Eileen Rift.
"Admirable courage, little one. You certainly caused me plenty of trouble." Xavius tossed Rowan into a cage woven from corrupted vines and bound his hands and feet with Shadow Chains.
Xavius was a shrewd lapdog of the Old Gods, eager to use Rowan as a bargaining chip. Rowan, in turn, understood Xavius's intentions perfectly and wanted to strike a dangerous bargain with him.
If the former succeeded, he could claim a patch of corrupted nightmare territory. If the latter succeeded, all Xavius's efforts would come to nothing, and both his body and soul would perish.
"Are you trying to scare me? In the end, you just want to use me as leverage." Rowan's expression was grim, his acting impeccable as he curled his lip in disdain.
Xavius had discovered that Il'gynoth, Corruption's Heart, had retreated to Ny'alotha. He knew the nightmare corruption could no longer spread and expand the nightmare.
To resist the Dream Guardians and Rowan's party, Xavius had decisively absorbed vast amounts of shadow and corruption breath from Eileen Rift, stimulating the flesh the Old Gods had bestowed upon him to multiply his strength.
After repeated infusions of different forms of energy, Xavius's body had become a bus anyone could ride. His shell perfectly accommodated shadow power and corruption breath, swelling to several times its original size. His strength had even surpassed that of a Wild God.
"Do you still think you're surrounded and protected by powerful allies? Little one, the slightest trace of nightmare power I unleash now could tear you to pieces!" Xavius roared at Rowan, his bloated features twisted viciously.
Rowan had nothing to fear. With arcane shadow, his life was safe.
Xavius, however, had been provoked, and that would inevitably affect his next decisions.
"Oh, give it a rest. I didn't get