The prayer room in the deepest part of the manor.
The roof had long since collapsed. A reddish-yellow glimmer seeped from some unknown source, bathing the entire space in an eerie hue.
And in the center of the room, a creature lay prone.
He could no longer be called "human"-his shriveled body resembled dried meat, his skin stretched tight over his skeleton in a sickly grayish brown. He crouched on all fours like a beast, trembling violently, a golden tree root thrust into the top of his head. Barbs covered it, embedded deep in his flesh.
"Midra," Tarnished said softly.
The trembling creature jerked his head up.
His face was twisted beyond recognition, his eyes reduced to two sunken black holes. But the moment he "saw" Tarnished and Melina, a piercing roar erupted from deep in his throat-
"Raaagh!"
Midra pushed off with all four limbs, launching himself like an arrow, his filthy, sharp fingers reaching straight for Tarnished's throat!
Tarnished neither dodged nor flinched. He raised his left hand-
Clang!
The Fingerprint Stone Shield settled firmly before him. Midra's fingers slammed into its face, and with several sharp cracks, his filthy nails snapped, blood spraying from his fingertips.
Midra let out an agonized whimper. Before he could withdraw his hands, Tarnished's right foot shot out-
Thud!
The kick struck Midra square in the chest, sending him flying backward like a ball into the wall behind him. Cracks spread from the point of impact. Midra slid to the floor, gasping.
Tarnished lowered his foot and watched the figure curled at the foot of the wall. There was no mockery in his eyes, no contempt-only respect.
"Thank you for enduring all this," he said, his voice low and solemn. "I'm here to set you free. You don't have to hold it