Marcus Bramer, a middle-aged man with a lean physique and long brown hair, had been on the trail of the Crimson Imp, which had been spotted in a neighboring city. The 10th squad of the Order of the Prime Wiseman, to which he belonged, suspected that the creature had fled to a nearby city or town.
Being a new member of the squad, Marcus felt the task was challenging as his expertise lay in creating defensive Rune Arts rather than in tracking elusive beings like the Crimson Imp.
Upon entering the next city on his search, Marcus witnessed an unexpected event: two heavenly lightning bolts struck the other side of the city, clearly not a natural occurrence. Intrigued, he followed a group of Arcanists who were converging on the scene.
He realized that these people were actually hoping to seize whatever opportunity the cause of the lightning might present.
'There's no way they'd gain something from this aside from trouble… They weren't even moving in stealth' Marcus mused.
Upon arriving, he was once again shocked to discover that the Archbishop of the Church had failed to capture a criminal. He didn't expect to see something like that at all.
While the others present were unaware of what had transpired, Marcus, as a genius member of the Prime Wisemen, possessed techniques that allowed him to interpret the battle that had taken place based on the destruction in the environment.
As Marcus observed the Archbishop entering the city, he concluded that the Crimson Imp would not likely appear with the Archbishop in the vicinity.
Planning to discreetly leave the city, Marcus was interrupted when someone grabbed his shoulder. Startled, Marcus frowned as his Runic Robe was triggered.
"What do you want?" Marcus immediately asked.
"I apologized for stopping you, Sir... I'm Theodore, I felt something powerful in your body, so I think that you're good enough."
The individual introduced himself so calmly that Marcus thought he was a friend.
However, before Marcus could react, he felt the life force draining from his body, his surroundings fading as darkness enveloped him. There were also a few more invisible attacks that made him incapable of resisting.
"Y-you! What are you doing?!"
As Marcus struggled to maintain consciousness, he desperately sought a way to counter Theodore's draining effect. With his remaining strength, he attempted to access the defensive Rune Arts he had developed, hoping they would shield him from Theodore's sinister power.
However, the draining sensation persisted, overwhelming his attempts to resist.
The Rune Arts was only half-completed! It was too late!
Marcus gritted his teeth as he triggered his healing-type Runic Item to survive longer. It was a necklace that he had been wearing in case of these kinds of situations.
However, Marcus already found himself being dragged to a secluded area!
'Not good… I have to survive here!" Marcus shouted in his mind as he felt that he was about to die.
Just when Marcus thought he could hold on no longer, a surge of energy coursed through him, pushing back against Theodore's draining force.
Gasping for breath, Marcus opened his eyes to find a faint, silvery light emanating from his body, repelling Theodore's grip.
'It was the Prime Wisemen's Protection Rune! I survived!" Marcus, although physically weak at the moment, celebrated as he realized what had happened. He wasn't abandoned by the Order of the Prime Wisemen!
Yet, Marcus' sense of relief was short-lived.
He believed in the protection offered by the mark on his body, he believed it would shield him for an extended period, only to have it swiftly drained.
"You! Why are you doing this to me?!" Marcus exclaimed in horror, unable to discern the intentions of his assailant. The moment he was grabbed on his shoulder, his Energy Flow actually became miserable.
The next events had unfolded rapidly, leaving Marcus disoriented and vulnerable. Sensing his energy dwindling rapidly, Marcus collapsed to the ground, his consciousness slipping away. In his fading awareness, the only recollection he retained of his assailant was the sinister footwear the individual wore.
The shoes exuded a dark aura, appearing almost animate in their malevolence.
"I require a substantial amount more of that energy... I must exert myself further to revive my son…" Theodore muttered as he drained the life force from his latest victim.
His method was precise, leaving his targets weakened and powerless, yet not quite enough to end their lives.
With each extraction, Theodore's ominous objective became increasingly apparent.
"I must thank that young Arcanist before… Perhaps draining his life will be the best way to express my gratitude..." Theodore said with a chuckle.
Determined to achieve his malevolent purpose, he ventured deeper into the city, seeking out individuals from whom he could extract the vital energy needed to fulfill his dark ambitions.
As Theodore prowled the streets, his eyes gleamed with unsettling intensity, his gaze fixated on those unsuspecting souls who crossed his path.
He didn't care about the possibility of being found out by the Archbishop at all.
With calculated precision, he approached each target, his sinister shoes pulsating with an eerie aura as he initiated the draining process by grabbing their throats.
Three bodies were soon thrown to the ground, and their fate was unknown.
The city, once teeming with vitality, now bore witness to a silent epidemic as Theodore's relentless pursuit of life force unfolded.
Unbeknownst to its inhabitants, a malevolent force roamed among them, preying upon their essence to fuel a sinister agenda.
Theodores' actions continue for two more days. The effects of his actions soon became noticeable, casting a shadow of desolation over the once vibrant city.
With each use of his life-drain spell, Theodore could feel how much he was getting closer to the energy he needed to "revive" his son.
Although a tiny part of him was still feeling guilty and sorry for the targets he extracted, he didn't have plans of giving up.
As the encroaching darkness enveloped the city, Theodore's relentless quest for life force plunged its once bustling streets into chaos…