45. Moonlight Chant

The mysterious man continued walking with Ned, and Ned asked, "Do you know the Naumes family?"

The man stopped in his tracks, and the wind blew his black cloak, revealing his masked face. He had been aware of Ned's unpopularity within the Naumes family for some time and had been watching him closely. He had even followed Ned and Halen into the forest, observing silently. His plan to make Ned follow him willingly had been well thought out.

Upon hearing this, Ned was overjoyed. He quickly walked up to the man and said, "Can you take me back? I'm lost and can't find my way back."

The man flashed a devilish smile and said, "Of course, just follow me."

Since Ned didn't know the way back, he followed the man, who led him on a increasingly treacherous path through increasingly darker surroundings. The eerie atmosphere made Ned feel uneasy, and he approached the man, saying, "How much longer do we ha