My search for Drulan was not very fruitful. Although I wasn't stupid enough to try to kill the man, I felt it was necessary to know where he was. Hallr was filled with quite a few people that had passed the first stage of body cultivation similar to Vis, although I still had no news regarding the glowing tattoos.
But strangely enough, no one had dared to speak about the next stage—another thing I found stupid. I have no idea as to why cultivators follow the doctrine that ignorance is bliss.
"Did you hear about Drulan men been being slaughtered a few weeks ago in the burning village of Walo? I heard black flames could be seen in the distance as one man slaughtered both his men and the people of Walo, leaving nothing but ash." said the man in a hooded figure with a tremor in his voice.
"Aye, Drulan personally went to check it out. From what I heard, he was quite enraged, placing a bounty on the man that held these black flames. Although from what I hear, it's most likely a sorcerer."
"In Hallr? What is the Jarl doing? THat fucking fat bastard, why Drulan even has him around is a mystery."
Listening in, I frowned, thinking back to the little village I first arrived in. I did go a little wild there using both lightning and flames. Snickering traces of black lightning covered my body as I shot like a bolt of lightning towards the two men talking.
Before they could understand what happened, my palm clenched one of their hearts ruthlessly, ripping it from his chest while I held the other person's throat with my other hand, "Tell me all you know about Drulan or die like your friend."
'...Arsene Snow?" said the hooded man to my surprise, "You are still alive?"
With a flash of dark light, I nodded, "I guess someone is waiting at my home, huh." I whispered in a dark hollow tone, "That makes things more annoying. Tell me what..."
Frowning, I suddenly turned, gripping the hooded man as a blade shot deep into his body, severing him in half before continuing at me with extreme precision.
DING*
Feeling the vibration ringing through Dragonsbane, I frowned at the low-grade gate of man warrior. He was not really that strong but far stronger than the ones I fought before, although it didn't really make a difference.
With a blur of my hands, the polearm of Dragonsbane suddenly shot at his legs, tripping him instantly as Dragonsbane pierced his neck with an arch of its edge. Everything happened so quickly as I smirked at the hundreds of hooded individuals in the shadows.
A cruel grin masked my face as I nodded, "Finally, I was wondering when you all were coming. It seems like I made you all wait."
"Attack!!!!" Yelled someone with a stone mask on his face.
Growing cold as I ice, the sounds of lightning rang out like bells inside of my ears as the elemental ether of Lightning filled my body. The elemental force did not require qi, so I guess it was allowed without making me look like a sorcerer...At least, I hoped.
Like a phantom of the night, my body blended into the void that was my zone. Appearing beside an ignorant assassin. I gently placed my palm on his head when his brain exploded out, splashing like water over the pavement. A look of delight filled my mind and soul as I grinned, feeling the three new souls fill my body.
Suddenly hundreds of blade light filled my eyes as I quickly began weaving like the wind through the sea of death. Like walking through rain without getting wet, I arrived at the horrified individuals. My spear spreading the will of the rider of death.
The howls of despair filled the air as hundreds of men slowly began being decimated. Their screams flooded the southern district of Hallr with carnage as I continued on like a demon slowly pillaging life in the most depraved manner. It did not matter who begged. All was reaped.
Organs began to hang over my body as I was slowly baptized in a sea. The sent of fear, the cold light of my spear, sweet screams, all of it was recorded within my mind palace.
"350"
"375"
"400"
"420,"
I yelled, ripping someone's throat from his body as I bellowed in laughter, watching as he gargled over, falling to his knees, the light slowly fading. Glancing lustfully at the last man, I grinned, appearing beside him in a flash of thunder, my arm already in his stomach as I roared. "Tell me where I can find more men to slaughter!"
Not waiting for him to speak, my arm began to twist as tears began to fall. "five kilometers west is the fort of Dulan...Just kill me, please, please. " He begged as he screamed for me to end it all.
"No, No, no, you will be my little puppet till we arrive," I whispered, watching as blood ran from his mouth, applying my black flames inside his body as he screamed in anguish.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH PLEASSEEEEE!!!!"
The scent of burnt flesh began to fill the nose as I gazed a the sea of gore before me. Organs, eyes, limbs, and various other body parts were clear to see under the light of the moon, bringing a rather aesthetic work of art to my attention.
"I really wish I was an artist; this would be quite the drawing." I whispered, leaping on top of a building with the man still on my arm, "tell me where to go."
Feeling the air along with side the weak groans of my puppet, I soon arrived before a small fort within the city of Hallr. " How did I miss this? I really need to learn my left from right."
Not bothering to plan my entry plan, I blasted through the window using the body of my puppet as a shield. A mist of blood quickly filled the air causing me to grin, licking my bloody lips. Not caring who it was, Dragonsbane flickered out as black winds filled the air.
Like a miasma of death arrived, everyone within the room began to age and withered before being cut down to nothing. With a flash of my eyes, I felt my instincts screaming as I leaped out the window I arrived in.
BOOM!!!
Feeling the bony rider's fingers against my neck, I felt even more intoxicated. There were five people... all of them at Mid-Life gate. Sweat quickly began to fall over my brow as the hairs on my arm began to rise, "I wonder if I will finally struggle? Will they finally be able to force me to go all out?"
Shooting off the ground like a lion pouncing on its prey Dragonsbane began to twirl. During this battle, attacking head-on was not my plan. I need to be flexible like the wind and powerful like fire and thunder. Gripping my spear tightly, the air quickly began thin as the winds corrupted by my darkness blew across Hallr.
The Dao of Darkness was weird. I had an understanding of it, yet no matter how much I tried to grasp what I somehow understood, it faded. But that didn't matter, only that it increased my killing prowess. Seeing my enemy's movements beginning to slow as their bodies began to wither and age, I grinned.
All of them were stronger, faster, but none was more skilled or held any Artes that could affect me. With eyes that glimmered in the moonlight, I took a deep breath. My mind flashing over the many battles I experienced recently.
All of my various concepts and all the experience began to gather into one as my eyes glowed with sin.