Sudden night event...

Something strange is happening...

In the middle of the night, armored guards burst into your room.

Along with them is the one you saw earlier. The one who arranged for you to be transported to Castle Tideblade.

An male elf-magician who is dressed in a luxurious silk camisole. You remember the cold and contemptuous look of his greenish eyes.

Your beautiful cousin Olienna told you his name.

Darelis Hyureeno.

You don’t have time to ask anything or offer resistance.

Darelis quickly casts some kind of magic spell again.

The magical effect paralyzes you. Not only can you not move your arms or legs, you cannot even speak a word. However, you are conscious.

The armored guards easily lift your immobilized body.

They then drag your body somewhere, following Darelis.

The group, which carries you as if you were a thing, quickly moves through the corridors of the castle. Then, the path goes along stone stairs. Somewhere down.

There are panicky thoughts in your head: “What’s happening?! Where are they taking me?! Castle dungeons? For what?!"

Ten minutes later the group reaches its goal. Your body is carried into a spacious room, which is clearly part of the vast dungeon of this castle. The dim light of the lamps that are attached to the walls illuminates the large room.

The floor is polished dark gray granite.

Six strange stone slabs on pedestals (each slab is the size of a small bed).

On five slabs lie five completely naked persons.

Three male and two female.

The sixth stone slab is empty.

You have time to see that each of these persons is fixed on stone slabs with the help of metal shackles built into the stone, which squeeze the arms and legs of the prisoners, not leaving them even a chance to escape. However, taking into account the effects of magical paralysis (probably, these persons, just like you, were subjected to a similar effect), this only looks like an additional precaution.

And one more thing: you manage to understand that all five prisoners have some common characteristics.

They…

They're all half-elves!

Just like you…

Meanwhile, your body is placed on the sixth stone slab. Metal shackles close on your hands and your feet.

You see the gaze of the beautiful greenish eyes of a naked young half-elf female, whose body is attached to a nearby stone slab. This look conveys an **** degree of horror and hopelessness.

Looking at the features of her young face, a realization comes to you...

She is somewhat similar... to you!

Like the rest of the half-elves prisoners.

Are they all... really your relatives?!

Another frightening detail: from each stone slab (from a place near the head of each captive) comes something like a pipe, which goes into the center of the room into a small recess.

It's not clear what this is for...

But obviously the solution will be extremely unpleasant for you.

The armored guards leave the room.

Darelis Hyureeno remains in the room and moves towards the far wall, performing some incomprehensible actions (due to the dim lighting and darkness, you cannot see what he is doing).

Loud crack. It looks like a hidden mechanism is at work. A small section of the wall moves aside, revealing a secret passage.

After a while, three figures emerge from this secret passage.

You know one of them.

You would recognize her among the huge crowd.

This is your graceful cousin Olienna!

Her beautiful face as a young beauty still shows serenity and a charming smile.

Only now this smile is not meant for you.

Next to Olienna is a tall elf, who is dressed in dark gray pants, leather boots, an elegant camisole and a dark blue cloak. The beautiful clothes look a little dusty, as if the elf had recently returned from a trip.

You hear the words of Olienna addressed to him: “I’m so glad you’re back, Uncle Atheral! You made it just in time!”

This is incredible...

This elf... Atheral Hyureeno! Your father!

The third elf appears to be the oldest of all those present in the room. His gray long hair falls to shoulder level. His pale face is covered with wrinkles. The gaze of his light greenish eyes scans the entire room, glancing over the bodies of the prisoners.

You manage to look into his eyes.

You feel cold and distant.

He looked you over as if you were nothing more than a useful tool. A tool that is not supposed to speak.

The old elf says displeasedly: “Stop hesitating! I do not have much time! We need to complete the ritual today!”

In response, Atheral says: “As you wish, father. For my part, I can say that I arrived as quickly as possible. I began to act immediately as soon as I received a letter from Olienna that we already have the sixth exemplar... "

Olienna says: “We all acted entirely in accordance with your instructions, Grandfather Lenoater! Today we will complete the ritual and you will finally achieve your goal!”

Grandfather.

This old elf is the father of Atheral Hyureeno. Therefore, he is your grandfather. This is Lenoater Hyureeno. It seems Olienna said something about him...

You see Lenoater holding some old book in his hands. This book is bound in black leather.

Lenoater walks around the room, approaching each of the prisoners and making strange gestures with palms.

At the same time, he grumbles: "I waited too long... It was the hardest thing for me... Having to fake my own ****, having to hide from our enemies, having to carefully prepare for the ritual... Waiting is the worst! While you, Atheral, for twenty-four years traveled through the cities of these pathetic humans and fucked the females of these half-animals, I was **** to make every effort to fight the inexorably approaching ****!"

Your father replies with a grin, “I won’t deny that my… “job” was kind of enjoyable. But this is your own plan, father! We needed a number of half-elf bastards whose blood contained at least half of the Hyureeno heritage to ensure the ritual could be performed. The more human bitches I fucked, the better. After all, very few of the half-breed bastards were able to survive in the end. Diseases, accidents, the machinations of our competitors... There are many reasons for the **** of half-breed bastards..."

The old gray-haired elf continues to walk around the captives. As his hand moves closer to your face, you feel a heat and tingling sensation in your heart. It feels like he has now marked your body with a magical mark. So, your body has been marked as if you were cattle, on whose skin a brand is burned... The power of this old elf's magical aura is so strong that you can hardly restrain yourself from losing consciousness.

Lenoater is looking at something in his book and continues to grumble: “You could have taken better measures to protect these bastards! Then I wouldn’t have to wait so long!”

In response, the words of Darelis are heard, who simply leaned against the far wall and watches what is happening with a phlegmatic look: “I agree. More funds should be allocated to ensure security. However, Olienna probably thought differently..."

The melodious voice of your charming cousin Olienna sounds with uncharacteristic anxiety: "I was not able to allocate more money to organize the protection of sacrificial exemplars! I understand the importance of the ritual, dear grandfather! You are one of the strongest magicians on the continent! Your mind, your will and your abilities are truly amazing and you are one of the most important pillars of the power of the Hyureeno family! But... I had to spend a huge amount of money on bribes, on eliminating dangerous witnesses, on disguising the fact that you are alive! If I failed to ensure secrecy, then our competitors would simply destroy all chances of achieving your great goal!"

From all this stream of words, a phrase is stuck in your head... a very unpleasant phrase for you - “sacrificial exemplars”... Are you really just... a sacrificial exemplar?!

Lenoater gestures with his hand and says, “Enough chatter! Now I will begin the ritual. You all need to leave the premises."