In the middle of the forest, everything seemed calm as usual—if not for two mysterious figures facing each other, caught in a strange exchange.
The bizarre dialogue between the two shadowy beings continued for a while longer. Then, without warning or any sign, the one in the red cloak suddenly spoke:
Red: "It's time for my appointment. Domain of the Red Sea."
From beneath Red's feet, a deep crimson spread out, racing across the ground at an unnatural speed.
It quickly expanded and engulfed the entire area. Almost instantly, the scenery around them changed.
No longer the natural scent of earth and trees, but instead a pungent, metallic stench filled the air.
Gone was the green forest with its trees, sunlight, and wind—everything in sight was replaced by endless red.
A pale, empty red sky stretched above, devoid of even drifting clouds.
Beneath their feet, the ground was no longer soil or weeds. Instead, they stood upon a reddish-pink surface, not entirely solid but slightly elastic.
If compared, it resembled a massive, grotesque slab of flesh.
From this fleshy ground, a thick red liquid seeped upward, quickly flooding their feet. The liquid's level continued to rise steadily, showing no sign of stopping.
Witnessing this eerie and horrifying scene, the one in the black cloak trembled, clearly impressed.
???: "To deploy a Domain to this extent… Even if I exhaust this body completely, I cannot defeat you."
Red: "You know you'll lose, yet you don't seem worried at all?"
???: "What does it matter if he dies? A pawn can always be replaced."
How ironic—though the cultist was utterly loyal, the god he worshipped paid him no heed.
Red: "Ha. Even if you replace him, doesn't it take time to find another pawn? You must be quite idle then."
Just as the nameless figure was about to reply, he froze at the sight before him.
???: "!?"
Red: "If you're that idle, let us help keep you busy."
The shadow beneath Red's feet suddenly deepened, stretching outward. From it, a third figure emerged.
She wore a black cloak, fitted closely to her body, highlighting her graceful form.
A short skirt and black stockings peeked beneath the hem, revealing long, slender legs.
Her face was partly hidden by a black mask and hood, while behind her head stood a pitch-black halo radiating ominous light.
In her hand, she held a jet-black scythe glowing faintly with mysterious purple light.
The moment she appeared, the crimson world was shrouded in an added layer of darkness.
???: "Are you insane? A god of shadows, daring to descend here in your true form?"
The cultist, borrowing the priest's body, realised he was in grave danger.
His calm demeanor shattered, replaced by panic.
After all, this kingdom was under Solvaris's dominion.
Even a fragment of consciousness descending here required extreme caution.
Yet the figure before him had brazenly descended in her true form, utterly unrestrained.
It was an act more provocative than blowing up Solvaris's grand cathedral.
If Tris were to give an example, it would be like a terrorist planting a bomb in broad daylight before special forces, or a drug dealer loudly advertising wares in front of parliament.
The girl ignored his question. Instead, she raised her scythe and swung.
A surge of black energy burst forth, streaked with flickering purple lightning, slicing the priest's body cleanly in two.
With a subtle motion of her hand, the upper half was drawn toward her.
She placed her hand upon his head, then swiftly withdrew and hurled the severed part of his body back to its place as if discarding a heap of filthy trash.
Black: "I've captured the insect's consciousness. Unless something unexpected happens, we can extract more information from it."
Her voice was soft, youthful, almost that of a girl not yet twenty.
Red: "But is it safe for you to be here, Black?"
Black: "Of course not. That's why your mother had to sneak in. Two Domains layered together can only block part of the attention. What matters is your father providing support, so that the Lamp doesn't notice us."
Red: "Then you'd better hurry."
Black: "Exactly. I'm leaving now."
Having said that, the girl immediately slipped into Red's shadow just as she had appeared before, vanishing swiftly like the wind.
Unlike the striking image of her arrival, her hurried escape left little sense of any divine aura.
In truth, it resembled more the figure of a thief who, having secured the prize, rushed away in secrecy before the master of the house could notice.
Seeing the shadow beneath her feet return to normal, Red clicked her tongue and turned toward the bisected corpse.
Red carefully searched to see if the cultist had left behind anything of value.
After a while, she successfully retrieved a spatial ring filled with numerous items, which she contentedly tucked away into her pouch
With a flick of her hand, the corpse sank into the fleshy ground, devoured completely. Within seconds, no trace remained.
Once finished, the crimson world shattered, restoring the tranquil forest.
The wind blew gently, sunlight streamed through the leaves, and everything seemed normal again—as if the horrific scene had been nothing but a dream.
Turning toward the cave entrance where the cultist had fled earlier, Red saw a towering figure with a brutish face and fists like hammers.
Seeing this new guest, Red smiled with excitement.
For her, that day was truly full of delights.