Jake was in the lead again, while Pete and Sofia were at center and Iris and Chris were at the back.
Their pace had quickened, and it was clear that this was affecting Sofia's mood. She struggled to keep up and still find time to cuddle with Pete.
Sofia said, "Slow down Jake, Pete will get tired at this rate "
Jake came to a halt, turned around with a frown, and gritted his teeth, though he spoke calmly. "We need to reach the city as quickly as we can."
Sofia responded, "Don't worry. We've got a hero with us. Besides, why are you in front? Pete should be leading."
Jake looked at her in confusion. "What are you talking about? Pete doesn't know the way to the city."
Sofia's irritation was evident. "But I do know the way, and I'll be walking with Pete."
Pete gazed at Sofia with shining eyes, deeply touched by her standing up for him.
Iris and Chris exchanged puzzled glances, clearly taken aback by the exchange.
With a resigned sigh, Jake said, "Fine, if you want to lead, go ahead."
Sofia beamed as she took the lead with Pete, her arm linked with his and her head resting gently on his shoulder. Pete, still blushing and overjoyed, was too engrossed in the moment to notice the others' reactions.
Their pace slowed significantly, but there was nothing left for the others to do but follow Sofia.
Pete looked at Sofia curiously and asked, "Are you the leader of the group? Why do they listen to you?"
Sofia smiled gently and replied, "I'm not the leader, but I am a member of the church. Even the royal family thinks twice before offending the church."
Pete nodded, his cheeks reddening slightly. "That's impressive."
They continued their journey until the sun began to set.
When they reached a relatively open area, Sofia halted and turned to Jake. "We'll be camping here for the night," she announced.
Jake frowned and said, "But we need to keep moving. If we push on, we could reach the city by midnight."
Sofia's frustration was evident as she replied, "Do you want the hero to be exhausted? Pete's comfort is our top priority."
Pete chimed in, "Yes, don't worry. You have the hero with you. I won't let anything happen to you."
Sofia looked at Pete with starry-eyed admiration. "You're so heroic when you say things like that!"
Pete blushed deeply and turned his gaze away from her, which only made Sofia blush as well, finding his shyness endearing.
Chris's eyes burned with barely-contained fury, his hands clenching into fists as he watched Sofia's blushing face and her flirting with Pete.
Noticing Chris's simmering anger, Jake quietly motioned for him to come with him to set up a campfire.
The two of them begrudgingly prepared dinner, and after eating, they stood guard, deliberately avoiding looking towards Pete and Sofia.
By the campfire, Pete and Sofia sat close together, the warmth of the fire casting a soft glow over them. Sofia rested her head on Pete's shoulder, and the peaceful night sky above added to the romantic atmosphere of the moment.
Their bodies were touching as they sat together, shy expressions on their faces. Pete stiff and nervous, while Sofia was actively leaning into him.
Suddenly, Pete's body went rigid, causing Sofia to look up with a mix of surprise and curiosity. Her eyes widened as she met a cold, murderous glare.
Morsh had taken over Pete's body.
With a swift, brutal motion, Morsh seized Sofia by the neck and lifted her off the ground with frightening ease.
Sofia's eyes filled with terror as she struggled against Morsh's grip, her hands clutching at his fingers in a desperate attempt to free herself.
Her face was a mask of fear as she flailed, trying to escape from the suffocating hold.
Morsh glared her coldly saying. "Time to say goodbye to the world,"
Morsh tightened his grip on her neck, suffocating her, making her body flail even more wildly.
Just as Sofia's neck was on the brink of breaking, Chris was already by their side. He swung his wand with precision, aiming for Morsh's hand that gripped Sofia's throat.
The wand connected with a sharp burst of magical force, and Morsh's grip on Sofia's neck loosened, giving her a precious moment to gasp for air.
Morsh's eyes snapped to Chris, who stood resolute beside him with his wand raised high, ready to strike again.
Before Chris could launch his spell, Morsh acted with brutal swiftness. He delivered a powerful kick to Chris's chest, the impact sending him hurtling through the air. Chris crashed heavily onto the ground, landing with a painful thud.
As Morsh's grip tightened around Sofia's neck again, a mana arrow shot through the air and struck his hand with a sharp impact. The force of the blow made Morsh's grip falter, and Sofia crumpled to the ground, gasping for air.
Morsh turned, his eyes flashing with fury, only to see Jake sprinting towards him with his sword raised, and Iris standing a short distance away, her bow drawn with a glowing mana arrow ready to fire.
Before Jake could close the distance, Iris's arrow streaked through the air and struck Morsh's arm. Dark energy surged from the wound, a dark mist that twisted around the arrow and devoured it. The shadowy force then seeped into the wound, healing it with a dark and eerie glow.
Jake reached in front of Morsh, his sword raised high and aimed at Morsh's head. With a fierce yell, Jake swung his sword in a powerful arc.
Morsh's eyes glinted as he took a swift step back, easily evading Jake's strike and Iris's incoming mana arrow. The blade cut through the air where Morsh's head had been just a moment before.
Before Jake could recover, Morsh moved with brutal efficiency. He drove his foot into Jake's chest with a vicious kick, the force of the blow propelling Jake backwards. Jake flew through the air, crashing into a large boulder with a thunderous impact. He crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain from the collision.
Morsh then turned his attention to Iris, who was now frantically shooting mana arrows at him from a distance. but Morsh dodged them effortlessly. He moved with minimal, almost lazy movements, sidestepping the arrows as if they were mere inconveniences.
With a slow, deliberate pace, Morsh advanced toward Iris. His eyes were cold and unyielding as he closed the distance between them, each step echoing the impending doo
Iris continued to fire a relentless barrage of mana arrows at Morsh, "Why are you doing this?" she shouted as she launched another mana arrow.
Morsh didn't respond, his expression remaining cold and indifferent. Instead, he moved with blinding speed, appearing suddenly right in front of Iris. The shock of his sudden appearance made her eyes widen in terror.
Before Iris could react, Morsh's hand shot out and closed around her throat, cutting off her breath and lifting her off the ground.
"Stop!" Jake shouted from the side, his voice desperate as he charged towards Morsh, sword raised high.
A sinister grin spread across Morsh's face as he looked at Jake. With a swift, brutal motion, Morsh hurled Iris towards Jake. The sudden throw caught Jake by surprise, and Iris crashed into him with a painful impact.
The two of them tumbled to the ground, their bodies colliding and rolling across the rough terrain. They came to a jarring stop, disoriented and sprawled out on the ground.
Morsh turned his attention back to Sofia, still on the ground, her hands clutching her throat as she struggled to breathe. A cruel smile played on his lips as he started to walk toward her, his steps measured and ominous.
Suddenly, a fireball came barreling from the side, hitting Morsh with a burst of searing heat. The explosion sent him tumbling sideways, but he was on his feet in a heartbeat, his eyes flashing with irritation.
Chris stood at a distance, his wand glowing as he chanted, preparing another fireball. Morsh evaded the incoming flames with graceful, as he slowly approached Chris.
"Your spells are nothing but a nuisance," Morsh said coolly, his voice dripping with disdain. "But be grateful, you will be teaching me magic."
Chris gritted his teeth, his resolve hardening as he faced the approaching menace.
As Morsh closed in on Chris, Chris quickly raised his hand, conjuring a towering firewall that roared into existence between them. The flames licked the air, creating a formidable barrier.
Morsh paused, his gaze calculating as he assessed the wall of fire. Then, with a simple jump, he leaped over the firewall.
In mid-air, Morsh was hit by a barrage of fireballs from Chris. The fireballs struck him with explosive force, sending him crashing down to the ground. The impact threw up a cloud of dust and debris, obscuring the scene for a moment.
When the dust cleared, Morsh stood up, his eyes glowing with a dark fury as he glared at Chris.
Jake and Iris also took up their positions on either side of Chris, preparing for the attack.
Jake enhanced his body with a burst of mana and covered his sword with a shimmering layer of mana and charged at Morsh.
On either side of Jake, Iris conjured an mana arrow and Chris prepared to cast another spell, their movements synchronized in preparation for the confrontation.
Jake charged forward with a powerful swing of his sword, the blade gleaming with mana. His strike was swift and precise, aimed directly at Morsh's head.
Morsh anticipated the attack. With a practiced step backward, he evaded the sword's arc by mere inches. As he staggered back, a mana arrow shot through the air from Iris's position on Jake's right side.
Morsh ducked just in time, the arrow whizzing past his head and embedding itself into the ground behind him. But before he could fully recover, a fireball exploded at his feet. The fiery blast rocked him, nearly sending him sprawling to the side. He staggered but managed to regain his balance, his dark eyes scanning the battlefield with renewed focus.
As the dust from the fireball cleared, Morsh looked up, only to see Jake launching a powerful kick aimed straight at his chest. The impact was forceful, sending Morsh flying backward through the air. He crashed into the ground with a heavy thud, the force of the impact sending a shockwave through the dirt and dust around him.
With a groan, Morsh pushed himself up from the ground. Dark energy swirled around his wounds, healing his injuries. He stood tall as he glared at Jake.
"You've got quite a nice team there," Morsh said, his voice laced with a mixture of scorn and respect. His gaze flicked toward Iris and Chris, who were standing resolutely by Jake's side.
Jake, his eyes locked onto Morsh's, made a sweeping gesture with his hand, signaling Morsh to come at him. "You could have been a part of this team," Jake said, his voice steady and resolute, "but you chose the wrong path."
Morsh's lips twisted into a mocking smile. " You think a team of clowns can defeat me? "