"What's going on?" asked a passerby. He had heard a commotion coming from the tavern and saw someone running in the opposite direction.
"Just don't go there! The tavern has burned down," said the runner. The passerby felt confused as he glanced toward the tavern before reconsidering his plans.
"What do we do, Damian?" asked a large boy carrying a heavy battle axe.
Damian turned away and began to move. "We should just forget about the place. I heard there was a strong woman there, but if recruiting her is complicated, we should give up," he replied. Dressed in silver armor, Damian walked away from the area, accompanied by Dimitri and four other members of their small faction, the Skywalkers.
Boom!
Ethan dodged another flare strike and rolled to his feet, fixing his gaze on his adversary. "Can you hold off on the attacks until I finish speaking?" he demanded, his tone steady.
The woman draped in amber flames marched toward him, her expression fierce. Her body was enveloped in fire, and intricate markings danced at the tips of her fingers, reaching up to her neck. The tattoos were strikingly beautiful, lending her a fairy-like quality that harmonized with Darcelle's beauty. But Ethan dismissed the allure; he knew she had once been a man.
"You came here to mock me like the others, and you expect me to listen to you? Who sent you?" She raised her palms, and the symbol on her totem blazed with intensity as a sword of flames materialized before her. Ethan was astonished by her power.
"It's clear that things are advancing more rapidly than I anticipated. She can harness the energy from the bracelet and merge it with the totem's mark," Ethan thought, gearing up for the imminent attack.
Darcelle staggered momentarily, feigning drunkenness. In an instant, she bent low, her powerful leg muscles coiling with explosive energy. The floor beneath her feet sank inward as she launched herself toward Ethan like a bullet.
"I shouldn't dodge this," Ethan thought, bracing himself for the impact. Darcelle's hand descended upon him, tracing a fiery arc through the air.
Bang! Boom!
The ground beneath them sank, and a circle of flames erupted around Darcelle. She could hardly believe her attack had not only been halted but completely annihilated; her energy dissipated before her eyes as she lost control. Once the flames extinguished, she stood defenseless.
Determined to regain her footing, she activated her reinforcement without hesitation. Intense heat radiated from her body, a clear warning to Ethan not to make a move.
To her utter shock, Ethan effortlessly destroyed her attack with his blackened hand. Before she could react, his other hand shot forward, seizing her wrist and yanking her closer. With unyielding precision, his fingers sank into her reinforcement, crushing it completely. The once-formidable energy dissolved into smoke, leaving her defenses shattered.
"Impossible! What are you doing?" she demanded, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and embarrassment. But the answer never came. Instead, she collapsed to her knees, disbelief etched across her face. Her gaze lifted to meet Ethan's piercing red eyes, which bore down on her with an intensity that stole the air from her lungs. She was certain this was the end. Yet, when he finally spoke, his words left her utterly stunned.
"So, are you going to help me hunt the Kraken or not?" Ethan demanded. Darcelle looked up at him, her brow furrowing. "What?"
Frustrated with her response, Ethan picked her up without hesitation. "Put me down right now!" she shouted, trying to break free. But as she caught sight of something behind him, she froze.
Ethan started running, still carrying her. "We need to talk in a more private place," he insisted. Darcelle begrudgingly nodded. She didn't like being carried, but she was determined to avoid the approaching torchlight of someone she absolutely did not want to deal with—an irritating individual, to say the least.
*
Boom!
The wood crackled and the ground simmered with molten lava as a man emerged from the flames, surveying the scene. "Did they escape?" he muttered to himself, disappointment etched on his face. Nicolas had hoped his speed would be enough, but it seemed they sensed him sooner than anticipated.
"You can run, but as long as you linger around here, I will find you," Nicolas declared, his voice resolute. Totem tattoos spread across his body, more intricate and intense than Darcelle's, glowing with searing heat. With determination, Nicolas launched himself in another direction.
"What a nuisance," Ethan remarked, moving swiftly away from the area. "What do you really want?" Darcelle asked, perched atop Ethan, her curiosity piqued.
"I already told you, I want to kill the Kraken," Ethan repeated firmly. Darcelle scrutinized his expression, searching for any hint of deceit.
"Why are you so interested in killing the Kraken?" she asked, her gaze shifting forward as Ethan leaped effortlessly from tree to tree. As they ventured deeper into the forest, the trees grew larger and more imposing.
"Let me warn you," Darcelle began, her tone serious. "If the Kraken dies, the others will awaken. You'll be hunted by the Amate tribe and the Dracus slave dealers."
Ethan remained unfazed. "If the Kraken falls, the Amate will fall with it. Let's focus on taking down the big guy first. As for the slave dealers, let's just say they'll be joining us in the hunt," he replied, his voice resolute and unwavering.
Darcelle glanced down at Ethan, confusion etched on her face. "Who is this guy? And what exactly is he planning?" she wondered aloud. It wouldn't be long before she grasped the magnitude of his ambition—a drive so intense that it would soon shake the entire continent as he set out to dismantle the corrupt system with unrelenting wrath.