Movement nearby caught Omurai�s attention. A soldier, half crushed by a piece of the tower wall and his face half eaten away by dark energy, took a heavy gasp of air.
�H-he�s a mon-monster,� the soldier said between troubled breathes.
�Who is? Who is responsible for this massacre?� Asher demanded, kneeling beside the soldier.
�The masked assassin�V-voyse. He took the art-artifact and left,� the soldier tried to explain.
�Where? Do you know where he went?� Asher asked.
�Tier Bastion�yes�he�s going for the Adept�s Stone no doubt. Let Draven deal with him!� the soldier exclaimed, which threw him into a coughing fit.
�Do not work yourself too hard,� Asher offered.
Just then, a shuriken slammed into the soldier�s head, knocking it backwards, lifeless. Asher spun around with a surprised look at Omurai, a grim expression on the wind adept�s face.
�What did you do that for?!� Asher shouted.
�Taking him out of his misery. There was no hope for him�you could tell he knew from the look on his face,� Omurai explained. �If anything I did him a favor.�
��I suppose you�re right�� Asher conceited, rising back to his feet. �So, our next destination is Tier Bastion?�
�I�ve heard tales of the infamous place, but I never thought I�d lay eyes on it�� Omurai said quietly.
�You know of the place?� Asher asked.
�All too well. It is a legendary fortress that used to be part of Altem Tier, but when it�s owner was corrupted by evil forces, we had no choice but to banish him and his castle to the surface below. This happened long before my time, or my parents�. It speaks evil, I tell you,� Omurai warned.
�Then we�ll cut the evil out of it!� Asher said with a newfound fervor. �Come then, lead the way! I grow tired of this chase.�
�Fair enough�we go south west,� Omurai said.
�Are you sure?� Asher asked.
�Indeed�our prey was kind enough to leave a trail,� Omurai clarified, pointing to a trail of drops of blood leading away from the rubble.
�Let us be off then!� Asher said cheerfully, trying to lighten up the mood.
�Something bothers me�that soldier spoke of some Adept�s Stone. He said Voyse must be after it. Could that be why he�s taken us all about Liteo?� Omurai asked.
�I cannot be sure�only one way to find out,� Asher said, pointing south west.
�You are correct. Onward, I say,� Omurai said, smiling lightly.
The two started off on what would be a long trip to the dreaded fortress known as Tier Bastion. Little did they know, an entire army waited them there.