353 The Parasite

Layla shuddered, her eyes fixed on the macabre vortex of blood enveloping countless dead creatures in the Sanctuary. The Lainwright soldiers had just completed their second day of battle aura training. "This never ceases to creep me out," she admitted.

"Or that…." Eric frowned, observing as the blood vanished into a spatial rift. "Where do you think it goes?"

***

Perched atop a hill, Dover Castle overlooked the ocean that linked the UK to the rest of the Meridian Empire, once known as Europe. Within the castle's imposing walls stood a massive, cube-like tower adorned with turrets that epitomized the classic image of a castle.

The Great Tower was surrounded by large buildings and once-verdant lawns where people used to unwind. However, no trace of green remained. Instead, a blood-soaked swamp had formed from days of slaughter, claiming the lives of countless beasts and cultivators.