The heavy scent of blood stuffed the air as corpses may very well be seen scattered across the campsite.

Torn off limbs, chunks of meat and broken weapons lay subsequent to the our bodies of the mercenaries who had fallen in battle.

After all, the most important of those corpses was a large bear-like monster.

The creature was over eight toes tall with a muscular body.

And but that monstrous abomination had been felled by a easy thrust. Its eyes had been nonetheless open and the expression on its face was considered one of full shock.

Even in its ultimate moments, the beast couldn’t perceive how a mere human had simply pierced its sturdy disguise.

The surviving mercenaries had been at the moment throwing the corpses on a make-shift bonfire and tidying up the campsite.

Predators and beasts roamed the outer areas, so this was a crucial precaution.

Nothing was extra engaging to a monster than the scent of contemporary meat.

The darkish elves returned to their carriages when the preventing was over, however the fierce battle left a deep impression on their hearts.

They might not imagine that people had been prepared to sacrifice their lives to be able to shield them.

Not a single darkish elf had been injured when the bear-like monster broke into the campsite because the mercenaries shaped a human defend.

After all, not one of the former slaves had been conscious that their courageous ‘heroes’ would have fled on the first signal of hazard had been it not for the darkish seeds implanted of their minds.

Captain Brian stood in the midst of the campsite and directed his males to filter out the encompassing forest and restore the broken tents.

The battle-hardened mercenary captain gazed on the lifeless our bodies of his companions however felt no sorrow or grief.

There was small voice inside his thoughts screaming that his response was not regular, however Captain Brian ignored it.

Captain Brian’s eyes glazed over for a quick second and the small voice disappeared.

It was changed by a sensual whisper that made him really feel a way of pleasure and aid.

Nothing was extra vital than serving his grasp’s bidding. The lives of darkish elves had been value greater than human lives…

That was widespread information.

His solely objective in life was to guard the darkish elves and escort them safely dwelling.

In the meantime Elisa was at the moment inside one of many largest tents and staring intensely on the determine sleeping quietly on the mattress.

The previous saintess had quite a few questions operating by her thoughts however she pushed all of them apart and centered on taking care of Claire.

She reached for a close-by bucket of sizzling water and picked up the rag that was soaking contained in the water.

Elisa gently wiped the moist rag throughout Claire’s brow whereas channeling holy mild into her fingertips.

“O’ Lord of Mild… grant me your grace and eternal mercy…” Elisa reverently prayed.

A heat glow surrounded her palms and the golden mild entered Claire’s physique.

The short-haired paladin groaned comfortably and the tense expression on her face disappeared.

She was nonetheless quick asleep, however Elisa may swear that her lips gently curved upwards when the holy mild entered her physique.

“What am I going to do with you?” Elisa softly whispered as she stroked Claire’ cheek.

She had been simply as shocked as everybody else when two translucent wings sprouted out of the paladin’s again.

There was not a single document in both the Varion Church or the teachings of the darkish elf tribe that described such a change.

She was fully in the dead of night and it was not a very good feeling.

Data was energy and Elisa was somebody accustomed to planning a number of steps forward.

Her feeling of goodwill… or perhaps one thing extra… in the direction of Claire was already an surprising growth

Now she had no clue what this transformation symbolised.

Elisa scowled fiercely and he or she held her proper palm immediately above Claire’s brow.

For a quick second… she was tempted to plant a darkish seed inside her thoughts and there extra she considered it…

The larger the temptation grew.

It was the one logical selection. Though Claire’s transformation was a thriller it was apparent that she could turn into a risk to her plans.

Darkish threads of black magic gathered close to Elisa’s fingertips and a savage expression flashed throughout her face.

It could simply require a easy faucet.

One small motion and Claire could be hers for the remainder of her life. A puppet that may by no means betray or abandon her.

Keep in mind the prophecy… you can not permit somebody to threaten your future…

Elisa’s fingers received nearer and nearer to Claire’s brow however stopped mere centimeters away from her pores and skin.

On the final second, Elisa flung her palm away from Claire’s physique and angrily slammed her fist in opposition to the wall in frustration.

She could not do it.

Regardless of realizing that Claire was an unknown issue…

Regardless of realizing that they’d ultimately stand on reverse sides…

Elisa couldn’t carry herself to plant a darkish seed in her thoughts.

She was a failure… too soft-hearted to cope with a member of her individuals’s best enemy.

???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????

The previous saintess set free a groan and sank to the ground together with her face in her palms. She remained frozen in place for what appeared like hours earlier than lastly coming to a call.

Elisa walked over to a small storage bag within the nook of the room and pulled out a bit of parchment paper and a quill.

The darkish elf princess pursed her lips collectively after which started to jot down.

She first described her suspicions in regards to the prophecy and whether or not or not the demons may very well be trusted to not activate them instantly after they completed off humanity.

It was not that Elisa didn’t have these doubts earlier than however now that she discovered herself unable to complete off Claire, she wanted to regulate her plan.

Elisa hesitated for a second after which wrote down an outline of Claire’s transformation and the unusual holy aura that surrounded the paladin’s physique.

She positioned the parchment paper in a white envelope after which wrote down the true identify of the soothsayer.

The darkish elf homeland was a comparatively shut distance away so there was no must take the danger and create a portal.

Elisa walked out of the tent after taking one ultimate have a look at Claire’s sleeping determine. The previous saintess took out a silver whistle from her pocket and blew on it gently.

One of many bushes close to the tent rustled barely and a darkish elf lady walked slowly in the direction of the princess.

She wore the identical easy outfit as the remainder of the previous slaves, however her eyes had been a lot brighter and held no hint of sufferings.

​ “My princess,” the darkish elf bowed respectfully.

Elisa raised a finger to her lips and gestured in the direction of the tent the place Claire was nonetheless unconscious.

She handed the envelope over to her subordinate and instructed her to instantly go to the tribe and current her message to the soothsayer.

“It will likely be achieved my princess,” the darkish elf whispered solemnly. She circled and melted away into the shadows.

Their dialog was witnessed by a number of mercenaries within the space however not a single one thought that there was something uncommon happening.

Elisa’s palms moved round in an odd sample, and he or she strengthened the darkish seeds implanted of their minds.

Her eyes briefly flashed crimson as Elisa felt the acquainted feeling of corrupt mana flooding by her veins.

The previous saintess returned to the tent and continued to take care of Claire as if nothing had simply occurred.

She didn’t know that her message would set ahead a series of occasions that nobody may have anticipated…