines formed by different symbols (/\/\/\/\ and XXXX, etc.). These symbols are imprinted around her slender neck like a necklace.
One of the guards said something to her, but the Ombre can not hear what was said. The lady answered with apparent authority and her guards' put their weapons on the ready. They passed the Ombre's hiding place and the first hooded men without suspicion.
The Ombre with a skull on his neck is looking at the lady from above the trees. Even though the night is dark, his eyes could see like an owl hunting for its prey. He observed the woman was clutching something in her embrace. Like she is anxious, it will slip from her hands. He waited as they approach deeper into his trap. Then commanded his subordinates to commence the ambush. As he was ordering them, he lifted his hand as the skull on his neck glowed. A dark fire started to go around a 30-meter radius preventing any escape.
The lady's party was caught unprepared with such a surprise attack. The enemy sprang from the forest floor, making them unprepared. Five of their vanguard were quickly struck down and killed with arrows. The formation is in disarray, and the horses started to panic when a clear voice of a lady was heard "Calm yourselves!". Her voice calmed her companions and their horses. They draw their weapons and reform their formation. All of them urged their horses to gallop the other way. "After her, she's the one I want!" ordered the Ombre while pointing at the woman. The hooded men started surrounding them.
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Glowing lights started to come from the guards protecting the lady. These brilliant lights emanate from different parts of their body. It was the same symbols found on the lady's neck. Some of the men started growing bigger while others became leaner. They fend off their attackers with inhuman reflexes and masterful swordsmanship. At its peak, the battle was when the Ombre snapped his finger, and ten hooded men started to tremble. One of them preyed on this sudden change of event and slit the throat of his attacker.
The body did not fall. Instead, he heard a gurgling sound of laughter as the blood splatter about. His attacker started flourishing his sword and pursued his attack as if nothing happened. A similar thing is happening with the other nine hooded men. One is stabbed through the heart, but he resumed his attack. While another lost his limbs yet continued to attack with his teeth. All ten of them did not utter any sound of pain, even they were struck with fatal wounds. Instead, laughter from the deeps of hell can be heard from them.
The guards started to despair. The battle continued for one hour, and only five of them remained, including the lady. Surprise caught them, they are out-numbered, and they are fighting an undying enemy. The ground is covered with the blood of both sides. The smell of smoke and burning flesh is overpowering, making them nauseated. Each of them is covered with wounds, and only their will power is holding them up. The Ombre with a skull on his skin is sneering madly, "Give up and surrender that box; your struggle is futile." He crouched down and touches a dead body on the ground, and dark air started to rise. Together with the rising of such foul air is the dead body climbing up. It started moving awkwardly and walked in front of the man. The surroundings began to get chilly, and the hooded men moved a step back from the man.
Fear and despair can be seen from the lady's eyes and her companions. The sinister Ombre started laughing when he noticed this. "As you can see, there are things more frightening than death; give me the box, and I will not let you experience them!" Even with her fear, she said through gritted teeth, "You will never get this from me!" She shouted and tossed the box in the air, and a dazzling green light blinded everyone. When the light fades away, so did the box. "Nooooooo!" a monstrous shout can be heard throughout the forest. The Ombre flung a dagger towards her, but it is already too late. The box is already gone! The dagger flew over her while she fell unconscious to the ground.
The Ombre is boiling with anger. He turned to the remaining guards and waved his hands. A fountain of blood rained, and four headless bodies fell. "Clean everything and bring that woman..." His words halted as he suppressed his anger. His subordinates shivered and bowed their heads in compliance.
The Ombre howled in rage and looked at the sky. The cold moon stared back with ridicule for his failure. He retrieved his mount in its hiding place, put the woman on the saddle, and rode away from the woods. He quenched the dark fire on his path but let the rest burn.