Elara
The forest roared with chaos. I barely had time to blink before Xavier threw himself in front of me, his sword a gleam of silver light in the dim fog. The rogue lunged, fangs snapping like broken glass, but Xavier moved faster. His blade sang through the air, slicing into the creature’s side.
Instead of blood, smoke hissed from the wound. No scream. No pain. Just the stench of rot and something worse like burning metal mixed with death.
“These aren’t normal rogues,” Xavier growled, panting, backing toward me. “They don’t bleed.”
I struggled to stand, my leg throbbing, still wrapped in the glowing wound from the grove’s jagged altar. The magic burned under my skin like fire licking bone.
Nova stirred sharply. “They’re cursed. Hollowed. Something else is inside them.”
Another ro
