Shadows of Ascension

54. Monster manipulator

Luca's brow furrowed in confusion as he listened to Shadowbane's accusations, his expression a mixture of disbelief and frustration. "I'm not a liar," he declared confidently, his voice tinged with indignation. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

He turned to Riona and Shin, his gaze searching theirs for any sign of deception. "Riona, Shin, you're not liars either," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We're a team now, Riona, and we trust each other."

Riona's eyes brimmed with tears as she shook her head, her voice trembling with emotion. "I'm sorry, Luca," she murmured, her words barely audible over the roar of the wind. "But I haven't been entirely honest with you."

Aiden's heart sank as he watched the anguish flicker across Riona's face, a sense of dread settling like a lead weight in the pit of his stomach. He reached out to her, his hand hovering hesitantly over her shoulder in a silent gesture of support.

"Riona, what do you mean?" Luca asked, his voice filled with concern.

Riona took a deep breath, steeling herself for the painful revelation that was about to come. "I didn't actually tell you how Kaiden died," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

As the weight of Riona's confession hung heavy in the air, she began to recount the tale of her friendship with Kaiden, their travels together, and the events that had led them to the lawless area.

"We had been companions ever since the Inquisitor's trials back in the forest," she explained, her voice tinged with nostalgia. "We were like family, bound together by a shared sense of purpose and a thirst for adventure."

Aiden listened intently as Riona recounted the tale of their fateful encounter with Shadowbane, the treacherous B-rank hunter who had manipulated and deceived them with promises of power and glory.

"He was always cautious," Riona continued, her voice trembling with regret. "But I was foolish enough to trust him. He made me believe that if I followed him, I would gain the power I needed to protect us."

Tears welled in Riona's eyes as she recalled the moment when Shadowbane had revealed his true colors, the shock and horror etched into her memory like a scar.

"He disguised himself as another hunter, using Kaiden's shapeshifting powers to fool me," she admitted, her voice breaking with emotion. "And then he killed him, right in front of my eyes."

Aiden's blood ran cold as he listened to Riona's harrowing tale, the weight of her words settling like a heavy stone in the pit of his stomach. He glanced at Shadowbane, his eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and hatred.

"You're a monster," he spat, his voice filled with venom. "How could you do something so cruel?"

But Shadowbane merely smirked, his eyes glinting with malice as he shrugged off Aiden's accusations with contemptuous ease. "Me, a monster?" he chuckled darkly. "You have no idea, Aiden."

"He stood by my side and confronted me about Kaiden's death," Riona continued, her voice quivering with emotion. "Then one day, he stabbed me."

Aiden's breath caught in his throat, a surge of rage coursing through him as he listened to Riona's tale of betrayal. He exchanged a grim glance with Luca, their silent agreement punctuated by the tension crackling in the air.

"Thankfully, you failed to kill me, Shadowbane. I was able to heal and come here to the well of fate." Says Riona, trembling with anger.

But before Aiden could voice his outrage, Shadowbane stepped forward with a menacing presence, his dark eyes gleaming with malice as he uttered his chilling proclamation.

"I let you live on purpose," Shadowbane declared, his voice low and ominous, sending shivers down Aiden's spine.