Just as Ryker was about to continue with his instructions, the door to the meeting room creaked open once more, and a figure hesitantly entered. Kalum, the lone survivor of the Red Wolfgang's ill-fated mission into Crisanto Forest, stepped inside, his face pale but determined, with dark circles under his eyes and a tension in his posture. He wore the standard gear of the Crimson Lions now, though it looked slightly too large on him, as if he'd lost weight since his encounter with the basilisks.
The room fell silent, the sudden appearance of Kalum catching everyone's attention. Dabria tilted her head, a curious glint in her gaze, while Visha didn't even bother to look up from the maps on the table.
"Kalum," Ryker greeted, his voice softer, acknowledging the weight the young man carried. "You're here. I wasn't sure if you'd be ready for this."
Kalum's gaze was steady, though his hands clenched tightly at his sides. "I am, Guild Master. I couldn't sit back and wait, not after… not after what happened." His voice wavered, but he pressed on, his eyes filled with a fierce resolve. "I want to help. I know the forest… at least, the parts I managed to escape. I might be able to guide us."
Ryker nodded, his respect for Kalum growing. "We could use your experience, Kalum. You'll be invaluable in navigating the more treacherous areas."
Kalum's gaze shifted hesitantly toward Visha and Dabria, his wariness clear. He'd heard the rumors about these two, knew the stories, but standing in their presence was a different matter altogether. Dabria flashed him a smile that was all teeth, a disturbingly cheerful expression that did little to ease his nerves.
"Oh, look! A survivor," Dabria cooed, her voice lilting with a strange, almost admiring tone. "How lovely! You made it out of that horrid place alive! We'll have to hear all about it, won't we, darling?" She shot a playful look at Visha, who raised an eyebrow, an amused smile tugging at her lips.
Kalum swallowed, his expression steady but clearly uneasy. "I… I'll share anything you need to know," he managed, his voice firm. "If it means making sure no one else ends up like my team."
Visha's gaze landed on Kalum, her pale-green eyes glinting with the faintest flicker of interest, but her face remained indifferent, a mask of chilling apathy. Her gaze was unwavering, cold and calculating, as if she were examining a mere curiosity rather than a person. To Kalum, it was the kind of stare that made the hairs on the back of his neck rise, his instincts warning him to step back, to break eye contact—but he couldn't.
It felt like being caught in the sights of a venomous serpent, one whose intentions remained unknown but whose power was undeniable. Her eyes seemed to strip away his defenses, seeing through him with a clinical detachment that left him feeling exposed, vulnerable. He could almost feel an invisible pressure around him, thickening the air, as though he were prey caught in the coils of a beast lying in wait. His skin prickled, and a slight shiver ran down his spine as he felt her gaze tighten around him like a trap.
Then, in the corner of his vision, a dark, spectral shape took form—a massive, coiled shadow, ethereal yet unnervingly vivid, rising behind Visha. The phantom took the shape of a giant serpent, its body winding in a loose spiral around her, the outline shimmering with poisonous green tendrils. Its eyes, cold and pale, were fixed on him with a hunger that matched Visha's detached interest, unblinking and watchful, as though sizing him up as a potential meal.
Kalum's heart skipped a beat as he stared into the eyes of the spectral snake, its presence as real and intimidating as Visha's own, amplifying the quiet malice of her gaze. He knew it was an illusion, some projection of her spectral energy perhaps, but it was disturbingly lifelike. He could almost hear the soft hiss of the serpent in his mind, feel the ghostly touch of its coils tightening around him.
Swallowing hard, he forced himself to meet Visha's gaze without flinching, refusing to show fear, though the primal terror still lingered beneath his steady expression. The giant phantom snake remained, a dark guardian at her back, silently warning him of the deadly nature of the woman before him.
Visha held his gaze for a moment longer, her lips curving ever so slightly, as if amused by his determination to stand his ground. Then, with a flick of her gaze, she dismissed him, and the spectral serpent behind her faded, melting back into the shadows as though it had never been there. Kalum let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, his heartbeat slowly returning to normal as he glanced around, half-wondering if anyone else had seen what he just had.
"You survived," she remarked, her tone flat and detached, more an observation than a compliment. "Not many do."
There was no warmth in her words, no sense of admiration, just a statement of fact, as though she were examining an unusual insect under a glass. Her expression held no encouragement, only the barest glimmer of curiosity as she looked him over, as if weighing what value he might add to the mission.
Kalum nodded, still feeling the lingering chill from Visha's gaze. "I'm… planning to keep it that way," he managed, trying to shake the feeling of invisible coils from around him.
Visha gave the slightest incline of her head, acknowledging his response without further interest, her gaze not leaving the map on the table. For her, Kalum's survival was simply an anomaly—one that piqued her curiosity only in its relevance to the task at hand.
Dabria, sensing the tension in the air, tilted her head and grinned, her bubbly tone cutting through the silence. "Oh, don't mind Visha, Kalum. She's like a stone wall when she's focused, all cold and calculating," she said, almost admiringly. "But isn't it just fascinating that you made it out alive?" She clasped her hands together, practically vibrating with glee. "It makes me so curious about those basilisks!"
Kalum glanced between them, unsure how to respond, and Ryker quickly stepped in to redirect the conversation. "Kalum, your insights will be valuable for this mission. Focus on that. We're about to enter the forest soon, so make sure you're ready."
Kalum took a steadying breath, attempting to shake off the phantom sensation of scales tightening around him. Despite his resolve to contribute to this mission, he couldn't ignore the subtle dread that Visha's presence stirred. Her cold detachment was unsettling, but more unnerving was the silent, barely perceptible threat she radiated, as if her very existence embodied the quiet, waiting poison of a serpent coiled and ready to strike.
Ryker, sensing the tension, clapped a hand on Kalum's shoulder, grounding him. "Stay focused," he murmured, low enough for only Kalum to hear. "Just keep your eyes on the objective. She's an ally, strange as that may seem."
Kalum nodded, grateful for the steady presence of his guild master. The pressure eased, if only slightly, as he moved closer to Leah, who gave him a sympathetic look, her green eyes holding a faint glint of reassurance. She nudged him lightly, whispering, "Don't worry too much. Visha's like that with everyone, even Ryker. Cold as ice but efficient to the bone."
Kalum nodded, trying to match her reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Just… wasn't expecting her to be so intense."
Leah shrugged. "That's just how she is. She doesn't care about anyone she doesn't need to, but she'll keep the mission on track. As long as we stay useful, we'll be fine." Her gaze flickered to Dabria, who had resumed her cheerful humming as she examined the concoction vials she'd prepared, arranging them carefully in her small satchel.
Ryker raised his voice, bringing the group back to attention. "All right, Crimson Lions, let's review the plan one last time." His tone was firm, his usual commanding presence grounding the group in the room's otherwise eerie atmosphere. "We'll be moving in two teams through the forest. Kade will lead the first with Visha and Ox, focusing on pushing through the eastern side of Crisanto Forest. I'll take Leah, Kalum, and Dabria along the western route. We'll form a pincer formation to surround the primary den."
Visha's cold, calculating gaze flickered across the map. "Are there any known escape routes for the basilisks?"
Ryker nodded, appreciating her directness. "Yes, a handful of larger clearings. They're close enough that we can corral them if we're fast, but we'll need tight coordination. Once they're in the open, we move in for the kill. Dabria's concoctions will help neutralize the acidic venom, and Visha's pestilent veil should shield us from the worst of the fog."
Dabria gave a dramatic clap, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Oh, I can't wait! We'll have the perfect trap, won't we, my dear wifey?" she chimed, looking at Visha with a grin that was both unsettling and oddly affectionate.
Visha's response was a faint, almost imperceptible smirk, as she inclined her head in agreement. "Perfect, indeed. I'll create an opening when the time comes."
Kalum watched the two women, still uneasy but determined to hold his ground. He remembered the horror of Crisanto Forest, the basilisk's paralyzing gaze, and the crushing guilt of leaving his friends behind. This time, with both the Pestilent Sovereign and the Death's Handmaiden on their side, he dared to hope they stood a real chance.
Ryker's voice brought him back to the present. "Stay vigilant. Basilisks aren't the only threat out there. The corrupted mana in the fog has been drawing lesser creatures, so expect interference."
Dabria's expression shifted, her eyes lighting up with a spark of morbid excitement. "Lesser creatures, you say? What fun! Just consider them appetizers." She ran her fingers over her vials with a delighted shiver. "They'll be perfect test subjects for my newest creations."
Ox, the Crimson Lions' berserker, let out a low grunt, his hand resting on his ax. "Just make sure you two don't burn down the whole forest with your poisons and curses. We're here to clean out a threat, not leave a wasteland."
Dabria's head snapped toward him, her grin stretching wider, her tone sickeningly sweet. "Oh, Ox, I'd never dream of ruining our pretty little forest. I have my own… standards." She chuckled, a sound that sent a chill through the group, her gaze shifting briefly to Visha, who nodded slightly as if to back her up.
Ryker gave a single nod, ending any further discussion. "That's settled, then. Let's move out."
The team readied their weapons and equipment, each of them mentally preparing for the twisted depths of Crisanto Forest. Visha adjusted her cloak, the edges brushing the ground like liquid shadow, while Dabria hummed to herself, casting a final glance at her prepared concoctions before they set off.