The energy fluctuations around them were clearly stronger than those of the guards at the city gate. They were obviously all experienced Awakened warriors.
Within the cordon formed by the soldiers, the atmosphere was heavy enough to feel frozen.
What drew everyone's attention were the several unusual cages standing atop the raised platform.
These cages were not made of ordinary wood or iron bars, but of a dull black metal that seemed capable of absorbing light. Their surfaces were engraved with complex, dim silver runes.
From time to time, an almost imperceptible icy glimmer flowed through the runes, giving off an energy-suppressing aura that made one's heart tremble.
Three people were imprisoned in the cages, and all three were in terrible condition.
One seemed to have lost consciousness, slumped limply against the cage wall. The faint rise and fall of his chest proved that he was still alive. Another's arms were twisted at grotesque angles, clearly badly injured, yet his bloodshot eyes remained fixed on the front, filled with bone-deep hatred and unwillingness.
The third was in relatively better shape, leaning against the cage in a seated position. His face was as pale as paper, blood still stained the corner of his mouth, and he stared blankly at the sky with a numb despair in his eyes.
After casually sweeping his gaze over them, Duke's heart sank, and his pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.
He knew all three of them—or rather, he had seen them before, though they were not familiar.
They were all members of Hela's team. There had originally been four of them, but now only three remained. As for the female wizard, no one knew where she was.
"They were actually captured..." Duke recalled that when he had parted ways with them, they had still been hesitating over