Nathan and Ciaphas sat around the bedroom, their faces tired and their bodies aching. The memories of their recent battle with the Northmill Barony's Dark practitioner were still fresh in their minds. Nathan spoke first, breaking the silence that had settled over them. "I never thought I'd see such cruelty," he said, his voice heavy with emotion.
Ciaphas nodded, his expression grim. "The Northmill Barony is a blight on this land," he said. "They claim to be fighting for the people, but all they do is terrorize them and demand payment for their so-called protection."
Nathan remembered the scene they had stumbled upon in the forest, the aftermath of the Northmill soldiers that had tortured and sacrificed the poor woman. "They're not fighting for anyone but themselves," he said, his voice rising with anger. "Those men are monsters."
Ciaphas placed a hand on Nathan's shoulder, offering him a silent moment of support. "We did what we had to do," he said. "We stopped Mudlark and we avenged that poor woman. We can take solace in that."
Nathan nodded, his eyes still filled with a mix of sadness and anger. "I just can't believe that people like that exist," he said. "It's like they've lost all sense of morality and humanity."
Ciaphas leaned back against a log, his face thoughtful. "It's easy to lose sight of what's right in a world like this," he said. "The strong prey on the weak, and those who claim to be heroes often turn out to be the worst villains."
Nathan frowned, his mind struggling to make sense of what had happened. "But what about us?" he said. "Are we any different from them?"
Ciaphas shook his head, a small smile on his lips. "We're not perfect, but we're not monsters," he said. "We fight for what's right, and we try to help those who can't help themselves. That's all we can do in this world."
Nathan nodded, his expression softening. "You're right," he said. "We did the right thing, and we saved lives. That's all that matters."
The two men sat in silence for a few moments, the crackling of the fire the only sound in the clearing. They knew that there would be more battles to fight, and more enemies to face, but for now, they were content to rest and reflect on the events of the past few days.
As the night wore on, their exhaustion finally caught up with them, and they settled down to sleep, knowing that tomorrow would bring new challenges and new adventures. But for now, they were at peace, knowing that they had done their part to make the world a little bit better.
Nathan couldn't help but think of the image of Ciaphas turning Mudlark into stone. He kept staring at Ciaphas, who was now sleeping peacefully beside him, not having any recollection of what had happened.
But there was something else. Something that Nathan couldn't put his finger on. It was a demonic aura that was emanating from Ciaphas. He had never felt anything like this before. It was as if something had taken over Ciaphas, and he was no longer the man Nathan had known for years. It was a frightening thought, and Nathan couldn't shake it off.
The next morning, they woke up to find a group of poor villagers waiting outside their tent. They had brought with them a mixture of herbs for Ciaphas's wounds and were worried about what the duo had encountered in the forest.
Ciaphas, though still weak from his injuries, managed to gather enough strength to address the villagers.
"Brothers and sisters," Ciaphas croaked, his voice like a rusty hinge. "Look at me. I'm as weak as a baby, but if I can still speak, it's because I've made a decision. I'm going to tell you the truth. Something terrible is happening in the forest. I've seen things no man should ever have to see. And I know that if you go near it, you'll be just as injured as I am. Maybe worse. So stay away from the forest while you still can."
Ciaphas paused, gathering his strength. He looked around the audience, the faces that had once been filled with hope. Now they were filled with fear and a little bit of anger. Ciaphas could understand their feelings. After all, he was barely hanging on by a thread. But there was one thing he couldn't understand. Why didn't anyone listen to him?
"My people" Ciaphas continued, his voice becoming stronger. "This is no time to turn away from the truth. I know what lurks in the forest, and it's not something to be taken lightly. I urge you all to turn away from the forest and save yourselves. I can't do it for you."
Ciaphas's tired breath escaped him in a long exhale, and then he was silent. His audience had fallen completely silent as well, but despite their complete lack of response, Ciaphas found that he had their attention. This was what he'd been hoping for.
"My friends," he said, "I can hear you now. This is what I've longed to tell you for years. The truth cannot be hidden. But you," Ciaphas said, pointing to the crowd, "you aren't deaf. I know you're listening."
Ciaphas paused, letting his voice settle back down. "The only thing you're going to find in the forest is death and injury."
Ciaphas paused briefly before looking around at his audience. "We can't let that happen. We can't let these people hurt our children."
Nathan couldn't help but notice the change in Ciaphas's voice. It was deeper than before, almost like it belonged to someone else entirely. He wondered if it had something to do with the demonic aura that he had sensed earlier.
The villagers listened to Ciaphas's words and nodded their heads in agreement. They had always known that the forest was a dangerous place, but now they had confirmation from their own Baron. They thanked Ciaphas for his warning and left, still looking worried and scared.
Nathan turned to Ciaphas, who was now lying back down, exhausted from his speech. "Are you feeling better, my Lord?" he asked.
Ciaphas nodded weakly. "Yes, thank you," he replied. "But I cannot shake off the feeling that a demonic presence has attached itself to me and is slowly taking over."
Nathan was taken aback by Ciaphas's words. He had never heard him talk like this before. "What do you mean?" he asked.
Ciaphas took a deep breath before continuing. "When I woke up this morning, I could feel something inside me. It was like a dark energy that was pulsing through my veins. I have never felt anything like this before.
Nathan was now more worried than ever. "Is there anything we can do?" he asked.
Ciaphas shook his head. "I don't know. But we need to be careful. If this aura is as dark and powerful as I think it is, it could lead to disastrous consequences."
Nathan nodded in agreement. They both knew that they had to be careful. They had just fought one of the strongest fighters of the Barony of Northmill and had barely made it out alive. They couldn't afford to take any more risks.
As they packed up their things and prepared to leave, Nathan couldn't help but wonder what was in store for them. The forest was a dangerous place, and they had just scratched the surface of what lay hidden within its depths. But one thing was for sure: they were going to do everything in their power to make sure that the darkness that they had encountered in the Forest was eradicated once and for all.