Glen, whose physique gradually diminished as he reverted to a third-level werewolf, cast a glance at the five strange individuals garbed in red robes, who exhibited no signs of life whatsoever. "They're truly insane..."
The pillar, fashioned from red silk, remained in its position at the very center of the square. Upon witnessing Glen turn and advance towards it, it immediately let out a hysterical shriek:
"Don't draw near! You cannot slay me! You simply cannot——!"
Glen paid no heed to the creature's frenzy. Just as he reached its proximity, the resounding flapping of a griffin's wings echoed from afar.
Not daring to tarry, he transformed once more into a fifth-level werewolf. With meticulous care, he uprooted the pillar before him, then shouldered it and dashed off in the opposite direction.
He took a circuitous route and ultimately set his course for Bayek.
He could already feel the hunger gnawing at his innards, a ravenous hunger potent enough to cloud the judgment of an ordinary individual. Yet, he maintained an air of equanimity on the surface.
Throughout his journey, he managed to elude detection by any unrelated individuals.
Upon arriving in the town, he briefly greeted the few denizens of his abode and then hastened towards the innermost recesses of the town.
"Werewolf! Where on earth are you taking me?! Release me this instant!"
The red pillar incessantly clamored.
Glen had no inclination to engage in conversation with it. In the distance, the familiar grayish-green abode came into view.
With a creak, the door swung open. Black Crow, as if anticipating Glen's arrival, emerged to offer a greeting.
"Black Crow, this..." Glen was on the verge of offering an explanation when the other party simply nodded.
Glen was momentarily rendered speechless.
Then he heard Black Crow say, "I more or less fathom the purpose of your visit."
"Then... do you have a solution?" Glen inquired.
This time, he was resolute in his determination not to leave any potential perils in his wake. Moreover, he was not well-versed in the arcane arts and was entirely uncertain whether the children ensnared on the pillar could still be saved.
"It's you!" The red pillar seemed to have just taken notice of Black Crow and exclaimed in a voice fraught with terror.
So they are acquainted?... Glen regarded the two in turn, a look of surprise etched upon his features.
However, Black Crow harbored no intention of conversing with the red pillar. Instead, he directed his gaze towards the interior of the house.
Dry branches and vines extended forth from within the abode, and then came the gentle voice of Mrs. Legira: "Entrust it to me."
"You as well?! Legira?! Impossible! You ought to be deceased! No! Do not lay a hand on me!" Something seemed to writhe within the red pillar, yet it was unable to breach the silk.
Without hesitation, Glen gently placed the colossal red silk pillar upon the branches and vines.
The seemingly slender branches and vines effortlessly hoisted the pillar, which Glen knew to be no lightweight.
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"No! I beseech you! Spare me! I do not wish to perish! I possess numerous utilities! I can be of great assistance to you!"
The branches and vines grew with remarkable rapidity, soon completely enveloping the pillar. The sounds emanating from within grew increasingly faint.
"Those children..." Glen interjected as a reminder.
"Rest assured, they shall all come to no harm," Mrs. Legira said in a gentle tone.
Glen then stared intently, never growing weary of beholding such a miraculous spectacle, regardless of how many times he witnessed it.
Time slipped by unmarked, and the coiling branches and vines gradually sloughed off, along with the silk. The once vividly scarlet silk, now seemingly drained of its nourishment, transformed into a dull, somber hue.
The pillar had vanished, and the score or more children were gently deposited on the ground by the branches and vines.
In addition to these, at the very center lay a pale golden worm, roughly the length of an adult's arm.
Glen's initial assumption was that it was the very creature that should have met its demise at his hands. "Is this the culprit behind all this?" he queried.
To his surprise, Black Crow shook his head. "It is not it."
Confusion clouded Glen's two immense wolf eyes.
"This is indeed not it," Mrs. Legira within the house also affirmed. "This is an exceedingly rare larva of an exotic beast. I have forgotten its name. It belongs to a different species from Barjalon, the scion of the Demon God. It would appear that someone intended to infuse the lingering soul of Barjalon into this diminutive creature's body, thereby resurrecting it."
Damn it, is this a case of body snatching?... Glen grasped the situation in an instant, yet some doubts soon assailed him. "But if it is merely a soul, can it still be considered a scion of the Demon God? It seems to me that those individuals from the Ancient God Cult place great importance on bloodlines, do they not?"
"The Ancient God Cult?" Black Crow rarely displayed a hint of bewilderment.
"You are unaware of it?" Glen was somewhat taken aback.
"We have had no communication with the outside world for an inordinately long time," Mrs. Legira's voice wafted over. "In the era when we were active, we had never even heard tell of this cult."
"Did those who attended your birthday celebration last time not mention it to you?" Glen pressed on.
"The last time we convened was the first occasion in a hundred years. We did not have ample time to discourse on matters beyond our immediate sphere," Black Crow said indifferently.
As they were conversing, the pale golden worm began to show signs of rousing.
Glen cast a glance at it and then resumed the previous query: "Let us set this aside for the moment. Do you think the Ancient God Cult would not be concerned about physical bloodlines?"
"As a scion of the Demon God, Barjalon's soul is highly corrupting. This larva, whose body has been usurped, will be gradually transformed and will ultimately mature into Barjalon's original form."
Such an ability... Mrs. Legira's elucidation left Glen profoundly astonished. He then continued to ruminate:
Influencing the body through the soul, what could be the underlying principle? Hold on, could my own body also be...
"Entrust this larva of the exotic beast to you. Dispose of it as you see fit," Mrs. Legira's words from within the house interrupted Glen's reverie.
Glen brought his thoughts back to the present. "Give it to me?" he asked.
He directed his gaze towards the fully awakened larva, which was regarding its surroundings with its large, glistening compound eyes, its body curled up and quivering slightly.
Glen nodded gently. "Very well, I shall keep it as a pet," he acquiesced.
Simultaneously, a thought flashed through his mind: When I am occupied, I might as well have Night Roar take charge of it.
He extended his wolf claws and gingerly picked up the soft larva in his grasp. With his other hand, he stroked it, endeavoring to put the little creature at ease.
"What does this creature subsist on?" Glen inquired.
"Its preferred sustenance is the leaves of a certain tree, yet that tree appears to have gone extinct. Nevertheless, ordinary plants can also be offered to it, though the taste may vary," came the voice from within the house.
Glen nodded to indicate his comprehension. Just as he was about to convey the unconscious children on the ground, the branches and vines suddenly stirred.
They bound all the children together in a comfortable posture, facilitating Glen's task of carrying them away.
Finally, a branch extended in front of Glen. Its tip glowed faintly, and two peculiar golden fruits emerged from it.
"Take these. Consume one now and preserve the other for a time when it may prove useful," Mrs. Legira said.
Glen did not pluck the two fruits. Perhaps discerning his misgivings, Mrs. Legira continued, "Fear not. This will not cause me significant harm."
With a sigh, Glen decided not to be overly fastidious. He plucked the two fruits and popped one into his mouth.
At first, he felt naught. But shortly after the fruit was swallowed, the terrifying hunger that had been plaguing him throughout his journey vanished instantaneously, and he even experienced a sense of satiety.
"How do you feel?" Mrs. Legira inquired with concern.
"I feel splendid! I was positively famished just now, but now I am actually quite replete!" Glen declared with great joy.