Not too long after,
Just as Asher and the others were about to leave, the teleportation matrix of the shelter suddenly shone, making the five of them turn to look at it.
The gleam of the teleportation matrix was unmistakably bright, painting over the setting sun's amber glow with a spectrum of neon hues.
"It's them. They're back…" Ceti said, feeling she was probably right about her guess.
However, as the light faded, everyone had their expressions change, especially Isola, whose expectant gaze began to tremble as the light completely faded.
Everyone's expressions shifted from anticipation to shock.
Mirena, in a state of sheer disarray, emerged from the last remnants of the teleportation matrix.
Her usually bright demeanor was replaced with one of pain and distress.
Her face was ghostly pale, with strands of her hair matted and wet. But what caught everyone's attention the most was the gruesome, bloody hole that marred her back.
Isola gasped audibly, her heart racing as she sprinted forward, "Mirena!" she cried, her voice echoing with a mix of horror and concern.
Sliding to the ground, Isola gently cradled the wounded Mirena, her hands trembling, "Hold on, Mirena. Just hold on," she whispered urgently, her eyes darting around as her free hand tried to fumble through her spatial bag for a healing motion.
Before she could voice her request, Merina, always observant, quickly produced a vial of healing potion and handed it over, "Here, use this," she said, her voice anxious and worried upon seeing this poor girl in such a state.
But Mirena's weakened fingers shakily rose to stop Isola from pouring the potion into her mouth.
Isola looked down in confusion, her eyes widening in realization as Mirena weakly took her hand and placed it on her damp forehead.
"I am glad... we didn't fail you," Mirena whispered, her voice barely audible.
Her gaze was filled with a warmth that belied the pain she was in.
Tears pooled and spilled down her pale cheeks as she continued, "Being here, with you, princess... This is a better death than I could have ever dreamed of."
Isola's heart constricted in her chest, her voice coming out choked, "Don't be stubborn, Mirena. You're not leaving us. I can still heal you!" Her eyes quivered with a multitude of emotions, as she tried to rise, her thoughts rushing to the nearby stream, where she could heal Mirena using her abilities.
But before she could make her move, Asher's strong hand anchored her in place. She looked up to meet his gaze with a hardened expression. But all she found was a depth of understanding.
"Isola, stop," Asher's voice was firm, yet there was a softness in it that made Isola's heart clench. His eyes held hers for a moment before he lowered his voice to an almost whisper, "She's already gone," Asher already noticed how Mirena had lost so much blood, she had no chance of surviving unless there were a couple of expert healers. And even then, it would seem quite hopeless.
Isola's breath froze as her eyes weakly blinked.
Her gaze slowly darted back to Mirena, her breath hitching as she saw a sight that she had seen many times but could never get used to.
Mirena's head had drooped to one side, and the once vibrant eyes that looked up to her with such joy and hope, were now dim and lifeless.
The weight of Mirena's lifeless form against Isola seemed to grow heavier with each passing second, pulling her down until her knees hit the ground.
Holding Mirena tightly against her, Isola's voice broke through in a murmur, "I'm so sorry... I should've protected you..."
Yet, as the memories and images from Mirena's last moments flowed into Isola's consciousness, a stark transformation overtook her.
Her posture stiffened, her once tear-filled eyes transitioning to a hardened, cold glint.
Her lips flattened, and her jaw clenched tightly, her expressions echoing the hurt and pain that Mirena and the others must have felt in her final moments.
The sudden shift in her aura was tangible. The very air around Isola began to crackle with tension.
The gentle wind that had once rustled the leaves suddenly halted, as if nature itself held its breath. Shadows that had been playfully cast by the trees now seemed to lean toward her, drawn by the vortex of her anguish.
The ambiance grew thick with an oppressive force, making the others and Asher realize that it was her killing intent.
But what they all were surprised to sense was that the killing intent was heavy, yet it was controlled and steady, as if Isola still had a strong grip over her emotions. Otherwise, this oppressive force would have affected their minds.
Ceti, who was watching with deep, furrowed brows, finally took a step closer.
Her expression softened as she softly asked, "Isola... if you let me, I might be able to inspect Mirena's body. The wound, if it carries an aura, might give us a clue as to who did this."
Before Isola could respond, Asher's voice rang out, its tone chilling, "There's no need, Ceti."
His gaze was unusually focused and hard while still fixed onto Isola, "She already knows who it is," He added with a tone of certainty.
Isola's gaze slowly lifted as she looked at all of them and stood up with Mirena still in her arms.
There was no visible sadness, rage, or anger in her eyes.
They were as calm as a pond, yet hidden within the deep pools of her eyes, they could feel the raw and visceral emotions as she muttered, "The Demon Rippers…"
Merina's gasp was audible, breaking the weighty silence that followed Isola's revelation.
The name brought back unpleasant memories of stories she had heard about their victims. There wasn't a limit to how much she hated and wanted them dead.
Ceti's expression darkened as she also remembered events where they were involved, flashing before her eyes, "Those vile creatures," she spat, her fingers curling into tight fists, her knuckles white, "It was just a matter of time before they crossed our path."
Asher's silence, however, was the most foreboding of all.
He remembered how these so-called Demon Rippers had tried to mess with him in his past life, and he taught them all a dear lesson, enough to make them not show their faces for a while.
But he regretted not killing them. If it were not for the fact that he let himself be bound by the morals, rules, and laws of that world, things could have been different.
Isola, her voice firm yet gentle, interrupted his train of thought. "I am going alone even if they might not be there anymore. Their numbers are great, and I won't risk any more of you getting hurt."
Asher's gaze met Isola's, his dark yellow eyes shining with determination, "That's not up for debate, Isola," he stated, his voice leaving no room for argument, "We are all going."
"There was also a man named Victor…a Soul Devourer. You all shouldn't…" Isola said with a stiff shake of her head.
Asher's eyes briefly shook as he heard the name Victor…He knew only Victor Hart could be the only Soul Devourer in this quest, and he was someone he had humbled in his past life. That was how he even came to know Lena in the first place.
But what made him smile in a chilling way inwardly was the fact that Victor was none other than the brother of Lena Hart, the woman whom he had once considered as a friend but backstabbed him in the end just like the others.
And he couldn't help but wonder why Victor was hanging out with people like the Demon Rippers.
Someone of his status and background would usually avoid them.
He already knew Victor was in Rachel's team and felt like the Devils were tempting him with an opportunity he dearly deserved.
Isola searched Asher's eyes, looking for a hint of hesitation or doubt. She knew what she wanted to do could be a very dangerous thing, especially since they lacked the numbers.
But all she saw was unwavering resolve.
However, beneath his calm exterior, his nerves were tremoring, and he knew he couldn't rest until he got this done.
Ceti also firmly nodded, "Yes, and if they are gone, there is a chance my mother and I can track them," Even though Ceti said this, she wasn't really confident after having an idea of what the Demon Rippers were capable of.
Still, she wanted to convince Isola to not do this alone, and she herself wanted to scratch that itch of killing them.
Isola looked around at them, taking in their faces - each one marked with a unique blend of determination and pain. Their solidarity was heartening.
With a deep breath, she whispered, "Mirena deserves to be laid to rest with honor. But she would also want justice."
Everyone understood that this meant they were to going to first find the Demon Rippers and then put Mirena to rest.
Not long after, Isola led them to the place she had learned from Mirena's mind.
The distant murmur of a stream grew louder. But when the woodland cleared and the stream came into view, the gruesome sight that met them made them freeze in their tracks. Blood smeared the rocks and tainted the waters.
Isola's expression tightened as she walked towards the stream.
"There are no bodies," Merina observed, her voice quivering. "But the blood..."
Isola's hands tightened into fists as she saw there were no corpses in the stream.
But she wasn't surprised as she knew the current must have carried them away. She prayed that their souls could rest in peace.
Ceti knelt, examining the ground, and just as she feared, the Demon Rippers knew how to cover their tracks.
"Ohh!"
Isola then heard Merina let out a startled gasp and looked to the side to see her stepping out from behind a huge rock.
Her brows furrowed as she immediately headed towards Merina with a certain tension in her eyes.
Merina's breaths were short and ragged as she held back a sob, her hand outstretched to stop Isola, "Isola, don't!" she pleaded, her voice choked with emotion. "Please. You don't need to see this."
But Isola's steps did not falter, especially when an unpleasant smell began to enter her nose.
The rancid smell intensified, and as she rounded the massive rock, her heart stopped.
Before her lay a morbid tableau: used plates and cups scattered haphazardly.
The lingering scent of blood was overpowering, emanating from the cup. The plates bore the charred remnants of long bones and meat, the ground littered with more of them.
However, the most chilling sight was the charred figure with a long, bony tail and barely any flesh, skewered on a long rod, positioned over the smoldering remains of a campfire.
The logs below it were still emitting faint wisps of smoke, suggesting that the fire had been doused not too long ago. The figure had been roasted and torn apart and eaten to the bones, a grim mirror to the cruelty and malice of its perpetrators.
Isola's eyes shook and reddened as she mumbled, "No...NO!!!" Her voice was a mix of anger, sadness, horror and revulsion, escalating into a bone-chilling scream that reverberated through the area.
The cry that followed was unlike anything the group had ever heard. The ground trembled with the weight of Isola's anguish, the very air seemed to quiver with the intensity of her pain.
Ceti, who had been examining the tracks earlier, turned and rushed towards them, her eyes widening at the horrifying scene.
Asher frantically walked over, the echoes of her cry still lingering in his ears, and what he saw made him stop in his tracks.
He told Callisa to stay away, who was shaken by Isola's cry and what she was going through.
He wasn't surprised by what he saw as he had seen unspeakable horrors like this.
But seeing Isola kneeling before what remained of her sisters, and the anguish surrounding her, Asher felt something tugging and clawing within his chest.
Merina was kneeling beside Isola, trying to console her, when she was startled to see her Master's hand suddenly coming in and resting on Isola's shoulder.
"Let's put a bounty on them, and we will hunt them down like dogs," Asher said in a cold, seething tone as his eyes shone with a chilling light.
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