The High Priest raised both hands, and the very air shuddered with power.
The Blood Golems surged forward, moving unnaturally fast, their twisted forms shifting and stretching, claws elongating into spears aimed directly at Asher and Serena.
Asher's scythe spun, a wide arc of razor-sharp blood cleaving through the first golem.
It collapsed into a pool of crimson, but instead of fading, the blood crawled back toward the High Priest, reforming into a new shape.
Serena leaped above him, twisting midair as she hurled her flaming daggers at the High Priest's head.
The flames exploded upon impact, consuming his figure—
The fire flickered and died.
The High Priest stepped out of the smoke, completely unscathed, his eyes glowing dark red.
"Ah," he sighed. "I do love watching you struggle."
Serena landed beside Asher. "Yeah, he's definitely enjoying this."
Asher gritted his teeth. "We're wasting time. These golems are just distractions."
Serena nodded. "Then what's the plan?"
The blood in the air trembled.
A violent pulse of energy erupted from his body, and every drop of spilled blood on the battlefield twisted to his command.
Serena felt the shift instantly.
The High Priest frowned. "Oh?"
The Blood Golems froze.
The priest's own creations twisted unnaturally, their bodies warping against his will—and then they rushed toward him.
"You dare use my own blood against me?" the priest hissed.
Asher smiled coldly. "You were right about one thing."
The priest narrowed his eyes.
And reappeared right in front of him.
The scythe swung down.
The priest barely had time to react—
A deep gash tore across his chest, spraying blood into the air.
He staggered back, clutching the wound.
Serena darted in next, her daggers aimed at his throat—but the priest gritted his teeth, raising his hand just in time.
A barrier of hardened blood formed, blocking the attack—
Asher had already moved again.
Another deep wound carved into his side.
The High Priest stumbled, blood dripping from his wounds—and for the first time, his amusement faded.
Asher spun his scythe, expression cold.
"I don't have time to play with you," he muttered.
Serena was already moving toward him.
"We need to go," she said, eyes scanning the dark horizon. "More are coming."
Asher exhaled sharply.
He could feel it, too.
Even now, more auras were closing in.
This wasn't a fight they could finish.
With a single thought, Asher shaped the blood around him into wings, grabbing Serena as he launched into the sky.
The High Priest watched them go, breathing heavily, blood still dripping from his wounds.
"Run all you want," he whispered.
"The Blood Cross does not forget."
The wind howled as Asher and Serena soared through the darkened sky, the crimson wings of blood beating furiously behind them. Below, the vast wilderness stretched endlessly, but neither of them felt safe.
Serena gripped Asher's shoulder tightly. "They're still following us."
Asher didn't respond immediately. He could feel them too—a dozen powerful presences, some moving on foot, others gliding through the air, all relentless in their pursuit.
They weren't going to stop.
Not until he and Serena were dead.
"We need to change directions," Asher said, his voice calm despite the urgency.
Serena looked down. "Where?"
Asher's eyes scanned the terrain. The God Domain border was still hundreds of kilometers away. Even with his speed, they'd never make it before being caught.
A stormfront in the distance.
Dark clouds churning. Lightning flashing.
It was the Black Gale Ravine.
A deadly, chaotic stretch of sky filled with wild storms, unstable mana, and vicious creatures.
Even the strongest hunters avoided it.
Serena followed his gaze and paled. "Oh, hell no. Tell me you're not thinking what I think you're thinking."
Asher's lips curled into a faint smirk.
"They won't in there."
Serena groaned. "They won't have to! The storm will kill us for them!"
"You say that like it's guaranteed."
"Would you rather fight them?"
Serena glanced back at the rapidly approaching pursuers.
She clicked her tongue. "Fine. But if we die, I'm haunting you."
With that, Asher angled downward, diving straight toward the storm.
The moment they hit the outer edge, a massive gust of wind slammed into them, throwing them off balance. Serena cursed, gripping Asher's cloak tighter.
Lightning crackled violently in the sky, illuminating the swirling clouds in bursts of white and purple.
And it had no intention of letting them pass easily.
Asher gritted his teeth. Controlling his blood wings in this chaos was insanely difficult. The unstable mana was disrupting his control, making every movement feel like a battle against the storm itself.
Serena's voice cut through the wind. "I hope you have a plan beyond 'fly into the murder clouds'!"
Asher's eyes narrowed.
Serena huffed. "Great plan. Love it."
A massive bolt of lightning suddenly exploded in front of them, forcing Asher to twist sharply to the left.
The Blood Cross pursuers reached the storm's edge—
For a brief moment, Asher caught sight of their leader—a tall, masked figure wrapped in flowing red robes, a golden insignia glowing on their chest.
A surge of dark energy swirled around them, as if preparing to launch a final attack before Asher and Serena could escape.
The storm itself lashed out.
A massive whirlwind formed in an instant, tearing across the sky like a raging beast.
Even the Blood Cross hesitated before retreating from the storm's wrath.
Serena let out a shaky breath. "We're actually alive. Holy shit."
Because the real challenge was just beginning.
They were now trapped in the Black Gale Ravine.
And something was watching them.
Asher and Serena hovered in the storm's grasp, battered by howling winds and crackling lightning. Every second inside the Black Gale Ravine felt like stepping deeper into the jaws of an unseen predator.
Serena tightened her grip on Asher. "Tell me we're not just flying blind in here."