Adara's bone dagger found its mark, piercing the wendigo's chest with precision. The creature let out a spine-chilling howl, its unearthly cry echoing through the forest as it writhed in agony. The runes on the dagger glowed an ethereal white light, channeling an arcane energy that seemed to sap the creature's strength.
With a final surge of determination, Adara twisted the dagger, the runes pulsating with an intense glow. The wendigo convulsed violently , the dagger still embedded in it's chest, before disintegrating into a cloud of ash, dissipating into the air.
Breathless and adrenaline-fueled, Adara staggered back, the wound on her side throbbing with pain. She leaned against a nearby tree, trying to steady her breathing, her focus returning to the present moment after the intense bout.
Lucas, wide-eyed and visibly shaken by the spectacle, snapped out of his frozen state and rushed to Adara's side. "Are you alright? That was incredible!"
Adara winced, her breaths coming in short gasps as she attempted to regain her composure. "I'll be fine," she managed between breaths, her voice strained. "But we mustn't stay here. More creatures might be drawn by the commotion."
She looked around, assessing their surroundings for any signs of further danger. Satisfied that the area seemed clear for the moment, she pushed herself away from the tree, trying to hide the pain etched on her face.
"We need to move quickly. Corcilus isn't far now, and we mustn't linger," Adara urged, her tone firm despite the pain she felt. Gathering her strength, she motioned for Lucas and Anox to follow as she resumed their journey, her mind now even more determined to reach their destination and complete her task.
Helping Adara climb upon the horse, Lucas was clearly showing worry about the amount of blood that was leaving Adaras body, he didn't openly say anything of course, slightly ashamed of his inability to assist her in the fight. Adara didn't care if course, not bothered by Lucas's inability to help, she already thought he was mentally broken enough as is.
Her main concern, was attempting not to show weakness, not only for the trials to come but because of the little trust she has in her allies.
As they hurried along the forest path, Adara's mind raced with the recent encounter. She couldn't shake off the nagging sense of folly for underestimating the wendigo's acute sense of smell. How could she have overlooked such a crucial detail?
Pain flared with each step the horse took, a constant reminder of her oversight. Yet, as she pondered her lapse in judgment, a realization dawned on her—this wasn't just an error of her own doing. There was a subtle influence at play, an unseen hand guiding her thoughts and actions.
"Hypnos," she murmured under her breath, her voice a mix of realization and resignation. "It was his influence, clouding my judgment."
Adara had always been attuned to the subtle nudges from her lord, but this time, it had been more pronounced, shaping her decisions and blurring her focus. Hypnos, the solitary evil, wielded an enigmatic power that extended beyond the physical realm. His sway over her thoughts and actions had been more potent than she realized.
"He led me to overlook the wendigo's sense of smell," Adara muttered, a tinge of frustration coloring her words. "His guidance can be both a boon and a bane."
Despite her irritation at the unexpected consequences of Hypnos's influence, Adara knew better than to openly defy her lord's subtle interventions. She accepted it as part of the intricate web woven by the whims of the evils, a reality she had grown accustomed to navigating.
It was also worth mentioning that it is because of Hypnos and his influence that she was able to keep a calm enough to cast spells, even against a beast like the wendigo.
As they continued their journey, Adara remained vigilant, her mind more attuned to the nuances of the world around her. She was determined not to let any further lapses in judgment jeopardize their quest, striving to stay one step ahead of the perils that awaited them in the domain of Corcilus.
It will be needed of course, as crime lurked around every corner of the city, despite still being marked as the domain of Moros, the demon of retribution, it was common knowledge that a war was being fought in the streets as the red scorpions, a mercenary group of criminals, led by Eris, another of the 30 evils, attempted to take control from Moros and his wardens.