526 Intervene
Gore turned around and glanced at the weeping trees slowly shifting back and covering the narrow pathway.
I still can't believe none of the trees attacked us, he thought in shock.
"Praise our ancestor!"
"His artifact saved our lives!"
"Long live the ancestor's spirit!"
The other Magi in the group dropped to their knees and began sincerely thanking their ancestor, Magus Stratford, for leaving behind the black orb.
If not for that strange artifact, they would have never made it out of the Weeping Woods.
Hearing the sudden commotion coming from near the town gates, Kenley and Eleiney, who happened to be nearby, approached them cautiously.
Besides them, there were a few daring townsfolk who also came forth to see what the cause of this sudden commotion was.
When they saw the group standing near the northern gates, they were stunned.
"M-Mayor!"
"You've made it back!"
"You're alive!"
The townsfolk rushed toward the old mayor in joy. They had never thought that anyone other than Adam's group would make it out alive.
However, seeing their mayor and a handful of other local Magi return to town filled them with happiness.
Mayor Hobbs glanced at them with warm eyes. "I'm sorry for making you all worry. Where are the other residents? Are they safe?"
Although the blood moons were about to rise very soon, he still had to keep up pretenses to ensure everything went smoothly.
Until the grand plan came to fruition, he had to make sure that everything was perfect.
"Yes, my lord," said a middle-aged woman. "Magus Darkmore ensured that all of us had enough food and water to survive the—"
Her words got stuck in her throat when she saw Gore standing behind the mayor.
"L-Lord Darkmore...? Did you just arrive?" She asked in confusion. The other residents standing with her were also perplexed. They had thought that Gore was already inside the town.
"What do you mean he fed you food and water? Just what did he feed you?" Mayor Hobbs growled menacingly while tightly clasping the woman's shoulder.
A terrifying foreboding feeling welled up in the old man's heart. The act of feeding the local residents food and water appeared to be very suspicious to him. Especially considering that the plan was in the final stages.
The woman graoned in pain. "Aaahh! M-Mayor... you... you're hurting me!"
"Your reasoning seems to be full of loopholes, and I don't trust a word that comes out of your mouth." Gore's eyes blazed with killing intent and fury.
"I knew it," said Gore as he took a step forward, standing right before the mayor.
"I have been suspicious of you ever since we met in the Weeping Woods," he said as he placed his hand on the old man's shoulder.
"Your reasoning seems to be full of loopholes, and I don't trust a word that comes out of your mouth." Gore's eyes blazed with killing intent and fury.
The old mayor's body shuddered in absolute horror. He wanted to escape but found that because of Gore's grip on his shoulder, he couldn't.
"M-M-My Lord, I-I can explain!" He stuttered desperately.
"No need," said Gore.
SPLURT!
The old mayor coughed out a mouthful of blood as Gore's other hand pierced through his heart. As he fell to his knees, he saw through his hazy vision his murderer taking the black orb from his possession.
Before he embraced the cold touch of death, only one thought echoed in his mind.
Where did I go wrong?
...
Inside the abandoned house, Adam weakly sat on the wooden chair, practicing a round of mindfulness. His face was extremely pale from all the blood loss and beside him, lay dozens of empty vials that once contained healing potions.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and shone with a sharp light. He abruptly got to his feet and turned his head in the direction of the northern gates.
"The effects of the spell have manifested!"
Without wasting another moment, he dashed in the direction of the northern gates.
...
Beyond the red door in the basement of Howlett Manor lay a long, winding tunnel that led to an ancient underground chamber.
The exact location of this underground chamber happened to be directly underneath the town of Stratford!
The towering stone doors that were carved with the figures of werewolves suddenly rumbled and a deep, ominous voice was heard from the other side.
"It would appear that fate has intervened."
The voice turned cold and calculating.
"No matter. This changes nothing."
A twist of fate!