Intermission 3: The Spy’s Nightmare In The Forest

Shade had sensed it in his gut that he shouldn’t have come here, it would have been better if he followed his gut and follow them into the forest. But then when he began to observe them with his skills he felt like he was being observed back, it was at that moment he decided to move quickly because he didn’t want to meet the same fate that those nobles and the royal court mage faced when they dealt with this dark elf. It was that simple, he ran away. He rests up the back of a tree some distance away from them.

“Almost got caught, I do not know what sort of skills that dark elf is using but they must be not good…….I should trust my gut more instead of my logic”

He felt a sudden chill from his spine as he immediately moved out of the way as the tree was cut into half and shattered into splinters, his eyes widen in shock at the sword mastery but what makes his soul fall deep into despair is the fact that the thing that did this is not even human. The shadows had gathered up in one place and formed a humanoid shape carrying a black sword made out of the darkness itself, its hair flickered like flames, it’s cape moved about like the shadows in the sunlight but one could tell its figure was undoubtedly female. It pointed its sword at him before a distinctly silver visor appeared over where its eyes were supposed to be. Using his reflexes he dodged the first slashes which had a similar result to the trees, this thing was serious was this another skill?If so then it would be dangerous to even consider how long he would have to fight for, he lunges at it with his daggers in his hands.

“RAPID ASSASSIN SLASHING!!!”

It got torn apart by the slashes he did to his body and was going to gain a lot of experience from this encounter however reality was not as kind to him. It immediately reformed its body using the nearby shadows, the visor began to glow crimson as a single eye stared back at him and with that accompanied by a cold toned voice that held no emotion.

“Shadow Weaving”

A mass of shadows began to attack him relentlessly with similar swords making him jump infinitely backwards before he stops and leaps out of their way. He then sees the shadow clad figure go into a pose as it sheaths its sword in a scabbard. Knowing what it is to come he tries to run away but then he gets caught in its attack. The sound of a bell dropping is heard as the world pauses for a moment to be in awe of the brightly colored slashes are in the air. Shade’s arm is caught in the middle of that attack as it sheathes its sword once more with the surroundings breaking into pieces, his arm is shredded into fleshy ribbons as he watches with the blood pouring out beautiful arcs that almost makes him admire it however the sharpening pain kicks him back into reality. He screams as this happens, fear is inside of his eyes, when will she run out mana already?How is this even a skill?The skill formed a mouth which had light escaping from it, the slime like mouth formed a disgusting grin that looked down on him as an assassin and information gatherer.

“….”

He had to escape immediately, this thing would not kill him immediately instead it would toy with him until it was bored. He ran away from the monster grabbing his other dagger quickly as he could, he heals himself with potions and magic whilst running in the forest.

“Don’tstarebackdon’tstarebackdon’tstarebackdon’tstarebackdon’tstarebackdon’tstarebackdon’tstarebackdon’tstarebackdon’tstarebackdon’tstarebackdon’tstarebackdon’tstarebackdon’tstarebackdon’tstarebackdon-?!”

Another chill rises from his back as he does stare back and what he sees is worthy to keep a man like him awake for a very long time. A mass of evil is rapidly gaining speed on him, with the monster sitting comfortably on its head the embodiment of evil rushes at him with a ear splitting roar. This hulking mass of evil is covered in jet black tar like slime, crimson red eyes and razor sharp teeth above all are the floating eyes that are following right ahead of it which are all slicing and dicing the forest as they do so. This is enough to evoke pure unbridled fear inside of a man and just like that he screams at the top of his voice whilst running away.

Shade hadn’t slept for the last 8 days, the monstrosity was on his tail the whole time. Each time he thought he had escaped it was right on his tail, each time he tried to enter the city he was teleported back into a nearby forest where he would continue to flee from it. This was a hell of fear and torment. One could say that he was out of luck and just wanted to go home and rest, the trees were menacing, the sky was a strange color and he saw everything as flesh. The hallucinations caused by this was starting to crack on his mind, he stopped for a moment to look at his surroundings and he was back inside the streets of the Empire. He was bewildered but he had to go and report this before he became insane from all the fleeing he did. He was to meet the prime minister in the usual spot before that he would make contact with him using a skill that attracted a certain kind of bird to visit him, after that he would rest and quit his job. He had enough money to retire, he would become a good man and try to forget his past.

☆

Complex emotions ran inside of Argon’s heart, among them was curiosity, bewilderment and actual shock. These were the things he was currently experiencing, the spy that he had sent to spy on the dark elf he concluded was the cause of the deaths of the noble assassin family heads and the royal court mage had been gone for well over a week. Considering the spy had a teleportation device that would work instantly and make any form of him getting caught nonexistent it made the situation even more surreal. This was why he was pacing up the secret hallway with a tense response to himself. The signal was given after all this time and it made him feel uneasy, he didn’t want to go but he went anyway. It was for the best, for the Empire but he decided it was for everyone’s good. The hallway led to an abandoned church where they would both meet to exchange information in times of rest. He slowly opened the doors and entered very easily, the spy was rugged, his black clothing was torn through and he could see that the man was bleeding, his mask was removed and he could see his face and sleep deprived eyes.

“Tell me what happened to you?”

Argon was concerned, even more than ever. This man had a special unique skill that made his presence as thin as the air itself yet he came back in this state. This was evidence the dark elf was a legitimate threat who could sense a man like him to be inside of such a state.

“The information is first….what happened to me….will come later….”

He spoke in a raspy voice that showed signs of being strained, he must’ve screamed a lot before coming here. What did that dark elf do to him?Argon had so many questions but he was right, information was centerpiece to this and for the glory of the Empire as well.

“The Demon King’s….daughter has agreed to ally her nation……with the king of the Drowillow kingdom, the dark elf is her teacher….in some sort of training she is doing. Her Greater Wolves…..are actually Fenrirs”

“Fenrirs?!But those are mythical creatures and can easily topple the balance of the allegiance for us from the beastkin kingdom!”

“Yes……I can confirm…..their aura is….special”

“What about the dark elf herself?”

“….”

“WHAT ABOUT THE DARK ELF HERSELF!!”

“She is not of….this world….I followed…her…..but midway….I was found out….I spent the next couple of days…fleeing from some sort of unspeakable monstrosity…..”

“W-Was it a skill?”

“I….do not….know”

“I see, you need the rest. It is okay you have done enough for me anyway Shade”

“……Thank….yo-?!”

Suddenly the atmosphere got heavy and dark as a fine red line appeared on his black clothing, his eyes stared at him with a pitiful gaze that deserved mercy and help. His chest breaks open as a pair of hands covered completely in shadows begins to tear itself out. He screams in pure agony, his eyes widen in extreme pain as the being from inside finally gets out of his body and leaves organs and a blood covered skeleton on the floor. A bright visor is visible from its shadowy body with a single crimson staring down at him from its face is a slime like mouth that smirks evilly at him. Argon feels shivers covering his whole body, he is staring down at something that is more than evil, something that would inflict pain and suffering for its enjoyment. He was powerless in front of this being from beyond, it waves its hand and Shade has returned to his previous form with a stare of utter horror on his face. It grabs him by the hair as the walls erode into a portal into the unforgivable unknown. To Argon it seemed like it was taking him to hell itself as his screams were unheard and it didn’t care to listen to his pleas, then it looks back. It makes a hand gesture of pointing at him with an insanity filled smirk on its face.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!”

Its demonic laughter echoed throughout the abandoned church as Shade’s screams were getting even louder, it lets go of his hair and grabs him by the leg where his nails get bloody from his attempt at escape. He begs for Argon to help him but this doesn’t help as the portal closes with the walls returning to as they were before. Argon is frozen in fear and knows what is to happen to the Empire if they were to go against this dark elf but things were already in motion and now he can no longer back out. Hell was coming for him and he wanted to prevent that from happening at all costs.