---
*THUD!*
The sound of something heavy — warm, wet flesh — hitting the ground tore through the darkness along with a spray of hot blood.
Everyone snapped to attention.
A rustling came from behind the carriage. The horses shrieked and thrashed in terror. Jack was an experienced guard — but this suffocating silence had stretched his nerves to their limit. The moment he heard the faintest sound in the darkness, his fingers pulled the trigger without thinking.
*TWANG!*
The crossbow bolt split through the darkness, vanishing into the trees. A wet thud followed — but the rustling didn't stop. It only grew louder. Multiplying.
Then another horrible, gut-wrenching sound echoed through the trees.
---
Arthur moved in an instant.
One leap — and he landed directly on top of the carriage roof. His heavy sword flashed like a blue streak through the air as he swung twice in rapid succession.
*SLASH! SLASH!*
Something twisted and corrupted fell apart in the darkness.
As Arthur steadied himself on the roof, his brows tightened. He spun around —
*SLASH! THUD!*
Leo's heavy sword was drenched in blood. A deep red aura rippled along the blade. At his feet lay the corpse of a strange, horrifying creature.
Arthur looked at Leo.
In that bloody chaos — a faint, proud smile crossed his hard face.
He said nothing.
He didn't need to.
His eyes said it all.
---
The screams of monsters and the chaos of battle had completely shattered the merchant's son's sleep.
The merchant was on his feet instantly — pulling the boy behind him.
"Clad!" Arthur barked from the rooftop.
"I'm fine!" Clad called back.
He snapped his fingers.
The small glowing orb dancing on his fingertip exploded into three massive fireballs. He raised his hand — and hurled them into the darkness with everything he had.
*BOOM! BOOM!*
The fireballs detonated. The sounds of burning flesh and tearing meat filled the air. A nauseating stench of rot and scorched gore spread through the forest.
---
But the danger wasn't over.
Clad immediately scooped up the unconscious child and pulled him back under the canopy. Arthur leapt down from the carriage roof — sword raised, stepping back into a defensive position.
"Father... what's happening?"
The boy's voice was trembling. The sight of the mangled corpses, the stench of blood — it was too much for him. His whole body shook.
The merchant looked at Jack and Leo.
"Get him inside the tent. Now."
"But... you—" Leo hesitated, his red aura-blade still raised.
"Don't worry about me. Keep him safe and guard the entrance."
Jack took the boy and disappeared into the tent. Leo planted himself at the entrance like an unbreakable wall — his glowing red sword between the darkness and everyone inside.
---
Clad dropped to his knees.
The blue energy leaking from the child's body was becoming uncontrollable.
"This child's energy is calling every corrupted creature in this forest, Arthur!" Clad shouted, wiping sweat from his face. "The seal is breaking. I have to suppress it — or we're all dead!"
---
Then —
The rain stopped.
All at once.
A crack of lightning split the sky — and in that brief flash of light, an enormous, terrifying shadow filled the space between the trees.
The air went ice cold.
As if the forest itself had frozen in fear.
In the pitch black — two massive, glowing red eyes appeared.
The moment all three of them saw those eyes — something primal screamed inside them.
*This ends now.*
---
The shadow didn't wait.
It lunged directly toward the canopy.
"GET BACK!" Arthur roared.
He threw himself in front of it — sword horizontal in both hands.
*CLANG!*
Metal met bone. Horrifying sparks exploded on impact. Arthur's boots carved deep gouges through the mud as the creature's overwhelming weight drove him backward. The pressure on his ribs was immense — but he locked his jaw, swallowed the pain and held his ground.
The creature raised its other massive claw —
And then —
A dark streak split through the air.
Not Arthur's blue light.
Not Leo's red aura.
This was something else entirely.
A solid shadow — that plunged straight into the creature's chest and in one single second tore the massive monster clean in half.
*CRACK!*
The sound of flesh splitting open.
But the creature made no sound.
No scream. No shriek.
The black sword's energy had swallowed even its dying cry.
That enormous body — silent and still — collapsed into the mud in two pieces.
At that exact moment a deafening thunderclap shook the entire forest to its roots.
---
Arthur slid in the mud — barely catching himself.
His chest heaved.
He forced his eyes open and looked ahead.
In the flickering light of the lightning —
A man stood before him.
In his hand was a sword forged from shadows. No light came from it — instead it seemed to devour the light around it, pulling it inward like a void. It was nothing like Arthur's blue aura. Nothing like Leo's red.
It was deep. Still.
Suffocating.
Arthur's eyes moved from the black sword to the man holding it.
He slowly lowered his heavy blade.
His head dipped — just slightly.
"...Forgive me."
---
**[Chapter 2 End]**
*If you're enjoying the story, add it to your library and leave a comment! See you in Chapter 3.* 🔥
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