I am the Holy Poisoner, the Empress advised me to calm down

The woman turned around, a faint smile on her lips. "That's where I've been hiding for years, temporarily avoiding the enemy's pursuit. But time is running out, we must leave as soon as possible."

Thrall nodded and reassured the villagers around him: "Don't worry, just follow us. Our warriors will keep you safe."

The team began to accelerate forward, with the mysterious woman leading the way, while Aiden and Gavin led several soldiers to guard the rear. The light in the sky was getting closer and closer, as if something terrible was rapidly attacking them.

"What the hell is this thing?" a villager couldn't help but shout, his voice full of panic.

The old man next to him patted him on the shoulder and tried to appear calm: "Believe in those brave people, they will not let us down."

At that moment, the light in the sky suddenly grew even more dazzling. A blinding flash of lightning split the night sky, landing on an open field not far from the team, instantly stirring up a huge cloud of dust and smoke. Everyone stopped and stared at the area struck by the lightning with wide eyes.

After the smoke and dust cleared, a figure slowly rose from the ground. He was dressed in a pitch-black robe, holding a long sword that glowed red, and exuded an unsettling aura.

"Dark Apostle!" Gavin growled, tightened his grip on the sledgehammer, and took a few steps forward cautiously.

The mysterious woman's eyes narrowed as she said in a deep voice, "I didn't expect them to find us so quickly. It seems we don't have much time left."

Aiden looked at the dark apostle with a sharp gaze: "Who are you? Why did you chase me here?"

The Dark Apostle laughed sinisterly, his red eyes fixed on Aiden. "I'm a subordinate of the Shadow Lord, and I've been ordered to eliminate all resistance. Boy, give up! You can't defeat the Shadow Lord!"

Hearing these words, the surrounding villagers became even more panicked. A middle-aged woman cried out, "What should we do? Are we all going to die here?"

Leah stepped forward and gently soothed them, "Don't be afraid, everyone. We will definitely defeat them. Please believe in the power of heroes."

Aiden gritted his teeth and turned to Gavin and said, "You lead the others to move forward, and I will deal with this guy. We must send the villagers to a safe place."

Gavin nodded, his eyes full of determination: "Be careful. We will come back to pick you up."

After saying this, Gavin led several warriors and villagers to quicken their pace, heading in the direction indicated by the mysterious woman ahead. Meanwhile, Aiden drew his sword and stared coldly at the dark apostle across from him.

The battle was about to begin. Aiden's figure transformed into a streak of silver light, instantly rushing in front of the Dark Apostle. His sword swung with a fierce aura, intertwining with the opponent's red sword. The two exchanged blows, the battle being difficult to resolve.

The Dark Apostle was powerful, and every swing of his sword carried the power of destruction, but Aiden neutralized each blow with precise movements. However, Aiden knew that continuing like this would only consume more energy, and he had to end the battle quickly.

As the two men fought, a strange sound came from the distance, making people shudder. The mysterious woman looked up and frowned slightly: "It seems that there is more than one enemy. We must evacuate quickly!"

Someone in the team whispered, "How long will it take to reach that safe place?"

Thrall looked back at everyone and said, "Hold on a little longer, we'll be there soon."

Suddenly, the Dark Apostle swung his sword and forced Aiden back, revealing a hint of a sneer: "Boy, you can't escape today no matter what!"

Aiden took a few breaths and gripped the hilt of the sword tightly: "Then let me see how powerful your so-called Lord of Shadow is!"

As soon as the words fell, the two men clashed again. In a flash of lightning, sword beams crisscrossed, and the fierce battle attracted the attention of even more dark forces...

And in the distance, a hidden gaze was watching all this, waiting for the perfect moment to strike...

As the sounds of the last burst of fighting faded away, the mysterious woman finally stopped and turned to the crowd, saying, "We've arrived. Everyone, you can relax and take a break."

The villagers breathed a sigh of relief, comforting each other as they entered a seemingly ordinary cave. Aiden stood at the entrance, looking out at the still unclear situation outside, and couldn't help but mutter to himself:

"Next, what should we do to completely defeat the Lord of Shadow..."

The mysterious woman stepped forward and looked at Aiden with a deep gaze. "Some secrets can only be revealed through true courage and conviction. But first, we need to solve the mystery of the 'inheritance' the boy mentioned."

Aiden nodded, a determined glint in his eyes. "That's right. No matter what challenge we face, we will never give up. Because justice will prevail in the end."

As they finished speaking, the two simultaneously gazed up at the night sky, as if awaiting the arrival of the next dawn, bringing new hope and challenges. Finally, led by the mysterious woman, the group entered the seemingly ordinary cave. The cave was warm and dry, clearly meticulously furnished. The villagers, exhausted, began to sit down to rest. Elders gathered around the fire, while children cuddled in the arms of their elders, fell asleep.

A villager whispered, "This place is truly magical. It's so dangerous outside, but it's so safe here." Another young man echoed, "Yes, we were able to get here alive thanks to those brave people who protected us."

Thrall stood beside Aiden and watched the villagers settle down. He breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It seems that there is no problem here for the time being. We can rest assured."

Aiden nodded slightly, but he remained alert: "The Shadow Lord's power seems to be growing stronger. We must find a way to defeat them."

"You're right," the mysterious woman walked over to Aiden, "but before that, we need to understand the secret of the 'inheritance'. Only by solving this mystery can we find the key to defeating the forces of darkness."

A middle-aged villager came over and asked curiously, "Miss, what do you mean by inheritance? Is there some important secret?"

The mysterious woman smiled faintly, her gaze deep. "Legend has it that in ancient times, there existed a mysterious power that could combat darkness. This power was guarded by a certain family for generations and passed down through their bloodlines. It is said that whoever possesses this power will become the key to defeating darkness."

Aiden listened attentively, a thought flashing in his eyes. "So, I might be a member of this family?" He turned to look at the mysterious woman. "Do you know more about this matter?"