As the group moved away from the City of Shadows, Rain felt an increasing unease. The doubt was not just a fleeting feeling; it was a deep-seated sense that they were walking into a carefully laid trap. The Servant of Darkness was unusually silent, and their furtive glances stirred suspicion in Rain's heart.
"Servant of Darkness," Rain said in a firm voice, breaking their prolonged silence. "I feel like we're being watched, and that there's something I don't know. Are you hiding something from us?"
The Servant of Darkness stopped walking and slowly turned towards Rain. The veil concealed the features of their face, but Rain felt a sharp gaze piercing his soul.
"I serve the Lord of Darkness faithfully, Rain Valen," the Servant of Darkness replied in a calm and hesitant tone. "Everything I have done has been to help you achieve your goal. I am hiding nothing from you."
"I don't believe you," Rain retorted sharply. "Something is wrong. You know too much about this place, and about the Council of Light. How did you know about the Paths of the Soul? And how did you know about the spiritual prison?"
"I have studied ancient history, Rain Valen," said the Servant of Darkness. "I have spent years searching for lost information. That is all."
"Lies!" Lilith exclaimed, drawing her sword. "You work for the Council of Light! You're a spy!"
"That's not true!" the Servant of Darkness cried out, taking a step back. "I swear by my loyalty to darkness that I am not betraying you!"
"Enough!" the Lord of Darkness roared, cutting off the argument. "We must calm down and think rationally. We cannot trust anyone at this stage. We must verify the loyalty of the Servant of Darkness before we accuse them of treason."
"How do we do that?" Rain asked.
"We will use the magic of truth detection," said the Lord of Darkness. "This magic can reveal to us whether the Servant of Darkness is telling the truth or not."
The Lord of Darkness focused his spiritual energy and began to chant a complex incantation. An aura of blue light began to appear around the Servant of Darkness, as if trying to penetrate their soul.
"If you are hiding something, it will be revealed now," said the Lord of Darkness in a threatening tone.
The blue aura began to glow more intensely, and the Servant of Darkness began to groan in pain. After a few moments, the aura flashed with a brilliant white light, then suddenly vanished.
"What happened?" Rain asked worriedly.
"The magic of truth detection did not work," said the Lord of Darkness in a somber tone. "It seems the Servant of Darkness is immune to this magic. This means either they are telling the truth, or they possess power far greater than we imagined."
"So what do we do?" Lilith asked.
"We will watch them closely," said Rain. "We will scrutinize every word they say and every move they make. If we discover that they are betraying us, we will kill them immediately."
The Lord of Darkness and Lilith agreed to Rain's plan, and they continued their journey, maintaining a distance between themselves and the Servant of Darkness. The atmosphere was charged with suspicion and tension, and everyone felt as if they were walking on the edge of a precipice.
Meanwhile, in the city of Oris, Lord Elias was watching Rain, Lilith, and the Lord of Darkness's movements through the Stone of Visions. The Stone of Visions showed him clear images of what was happening to them, as if he were watching a movie.
"It seems they suspect the Servant of Darkness," said Lord Elias with a malicious smile. "That is to be expected. But they do not know that the Servant of Darkness is merely a pawn in my grand game."
"What will you do now, my Lord?" asked Sorcerer Malik.
"I will send a message to the Servant of Darkness," said Lord Elias. "I will instruct them to lead them into a deadly trap. This time, no one will survive."
Lord Elias used powerful magic to send a message to the Servant of Darkness. The message was a faint whisper, audible only to the Servant of Darkness.
"Lead them to the Temple of Forgotten Spirits," whispered Lord Elias. "Death awaits them there."
After days of walking, the group reached a rugged mountainous region. The mountains were towering, the valleys deep, and the wind howled fiercely, making travel extremely difficult.
"We should be close to the Temple of Forgotten Spirits," said the Servant of Darkness, pointing to a distant mountain peak. "The temple is located on the summit of that mountain."
"This looks dangerous," said Lilith. "Why do you want us to go there?"
"The information we need is in the temple," said the Servant of Darkness. "We must go there if we want to defeat the Council of Light."
Rain hesitated for a moment. He didn't trust the Servant of Darkness, but he realized that they needed information.
"Alright," said Rain. "We will go to the temple. But be warned, Servant of Darkness. If I discover that you are planning to deceive us, you will pay dearly."
The group began to climb the mountain, and the path was difficult and treacherous. The rocks were sharp, the wind was strong, and the air was bitterly cold.
After hours of arduous climbing, the group reached the summit of the mountain. There stood an ancient temple, which looked as if it had been abandoned for a long time. The walls were cracked, the pillars dilapidated, and the roof was partially collapsed.
"This is the Temple of Forgotten Spirits," said the Servant of Darkness. "We must go inside and search for the information we need."
The group entered the temple, and the atmosphere was dark and damp. The walls were covered in strange drawings, and the floor was littered with dust and debris.
"This place is creepy," said Lilith, looking around worriedly.
"Do not worry," said the Lord of Darkness. "I am here to protect you."
The group began to explore the temple, with the Servant of Darkness leading the way. They knew the temple well, as if they had been there before.
"Here stood the ritual chamber," said the Servant of Darkness, pointing to a small room at the end of the temple. "And here stood the temple library. And here stood the priests' chamber."
The group reached the ritual chamber, and there was a stone altar in the center of the room. The altar was covered in dried blood, as if someone had been sacrificed here.
"This place is ominous," said Rain, feeling a sense of disgust.
"Here the priests performed their dark rituals," said the Servant of Darkness. "They communicated with evil spirits and asked them for help."
Suddenly, the room began to shake. The walls began to crack, and the roof began to collapse.
"What's happening?" Lilith cried out in fear.
"This is a trap!" Rain shouted. "The Servant of Darkness has betrayed us!"
At that moment, the Servant of Darkness revealed their true face. They removed their veil, revealing an ugly and distorted visage. Their eyes glowed with malice, and their mouth stretched into a wicked grin.
"Yes, I have deceived you," said the Servant of Darkness in an evil voice. "I have been working for the Council of Light all along. I came here to kill you."
"You traitor!" Rain roared in anger.
"No," said the Servant of Darkness. "I serve justice. You threaten the peace of Eridos, and you must die."
Then, the Servant of Darkness unleashed a powerful magical force and began to destroy the temple. The room began to crumble, and the roof began to fall.
Rain, Lilith, and the Lord of Darkness were trapped inside the temple, and they were on the verge of death.