Arthur sat across from Jason in the abandoned inn, a place that felt like a ghostly relic, untouched by time yet curiously free of dust. The air was thick with the weight of unspoken tales, and Jason's serious demeanor only added to the somber atmosphere.
"The doom that befell Isle occurred nearly ten years ago," Jason began, his voice steady yet heavy with remembrance. "Isle wasn't one of the most developed streets in Sidon, but it thrived with a bustling population, drawn here by the ease of life."
Arthur listened intently, noting the furrow in Jason's brow as he massaged his forehead, a gesture revealing the burden of the memories he carried. "It's no wonder those heretics chose this place for their dark deeds," he added, frustration lacing his words.
"Who are these heretics, and what are they doing?" Arthur asked, curiosity piqued by Jason's grave tone.
Jason paused, his gaze drifting into the distance as if searching for answers in the shadows of his mind. "I can't say for certain who they are or what drives them. Even those in power seem to know little about them. They are like shadows in a moonless night—elusive, vanishing when they choose."
Arthur pondered this revelation, the implications swirling in his mind. Are Jason and others some part of some organization? he wondered.
"They wreak havoc in the world, leaving no trace behind. Isle is but one of their many schemes," Jason replied, his voice tinged with urgency. "On that fateful day, everything seemed normal. The people of Isle went about their daily lives, unaware of the impending doom."
"It was just another day—until those heretics summoned an entity of darkness," Jason continued, his tone growing somber as he recounted the events.
Arthur's heart raced as he interjected, "And that entity… is it the grim reaper-like figure we saw?"
Jason nodded solemnly, his eyes drifting to the roof of the inn as if he could still see the horrors that unfolded. "That entity was the catalyst for Isle's downfall. It came without warning, without a hint of the calamity that was about to strike. The very people who should have come to our aid arrived too late, and Isle was left to its fate."
He paused, the weight of his words hanging in the air. "Before help could arrive, the entire isle was devoured by that reaper, leaving no soul to survive."
Arthur's shock was palpable, his mind racing to comprehend the enormity of what he had just heard. "But… what of all those people that were at Isle?" he stammered, his composure slipping away.
"That was all part of the entity's cruel design," Jason replied, his voice steady yet haunted. "As it consumed the souls of Isle, it grew in power. A fierce battle erupted, centered where the entity had manifested. We cornered it there, fighting with all our might. Many were injured on both sides, but we pressed on."
Jason's voice softened as he recalled the chaos. "The entity, heavily wounded, began to collect the corpses at the center. We thought it was making its last stand, but we felt an ominous energy rising, a force that threatened us all. We knew we had to flee before it unleashed whatever dark power it was summoning."
"But then something happened—something we never anticipated," Jason said, pausing as if the memory was too vivid to bear. "As it neared completion of its ritual, the sky transformed. Day turned to night, and the sun was swallowed by darkness, replaced by a blood moon that hung ominously in the sky."
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"Captain, what is happening?" a voice called out, a young man covered in injuries, his eyes wide with fear as he gazed upward.
Jason, younger then yet looking as if he had been touched by death itself, wore simple clothes unlike the dark robes adorned with gold that surrounded him. He stared at the sky, mesmerized by the unfolding horror.
"Retreat! Everyone, leave this place at once!" an elderly man commanded, his voice cutting through the thickening dread.
Jason, momentarily entranced by the celestial spectacle, snapped back to reality at the sound of the retreat order. "Retreat!" he shouted, galvanizing those around him into action.
As the group began to withdraw, a blinding light erupted from the heart of the encroaching darkness, drawing every eye to the source of the illumination.