The Warlock of East(part 3)

"Shadow, I have bad news for you," said Vergil with a panicked tone. "Xen has been kidnapped by Koschei, the evil sorcerer. Somehow, he managed to escape," Vergil continued.

"This is all my fault, Uncle. My curiosity got the better of me, and I ended up feeding that sorcerer," said Shadow, his voice filled with sadness and disappointment.

"Sometimes we make mistakes, but you’re an experienced adventurer, aren’t you? Maybe this is a good opportunity..." Vergil said thoughtfully. "Lisa and Luciana are currently covering for Xen and me, managing the war against King Ivan. Meanwhile, you can embark on an adventure to find Xen," Vergil suggested.

"Where should I start?" asked Shadow.

"I've heard rumors that Koschei is hiding in a forest, but I'm still trying to track down the exact location," replied Vergil.

"Then it's time for me to go on another adventure. It's been a while," said Shadow.

"My advice is to avoid riding White Fang for now. I'll take White Fang and gather more information," suggested Vergil.

"I'll start searching in..." Shadow began, but was suddenly interrupted by a loud thunderclap from the north.

Shadow and Vergil exchanged a glance, the northern direction now their next lead. "Looks like that's where I should start," said Shadow, ready to set off.

"Looks like that's our first clue..." said Vergil.

"Then I'll head out immediately," said Shadow, hurrying towards the stables.

"Wait a moment, take this first," Vergil said, handing him something.

"A silver bracelet? What's this for, Uncle?" asked Shadow.

"It has enchantments on it, and it serves as a distress signal. If anything happens, the Sages can find you quickly," Vergil explained.

"Thank you, Uncle," Shadow said, fastening the bracelet before rushing out.

Shadow quickly mounted one of the available horses and spurred it towards the northern village. Marrie and Mistral, watching him rush off, felt a surge of concern as they noticed that Shadow had left without his scythe.

"Shadow is in such a hurry. Is it that bad?" asked Mistral.

"Very much so. I also gave him something that will allow the three Sages to assist him immediately if needed," replied Vergil. "I'll try to find where Koschei's soul is hidden."

"What about Koschei's soul?" asked Marrie.

"He performed a ritual called Soul Splitting and Soul Transfer. Koschei has separated his soul and hidden it somewhere unknown," explained Vergil.

Mistral and Marrie lowered their heads, knowing that only Shadow could handle this.

"Shadow took the sword he bought in that village, right?" Vergil asked.

"Yes, why?" asked Marrie.

"It was specially commissioned for him. I was worried something might go wrong, so I had special runes inscribed on it," said Vergil.

"What runes?" asked Mistral.

"The Rune of Protection and the Rune of Soul Guard," said Vergil, watching as Shadow disappeared into the distance.

Shadow arrived at a village north of Capital City and headed straight to the Adventure Guild. He began to gather information about the recent events. In the village, he encountered an elderly Arc Wizard who had just arrived.

"Miss Receptionist, inform the adventurers that an evil force has just been unleashed. Please notify the palace that this evil power is nesting in the Siberius region," said the Arc Wizard.

"Ah, do you know who it is?" asked Shadow.

"Koschei the Immortal," replied the Arc Wizard. "He is an evil sorcerer who once threatened Lunavara. The Shadow Master and the Morevna Loyal Family captured him but couldn't kill him."

"Is he really that powerful?" Shadow asked.

"He has hidden his soul somewhere, rumor has it on a lost island shrouded in thick mist," explained the Arc Wizard.

"I see. Where is the forest where Koschei is hiding?" Shadow inquired.

"In a magical forest where animals can speak with humans. I've heard Koschei has a very fast steed," said the Arc Wizard.

"Thank you. I'll go save Queen Xesinus," said Shadow, quickly leaving the guild.

"Be careful, Prince Shadow, that's all I can advise," said the old Arc Wizard as he proceeded to spread the warning throughout the kingdom, ensuring everyone was vigilant about the forest Shadow was heading to.

Shadow arrived at the forest's edge, finding a village nearby. Since it was already late, he decided to spend the night there. He couldn't help but feel disappointed in himself, thinking, How could Prince Blackheart be outdone by his own actions?

Exhausted, Shadow fell asleep quickly. In his dreams, he recalled his uncle Vergil's words.

"Remember this, Prince Shadow... A knight is not only a master of weapons and war tactics, but also a master of himself," said Vergil, looking at a young Shadow.

"But that's very difficult, Uncle. I find it hard..." Shadow began.

"I, too, am still working on it," Vergil admitted. "But with practice and discipline, I've been able to master that aspect."

Shadow suddenly awoke, realizing it was already morning. He quickly made his way to the Adventure Guild to gather more information. However, he only received the same news the Arc Wizard had told him the previous day.

Determined not to waste any more time, Shadow decided to head straight into the magical forest, trusting his instincts and the clues he had gathered so far. He knew the journey would be dangerous, but he was ready to face any challenges to save Queen Xesinus. With a final check of his gear and a deep breath, he set off towards the heart of the forest, where he believed Koschei was hiding.

Shadow entered the forest, feeling the eerie and foreboding atmosphere. He urged his horse deeper into the woods until he spotted a castle. The sight of the castle was ominous, but it seemed accessible. Shadow quickly found a high vantage point nearby to survey the surroundings.

From his perch, Shadow observed that there were no guards inside the castle. This struck him as odd, but he decided to take advantage of it. He carefully made his way into the castle, moving stealthily through the dark corridors.

After a brief search, Shadow found Queen Xesinus being held captive by Koschei. She was bound and appeared weak, but her eyes showed resilience and determination.

"Shadow, is that you?" asked Xen.

"Of course. Let's get you out of here," said Shadow as he freed Xen from her restraints.

"But Koschei has a magical mount, and it's much faster than any horse we have," said Xen, her voice filled with concern.

"Then we need to leave immediately," Shadow replied, urgency in his voice.

They moved quickly and quietly through the castle, retracing Shadow's steps to the entrance. As they exited, Shadow scanned the surroundings for any sign of Koschei or his mount. The eerie silence of the forest was unsettling, but they pressed on.

"Stay close to me," Shadow whispered, guiding Xen through the dense forest. "We need to put as much distance between us and this place as possible."

Koschei was patrolling outside, mounted on his magical steed. The horse suddenly halted, sensing something amiss.

Koschei was patrolling outside, mounted on his magical steed. The horse suddenly halted, sensing something amiss.

Koschei narrowed his eyes, scanning the area. "What is it?" he muttered to his steed. The horse pawed the ground, its ears pricked forward, clearly alert.

Following the horse's intuition, Koschei guided it towards the castle. As he approached, he noticed subtle signs of disturbance—footprints leading away from the entrance. His eyes widened in realization.

"Master... it seems there are intruders," the horse said.

"Then deal with them immediately," Koschei commanded.

Koschei spurred his horse onward and soon saw Shadow attempting to flee the forest with Xen. With swift precision, he intercepted them, causing Shadow's horse to rear up in fright. Both Shadow and Xen were thrown to the ground.

Koschei dismounted and quickly recaptured Xen, his grip firm and unyielding.

"Prince Shadow, I must commend your bravery," Koschei said with a mocking tone. "For now, I will spare you. But next time... you will not escape my wrath so easily."

With that, Koschei mounted his horse again, dragging Xen with him. Shadow, still dazed from the fall, could only watch as Koschei rode back towards the castle, taking Xen with him.

Shadow stood up and walked over to a nearby rock, sitting down with a look of deep sadness on his face. As he contemplated his next move, an eagle suddenly landed on a tree branch close to where he was sitting.

The majestic bird stared at him with piercing eyes, almost as if it was trying to communicate something. Shadow watched the eagle, feeling a strange sense of connection. He had always admired these creatures for their strength and keen vision.

"What's wrong? Why are you sad?" the eagle asked.

"I failed to save my fiancée from the evil sorcerer. I don't know what to do," Shadow replied, his voice heavy with despair.

"If you were the one kidnapped, what would your fiancée do?" the eagle asked.

"She wouldn't give up. She'd keep trying," Shadow said, realization dawning on him.

"Then do the same, Prince Shadow," the eagle urged before disappearing into the forest.

"Wait, where did you..." Shadow began, but the eagle was already gone.

Renewed determination surged through Shadow. He knew he couldn't give up. Xen would never abandon him, and he owed her the same. Standing tall, Shadow looked around, gathering his thoughts and courage.

"I won't fail again," he vowed to himself.

The next day, Shadow tried again. Using his skills, he easily infiltrated the castle and found Xen.

"Xen, let's get out of here," Shadow whispered urgently.

"You came back. Didn't he threaten to kill you?" Xen asked, her voice a mix of fear and hope.

"We'll try again. This time, we need to outsmart Koschei," Shadow replied, freeing Xen from her restraints.

Together, they carefully made their way out of the castle. The eerie silence of the castle was unsettling, but Shadow remained focused, guiding Xen through the dark corridors and out into the forest.

Meanwhile, Koschei and his magical horse were patrolling the grounds as usual. The horse suddenly halted, sensing something amiss.

"What is it this time?" Koschei muttered, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the surroundings. The horse pawed the ground, indicating a disturbance.

"Master... it seems we have another uninvited guest," the horse said.

"Is it Prince Shadow again?" Koschei asked.

"Yes, master," the horse confirmed.

"Then let us hurry," Koschei said.

Shadow and Xen moved swiftly through the forest, but Koschei's horse was far faster. The sorcerer's mount caught up quickly, startling Shadow's horse and causing both Shadow and Xen to fall to the ground.

"There is a fine line between bravery and foolishness, and this time you have crossed into foolishness," Koschei said as he dismounted, recapturing Xen. "I spared you once, but now..."

Koschei drew his sword, its blade gleaming menacingly in the dim light. Shadow, undeterred, unsheathed his own sword, ready to fight.

"You won't take her again," Shadow said, his voice firm with resolve.

Koschei sneered. "Let's see if your sword can back up your words, Prince."

The two clashed, their swords ringing through the forest. Koschei's strikes were powerful and precise, but Shadow's determination fueled his defense. He parried and dodged, each move calculated to keep Koschei at bay while looking for an opening.

"You can't win, Shadow," Koschei taunted. "I am immortal!"

"Immortal or not, you won't harm Xen," Shadow retorted, blocking a fierce blow and countering with a swift strike.

Koschei stepped back, momentarily surprised by Shadow's skill. "Impressive, but not enough."

With a powerful thrust, Koschei disarmed Shadow, sending his sword flying. Shadow stumbled back, defenseless.

"Now, you die," Koschei said, raising his sword for a final strike.

Shadow struggled to keep up with Koschei's relentless attacks. The sorcerer's movements were swift and precise, and despite Shadow's best efforts, he couldn't match Koschei's speed and power. With a final, brutal strike, Koschei sliced through Shadow's body, cutting him into several pieces.

Koschei summoned a wooden barrel with a wave of his hand, his eyes gleaming with dark satisfaction. He collected Shadow's dismembered body and placed the pieces into the barrel. With a sinister smile, he sealed the barrel tightly and called forth a magical portal, transporting the barrel to the sea.

The barrel floated on the waves, carried away by the ocean's currents, far from the shores of Lunavara. Koschei returned to the forest, confident that Prince Shadow was no longer a threat and taking back Queen Xesinus back to his castle.