The bodies were ash, yet the memories clung to Arden like smoke that refused to fade.

His chest tightened as the pulse of foreign life energy rippled through him.

The visions came without warning, pulling him into the fragments left behind by the hybrids.

He stood inside a cavernous hall, stone walls damp with moisture and the faint smell of iron. Braziers burned with pale blue flame, their smoke curling toward the ceiling where it vanished through cracks. Shadows danced across the floor, and figures cloaked in black masks moved without words, their presence heavy and cold.

The hybrids, no, the men before they became hybrids, stood trembling.

Two of them, nervous but filled with a hunger that burned hotter than fear. Around them were other members of the Creed who had been summoned for the same "reward." Some received new blades forged with strange alloys, others a dose of shimmering liquid that twisted their veins for a heartbeat before fading.

But only a handful were granted the rite of hybridization.

The masked overseers did not explain the process. They never revealed the true method.

Each chosen candidate was forced onto a stone slab carved with sigils that bled faint light.

Once the ritual began, their memories cut out, swallowed by blackness.

When they woke, they were changed, infused with beast bloodlines, power surging through them in unstable waves.

Arden's perspective shifted deeper, dragging him into the personal thread of these two particular men. He saw them as they once were, low-talent awakeners from the same town, mocked and overlooked, struggling to make a living with what little strength they had.

Their weakness drove them to desperation, and eventually into the arms of a wandering bandit leader who gave them a place.

For a time, they survived, raiding caravans at the man's command.

But survival was not enough. On one raid, most of their group was slaughtered, leaving only them and the leader alive, clutching goods bought with blood. They saw their chance. They knew only the leader would be rewarded when they returned, praised for his strength while they remained in his shadow. Greed sharpened into resolve, and in the night they struck him down, their own hands ensuring their place.

When they returned to the hidden base with the goods, they lied and claimed victory. Their betrayal was rewarded. The organization marked their ambition as "contribution" and offered them the rite.

And they accepted without hesitation, dreaming of power, blind to the chains it placed around their necks.

The visions faded, dissolving into the present. Arden opened his eyes slowly, air rushing back. His jaw tightened. He had seen enough.

So that was how the Organization lured its dogs, with promises of strength, a twisted merit where betrayal counted as merit, and greed was the only currency.

Worse still, the supply routes being attacked were no coincidence. He had seen the maps, the timing of caravans noted down in exact detail.

Someone was feeding the Creed information with precision that could only come from inside the towns.

His thoughts drifted back to Greyhold.

The lord's words echoed, there is always a spy, even in the clans. Arden no longer doubted it.

The Organization's roots had already sunk deep, and their claws reached higher tables than most realized. The ambush during their escort mission wasn't just luck, it was someone's calculation.

He exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing. "So that's how far it goes."

Before he could sink deeper, his system interface slid into view.

[Life Energy Absorbed]

New Life Signature Acquired

Source: Hybrid (Human: Battle Mage) + Beast Infusion (Irontusk Mauler)

Stoneblood Bastion

Skin and muscle harden instinctively under duress, enhancing physical toughness.

Increases natural vitality recovery when standing grounded.

[New Life Signature Acquired

Source: Hybrid (Human: Assassin) + Beast Infusion (Serpent traits)

Venomthread Vitality

Resistance against poisons and corruptive energy slightly strengthened.

Secondary Effect: Life energy strikes can carry a subtle "sting," leaving a lingering burn on enemies].

The interface vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving him staring at the empty air.

Stoneblood and Venomthread, useful, though not impressive compared to what he already carried.

Yet what caught his attention was the trace of the beast base in both signatures. Even in their corrupted state, the infusion left behind traits that could be inherited.

He rubbed his thumb against his palm, thoughtful. It was a detail worth remembering.

"Arden." Rael's voice cut through his thoughts. "You with us? Or you planning to stare at ghosts all day?"

Arden blinked, realizing his party had already cleared the field of the remaining bandits.

Zephyra was pawing at the charred ground, her flames flickering low, while Nyra checked the last wagon for survivors.

The merchants approached cautiously, led by a wounded elemental user who had been defending them.

Their bows were stiff, their gratitude earnest. "If not for you, we would have—"

"You'd be dead," Arden finished for him, not unkindly but blunt as ever. "Save your thanks. Protect your people better next time."

The man looked down, nodding. Arden didn't linger. He turned back to his group.

"The Organization is moving more boldly," he said. "Routes are being hit with precision, and these weren't random strikes. Someone's feeding them information."

Rael crossed his arms, lightning still humming faintly in his gauntlets. "So we flush them out?"

"Not yet," Arden replied. "First, we disrupt their plans. If they want bandit games, we'll beat them at it. Every route they strike, we'll be there. Every hybrid they throw, we'll put down. That's how we draw them out."

Nyra's eyes flickered with determination, her voice steady. "Then we'll need to keep moving. Greyhold won't stay quiet for long."

Zephyra's low growl rose into a sound almost like agreement. She lashed her tail, sparks of cerulean flame drifting into the air.

Arden gave a faint smile beneath his mask. "Good. Then it's decided. We hunt them on their own ground."

As the winds shifted as if to mark the decision.

Arden walked forward, his party falling into step beside him, their silhouettes fading into the mist.

A/N:

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