<h4>Chapter 21: Truthful Rewards 6</h4>


    "It''d be a waste to kill you immediately, so let''s have some fun, shall we?" Adrian''s chilling words hung in the air like a dark omen. Meralda couldn''tprehend the transformation he had undergone.


    The once-vulnerable young man had been reced by an entity of unsettling power and strangeness.


    "What is going on?" Meralda asked herself, the once weak-looking young man she tried to kill a while ago was nowpletely gone.


    In his ce stood a being of profound abnormality, an entity that defied her understanding of the world. The transformation had been swift and iprehensible, leaving Meralda utterly bewildered.


    Although her heart ached with the desire to mourn for Zekel, there was no time for such grief. The enigmatic figure before her moved with unnatural grace and purpose, and Meralda sensed that she was facing an entity of immense power and malevolence. Her duty to protect the forest superseded all else.


    As Adrian advanced, Meralda''s instincts kicked in. With remarkable agility, she dodged a sudden strike, creating a shockwave that resulted in an explosive impact.


    The force of the collision sent debris and dirt flying in all directions, shrouding the area in a massive dust cloud, amidst the chaos, a cobweb-like pattern emerged on the ground, a testament to the tremendous force that had been unleashed.


    As the dust settled after her narrow escape from Adrian''s devastating attack, Meralda''s thoughts raced. Her emerald eyes remained fixed on the enigmatic figure before her.


    She knew there was no time for mourning her fallenrade, Zekel. Her primary concern was defending the forest and herself from this newfound threat.


    Adrian''sughter reverberated through the clearing, sending shivers down Meralda''s spine.


    His eyes, once human, now resembled dark voids surrounded by stars. An eerie aura exuded from his transformed body.


    Meralda was keenly aware that she couldn''t allow this malevolent presence to go unchecked. She summoned the ancient magic of the forest, causing the very flora and fauna to respond to her call.


    Vines erupted from the earth, reaching out like serpents to ensnare Adrian and restrict his movements. Her determination was evident as she focused her energy.


    Adrian, however, disyed an unnatural grace and agility as he danced gracefully between the encroaching vines. He seemed inplete control of his newfound abilities, dodging and evading with uncanny precision.


    Closing the distance with astonishing speed, Adrian unleashed a powerful strike on her abdomen that sent Meralda flying backward.


    She crashed through the forest, breaking through several trees before finallying to a stop.


    Pain coursed through her body, but the forest''s guardian refused to yield. Her duty to protect this sacred cepelled her to stand firm.


    She summoned thest vestiges of her strength, channeling the magic of the forest into one final, desperate attack.


    The ground beneath Adrian erupted in a storm of thorns and brambles, a final attempt to subdue him and shield the forest from harm.


    Meralda''s face disyed unwavering determination as she directed her magic toward her formidable adversary.


    Adrian, now fully in control of his dark powers, countered her attack with a mere wave of his hand. Shadows engulfed the thorns, causing them to wither and fade away.


    Meralda watched in disbelief as her final gambit failed. Adrian approached once more, his unsettling smile never wavering.


    She knew that she had to find a way to stop him, for the sake of the forest and all that she held dear. With every ounce of her strength, she prepared to face this formidable adversary head-on.


    As Meralda struggled to regain her footing, a devastating punch to the face sent her hurtling through the air once more.


    Her body tumbled uncontrobly as the force of the blow propelled her away from her assant. Before she could recover, Adrian swiftly closed the distance between them.


    With uncanny speed, he delivered another powerful kick thatunched Meralda high into the skies.


    Her tattered form soared against the backdrop of the darkening forest canopy, and it seemed as if gravity had momentarily released its hold on her.


    But Adrian was relentless. Closing in on Meralda''s ascending trajectory, he appeared just a few meters above her suspended form.


    Adrian stretched his hands and a purplish dark condensed form of energy manifested in his w like hands, before punching directly at Meralda.


    His fist connected with her body once again, delivering a crushing blow that sent her hurtling back towards the forest floor.


    The impact was cataclysmic. A massive explosion rocked the surroundings as Meralda''s body crashed through the thick foliage, obliterating trees and uprooting nts in its path.


    The once-tranquil forest was now a battleground of chaos and destruction, and Meralda''s strength and resilience were being tested like never before.


    Adrian gradually descended to the ground, his movements now more controlled and deliberate. With a casual wave of his hand, the swirling dust and debris began to settle, revealing the aftermath of his devastating attack.


    In the heart of the colossal crater, Meralday battered and broken, a stark contrast to the vibrant and majestic spirit she once embodied. The very essence of her beauty had been marred by the relentless assault.


    Adrian''s ashen-grey eyes, nowpletely ck and adorned with stars, fixated on the wounded great spirit.


    He wore an expression of both frustration and disdain, his emotions amplified to unnatural levels by the transformative power he had invoked.


    "Tsk, this is all you amount to?" Adrian sneered, disappointment evident in his voice. He had anticipated a more formidable opponent, and yet Meralda''s condition left him wanting more.


    "You forced me to even use this magic, and now you''re this disappointing. At least let me have my fun, Woman!" Adrian''s voice held a note of exasperation as he berated his fallen adversary.


    In this altered form, his emotions surged beyond normal human boundaries, resulting in intense and overwhelming feelings of anger, sadness, and other primal instincts.


    This transformation was a skill he had learned from his family, but they had always warned him to use it judiciously to prevent his mind from sumbing to madness.


    Despite the incredible power it granted him, Adrian was still human, and the consequences of losing himself to this form were dire.


    Adrian approached the battered Meralda and, with an almost casual cruelty, seized her by her emerald hair, wrenching her head up to meet his gaze.


    "Hey, can you hear me?" Adrian inquired, studying her battered face for any sign of response. Meralda, however, remained silent and unresponsive.


    The pain coursing through her body was overwhelming, making even the simplest actions a Herculean effort.


    In an attempt to elicit a reaction, Adrian delivered a sharp p to Meralda''s cheek. The force of the blow caused her to cough up what seemed to be blood, though its hue was an unsettling translucent green. Still, Meralda''s voice remained trapped by her agony, and she offered no response to Adrian''s inquiries.


    Frustration welled up within Adrian as he realized he was making no progress in extracting information from the great spirit.


    "Hey, I know you''re still alive, and I can''t have you dying yet, considering you''re probably connected to the thing I''m looking for," Adrian dered, his voice tinged with impatience. But his words fell on deaf ears, as Meralda remained umunicative.


    Exhaling deeply, Adrian sighed in resignation. Closing his eyes, he focused on calming his racing heart and the turbulent emotions that had overwhelmed him during his transformation.


    Gradually, the aura of abnormality surrounding him receded, and he reverted to his original form.


    His once-ck eyes returned to their ashen-grey color, his long white hair shortened and regained its natural ck hue, and his wed hands returned to their human state.


    "Whoo, I''m back!" Adrian eximed with an almost childlike enthusiasm, his mood swiftly shifting from the intense battle mode to his usual self.


    Taking a deep breath, he contemted his recent transformation. "Haah, I really don''t like going into that mode, but circumstances needed me to do it," Adrian reflected inwardly. Although he retained his


    consciousness during the transformation, it felt as if one of his emotions took the reins, steering him through a turbulent storm of madness. He was an observer in his own body, watching as his other self-acted out.


    Adrian shifted his gaze to the battered form of Meralda, still crumpled on the ground in pain. His grip on her loosened as he released her hair, and a small, self-deprecating chuckle escaped his lips.


    "I really did you dirty, huh? Haha," Adrian said with a hint of wry amusement. "But it''s your fault for attacking me for unreasonable reasons."


    He nced around at the forest, now marred by their confrontation, and a touch of regret flickered across his ashen-grey eyes.


    "I really just wanted to find the moonlit tree, though," Adrian murmured to himself, his voice tinged with a hint of mncholy.


    As he surveyed the aftermath of the battle, his eyes fell upon the battered form of Zekel, still impaled by the grotesque spikes he had conjured. A sly grin crossed Adrian''s lips as he mused to himself, "What a great catch. I never thought I would have an offering thisrge and pure so fast."


    "@##$#" Iprehensible words flowed from Adrian''s lips, and from the shadows, ck hands emerged, each with a grotesque mouth in its palm.


    They slithered towards Zekel''s battered body and began devouring it, piece by piece. Adrian''s eyes gleamed with an unsettling amusement as he watched the macabre spectacle unfold.


    "I hope my offer reached you, Mother," Adrian whispered inwardly, his smile growing slightly.


    Turning his attention back to Meralda, he pondered his next move. "Now, what should I do with this girl?" he wondered aloud.


    "I can''t let her die just yet. Although I can make her into an offering right here, right now, it would be aplete waste, considering this girl probably knows where the Moonlit Tree is."


    Adrian searched for his bag amid the debris of the battle, eventually finding it after some effort. He examined its contents and couldn''t hide his disappointment as he muttered,


    "Only two are left intact, huh?" It was no surprise, given the intensity of the fight.


    With care, he retrieved the two remaining potions and approached Meralda. In a deliberate and almost ritualistic manner, he poured the potions over her battered body.


    The miraculous elixirs worked their magic, and Meralda''s wounds began to heal rapidly, her injuries vanishing in a matter of seconds.


    Slowly, Meralda''s eyes fluttered open, and she found herself staring into Adrian''s intense gaze as he crouched down beside her.


    His expression seemed to convey a mixture of curiosity and something more sinister.


    "Hello," Adrian said, his voice a strange blend of friendliness and malevolence.


    Meralda attempted to speak, to question him, but her voice faltered, and words refused to escape her lips.


    Before she could fullyprehend the situation, Adrian grabbed her face with an almost violent force, forcing her into an unexpected and unwee kiss.


    "Mmph," Meralda attempted to resist, but Adrian''s relentless intensity overpowered her feeble attempts to push him away. His tongue invaded her mouth, leaving her feeling vited and helpless.


    "shhto-mmm," Meralda managed to mumble in a desperate attempt to voice her protest. She struggled against him, but her strength was sapped.


    The potions she had taken had healed her wounds, but they had not restored her vitality.


    "####" Adrian continued to mutter iprehensible words as their lips remained locked in a grotesque union.


    Seconds turned into minutes as the relentless kiss continued, and Meralda felt a growing sense of dread and difort.


    Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Adrian abruptly released her lips. A glistening trail of saliva lingered, connecting their mouths as they parted.


    "Cough, cough," Meralda coughed and sputtered, her senses returning as the bizarre encounter left her reeling. She realized that Adrian had done something to her during that invasive kiss.


    Suddenly, translucent ck chains emerged from her chest, coiling around her like malevolent serpents.


    The chains snaked their way toward Adrian''s hands, connecting to his palm and wrists, as if they were conduits for some dark magic.


    Adrian''s lips curled into a sinister smile.


    "You''re mine now"