Under the cover of night, the winds howled, rustling the trees as if whispering secrets. The team had left the village, guided by the cryptic symbol on the tattered paper in Larius' hand—a symbol that stirred bitter memories of servitude.
"This symbol..." Larius growled, his voice thick with anger. "We must put an end to this gang."
Arman, ever wary, responded cautiously: "But if they're connected to the church, they might be more dangerous than we think."
The team decided to investigate, following leads to a quiet village where the gang was said to operate. However, as they approached, the eerie silence of the place unsettled them. They chose to stay in a small, run-down inn to plan their next move.
As they sat in the dimly lit common room, Larius noticed the innkeeper acting strangely. The man avoided their gazes, his hands trembling as he served their drinks.
Late that night, Larius and the others observed him sneaking out, carrying a heavy sack. He handed it over to a shadowy figure in exchange for three bound children. The sight sent a chill through the group.
"They're selling children..." Arman muttered in disbelief.
Larius clenched his fists, his eyes burning with rage. "No more waiting. We act now
The team followed the shadowy figure to a secluded corner of the village, where the gang was gathered around cages filled with weeping children.
"This ends here!" Larius roared, unsheathing his glowing sword.
He charged into the fray, his sword blazing like a firestorm. The gang fought back fiercely, but they were no match for his skill and fury. Suddenly, a massive man emerged from the shadows, wielding a giant iron hammer.
"You won't get past me, intruder!" the brute bellowed as he squared off against Larius.
The clash was intense, the ground trembling with each swing of the hammer. Sparks flew as steel met steel. Larius fought with unyielding determination, his movements fluid yet ferocious. When the brute raised his hammer for a final, crushing blow, a brilliant light erupted from Larius' hand, blasting through his opponent and leaving him lifeless on the ground.
The rest of the gang scattered in fear, leaving behind their captives and their fallen comrades.
"These children deserve better," Arman said as he worked to free the captives, while Andrios comforted them.
But before they could catch their breath, the gang's leader slipped away into the darkness, disappearing into the night.
Months passed, and the gang's leader fled to the kingdom of Aetilda, seeking refuge in the grand cathedral of the church. Beneath its towering arches and stained-glass windows, he knelt before the imposing figure of Caligula, the church's leader.
"My lord, I failed... but please, grant me another chance to make things right!"
Caligula's cold, glowing eyes bore into him. "Your failure is inexcusable. But fear not—you will serve us in another way."
A sinister light radiated from Caligula's eyes, and the gang leader screamed in agony as his veins bulged and his body twisted. His human form dissolved, leaving behind a grotesque creature with gray skin and mangled limbs.
"Take him to the pit," Caligula ordered, his voice devoid of emotion.
The guards dragged the newly transformed creature to an underground cavern—a dark, damp place filled with other malformed beings who howled in despair.
"Throw them all into the Forest of Rejection. Let the monsters handle the rest," Caligula commanded with a sm
As the gang leader was hurled into the pit, he joined the other wretched souls doomed to exile. Above ground, Caligula stood by a grand window, gazing at the moon with a cryptic smile. "Larius... it seems fate has bound us together once more."
Elsewhere, under a starlit sky, Larius stood in the open plains, feeling an inexplicable disturbance in the air. It was as if the threads of destiny were beginning to intertwine, drawing him toward an inevitable confrontation.