Gorochi then walked to the side and stood in front of Roneth.
His heavy boots pressed into the soft forest ground as he moved slowly, deliberately, as if savoring every step. His eyes roamed over Roneth's blood-stained clothes, the bandages wrapped tightly around his torso, and finally settled on his face.
"And who do we have here?" Gorochi said with a crooked smile. "An adventurer from the Golden Griffon Guild, huh?"
He leaned closer to the glowing cage, his breath fogging slightly against the shimmering threads.
"I must apologize," he continued mockingly. "My men may have gone a little too far with your guild member. But honestly, it was quite amusing. The way he screamed… begged… cried for mercy."
Gorochi laughed softly, shaking his head as if recalling a fond memory.
Roneth's entire body trembled.
His hands clenched so hard that his nails dug into his palms. His breathing turned sharp and uneven. Blood rushed to his head, drowning out every other sound.
"You bastard!" Roneth screamed. "I'll make you pay for Karter's death!"
The magic threads vibrated slightly as his voice echoed within the cage.
Gorochi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? That weakling had a name as well?"
He burst into loud laughter, throwing his head back. His laughter echoed through the forest, cruel and hollow, making even the soldiers around him uncomfortable.
"Golden Griffon Guild," Gorochi scoffed between laughs. "All bark, no bite."
Suddenly, the forest went quiet.
The laughter faded as a new presence made itself known.
From between the trees, a man walked forward.
Each step he took felt heavy, as if the ground itself bowed under his weight. His aura was dark, thick, and oppressive. The air around him felt colder, heavier. Even the soldiers straightened instinctively, fear flickering in their eyes.
Haizer had arrived.
His sharp eyes scanned the scene, stopping briefly at the glowing cage, then at the bodies of the prisoners inside.
Gorochi's grin widened.
"Oh, Haizer," Gorochi said cheerfully. "You're here. Come, come. Look at this."
He gestured toward the cage. "Caged like cattle."
Haizer walked closer, his gaze unreadable. He stared at Eamon, Damien, Roneth, and finally at Korran and his family.
"Why have you even caged them?" Haizer asked coldly. "Just kill them and get going."
His voice was calm, but there was something terrifying beneath it—like a blade hidden under still water.
Gorochi waved his hand dismissively. "No, no, no."
He turned to face the prisoners again, spreading his arms wide.
"I want to make an example out of them," Gorochi said. "So that nobody… nobody ever dares to go against me again."
Haizer frowned slightly. "And what about the adventurer?" he asked, glancing at Roneth. "We can't execute him publicly. That will cause trouble."
Gorochi nodded slowly. "Yes, yes. You're right."
A cruel smile spread across his face.
"We will publicly execute everyone except the adventurer. As for him…" Gorochi leaned closer to Roneth. "We'll kill him quietly. Just like his colleague."
Roneth's eyes burned with rage.
"And after that," Gorochi continued, "we'll dump his body somewhere far away. No one will ever know he was here."
Haizer gave a short nod. "Okay."
That was enough.
Roneth roared in fury and rushed toward the cage wall.
The moment his body touched the glowing threads, a violent force blasted him backward. He slammed into the ground, coughing, his bandages tearing slightly as fresh blood seeped through.
Gorochi laughed loudly. "There's no point in screaming, adventurer. You can't get out of this cage without my permission."
Eamon and Damien rushed to Roneth's side.
"Don't do anything reckless," Damien said firmly, gripping Roneth's shoulder. "We need to stay calm."
Roneth tried to rise again, but Damien pushed him down gently.
"This is exactly what they want," Damien continued. "You rushing in blindly."
Eamon clenched his fists. "But we have to do something. We can't let Korran, Felis, and Orzen die like this."
Damien took a deep breath.
"I have a plan," he said quietly. "But Roneth, you need to promise me something first."
Roneth looked at him sharply. "Are you stupid? Is this really the time for promises?"
"I need your word," Damien said seriously. "What I'm about to tell you cannot leave this cage. If it does, we're all dead."
Roneth hesitated. Then he sighed harshly.
"Fine," he said. "You have my word. I'll die before spilling your secret."
Damien nodded. "Good."
Eamon leaned closer. "Now tell us. Quickly."
Damien lowered his voice further.
"As far as I know, the only way to break a binding spell like this is if the caster lifts it… or if someone from outside attacks the cage."
Roneth scowled. "We already know that. Get to the point."
Damien nodded. "Yes. The thing is… this spell is strong only against humans."
Eamon's eyes widened.
"What do you mean?" Eamon whispered.
Damien continued. "A non-human creature can pass through this."
Eamon's breath caught.
"You mean…" His voice trembled. "An Obsidian Seraph can pass through this?"
Damien nodded. "Yes."
Roneth scoffed. "Are you both insane? Where are we supposed to find an Obsidian Seraph right now?"
Eamon looked straight at him.
"We already have one," Eamon said calmly. "And you're talking to him."
Roneth blinked. "Huh?"
Damien straightened his back.
"I'm a mixed-breed vampire."
Roneth's jaw dropped.
"What?"
His voice rose, echoing inside the cage.
Eamon quickly covered Roneth's mouth. "Shushhhhhh. Lower your voice."
Roneth pulled Eamon's hand away slowly, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"But… but how is that even possible?" he whispered.
Damien shook his head. "That doesn't matter right now."
He glanced at Gorochi and Haizer, who were still talking among themselves.
"We need to find a moment," Damien said quietly, "so I can slip out of this cage."