LOGINThe force of the movement erupted through the forest like the shockwave of a collapsing mountain.The seer's spectral chains struck first.The instant they touched the obsidian feathers, they shattered apart as though they had been forged from fragile glass, exploding into countless fragments of fading light that vanished into the wind before they could brush so much as a strand of Lucien's hair.A heartbeat later, the witch's inferno crashed into the wings.The roaring wall of crimson fire, powerful enough to reduce stone to molten ash, simply... broke.It burst apart against the black feathers, scattering into thousands of dying embers that drifted harmlessly through the forest before fading into nothingness.Not a single flame touched him… Nor a single chain reached its target.The witch's confident expression shattered… Her crimson eyes widened in utter disbelief.Beside her, the seer's voice caught in his throat.The final syllable of his incantation died before it could leave hi
Lucien made no move to draw his sword.He simply stood there.One man… Facing hundreds.The earth shuddered beneath the thunder of charging footsteps as the Black Wanderers surged towards him from every direction.Savage war cries erupted as one, tearing through the forest with enough ferocity to shake the ancient trees.Steel blazed beneath the dim canopy, countless blades flashing like the ravenous fangs of predators closing in on helpless prey.Magic exploded to life.Crimson flames roared… Violet lightning crackled… Ghostly blue energy writhed through the air, flooding the battlefield with a violent symphony of destruction.Axes… Spears… Swords… Claws… Hundreds of weapons rose as one, each poised to tear flesh, spill blood, and claim a single life.To anyone watching… It looked less like a battle… And more like an execution.Yet Lucien remained exactly where he was… Calm, unmoving and completely unimpressed.He drew in a slow breath before letting it escape in a quiet, almost d
The other two moved in perfect unison.Together… They drove their hands forward.Three crimson spells tore through the forest, twisting through the air almost like living serpents as they raced towards Lucien.The ground beneath them cracked… The surrounding trees trembled beneath the surge of magic.Lucien remained exactly where he was. He didn't flinch or even reach for his sword.He simply lifted one hand.His lips parted ever so slightly.Beneath his breath, in a voice scarcely louder than the whisper of the wind, he uttered a single ancient incantation."Vareth."The word carried no force. Yet the moment it left his lips… A transparent barrier shimmered into existence before him, so faint it was almost invisible.The three spells collided with the invisible barrier at the exact same instant.BOOM!A violent burst of crimson light erupted across its surface, illuminating the forest in a blinding flash.For a fleeting moment, the barrier shimmered beneath the impact… Then… The
A quiet scoff escaped him."I've seen carrion with more dignity."His gaze returned to her, cold enough to freeze the air between them."A filthy, foul-mouthed pig like you actually believes she could tempt me?"He gave a slight shake of his head, disappointment evident in his voice."Your arrogance is even uglier than your face."He turned away as though the conversation had already ended, dismissing her with the same indifference one might show an insect beneath their feet."I'd rather spend an eternity in a pit of rotting corpses than lower myself enough to touch you."A faint, almost mocking smile tugged at his lips."So..."He gave a lazy shrug."Nah.""I'll pass."For a heartbeat… The forest fell silent.The witch's smile vanished as though it had never existed. Her expression twisted into one of pure fury.Her fingers curled into a tight fist.The flames dancing around her hand surged violently, bursting outwards in a brilliant wave of crimson light that swept through the shad
Then...Another laugh drifted out of the darkness.Unlike the first… This one was louder, crueler.It slithered through the silent forest, bouncing between the ancient trees before fading into an eerie echo.A second figure slowly emerged from the shadows.He was broad-shouldered and powerfully built, his tangled dark hair falling past his neck in unkempt strands. A jagged scar carved its way across one side of his face, giving his already rugged features an even more sinister appearance.A wicked grin stretched across his lips.The moment his eyes settled on Anana, they gleamed with open greed.Slowly… Shamelessly… His gaze wandered over her from head to toe, lingering far longer than decency allowed.Only after he had thoroughly looked her over did his attention drift elsewhere.His eyes fell upon the little girl standing behind her.Anastasia instinctively clutched the back of her mother's cloak a little tighter.The man's grin widened."Well, well..."A low, sinister chuckle esca
They moved as one… Silent… Measured… And remarkably patient.Not a single careless footstep disturbed the forest floor or even a branch snapped beneath their boots.The wild boar remained blissfully unaware of the hunters steadily closing in around it.Its broad snout remained buried in the damp earth as it rooted lazily among the fallen leaves, snorting softly while searching for roots and mushrooms hidden beneath the soil.Step by careful step… The distance between hunter and prey continued to shrink.Lucien led from the front with the calm confidence of a seasoned hunter.Anana circled slightly to the left, quietly cutting off the animal's easiest escape route.A few paces behind them, Anastasia mirrored every movement as best she could, her excitement carefully restrained beneath the discipline her parents had taught her.Closer… Closer still… Only a little farther.The boar never noticed.Then…CRASH!The peaceful forest erupted without warning.A startled deer burst from a dens
She immediately jumped to her feet and spun around.Her gaze swept across the clearing… Left! Right!Nothing! Just trees, rocks and more trees.Her brows furrowed.Had she imagined that?The voice had sounded real… Far too real.Then…A figure shifted on the opposite side of the massive boulder bes
Anastasia was both angry and frustrated.The moment the bullied boy ran out of the classroom, something inside her refused to settle.It wasn't just irritation. It was that awful feeling of knowing something was wrong and being unable to do anything about it.She needed space. Somewhere private. So
Now, the entire classroom was focused on him. Every student… Every pair of eyes. Even Anastasia couldn't herself but listen attentively.The teacher's gaze swept across the room, taking in the anticipation that had settled over the class.He could see it clearly. Dozens of young minds hanging onto
The room froze immediately. Several students turned instinctively. Others followed a heartbeat later. And just like that, dozens of eyes landed on Anastasia.Even students who had managed to forget her presence during the lesson suddenly remembered exactly who was sitting in the classroom with the







