The sky in the middle of the night was as black as ink, and a bright full moon emerged from a few thin staggered clouds, and sprinkled the ground in the small village, like frost and snow.

"Flapping!"

At this moment, a pitch-black owl fluttered its wings and emerged from the night sky, and burrowed directly into the thatched hut in the village.

Leaning on the pyre, Thorne suddenly opened his eyes when he heard the movement, and immediately sat up straight. Then he stretched out his arm, and the owl that flew into the house made a strange cry of 'gugu', circled above his head, and landed on it.

Thorne stroked the owl's round head lightly, communicated with it for a while using the "Animal Conversation" technique, then nodded slightly, then put it on his shoulders, and rechecked the whole body's equipment, then got up and disappeared in the door with the help of the shadow. outside.

"Huh?" When Thorne walked out of the door, he found a group of people with torches and weapons rushing towards him.

"What do you mean?" Thorne comforted the owl who was standing on his shoulders and looked a little uneasy, and moved his right hand to the hilt of the sword and asked.

"We don't mean anything, we just want you to rest here honestly for a night, half-elf ranger from the wilderness." The human man in light armor stepped out of the crowd and glanced at the bright full moon in the sky with a look of expression on his face. He said calmly: "You have to understand that I am considering your safety."

I was careless, I didn't expect that the reason they had been secretly monitoring themselves was the reason.

Thorne immediately understood the purpose of the group's coming here. When he was arranged to rest in the woodshed, he noticed that someone was watching him secretly, but he was not surprised. After all, a man appeared in a wild mountain village for no reason. Stranger, there is nothing wrong with being careful.

Obviously, these small villages that can take root in the Barren Skull Mountains naturally have their own advantages, and they must know a lot about the hunting rituals held by Mara worshipers.

The reason they stopped themselves from going out was simply not wanting to cause extra trouble for the village.

"Then what if I have to go out?" Thorne's expression hidden in the hood did not fluctuate, and his tone of speech did not fluctuate at all. The only change was that the position where he touched the hilt of the sword was changed to a tight grip, as if at any time From the unpretentious scabbard a sharp-edged blade was drawn.

"Zheng!"

"Then give it a try!" The human man in light armor, as soon as he finished speaking, immediately pulled out the long sword from his waist, and the cold moonlight flashed over the ancient blade, converging on the elegant carving on the edge of the sword. On the elf rune, there is a dazzling light.

"Attitude is so tough." Thorne met the cold eyes of the human man, and suddenly realized that it was impossible to forcibly invade, and he didn't want to get into trouble with these kind people who took him in.

So he was ready to return to the house, and then think of other ways to sneak out.

After all, he masters the moves of the Shadow Hand School, and it is not impossible to slip away from the vigilant eyes of everyone.

"Elbe, let this half-elf ranger go." Just as Thorne was about to return to the house, an old voice floated over from the cold night, and everyone turned around to look at the words.

Thorne also stopped, looked over curiously, and found that there was an old man with a hunched back like a bow in the crowd.

Under the cold moonlight, he raised his head laboriously, his pale hair half-covered a ravine face, and his deep-set eyes revealed an unconcealed vicissitudes, a cold wind blew, and the ragged clothes on his body Fluttering in the wind, hunting sounds.

There was also a young human woman who followed the old man. When Thorne noticed the other person's curious eyes looking at him, he was startled, and immediately felt an inexplicable meaning, and noticed that the human woman was very Possibly a player like him.

"A quirky little village."

Thorne murmured inwardly, and pulled the hood down, blocking the unbridled and curious gaze of the human woman. Under everyone's vigilance, he walked towards the old man who had just appeared, bowed slightly, and turned to leave the village. go.

"Wizard?" When Thorne passed by the human woman, he paused involuntarily, and uttered a question without any emotion.

Then he raised his head slightly, and out of the corner of his eyes, he immediately noticed a hint of surprise flashing in the other's curious eyes, and he instantly got the answer in his heart.

So facing the cold wind and the scattered silver light, he disappeared from everyone's sight without stopping.

"Young man, remember to do what you can, this wild mountain village welcomes you to come again." The old man looked at Thorne's leaving back, and the old voice drifted along the cold wind.

"Old village chief, why did you let him go? The bloodiest hunting ceremony is being held in the Desolate Skull Mountains. There must be something wrong with this half-elf ranger leaving now. Aren't you afraid that he will bring disaster?" The human man sheathed his long sword. Although he looked dissatisfied, his tone of voice was very respectful.

"If that's the case, then why are you taking him in?" The old village chief looked at Thorne's leaving figure, and stayed for a while, a smile on his wrinkled face.

"I saw him wandering in the wilderness alone, and he didn't look like a wicked person, so I took him in out of kindness," said the human man.

"That's not the end. Since you all know that he doesn't look like a villain, what are you worried about. Besides, if he wants to sneak away, you can't stop him." After the old village chief finished speaking, he leaned on crutches. Leaving tremblingly.

"Notify everyone, strengthen all guards tonight!" The human man instructed everyone with a solemn expression when the old village chief left.

...

In the depths of the canyon washed by the rapids somewhere in the Desolate Skull Mountains, rows of ferocious fang-shaped stones curved inward formed a large circle, forming a simple Mara temple.

In the circle surrounded by stones, a black fur, antler-like beast sculpture that looks like a cat is standing at the very center. Although this is only a sculpture, the fangs and claws of this terrifying beast are still there. Blood was dripping continuously, and the rich blood filled the depths of the entire canyon.

Around the statue, there are more than one hundred believers with faces mixed with madness and piety, such as black mane gnolls, sturdy boars, drow rangers with long white hair, and human hunters with hideous faces, etc. , all gathered here.

Facing the bright moonlight, they crawl on the gravel ground full of silver, and sing the most terrifying "Blood Song" of the Church of Maratha loudly.

Around these crazy believers, there are densely packed simple cages made of thick wooden branches and hemp ropes, among which are also many cages reinforced with iron sheets.

In each cage were gigantic beasts, rattled by the frenzied chants of the Mara worshipers.

A dragon-like beast with long backs and wings lay quietly in the cage, staring at all the Mara believers outside the cage with the eyes of predators.

A wolf-like beast roared uneasily and kept hitting the railing.

A beast with the head of a stag and the body of an eagle flapped its broad wings restlessly and licked its sharp claws.

...

"Jie Jie Jie!"

At this moment, a large dark cloud suddenly floated above the beast sculpture, and a pair of huge and wild red eyes flashed, and a deep, low-pitched maniacal laughter emanated from the cloud.

All the Mara worshipers stopped their crazy shouts and looked at the dark clouds with respect.

"boom!"

The dark cloud suddenly burst, and two figures, one large and one small, emerged from it. A fallen Druid wearing a blood-dropping beast fur armor held a withered branch and staff and stood firmly beside the statue.

"Roar!"

Immediately afterwards, a skeleton fierce lion whose whole body was removed, leaving only a clean white skeleton, flickered with scarlet ghostly fire in its eyes, and was enveloped in a strong evil spirit. Standing on the high platform, the violent roar echoed in the canyon. deep.

"The Claw of the Claw!"

A werewolf dressed in armor made of living animal skins and covered in beast claws and teeth stood up and roared like crazy.

"The Claw of the Claw!"

The shouts spread rapidly, and everyone was boiling, all shouting 'The Claw of Mara', the most noble name for Mara worshipers.

"The survival of the fittest and the survival of the fittest are gifts left by our Lord. Cruel and **** death is of great significance. Longevity is a humiliation for us... Let those who do not believe in fear respect the Lord of all beasts!"

The fallen druid knelt down and began to pray, with a crazy smile mixed with devotion on his face.

When the frantic cry disappeared, all the cages holding all the beasts around were opened, accompanied by all kinds of bizarre howls, and soon all the liberated beasts disappeared in the Wild Skull Mountains.

The Mara worshipers also turned into vigorous figures and flew out.

Under the bright moonlight, the hunting ceremony of 'Deer Banquet' began!

…………