She wrung the last traces of blood from the cloth, blood droplets falling onto the wooden floor before she continued.
"I’ve got news for Master. A bounty of three hundred thousand gold coins has been placed on his head. That Valmond guy issued it less than an hour ago," Sherlon said, shaking his head slightly, his voice remaining calm despite the weight of the news.
"It’ll probably spread across the guilds by tomorrow," he added.
The woman slowly straightened, the blood-soaked cloth dangling from her fingers.
The faint scent of iron lingered in the room.
"Master sent Laquiro to Arcane Village. He said he gathered a few farmers and hid them beneath a huge banyan tree," she said, taking another slow step forward.
"And Goro was sent to Moss Village." A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "He’s gathering villagers there and taking them to Master’s secret underground prison."
Sherlon folded his arms across his chest.
"And where is Master?"
"I don’t know. Probably in Cinder Town." Her voice softened beneath the hood. "He once told me that a young man escaped from his secret prison in Moss Village. He’s probably searching for him now..."
Her smile widened slightly.
"...so he can kill that sneaky bastard."
Sherlon’s expression shifted.
"A young man escaped the prison?" His brows drew together. "But how? That’s impossible."
The woman tilted her head.
"I don’t know. I mean..." She hesitated, her fingers tightening around the cloth. "I think he possesses some kind of power we don’t know about."
She lowered her gaze for a moment.
"Maybe he somehow gained insight into the secret knowledge that Master discovered as well."
Sherlon’s eyes narrowed. "Secret knowledge..."
The words hung heavily in the room.
Just then, another black-robed figure stepped into the room, carrying several incense sticks. Thin trails of smoke curled through the air, gradually masking the metallic scent of blood with the delicate fragrance of flowers.
...
"Travel," Daniel whispered.
At once, the darkness around him seemed to ripple.
Eight names materialized in the empty void, each glowing with a soft white light.
[ Marnie ]
[ Jessica ]
[ Elira ]
[ Esmeralda ]
[ Belinda ]
[ Tressa ]
[ Tina ]
[ Queena ]
The names slowly began to orbit around him, as though he were the sun and they were planets circling within a miniature solar system.
Each name followed its own silent path, glowing softly as it drifted through the endless darkness.
With a single touch, he could choose any name and travel directly to that person.
’Farmers, he said,’ Daniel thought, raising a hand.
He placed his finger on Marnie’s name.
"Travel."
The darkness of the void suddenly lurched.
*Whoosh!*
An invisible force seized Daniel’s body and yanked him forward, as though he had been launched at the speed of light. The sensation came like a sudden jolt, leaving his stomach twisting for a brief moment.
A heartbeat later, the darkness vanished.
Daniel’s vision shifted.
He found himself looking into a familiar kitchen, while Marnie stood near the counter, chopping vegetables while a soft, motherly hum escaped her lips.
"Hmm... hm hm... hm"
Then—
*Tink-Tink-Tink!*
The tapping of metal against the iron gate broke her humming.
Marnie stopped. "He finally arrived," she muttered, setting down the knife and wiping her hands on her apron, "I’m going to teach him a lesson."
She hurried out of the kitchen and made her way toward the iron gate, but when she opened the small viewing gap, she froze.
A stranger stood outside.
"Who are you, mister?" Marnie asked, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the soft rain.
"Mrs. Darryl?" the man asked. "Your husband was injured in the rain. Hurry. He’s in critical condition."
Marnie’s eyes widened.
"What?"
She immediately unlocked the gate and stepped outside.
"Where is he?" she asked, her voice laced with anxiety.
Before she could take another step, the man lunged forward — His hands clamped around her face and neck, while a cloth was pressed tightly over her nose and mouth.
A sharp, unfamiliar smell filled her senses.
Marnie’s eyes widened.
Her body weakened almost instantly.
The world around her blurred.
Then everything went black.
"That was easy," the man murmured.
He caught her limp body in his arms before she could hit the ground and carried her away.
Through the rain, he disappeared toward the forest — the same forest that led to the enormous banyan tree.
Meanwhile, Daniel switched the shadow link from Marnie to the man.
Soon, he arrived before the tree and glanced around cautiously, as though making sure no one was there — not even insects or animals.
"Aperi portam, Godree," the man said in a low tone.
As soon as the words spilled from his mouth, the huge branches above them began to shift, and a faint light spilled from inside, revealing torches along the passage.
He then stepped inside, carrying Marnie.
Once inside, the entrance closed behind him.
*Thud*
"Phew... she’s heavy," he muttered, placing her before Darryl. "One, two, three, four, five, six, and seven. Three more."
The man began counting the bodies.
The room looked like a small basement carved into the earth, filled with an earthy underground smell. A few people were lying on their backs against the walls.
Then his eyes landed on Marnie.
"Holy... I’ve never seen breasts this big in my life. Fuck, I can’t give her to the master. It would be a waste. I need to hide her somewhere and find a replacement for her," he muttered, his eyes locked on Marnie.
"Hehe... for now, let me have some fun," he continued, moving closer, and dropped onto his knees, his fingers reaching for the edge of her bodice.
The man reached out and began squeezing her breast through the gown, not realizing Daniel had already crawled out from his shadow, dagger in hand.
*STAB!*
The blade pierced deep into the man’s left chest, striking near his heart. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth as his eyes widened in panic.
"Status," Daniel whispered under his breath.
——————
Name: Laquiro Davis
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