Five entered the forest while the sixth - one of the hunters' guards - stayed behind to guard the horses tied outside.
The forest resounded with the howls of wolves, the hooting of owls, and the growling of the biting cold, but another sound emerged among them, a more frightening human-like voice.
The darkness was thick, and Ser Declan deemed it necessary not to light a torch for illumination due to the danger of the area and its proximity to enemy territories, which made it difficult for them to move among the thorny bushes and hard stones , causing them to stumble multiple times. The light of the moon filtering through the leaves reflected on the ground like shining stars.
After a slow and terrifying walk led by the guard who was well-versed in the paths of the forest , they finally reached their long-awaited destination.
The jar was slightly larger than the one they had, with a yellowish white color due to dust and time, and it was sealed with a thick red rope. However, what truly terrified them was that the ground around it was spacious and flat in a circular shape , devoid of trees, while the nearest surrounding trees were either cut in half, completely uprooted, or marked with three deep scratches on them.
"What do you think happened here, sir? It must have been a bear, right?"
mumbled the hunter's guard with obvious apprehension as he measured the depth of the scratch with his hand.
"I have seen a bear before and it didn't have such large claws. Moreover, you know that they usually disappear at this time of year". the knight replied, shaking his shoulders with the same confusion and anxiety.
The hunter was the only one who dared to approach the jar standing majestically at the center of the circle, then he turned to his companions ,saying excitedly:
"It is just lying here without anyone coming near it... You are living in paradise and do not realize it. Oh, if you only knew"
"And you are here to open the gates of hell on us". Ser Declan replied with a dry throat, displeased, as he sweated with fear from his distant spot, squeezing the golden chain—meant for worship and wrapped around his wrist seven times—so tightly in his fist until blood started to flow from it.
The fear of the valiant knight stemmed from his firm belief in his deity; the sun would rise tomorrow without a doubt, but its light would not reach his sinful soul anymore.
"What could I do? It was a command from the king, and he is the descendant of the great king sol... I have also searched along the way here for a sign from the sun... Has my god abandoned me?". the knight thought to himself
The witch, on edge, did not give them time to argue, as she grabbed the small boy clinging to her dress in fear and pulled him towards the hunter while he cried and screamed for help.
Despite his young age, the boy knew the grim fate that awaited him and others like him in front of these jars, for he had often heard stories about the terrifying things that happen during these rituals.
The witch carefully gave a dagger to the hunter and then hurried away from him to return to her place beside Ser Declan and the guard.
The hunter looked at the three of them with mockery as they retreated step by step in terror, while the small child squirmed and struggled to free himself from the hunter's firm grip on his arm, then said mockingly to the knight:
"Big words from a person afraid of a sealed and dusty jar".
Then he lifted it lightly and quickly, throwing it towards the knight who froze in his place in fright.