Upon entering, the stench and odor were unbearable. It was as if it emanated from this specific room. The dim light revealed a black alley at the end of which a figure was cuffed to the walls and penetrated by steel spikes that jutted from the ground. The creature didn't look familiar or even remotely friendly, yet it bled the same purple blood Aleric had seen before. It resembled a human but had a grotesquely enlarged mouth filled with sharp teeth and eyes glowing with a malevolent purple light, exuding hatred and a desire for destruction.
As Aleric observed the terrifying creature, he was caught off guard by a powerful punch that sent him flying across the room, crashing into the sewer wall. The impact left him momentarily stunned. He looked up to see the leader of the guards, standing menacingly over him.
"You seem interested in this creature," the leader said with a twisted smile. "Well, here is where the source of the Guardian's Blood is extracted. It grants immense power to those who consume it but also causes addiction, turning their skin into this." He removed his mask, revealing his face. The mouth had the same sharp teeth as the creature, and his skin appeared corrupted, marred by purple veins pulsating with dark energy.
"See these marks?" the leader continued, gesturing to his corrupted skin. "This is the price of power. The more you consume, the more you become like this abomination." He pointed to the creature chained to the wall. "We harvest the blood from these guardians, once noble protectors, now reduced to nothing more than sources of our power."
Aleric's mind raced. The creature before him had once been a guardian, twisted and corrupted by the very substance that now fueled its existence. The thought of such a fate horrified him, yet he knew he had to stop this madness.
Summoning his strength, Aleric stood up, his eyes locked on the leader. "This ends here," he declared, electricity crackling around his fists. He knew the fight ahead would be his toughest yet, but he was determined to end the suffering and corruption that plagued Desiería.