Amidst the adrenaline-fueled battle frenzy, Daniel had momentarily pushed Finnean out of his mind. Now, seeing his body crumpled on the ground made Daniel’s stomach twist and turn, bile rising to his throat. The feeling was only magnified when he saw black tendrils tenderly grasp Finnean’s flesh, twisting his bones to align properly. Whenever anyone tried to approach, they would violently lash out, corrupting the very air around them.

His friend was breathing, and that was the only thing that mattered. Whatever was happening to him was secondary. So, even if it was with a heavy heart, Daniel rushed past him, following the red river leading him to Velkir.

Thirteen people had entered. Three emerged in pursuit. To make matters worse, he had to constantly watch his back for a stray dagger from a hateful madwoman eyeing his every step. For a moment, he regretted not having taken up Finnean’s offer. Then again, they’d most likely be dead without her.

The world around them was tinted green, and the midday sun cast long shadows across the ground. The forest was oddly silent as if it knew a great battle was taking place. They ran along the uneven ground, following a trail of ash, smoke, and devastation.

“We should have retreated. Now that Thomas has seen the danger that Velkir poses, he could convince the Grand Paladin to send multiple squads.” Raph said, breathing heavily as he kept up the pace.

“All this,” Raph continued, sweeping his arm across the forest, “is a mistake. I’m not afraid of death. I’m afraid of never meeting Croelius.”

Daniel felt a pang of guilt hit him as he recalled claiming the soul of the priest, but the decision had been made already.

Traces of battle could be seen every few minutes. No longer were trees knocked over from sheer force, and no longer was the grass turned to ash. Blood stained the path they walked on, though it wasn’t clear whose. Soft tremors turned into violent quakes the further they walked. The sound of combat was close.

Reaper’s Eyes, however, showed a very different scene. An amalgam of souls tore away at a burning soul, greedily devouring any scraps it could. Piece by piece, Thomas was losing parts of himself.

“We need to hurry. They’re currently fighting each other, and I think that Velkir is winning,” Daniel said, picking up his pace. Exhaustion wracked his body, but a minute could mean life or death.

“Raph, don’t intervene,” Daniel heard a voice say behind him. The next moment, he stumbled forwards from the sheer impact of a blow to his back.

It wasn’t a surprise to anyone, much less to Daniel. In fact, he had actively expected this to happen. Yet, why was it that when a sword struck his shield and bounced off, he still shouted in betrayal? It didn’t make any sense. They were in the middle of a hunt, and their leader was on the verge of dying. How could she be so stupid?

“Why?” he screamed as he dodged back. A bolt of fire thudded into his shield, weakening it further. Had he not reclaimed a wolf’s soul, it would’ve broken.

“Once a monster, always a monster. Filth like you is what’s wrong with the city,” she said, sticking close to him. A quick stab from a dagger and the shield cracked. Short and quick attacks were the skill’s bane.

“Raph! Stop her!” Daniel shouted, passing through a flaming sword in limbo. A second later, he rematerialized behind her back, his phantasmal scythe cleaving towards her midsection.

“Who do you trust?” Her fingers let out a spray of flame, barely avoiding Daniel’s skill as she teleported to the side. “A stranger you met a week ago, or someone you’ve known for years?”

Daniel hid behind Raph, who now stood in between the two. His swords were raised, confusion evident on his face. Stepping back, he glanced at both of them.

“I trust you, May, but what you’re doing is wrong. Or should you kill every priest and follower of Morvina?” Raph said, glaring at the madwoman.

Despite saying that, one of his swords was still pointed at Daniel. That hurt more than anything else.

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“All priests are guilty, but this one especially. I asked around about your friend. He communicated with Morvina directly - one of her most favourite toys,” she said, her words dripping with venom. The blades in her hand shook, ready to draw blood.

Raph faltered for a moment, staring at Daniel, who had his hands behind his back. A soft violet glow spilled out through his fingers.

“The light of dawn would not shine as brightly were it not for the serenity of night. You’re making a mistake here. Sheathe your weapons. Thomas needs help,” he said, turning to face May. A tense silence followed.

“I do not wish to hurt you,” May responded.

“You do not have to hurt anyone.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I’ll await my punishment in the citadel after running my blade through the nightcrawler.”

Raph braced for combat, but May was one step faster. She reappeared on a patch of burning grass, her blades viciously slashing towards Daniel, carrying with them an intense wave of fire. Once again he stepped into the shadowy plane. The fire still burned through his body, but any spell reflected onto limbo would grow much weaker.

When he reappeared, Daniel’s expression was grim. He stared at her cloak of flames, spreading embers all around her. He stared at her weapons, distorting the air around them from the sheer heat. Finally, he stared at her eyes, imprinting in his memory the sheer anger that, combined with the pain of loss, caused her to lose all rationality.

Immediately, she unleashed a barrage of fiery bolts - she was capable of teleporting to any one of them. her eyes narrowed in focus. The next moment, she would appear behind him and run her blade through his heart.

Unfortunately, the next moment never arrived. The last thing she saw was a hand reaching out from her shadow, wielding a dagger carved from bone. Light went out of her eyes. Her body dropped to the ground, and she gurgled her last words of disbelief. Blood poured from her throat, staining the emerald grass a crimson red.

Daniel let out a sigh, carrying with it some of the tension of the last few days. He no longer had to worry about anyone betraying him. In truth, as long as they were outside, the battle was over before it even began. He had seen the entire thing clearly from within limbo - a figure lurked in each one of their shadows, night watchers hidden in plain daylight.

“May!” Raph shouted, dropping to his knees next to her lifeless corpse. “What did you do?” he said, turning to glare at Daniel, was standing behind him, reaching out for her soul. He clicked his tongue, reminding himself that it restored only a single charge of his shield.

“One of my abilities," Daniel lied. "I’m sorry, but she left me no choice. It was kill or be killed,” he continued, thinking over the encounter.

Perhaps if he had killed her by his own hands, it would’ve been different. He had thought it would’ve been more traumatic, that he would’ve thrown up upon doing so, but the only emotion that washed over him was relief. Even Daniel wasn’t that stupid to feel remorse over someone who tried to kill him. Or perhaps the stay in this world had desensitised him.

Daniel saw the rocky friendship between him and Raph crumble as he watched him kneel over her corpse. He winced, but there was no time for grief. “Come on. We can still save Thomas. At least her soul can forever rest in Croelius’ light. If we fail, then the same can’t be said about the Paladin,” he said, putting a hand on Raph’s shoulder.

Closing May’s eyes, the warrior slowly stood up, a grim determination on his face. “You’re right. We shall give her a proper funeral later. But as her killer, you will explain your actions under the light of dawn. Croelius will judge you then.”

Daniel gave Raph a warm smile. Though, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t muster up any feeling of guilt. He gazed further into the forest, watching in concern as the Paladin’s soul cowered in fear. A thousand screaming creatures reached out their hands, beckoning him to join their fold. Every few seconds, Velkir’s soul would pulse with a wave of darkness, causing every creature to writhe in agony.

When they finally reached the battlefield, no signs of a forest remained. A bone-chilling cold seeped into Daniel’s bones as he stared at a winter wonderland, or at least, the fifth layer of hell. The ground was covered in slick black ice, draining the vitality of anything that dared to lay foot on it. Hundreds of crystalline glaciers towered over Daniel like mythical giants, their peaks razor-sharp.

There, in the middle of it all, clashed two figures. Like an angel from heaven, two fiery wings carried a radiant figure, now covered from head to toe in blood. Desperately, Thomas avoided another pillar of ice and swung his mace down onto Velkir. Five interlocking barriers shattered before his blow halted, never reaching the wolf.

Finally, Daniel laid his eyes on the monster that had taken so many lives. Half of his body was covered in pus, rotting away with each second. Velkir’s eyes struggled to focus on the Paladin. Every time he looked, another blindingly bright wave of light would assault him. A dozen different burn marks and puncture wounds marred his body like a starry canvas.

That was all a backdrop to the overwhelming amount of mana in the air. In the middle of Velkir’s jaws was a black crystal that drew in light, only for it to never return. Each time it pulsed, mana would flood through the wolf’s body, and numerous glaciers would erupt from the ground as he channelled it all in a blind rage.

All the while, his soul rotted with each pulse of the wicked artefact.