Awakened: SSS Ranked Soul king

"What's going on?"

"Shit, stay completely still!"

Back in Raven's Keep, just as the morning sun rose overhead, the remnants of the fog left to protect the city, rose up the slope and spread into the streets of ravens keep.

For the slayers who had just woken up, their hearts clenched as PTSD overwhelmed them. The constant need to escape the fog when they first braved the forest came to a he forefront of their brains, causing extreme panic.

It hadn't been long since the fog switched sides, and with the way Thane had been acting recently, they didn't know what to expect—they just knew they didn't want to die.

"Brothers and sisters"

While they all ducked and hid from the fog, a voice suddenly resonated from within the fog, reverberating throughout its very essence.

"We have been in this city for far too long. Our mission has created a tough environment for growth and development but also pain. I thank you all for your contributions to the growth of this force. Today, we shall finally reap the rewards of our labors.

There's a hallowed beast in the mountains, men; it's time for us to go kill it!"

Guilliman's voice, filtered through Thane's windpipe, resounded throughout the city, causing the hearts of the myriad slayers to tighten and gradually ignite with tension.

It seemed that Thane had determined the fog was strong enough now. He was now mobilizing the entire city to fight the monsters in the mountains.

"Yeah! Let's go kill them!"

"We've been stuck here for too long; finally, we can get back on track!"

"Where's my sword?!"

The sentiment was shared by all the slayers; they had truly been through a lot in this place—from the forest all the way to the keep. It had been the most harrowing experience of their lives, yet it had forged them into a well-oiled machine.

One thousand slayers left the black steel shelter, and now there were a little over five hundred —but that five hundred possessed the combined power to ravage the original troops in mere minutes.

With the fog on their side, they were unstoppable.

And so that morning, the army of slayers melded into the fog battle ready as they together exited Raven's Keep, unified as they marched westward.

Hours later, they met with the three clans alongside the remaining troops of the fog, who joined them promptly as they made their way out of Raven Wood Forest.

Raven Wood Forest was massive, but the main challenge in traversing it was the monsters that lurked everywhere, along side the fog.

Thankfully, the fog was now with them and wherever they went—as long as the fog was there—all monsters fled for their lives. It took them a total of about three days to completely exit the forest and make a beeline for the mountains.

"From that ridge, we will be in the hallowed beast's territory."

After traveling for a few more days, they came to a stop in front of the mountain ranges that stretched beyond the west.

"I see, then let us set up camp here. I will extend the fog to test the depth of the hallowed beast's influence later on."

Inside the fog, Thane's figure could be seen shrouded in his dark, furry cloak.

Beside him were several scouts who briefed him on the details of what lay ahead.

"Yes, Lordship, I will let them know right away," the scout said as he bowed his head in respect before turning with his men to leave.

Thane did everything to ensure they didn't put themselves in danger so early. It was admirable, and they all respected him.

Seeing them leave, Thane nodded and turned, walking slowly through the fog until he reached the bark of a large tree.

There, with thick smoke enveloping him, he slowly dissipated until he merged with the fog, vanishing into nothingness.

"Sigh!" Guilliman, seated behind the long roots of the tree in a sort of enclosure, sighed as he looked around and shook his head.

He couldn't really tell the ordinary slayers what had happened to Thane. In fact, only a few select people knew that the Raven Lord's successor was dead and now controlled by Guilliman.

After a few short seconds of moping, Guilliman stood up and descended deeper into the tree's enclosure, where he found Hamdel putting the finishing touches on a bed.

"She can rest here tonight; I'll make sure no one disturbs her."

Feeling Guilliman's presence in the room, Hamdel commented with a warm smile.

The person lying unconscious on the bed was Victoria. After Guilliman stabbed her, she hadn't woken up immediately.

He had infused too much soul-killing energy into that strike; after all, it was meant to kill both the Raven Lord and Thane. Unfortunately, it went through Victoria instead, weakening her significantly.

"Don't be too bothered; she woke up this morning, so I'm sure it's just a matter of time before she's fully operational," Hamdel said as he patted Guilliman on the shoulder, showing concern and offering consolation.

Guilliman felt extremely guilty; not only had he caused this to Victoria, but he had also ended Thane's life and taken him as a soul slave.

If anyone heard these things, they would naturally label him as the villain without context. Yet he also believed he was the villain here.

After all, the assault on the castle was premeditated—something he had planned weeks earlier.

"I hope so; we will need her for the assault on the hallowed beast," Guilliman commented nonchalantly, though deep down he felt remorse.

"She's strong; the Silverstein bloodline has endured much worse," Hamdel said with a smile before turning away to attend to Victoria.

After a few seconds of silence, Guilliman turned and left while muttering,

"Much more than you might think."

Because he had become a dark shaman, he unlocked additional abilities that revealed more of Victoria's history.

He was able to peer into Thane's mind, and because of that, he knew much more about Victoria than anyone else.