Looking at the fallen bodies, he let out a sigh and began organizing his thoughts. He needed to make space before anything else.
With a simple mental command, one of his wolves disappeared, followed by one of the birds. They had been useful, but there were certain things only a human could do efficiently. Besides, the shadows of bandits might prove to be more versatile in the future.
Focusing on the corpses, he tried to extract their shadows. The first attempt failed, the darkness around the bodies flickering for a moment before dissipating. He frowned.
It wasn't exactly difficult, but it seemed like he needed more… intent.
Concentrating harder, he forced his will upon the shadows of the dead. This time, it worked. The darkness stretched upward, crawling over the bodies until the two bandits rose again, now wrapped in a black shroud with no trace of life in their eyes.
He analyzed them. Humans weren't necessarily the best acquisition in terms of raw strength, but they had their uses. If they were anything like the originals, they should at least know how to handle basic weapons.
To test them, he ordered them to dispose of their own corpses along with the others. Without hesitation, the two began dragging the dead away.
Efficient.
With that taken care of, he lay back down on the shadow of the bear. It had been a long but productive day. It didn't take long for sleep to claim him.
---
The first light of dawn was already coloring the sky when he opened his eyes. The fire had turned into a pile of ashes, and the cave was silent. He stretched, feeling his body relaxed, then got up.
It was time to move forward.
Leaving the cave, he started making his way down through the forest. As he walked, he decided to test something—he tried to communicate with his shadows.
No response.
No words, no expressions. Just a silent presence waiting for orders.
That was… interesting.
Did they have any memory of what they used to be? Did they remember anything? He glanced at the two bandits trailing behind him in silence. If they had any awareness, they didn't show it. It was as if who they had been before no longer mattered.
Well, not that it made any difference to him.
He kept walking for a while, circling the mountain, until something in the distance caught his attention.
A village.
Simple houses, but well-built, with orange rooftops standing out against the green of the forest. A few windmills turned slowly in the breeze, scattered throughout the village.
He stopped for a moment, taking in the sight.
Finally, a sign of civilization.
---
The journey to the village was calm. The forest slowly opened up, giving way to flatter terrain. The stone path beneath his feet indicated he was approaching a populated area, and soon the first houses appeared. Small, neat, with orange rooftops and some windmills turning in the distance.
The villagers didn't seem to find his presence strange. There were no curious looks, whispers, or anything of the sort. This meant that visitors were likely common there.
As he walked, he passed an elderly man sitting in the shade of a house, resting after some task.
— What's the name of this village? — he asked, stopping beside him.
The man looked up, unhurried.
— Foosha.
He nodded slightly.
— Thanks.
He continued on without expecting further conversation. Now he knew exactly where he was.
In the distance, near the port, a bar caught his attention. He entered without hesitation, pushing open the wooden door.
That's when he saw the attendant behind the counter.
Her dark green hair fell over her shoulders as she moved around the bar with ease.
The instant his eyes landed on her, a wave of information flooded his mind.
He paused for a moment, absorbing everything