The Great Crestmaster

Lost Ones could absorb essence from any recently dead creature, it didn't matter what it was, that power made no distinctions between humans or otherwise.

This left a bad taste in his mouth but it was even worse was knowing how that hunger took over his senses and made him absorb that essence even when he didn't want to.

They were now following the bandit leader to the nest that was not too far from the camp apparently.

The bandit was gagged so that he wouldn't suddenly shout to reveal their location to the Ravenfolk. This was a necessary precaution that couldn't be overlooked in the slightest.

Aldrich believed that he had intimidated this guy into complying but that was a far-cry from enough to get him to believe this bandit.

And yet still his thoughts wandered to that insatiable hunger and how it drove his body to act against his will. And the satisfaction that came after absorbing that essence.

In all honesty Aldrich wanted to feel bad, to feel terrible for what he did. But he didn't he felt thrilled to get more orbs, it was that desire to get more orbs that haunted, there was no limit no line that could stop that hunger.

Aldrich smiled bitterly, he couldn't go back, he was already embroiled in all this and essence orbs got him to where he is today.

If given the choice to forsake this power to preserve his humanity he knew from the bottom of his heart that he wouldn't even consider it. Without this power he wouldn't be able to contend with his all-powerful enemies nor would he have a chance to save Isger.

If his soul was the price then so be it.

That is not to say if someday he achieved his goals and had the chance then he probably wouldn't need this power. Of course, Aldrich was aware that such a day if possible was far away.

The call of the nightmare realm cannot be denied.

"Stop!"

After going through the woods for a while they were stopped by Hellen's warning. Aldrich stopped and turned to look at her indicating that she should speak.

"There's a trap in front." Hellen said.

At these words the bandit reacted and struggled in the ropes that bound him but his struggles were laughably weak compared to Aldrich.

Hellen walked to the front and showed them that the ground upfront was covered in too many leaves.

"If we walked over here then we'd have fell into a pit." Hellen said.

Cole walked over and nodded, "not only that, look over here, there's a thin wire that leads deep in the woods. My guess is that if we fell in the trap it would also alarm the enemy."

Aldrich narrowed his eyes at the bandit who couldn't say anything due to the gag, but he was struggling intensely.

"You know your stuff about traps." Cole complimented Hellen.

"I was a hunter in my hometown, I know a thing or two about traps in the wilderness. But don't expect too much in dungeons or such…"

Aldrich chuckled, "that's fine, you two did great. But we obviously can't trust this bastard anymore…"

"He might actually have taken us to the right direction, considering the trap had an alarm attached to it." Nathan analyzed.

"There also a high chance that he did that since only if we confront the Ravenfolk would he have a chance to escape…" Frank added.

"Oh, I have an idea!" Aldrich exclaimed, "but first, Frank this guy tried to kill us with a trap, I assume it's alright to kill him, right."

"…fine," Frank replied unwillingly.

****

One of the two Ravenfolk was at the nest sleeping and the other was spending time with the human women in the women pen. When they were alerted by the noise of the bells tolling.

*CLING GLANG CLING CLANG!*

The Ravenfolk in the women pen hurriedly flew to the nest where his brother was already roused awake. They looked at the bells and knew which trap was triggered and where.

They had tens of bells in a circle around the nest, if any stranger approached by coincidence they would know. This was a necessary precaution.

"This bell is from the human pets camp's direction… did a beast trigger the trap again?" The biggest one asked.

"It could be… fucking annoying, interrupting my joyful time!" The other angrily complained, "but… did the youngest not go there to get a new pet?"

The biggest one narrowed his eye, "anyway lets got check it out, this is must even if it was just a beast we must teach it a lesson!"

The other one picked up his spear, looked unwillingly at the women in imprisoned in the pen and spread his wings to the sky.

Not long after they closed in on the pit trap, the pit was not just a deep pit but it was also lined with sharp wood spears. They might not be durable but they were deadly enough the first few times.

Thanks to their superior vision they were able to observe a humanoid figure impaled by the spears and it was face down. It seems like they were going to have human for lunch.

Dumb humans delivered himself to them. The Ravenfolks looked at each other and smirked, humans should know not to wander in the woods too far.

Unfortunately it was due to these idiotic creatures that they would have to cover up the pit again, which was an annoying chore.

The biggest Ravenfolk landed outside of the pit and the other one hovered down towards the foolish to death human to pick him up.

Suddenly, the biggest Ravenfolk was slammed by a surprisingly mighty force, it cane out of nowhere, and he crashed into a nearby tree.

When he got up after adjusting he witnessed a horrific scene, his little brother was burnt to a crisp, pieces of his charred skin, bone and internal organs littered the ground.

Fire still burned on what remained of his body that fell into the pit.