Chapter 26 - Cocoons

The six silhouettes moved deeper into the cave, approaching something unknown, but also somewhat obvious to everyone.

They were followed by a trail of parasites of many shapes and sizes, even a few black ones with protective scales all over their bodies. However, something united all of them - severe burns from the fierce flames that had plunged them into darkness forever.

"So every few hours a monster would come and take one of the girls away?" Halvor asked, stepping forward serenely.

Lana nodded, "Yeah, I don't know why, but there were only girls among us. Maybe the guys are elsewhere, or maybe we're the only ones unlucky."

"When was the last time this happened?" Klaus glanced at her.

Lana rolled her eyes but answered.

"An hour or so ago."

"So... how long before they come back?"

Lana shrugged, "It varies, but usually at least two hours."

Evan's look became more serious, "So, right now they're getting ready to drain all the blood out of someone, and we only have one hour, don't we?"

"Yeah... You're right..." Lana frowned, "The girl who was kidnapped was also a mage like the rest of us. Hmm... Reine Smirth... Yeah, Reine Smirth. She's a special case, since as she said she only awakened her talent for magic two days ago when she turned 17. I didn't like her right away, she was in torn maid's clothes and had a blank, desperate look."

Halvor nodded, "Fine, we need to rescue her as well as find out what's going on here."

Halvor's reaction was the usual one, for he was the only one who hadn't heard that last name before.

Evan, Klaus, and Hana looked over with a deep gaze.

They didn't know Reine personally, but in a way, they had ruined her life, since Evan killed her brother - Aron Smirth.

'What are you going to do?' Klaus whispered, walking beside Evan.

'I don't know, however... I tend to respect my enemy's last words if I think they're worthy, so... we'll see if she's still alive after all.' Evan replied, before speeding up his stride.

The expected long journey, ended quicker than they thought, because ten minutes later, they saw the fork again, or rather its end.

Another, exactly the same passage led to a massive black gate with many carved runes shining brightly in crimson flame.

"So... If we had turned right then, we would have come here, wouldn't we?" Klaus suggested, pointing forward.

"Yeah, it looks like it, but that's not what's important right now. How do we open this door? From the looks of it, we won't be able to go quietly this time." Evan muttered, approaching the gate and examining it closely.

Halvor placed a hand on his shoulder with a confident smirk.

"Boy, step aside. If I can't open it quietly, then prepare to act quickly. Now, we don't just have to destroy the parasites for the sake of the forest, we also have to save the girl!" Halvor uttered before placing his massive palms on the gate.

His muscles tensed, and his shoulders seemed to grow even broader, the ground beneath his feet crumpled, and his teeth gritted.

However, even these efforts were not enough to move the gate. Halvor felt as if he were trying to push back an entire mountain - a task impossible even for a mage.

"Oh... I wasn't expecting that at all..." Halvor muttered in confusion, scratching his cheek.

Then, he shrugged and gripped his axe tightly, igniting it with a bright flame capable of passing through any barrier.

Evan, Klaus, and Hana moved away, while Lana and Ruby watched Halvor's actions with genuine interest. His power was something they could achieve someday as well, so it was important for them to see every moment.

"Well, I hope there's nothing fragile inside." Halvor said, bringing the axe down with all his might.

The blade covered in fire slammed into the gate, channeling all of its explosive power into it.

BOOOOOOM!

With a burst of flame, the gate was destroyed into shards, opening a passage to the largest and last room.

The cloud of smoke slowly settled, replaced by the scarlet miasma filling the room.

Dozens of guardian parasites hung from the walls, wrapped in blood vessels like cocoons. Down below, there were several flesh-and-blood capsules filled with white liquid where the black parasites slumbered. There were far fewer of them than the regular ones, but overall it was an army.

In the center was a huge larva with many disgusting outgrowths all over its body, transmitting energy through a giant blood vessel from where it flowed to the parasites. Around the main larva, crawled hundreds of smaller ones, the kind that had previously infested a moose in the forest.

In front of the main larva lay a young man of about 17-18 years old on a stone altar. Through a thin pipe, the main larva sucked the young man's blood from his body, not only it but also his mana, which helped the parasites develop. 

"I see... Now I see what this is all about. As always, they're nothing but trouble. Sick bastards." Halvor got a great frown, looking at the silhouette in the distance.

A man with crooked shoulders and a lean body was examining one of the black parasites, or rather had done so a few seconds ago.

He had purple hair, green eyes, and extremely pale skin, his face covered with wrinkles and a long scar on his chin extending to his neck.

A long crimson coat covered his body, with a high collar and two thick belts that just dangled from his waist. On the ground beside him lay a girl with short black hair, her eyes closed from a deep sleep. 

To the others, it was just a strange-looking man, but it took Halvor a moment to realize what was going on here.

"Evan, earlier I asked you a serious question about your secret... and now you should see why I did so." Halvor's gaze became deadly serious as he stepped forward, igniting his axe to full power.

The flames rushed upward in a righteous stream, concentrating great power and reflecting in Halvor's eyes.

"The person in front of you is not just a mage, but a member of a demonic sect!"

Evan's eyes went wide as a spark flickered between them.

'A demonic sect...? Does this strange type really know how to summon demons too? Does he know demonic arts?!'