Herald of death

The guards enter the tunnel, moving slowly with their shields raised. Ethan follows them alongside a few young adventurers, feinting to close their formation.

Russ creeps stealthily along a wall, using all his class's abilities. His recently gained Camouflage, enhanced by Shadow Blend, renders him invisible to the unaided eye.

'He changes colors depending on what surrounds him. He adapted to his new ability so fast,' Ethan mentally praises.

They pass the gate that leads to the monsters, and one of the squads splits to explore it.

Clamors erupt from afar, and the guards stop. "What is this?" one of them asks. "This isn't the clamor of trolls; they sound … human."

The frontliners reach the tunnel's end. Their eyes widen in surprise as they emerge onto stone tribunes overlooking an arena. A man's voice echoes from its core.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he begins. "We hope you enjoyed tonight's fights. I still cannot believe how long our too-curious adventure stayed alive while being eaten."

The guards look around the arena, finding pools of blood seeping into its sand. "Go get more reinforcements," one of the leaders whispers to a guard. The soldier runs back into the tunnel.

"Now, some of you will soon be proud owners of some of the world's most dangerous predators." He motions towards the opening arena's gate. Two men push the crate containing the Huskstalker queen to the arena's center. "For our first piece, you were promised a Huskstalker, and we went above and beyond. I bring before you an evolved Huskstalker queen!"

The men who were pushing the crate open it, revealing the cage. The queen jumps at its bars, biting into them. The crowd gasps at the sight, clapping their hands.

As the guards focus on the scene, Ethan scans the crowd through predator's sight. Above the arena's gate, he finds a room where Viktor Blackwood is sitting, along with his mage and a large animal. His room has a balcony, on which two guards stand sentinels.

'Perfect,' Ethan thinks. 'I spent my last light Ether crystal on you. I hope you'll play your role to perfection.'

He hears sounds of combat coming from far behind Viktor's room. The guards are fighting Viktor's men. 'There's a way to his room, pass the monsters,' he thinks before leaving the group.

The announcer approaches the crate. "The bidding begins at twenty golds; make your offers!"

The spectators yell increasingly absurd prices at the disbelief of the guards. "Forty golds!" "A hundred!" "A hundred and twenty!" "Five hundred!"

'A decent yearly salary here is around twenty gold a year,' Ethan thinks as he reaches the gate. 'They are basically willing to spend millions to get it.'

A gunshot thunders through the arena. The spectators gasp as the announcer falls to the ground. Another gunshot rings as the queen propels a parasite into a spectator's chest. They rise from their seats and run towards the tunnel.

The spectators freeze and stammer as they see the guards. One of Viktor's soldiers draws his sword and charges the only guard he sees. An adventurer loses an arrow, killing the attacker on the spot.

The spectators fumble backward as the queen's screeches grow louder. A magic sphere appears around it, and Viktor's voice thunders from his room. "Stop panicking! The situation is under control!" he barks.

The crowd's screams continue, and he steps onto his room's balcony. His tension spikes as he sees the guards and adventurers pouring out of the tunnel.

"On your knees!" a guard yells. He bashes a man with his shield, propelling him to the ground. Viktor's soldiers run at them from the tribunes and engage in close combat. The guards, more numerous and helped by adventurers, take the upper hand.

Crackling thunder fills the arena as lightning bolts sweep over the guards. Many, including some spectators, die instantly to the spell. Viktor's mage begins to cast another spell from the balcony when the doors behind them fly open.

The separated squad enters in his room. "Hands where I can see them!" a guard yells. The animal beside Viktor springs at the yelling guard and drags him into the tunnel he came from. The other guards recoil in fear as the mage redirects his spell. They rush him, but he unleashes lightning bolts that pierce their bodies, scorch their flesh, and stop their hearts.

Ethan stops a few dozen meters away from Viktor's room. 'They all died?!' he thinks. 'Their reinforcements are barely entering the tavern. If Viktor leaves now, there will be no witness to his presence.'

'Stop,' Ethan orders. He draws as much Ether as possible through Strengthening and barges into the room. His steps turn the stone floor to sand as he grabs Viktor by the blazer and drags him into the arena. Ethan is moving too fast for the mage to react.

Viktor Blackwood rolls in the sand as Ethan slides to a stop. Viktor kicks the ground and spins to regain his footing. As he stares at Ethan, his eyes gleam bright blue.

"You are not a guard; no guard can absorb Ether like that," he giggles. He glances at the crowd, which stares at him with shock. A ring on his finger emits Ether, and a black longsword appears in his right hand. Bright red veins crack the blade from the guard, where sits a blood-like gem.

Ethan draws the sword he took from the guard. 'He will cut right through it,' Ethan thinks. They both take a stance as the mage watches them. 'He won't risk Viktor's life with a lightning bolt,' Ethan reassures himself.

Viktor moves forward, his blade aimed at Ethan's chest. Ethan parries, but Viktor's blade cuts his. Expecting such a thing, Ethan drops his sword and spins around Viktor's side.

"Melee Weapon (Dagger) leveled up," the voice announces. Viktor grasps his side as Ethan hides his dagger behind his forearm.

The necklace around Viktor's neck glows with a green light, and his wound closes. "I haven't had a quality toy for years," Viktor mocks. "I'll make sure you die screaming. Weapon aura"

Red strands appear along Viktor's right arm and blade. He slashes the air and propels them at Ethan. The strands turn into waves that cut the ground in the prolongation of his attacks. Ethan rolls to the side, dogging the blows.

"Aura of dread," Viktor mutters. The world turns black and cold. A pair of murderous eyes replace Viktor, staring at Ethan. His heart hastens, his stomach churns, his throat tightens, and his skin shivers as Ethan's legs refuse to take another step.

A wave of Ether cuts the air towards Ethan. He unsuccessfully urges his body to move. Something kicks Ethan in the chest, propelling him to the ground, away from Viktor's attack.

"Mind if I cut in?" a feminine voice asks. The world's colors return as Ethan stands up. The spectators, the guards, Viktor's soldiers, and his mage fall to their knees. Beads of sweat pearl from their pale heads as they stare into the void.

A woman stands where Ethan was – tall and with a gymnast physique. She hides under a white cape made of light fabric that covers leather armor. She holds a thin, long sword in her right hand, whose blade is engraved with glowing golden runes.