At the Fallen Ring Castle, there was plenty of flame and stone, but one thing was missing - trees. Adam didn't know it, but he missed the sight of ordinary nature rather than caves, or at least anything remotely resembling it.
Oddly enough, the blood pond was a breath of fresh air for him.
The scarlet lake was the core of these dangerous hunting grounds. Only the strongest serpents had the right to hunt the regenerative monsters and could return home victorious with their prey rather than die at the paws of the tough creatures.
However, that was not the only thing in the caves.
Tall trees with dark bark and twisted roots sat around the lake. A faint, red light emanated from the crystals growing within, like ghostly lanterns releasing a diffuse glow. The trees had no leaves, and their branches sloped downward, covering the dark surface.
A few monsters among the many immediately noticed the four figures on the edge of their territory.
