Capítulo 89: The cliff to the Temple
"I'll track them down on my own. You don't need to worry," declared the lanky slaver, and beneath the hood of his cloak, his face bore the same eerie smile as the skinwalker.
The lanky slaver moved his arms and shoulders around, acclimating to the unfamiliar body. "This form is far superior to that of the human slave. I'll consume the cores later, hehe," he chuckled eerily.
The transformed lanky slaver, now a skinwalker, turned his gaze toward the direction Adrian and the children had fled.
He didn't harbor any grudges against them, but the incessant chatter of the shadow manifestor rubbed him the wrong way. Additionally, there was another reason he favored Adrian—there was something distinct about him.
"This time is more interesting than before," he concluded, shifting his focus to the human slave who remained frozen in the cold. The skinwalker approached him and casually flicked at the icy sculpture.
Upon being flicked, the sculpture promptly shattered into pieces. "The soul of the other one is already consumed, so keeping his body intact is sufficient," it remarked, proceeding to walk in the direction Adrian had fled.
*****
Running after the twins, Adrian couldn't resist glancing over his shoulder multiple times to check if the skinwalker was in pursuit. The absence of anyone behind him provided some relief, yet the encroaching exhaustion was undeniable.
'This is just great. I've lost my stamina too. What's the use of being a shadow if I'm going to be thrust into such a situation right from the start?'
Despite the exhaustion, Adrian understood the imperative to keep running, spurred on by the kids, who were also doing their best in the challenging situation.
"Do you know where we're going?" Adrian couldn't help but ask, noticing that the boy seemed to have a clear sense of their destination.
Gasping for air, the boy answered with some difficulty, "I've heard there's a temple ahead, and we were being taken there for some kind of sacrifice. I don't know much about the specifics of the sacrifices or to whom they are made, but it's been happening for a very long time."
Upon hearing the boy's revelation, Adrian reflected on the peculiar composition of their procession. The presence of diverse individuals had struck him as odd from the outset.
'It's probably nothing good. But why are we heading there?'
This time, the girl, who had been silent all along, spoke up. "If we're lucky, the skinwalker won't enter the temple. If we're unlucky, its main body is likely at the temple, which is why the sacrifices are happening in the first place."
'How can she be so sure that it won't enter the temple?' Adrian thought but didn't ask.
While her voice lacked strong emotions, it wasn't as detached as Emilie's, which Adrian found to be a welcome change. Yet, upon hearing her words, he realized that his chances of survival were exceedingly slim.
"Can't we run somewhere else? Surely, there must be another place in this forest," Adrian inquired, his voice revealing a hint of confusion about their decision-making or if he was missing crucial information.
In response to his question, the girl spoke again, stating, "You're free to run off somewhere else if you believe you can outrun the skinwalker. However, we are heading to the temple because that's the only viable option we have." This time, her tone lacked the previous friendliness.
Upon hearing her response, Adrian opted to refrain from further discussion and placed his trust in them, sensing an air about them reminiscent of Alaya.
"Is there any way to remove this collar?" Adrian asked, only to realize it might be a foolish question; if they had a means to do so, they likely would have used it already.
Both twins glanced at him, their expressions conveying a clear message that screamed, 'Are you really clueless?' Failing to comprehend their unspoken communication, Adrian questioned, "What?"
"You're a shadow manifestor, and for some reason, even with the collar, you're in this form, which shouldn't be possible," the boy said, his voice tinged with uncertainty this time.
'What? For real? How am I supposed to know this?'
Adrian thought to himself, finding this revelation to be news, but upon reflection, he remembered encountering Henry and the runecaster, both of whom were in human form with ash-colored skin.
'This answers one of my questions. I'm certainly different from regular shadow manifestors. But if that's true, why is this collar suppressing my powers too?'
One answer led to new questions, and Adrian didn't have time to pursue their answers, as they soon arrived beside a cliff. Gazing up, Adrian couldn't discern the top, shrouded in fog, because of the night.
The kids didn't pause, initiating the climb up the cliff using a designated route. Adrian followed suit, grateful that none of them were sprinting this time, providing him with a much-needed respite.
Glancing backward, Adrian observed no one in pursuit, and a sense of relief washed over him.
The kids maintained their pace, unfazed, prompting Adrian to reflect on his own perceived weakness. Progressing into the night, the ascent grew colder with each step they took.
"Why do you think the skinwalker chose to possess the human slave? Is there a specific requirement for it?"
Adrian inquired, finding himself with idle time and eager to gather knowledge about what lay ahead or what he might encounter.
This time, the girl remained silent, while the boy furrowed his brows, appearing deep in thought about how to respond to Adrian's query.
"I'm not sure if there's a specific requirement, but I believe it's connected to a battle in the soul. The stronger the soul, the more challenging it is for the skinwalker to possess someone's body. That's all I know."
He concluded, offering no further explanation. Adrian refrained from asking more questions as well.
'The only thing i'm confident in this new form is my soul.'
Adrian's line of thinking wasn't misguided, as he was fairly confident in one advantage gained from becoming the shadow of Her – a significantly stronger soul.
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
samandridaku
samandridaku In the hush of night, where moonbeams softly glow,
A climber ascends, through blankets of snow.
Each step a whisper in the icy air,
A dance with shadows, in the mountain's lair.
Estado de energía semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Piedra de
Poder