Antony walked forward, descending from the mountain towards the distant city of Bloodhaven. As he approached the edge of the ravine separating him from the city, he paused, gazing down at the deep chasm that lay before him.
"It's too far to jump," Antony muttered to himself, unsure of how to proceed. Just then, Kael let out a loud grunt.
"GRWOL!" Kael bellowed, drawing Antony's attention.
"What did he say?" Antony asked, turning to Matthew.
"He wants you and Liah to climb up onto his shoulders," Matthew explained. "He'll carry you two down into the city. I'll stay up here and make my own way down."
Antony watched as Liah and Matthew prepared for the descent into Bloodhaven, a smirk playing on his lips. He glanced at Kael beside him. "Of course this is what I have wanted," he thought. "If with this massive build like a monster he can't even carry me, then what's the point keeping him in my companion space?"
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than a mechanical voice echoed in his ear.
KAEL IS NOT IN THE COMPANION SPACE.
Antony's smirk faded, replaced by a scowl. "Here we go with the reality check given by the system," he mumbled under his breath.
"Unbelievable."
Kael, seeming to sense Antony's displeasure, let out a low growl. "GRWOL!"
Antony looked up, meeting the creature's gaze. "What did he say now?" he asked, turning to Matthew.
Matthew, who had been studying the path down into the city, glanced back at the pair. "He asked if you said something," he explained, his attention quickly returning to the treacherous descent before them.
Antony sighed, shaking his head.
Antony carefully climbed up onto Kael's massive shoulder, holding tightly as the powerful creature began to descend the treacherous path down into the Bloodhaven city. Liah followed suit, settling in beside Antony as they were carried down.
Throughout the journey, Kael let out a series of low, rumbling growls, but Matthew assured them that the beast was not actually saying anything this time. "He's just making noise," Matthew explained. "No specific meaning behind it."
Antony nodded, though he couldn't help but think, "If it weren't for this monster body, I wouldn't have had to come to this city at all. I might have even died trying to make the descent on my own."
As Kael continued on, Antony reached out and gave the creature's back a few light pats, almost as if he were petting a dog. But as he did so, he noticed Liah eyeing him curiously.
"What? Why are you staring at me?" Antony asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing!" Liah replied quickly, turning her gaze back towards the path ahead.
Antony narrowed his eyes, suspicion stirring within him. "I have to deal with this woman sooner," he thought to himself. "Even though she's in control for now, she could turn on me at any moment. Then I'd lose my shield and my power all at once."
He glanced over at Matthew, who seemed focused on the task at hand. Antony knew he couldn't afford to let his guard down with any of them. These companions of his were both an asset and a liability, and he would have to tread carefully if he wanted to maintain control of the situation.
As Kael finally reached the outskirts of Bloodhaven, Antony braced himself.
As they approached the main gate of Bloodhaven, Matthew's eyes lit up with a mix of nostalgia and pain. "This is my town, Bloodhaven!" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with emotion.
Antony watched Matthew closely, a hint of worry creasing his brow. "Will he be alright?" he mumbled to himself. "What if he becomes weak after entering the town that killed his brother?" But Antony's concern was not for Matthew's well-being, but for the progress of his own quest.
Suddenly, the familiar chime of the system rang in Antony's ears:
VEIL OF BLOOD: THE AWAKENING DIVIDE IS IN PROGRESS!
ANTONY COLE HAS REACHED THE BLOODHAVEN TOWN. NOW THE LOCATION HAS SHIFTED TO THE SWORDSMITH OF THE TOWN. WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROCEED?
"Swordsmith? Why?" Antony muttered, confused. He turned to Matthew, curiosity piqued. "Did you make your previous blade from the swordsmith in this town?"
Matthew nodded. "Yes, why?"
"Nothing, I'm just curious what kind of swordsmith he is to make such a strong blade," Antony said, scratching his head.
"It was not the swordsmith but my brother," Matthew added, his tone tinged with sadness. "When he died, I got the weapon map from his ashes."
Antony rolled his eyes, thinking to himself, "I know this, you dumbass guy! Say something I don't know!"
"Did you say something?" Matthew asked, noticing Antony's expression.
"No, I just want to visit the swordsmith because I too have some drops in my hand which I didn't get to forge on my way," Antony lied smoothly.
"Ok, go ahead. I will be visiting the other members of the town," Matthew said.
Liah stepped forward. "I want to follow Antony, he might need me."
Antony forced a smile. "I don't think I'll need you, Liah. I'm just going to the swordsmith, not facing a monster."
Internally, Antony seethed. "Go with him, you bitch, don't disturb my quest. I too want to finish my quest and get legendary drops," he thought, glaring at Liah.
Matthew intervened. "He's right, Liah. The town is safe... I guess for now it is safe." He glanced around warily.
Kael let out a growl, which Matthew interpreted. "Yeah, Kael also can sense no monsters nearby, so you can let him go. If he needs something, I guess he can find us. He's not a kid."
"Yes, yes!" Antony agreed, trying to act normal. "I'll be on my way!" He took off running towards the swordsmith, following the location marker that appeared on his system screen.
As Antony disappeared from view, Liah turned to Matthew. "Matthew, you should keep an eye on that kid."
Matthew's expression darkened. "You should first keep the promises you make unless you want to face something you have already done," he said angrily, sending a chill down Liah's spine.