This was turning out to be more effort than I initially anticipated. These cursed symbols made little sense and the wood I was using to write on was starting to get stuck under my nails.

"Maybe if we had just stopped at the village we could have procured some paper and ink. Engraving letters on wood is fine but you've created so much more work for yourself." My tenant responds with wry amusement

Growling in anger I slam a fist into a nearby tree trunk causing it to explode backward and topple over in a loud cacophonous burst of sound.

"I swear by the sage if you don't shut up I'll end this ridiculous escapade now."

Frustration boils to a peak after another set of symbols fails to be copied properly onto the bark.

"That's it! I'm just going to give this cursed message to these travelers verbally. This subtly plan was doomed from the start." I bite out angrily as I embed the half legible woodblock into a tree trunk

"I've told you how they are going to react to a shade. These three are highly skilled elves, they are going to try killing us on sight if you approach them like that."

"I don't see how that is my problem. In fact, now that I think about it, killing your body might just be my ticket to freedom!" I say excitedly while putting on a burst of speed down the hidden forest trail

"Oh come on! Let's be reasonable here! There is no proof that killing my body won't just kill you too." My passenger tries to reason halfheartedly

I simply laugh at his distraught tone and continue onward toward where the supposed elves would be.

XxxxX XxxxX

We were near the trails where my passenger said that these elves would pass through but my dark emotion sensing was detecting nothing for miles around us.

"The elves are an enigmatic bunch, perhaps they have a way to conceal themselves from you ability with magic."

After a few hours of silent waiting something pings on my senses. Three black entities rife with malcontent and hunger for power almost blind me with their sheer avarice. The entities were unlike any living thing I'd ever felt before, somehow all three were mirroring each other's emotions, almost like they were a single living thing rather than distinct individuals.

I stayed silent for a while longer, my curiosity getting the better of me. The conglomerate seemed to stop for a time before being joined by other lesser creatures, all the while a malicious eagerness starts to simmer in the amalgam. About an hour afterward the eagerness turns to vindictive joy and suddenly two new presences Flickr into my perception, one of rage and defiance and the other horror and despair.

Blasting through the forest at an inhuman speed I close in on the location of the groups in a manner of seconds. Just as I arrive one of the newer presences fades into non-existence and I see a figure in dark armor holding up an elf by its broken neck. On the ground is another elf who seems to be clutching something and muttering under its breath. Surrounding them are a plethora of ugly beast men with horns on their head.

"You have to save them! That thing is Galbatorix's shade, Durza."

"That's All I need to know."

With a malicious grin, I rocket into melee range of the abomination and slam a fist into its torso, sending the creature rocketing through the forest and clear out of sight faster than the eye could see.

Everyone but the chanting elf goes quiet as they try to make sense of my sudden appearance. I simply gaze at the creatures with disinterest until a flare of blue light flashes through the area and the remaining elf draws its blade.

The creatures storm forward in a mad rush but they were so incredibly slow compared to my speed. I distractedly kill each and every one of them with lazy blows to the temple or chest, caving in their rudimentary armor with ease. After all the beasts are taken care of I shift my attention to the last elf who still has its sword drawn.

When our eyes meet the elf stiffens and I can feel dread seep into its being.

"So you must b-" I start to say before a blinding sphere of fire hits me from the direction of the fallen shade, obliterating most of my sternum in a shower of smoky ash.

"So sad, a welp like you never really stood a chance. You've barely a single soul to yourself so it's to be expected I suppose," Durza mocks while slowly walking back into the clearing.

"Now that that is taken care of shall we continue where we left off?" Durza says while turning his gaze toward the elf

The shock of my wound falls away at that moment, mind-numbing pain takes its place and shadowing out the conversation happening behind me.

"Well there you go, you got what you wished for didn't you." The annoying voice of my passenger breaks in through my agony

"That's Right. I planned for this, maybe I can escape now that this fleshy sac is broken." I manage to think through the haze of pain

Pushing with all my will Chakra begins pouring out of the hole like a river. The only problem being that said chakra was somehow being drawn back toward the body again, creating a cloak of dense chakra around it. Still, the chakra conformed to my will and I begin shaping the visage of my old form, nine long tails of chakra accompanying the cloak.

With a roar of pain and frustration, a second surge of chakra fills into my gaping wound closing my exit point shut.

"Dammit, I didn't even get halfway out!" I bark out madly as I take a look at the silhouette of my original form covering my human vessel.

"Impossible, I destroyed your heart. No, there is too little magic here... Your illusions won't fool me elf, this is over!" Durza bellows before turning toward the elf

With his back turned I dash over on all fours and slash at the shades head with chakra cloak created claws. The shades head is cut clean off causing the remains to disappear into a smoky substance.

With panting breaths, I turn my gaze once more on the elf before smiling a wicked grin of victory.

The elf simply stares for a moment before something shifts in its emotions following soon after is a projection of thought which seises hold of my mind in an iron grip.

A single word reverberates through my head.

"Malthinae"

My vision goes dark and someone else slips into my place.