The forest was filled with activity as white clad soldiers moved around on the forest floor, keenly studying the surroundings.
About a month ago, the Erref had breached into the Akar Forest, and were met with a grim surprise.
Hundreds of dead, decomposing bodies, rife with maggots, flies, and all manner of insects, were scattered throughout the forest. The unmistakable stench of rot was thick in the air, as vultures circled above. Their dark wings seemed to blot out the light of the sun, darkening the forest. They were men wearing light customized armor, not the standard ones the soldiers of Karakh wore. Their weapons were mostly daggers, both short and long, bows and arrows, maces, and a few swords and spears. It was obvious.
These were mercenaries.
Their bodies had been desecrated, and considering their states the Erref deduced they had been dead for a few days. Everything seemed to be leading to the mercenaries unaccounted for who pursued Rahiel. Some were burned, others mutilated, suffering several fatal lacerations and impacts. Others were piles of rotting flesh on the forest floor, simply unidentifiable.
The Erref were hardened soldiers, the best in the empire. They were masters in strategy and tactical planning, and had witnessed many horrors in battle. However, the Akar Forest was different. As much as the Erref had been psychologically trained and battle-worn, what they were seeing was enough to make some of them turn away in disgust. In their sharp minds one thought stood out.
'What exactly is Rahiel?'
Even monsters would struggle to do half of what Rahiel had done.
Majority of the bodies had been found in a glade near the entrance to the forest. They were scattered past the southern edge of the glade and continued to a pool, underneath a thicket. There, the Erref found Brujil, jawless, the stench of rot thick around his body.
It was a shocking sight, to see such a great veteran lay dead in such a dishonorable way.
Setting camp, the Erref had scoured the forest for days searching for any signs of the girl. The white clads passed through thick bushes, across soft earth and waded through streams throughout the vast forest. They had divided it into sectors and had taken assistance from Rhea-Nori as well, which provided them with many men to make the search easier. Adrel had sent a message to the surrounding towns, posting reliable soldiers at vantage points within and around the forest.
The Erref studied every bit of detail, and deduced that Brujil had been the last to die.
Rahiel had somehow survived more than four hundred hardened mercenaries sent his way. His body was nowhere to be found, or at least, no bodies matched the description given by the council of Rhea-Nori.
It sent slight shivers down Adrel's spine, when he imagined the kind of monster Rahiel was.
He wondered day after day, why Rahiel took the girl. Was it coincidence? Or was it one purpose? Did Rahiel foresee the emperor's order and kidnap the girl? Was he planning on ransoming the girl or selling her? Who would go through all that trouble just for a few gold coins? Adrel didn't like to think that way, but it seemed to be a coincidence. But even if it was, why? What exactly, would a cold-blooded infamous monster like Rahiel, want with a girl barely ten years old?
These thoughts run through Adrel's mind like a runaway train with many carriages, hooting madly and swerving recklessly.
Rahiel's motive for taking the girl was a true mystery to Adrel.
After searching the forest for more than thirty days, the only lead they had was the footprints and hoofprints that led from the pool where Brujil was, and ended suddenly in the middle of nowhere.
The Erref had been hard at work gathering every piece of information they could to suggest where exactly they had gone. One set of footprints were made by smaller feet, indicating a much younger person, most likely, the girl.
Rahiel had probably taken her away on one of the mercenaries horses, towards the eastern part of the forest. However, it seemed he had disappeared into thin air, much to Adrel's frustration.
Adrel stared down at the point where the last footprint had been identified. It was a tiny patch of grass, that had been trampled upon, pressed down, indicating people had passed on it. His sharp features seemed to have dulled. His edges of his cloak were dirty, constantly brushing past dirt, tree bark and greenery. His sword was sheathed in its scabbard its metal edges glinting in the patch of sun that tore through the forest canopy.
He had crossed his arms, his brows furrowed, seemingly glaring at the spot.
Adrel was deep in thought. He had no idea about Rahiel's prowess and any powers he possessed. The wounds on the dead men indicated impact wounds and cuts from a sharp weapon. That meant Rahiel fought like any other warrior, just more visciously accurate. The strikes and cuts were all on vitals of the body. Rahiel didn't mindlessly swing. He fought with precision and god-like accuracy, Adrel had to give him that. So accurate that he was forced to compare his strikes to the members of the Gaeren, the leading division of the Seket. His sister was its leader, and the greatest warrior in all of Karakhian history.
If he was dealing with someone as stupidly powerful as his sister, he would need help from the other divisions. Urgent help.
"Ah, why am I thinking like I've failed!", he yelled. He couldn't get so emotional. He needed to remain calm. He had found out of monsters and found ways to defeat them. Rahiel was just one more of those monsters. Adrel knew he would find him. He was most capable. He would kill Rahiel with his own hands, and show the Gaeren the efficiency of the Erref.
His silver eyes continued to stare hard at the spot as ideas run through his mind.
The calls of birds near and far filled the forest, the branches of the silent trees swaying gently.
The sound of a footstep suddenly reached his ears, and he turned immediately, taking a stance.
It was Legt, the gentle giant, his second-in-command, sneeking up on him.
"As sharp as ever, Inquisitor.", Legt laughed.
Adrel sighed, relaxing his stance, as the giant of a man approached.
"How can you be joking around when we're in such a frustrating situation?", Adrel retorted.
"My apologies Inquisitor, I only wanted to lighten your mood."
Adrel sighed once more, looking at Legt's face.
He had remained one of the most trustworthy of the Erref, for all the years he had been under Adrel. To Adrel, Legt was a loyal friend and a powerful ally. He poked fun at Adrel sometimes, and could read him like a book. Like he had done just then.
"I'm wondering about that demon. Why he took the girl, what exactly he is, and where exactly he went. No struggles, just disappearance into thin air. Like magic…"
Legt followed Adrel's gaze to the small patch of grass before them.
Adrel continued, "My proposition still stands. I believe someone aided Rahiel. And that someone is no other than…"
Legt cut in, "…the Blood Witch?"
"As much as I've learned not to doubt your intellect, I disagree. Like I said yesterday, when you asked me whether I had heard of it before, the Blood Witch is a mere myth. The stories of her are preposterous; told to scare little children so they won't be stubborn. She doesn't exist, Inquisitor, and has no relationship with the girl or Rahiel.", Legt said, sharply.
Legt was the logical type. He didn't consider things whose facts were baseless. He believed all things happened for a reason, and that all events had logical relationships. This made him very difficult to deceive, and even more difficult for him to miss the truth. He was one of the people in the empire who simply couldn't be tricked, and a valuable member of the Erref. To him, there was nothing that proved the Blood Witch's existence.
"Legt, above all else, believe me when I say, the Blood Witch took them away, Rahiel and the girl. She used her accursed magic to take them away, through...something.", Adrel said, defending his suspicions wildly.
Before Legt could even speak, Adrel pressed forward.
"Consider this, Legt-the existence of an entity like Rahiel is near impossible. As Calor still lives and breathes, there's no way any man could look like Rahiel and do even half of what he was able to do, without Calor's blessing."
Legt's brows furrowed as he listened.
The leaves of the trees swayed gently as Adrel spoke.
"If a man as horrific as Rahiel exists, then what power would forbid a woman as terrifying as the Blood Witch from existing?"
Legt couldn't argue. Everything Adrel had said was plausible. If one demon wrought terror here, what would stop another demon from being over there?
A loud silence brewed between the two as Legt considered Adrel's reasoning.
"I believe you may be on to something.", Legt said gently.
A sharp smile drew on Adrel's face.
"However,", Legt began.
"Assuming the Blood Witch does exist...Assuming she did take them away. Where exactly would she take them to…and by what means?"
Adrel's eyes glinted with ingenuity.
"A door.", he said.
"A…door?", Legt said, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"Yes. However, we don't have the keys to this door."
"So how are we supposed to get in?", Legt inquired.
"Simple. We break the damn door down. Whether at the hinges or a full force to its front."
Legt stared at Adrel wondering whether the stress had finally got to his head.
Before Legt could even comment, Adrel continued.
"This door is obviously going to be powered by accursed arts. Calor's blessing is in opposition with accursed arts. All we need is someone with a strong enough link to Calor, to oppose it and break it. And I have a fair idea who that someone is going to be"
The gazes of the two men locked on to each other as they said in unison,
"Ut'ia."
Ut'ia was one of the five women amongst the Erref, the most in any division. Being the daughter of a noble, her performance at recon and detective work were sublime. She was a brown-eyed, fair skinned beauty with a shapely figure and a warm attitude towards everyone. Her dedication to Calor was the greatest in the Erref. She'd mention his name before she did anything. She had once said she had no interest in any other man than Calor. As such, most men who approached her were rejected, harshly.
By Adrel's summons she soon found herself standing where the two men stood, wondering why Adrel seemed so excited.
"Ut'ia.", Adrel began. "We need you to do something for us. Close your eyes and focus as hard as you can. Focus on Calor. On the things of Calor, and stretch out your hand, as though you were pushing against a wall."
She looked in front of her, and saw nothing but empty forest.
She then eyed Legt.
Legt nodded in confirmation.
As much as Ut'ia desired to decline and ask why, Legt and Adrel seemed bent on something. It was most likely a suspicion Adrel needed to confirm.
She obeyed, closing her eyes and stretched her hands forth, focusing on an eternal fire. An all-consuming flame. A mighty hand. A god of gods. The All-Father of Karakh. The Eye whom she emulated.
In just a little while, she saw something, within her mind. The vague image of the face of a woman, whose eyes were closed. She knew not the identity of the woman, and her eyes remained closed.
As she continued to stare, a pair of crimson eyes suddenly opened and burst towards her in a flash of terror.