《ZOMBIE REBORN [Monster MC/Progression/LitRPG-lite]》


 Chapter 1 - The End of the Beginning

    Bevale Castle


    The six companions of the Holy Order of Talamasca picked their way through the wreckage of the ancient castle in the kingdom of Andor. They passed charred bodies twisted in agonizing poses that looked like they had died instantly, begging for mercy from the gods that had forsaken them.


    The companions climbed across a crumbling marble colonnade and stopped before the throne of the forsaken king. His crown lay in the dirt, covered in his own blood.


    ¡°We failed,¡± Chloe whispered as she stared in horror at the crumpled form of the headless king lying beneath his golden throne.


    Talasin Ward, a Crimson Hunter of the Fifth Order, placed a scarred hand on her shoulder. This had been his king, his people. Chloe reached up and took the man¡¯s hand in her own to calm his anger and soothe his despair.


    The Talamasca had fought, bled and sacrificed for ten years only to be crushed at the end.


    ¡°Betrayer of hope,¡± she whispered.


    Talasin stared at her then shook his head, ¡°We were not betrayed. We were simply too weak.¡±


    Chloe didn''t agree with that, but she said nothing. Her suspicions didn''t matter anymore. They had lost the war, and their lives would be over soon enough.


    Evelyn Mews, the last remaining Cleric of the Third Order, knelt down beside the king, ¡°How could this happen?¡± she asked in a voice so low it was barely audible.


    ¡°We never had a chance,¡± Talasin replied through clenched teeth. ¡°We learned of Malice too late. If the Talamasca had another year to prepare-maybe then things could have been different.¡±


    Chloe had remained strong throughout it all, but at that moment, looking at the remains of the king she¡¯d fought for, her strength finally gave in. She slumped down into the charred throne and stared out over the horrific scene.


    The far wall of the castle had been shattered by dark magic, and pools of miasma covered the floor. Through the hole in the wall, she could see the city burning in the valley below.


    She knew that this same scene would be mirrored all throughout the whole land of Ivalice. No human would be spared, for all she knew they were all that remained of her race.


    With nothing left to do, Chloe summoned the Aspect of the Goddess, hoping to see something amongst her divine abilities that could save them.


    [Aspect]


    [Name: Chloe Porter]


    [Race: Human]


    [Class: Paladin of the First Order]


    [Abilities]


    - [Ethereal Armament of Light]


    - [Divine Senses] (Activated)


    - [Holy Hands]


    - [Sword & Shield Master] (Tier 9)


    - [Divine Smite] (Fifth Augmentation)


    - [Dual Spell casting]


    - [Divine Health] (Passive: Aura)


    - [Sacred Oath]


    - [Judgement Hammer] (Armament Enchantment)


    She shook her head, feeling hopelessness set in as the Aspect of the Goddess disappeared from her mind''s eye.


    ¡°With the king dead, we are the new rulers of the human race,¡± said Talasin.


    ¡°The rulers of ourselves, you mean,¡± said Chloe. ¡°We are the last of our race.¡±


    ¡°That''s not the point,¡± said Talasin. ¡°The king¡¯s crown has the power to change one mistake, but it can only be used by the king and at a great cost.¡±


    Chloe swung her gaze to the one eyed man. She had come to love and trust him more than any other. ¡°Which mistake would we change? There was no one mistake that lost us this war?¡±


    Theomar the Giant, Archon of the Sixth Order and high Mage of Caldura, cleared his throat. ¡°There is only one thing that could have turned the tide of this war. If we were warned of Malice¡¯s return earlier-things would have been different. When the war broke out, my own order was divided by internal politics. We were weak and ill prepared.¡±


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°We need to go back to the beginning,¡± said Sylvia Gremlock, the Lore Master of the Fourth Order. ¡°It began with brother Cassadin.¡±


    All eyes turned to Chloe.


    ¡°Why me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°In our darkest hour, you are our final hope,¡± said Talasin. ¡°You were the only one there when brother Cassadin died.¡±


    Chloe knew this all too well. She had lost her sister in that fight. It had taken her years to convince the order that she was not mad with grief and that the Dark Lord had actually returned.


    ¡°What can I do?¡± she asked.


    Talasin knelt before her and said, ¡°We could send your mind back in time to that precise moment.¡±


    ¡°Will this work?¡± asked Chloe. She didn''t like the sound of this plan. She knew enough about magic to know that there would be a heavy price to pay for a spell of this magnitude.


    ¡°It will work,¡± said Uriz Dominus. ¡°You would have control of your past self for only a minute. We would send you back to the very moment Malice and brother Cassadin appeared in your world. You could use your magic to shield him long enough for him to escape and return to Ivalice.¡±


    ¡°But what would it cost?¡± Chloe asked.


    The five companions remained silent.


    ¡°That much,¡± said Chloe.


    Talasin nodded slowly. ¡°We are already dead. The Harbinger is heading here as we speak. It is only a matter of time before the last of humanity falls.¡±


    Evelyn picked up the dead king¡¯s crown and said, ¡°The five stones in this crown have the power to change one mistake. It was a gift given by Belladeon to the first king. No king has ever used the gift, for obvious reasons.¡±


    It kills the user, Chloe thought. What king would sacrifice his own life to change a single mistake.


    Talasin took the crown from Evelyn and slowly turned it in his hands, inspecting each jewel set into the golden crown. ¡°One jewel for each of the sacred orders,¡± he said in the same tone of voice he had used to instruct the students at the academy.


    Talasin helped Chloe to her feet and she leaned heavily against him. She stretched up her hand, ran it through his curly hair, pulled him in close and kissed him full on the lips.


    They finally parted and Talasin smiled at her sadly. ¡°If you save Cassadin,¡± he said. ¡°You would not have acquired his Spatial Armament and you would have never come to this world. We would have never met.¡±


    ¡°So this is goodbye,¡± Chloe said, and she felt a lump rising in her throat. She had fought together with her companions for years and grown to love each one of them.


    Talasin placed the crown on her head and said. ¡°I love you, Chloe Porter.¡±


    <hr>


    Seattle - Chloe¡¯s Bedroom


    Chloe sat on her bed, listening to her favorite band, ¡®Murder! Death! Kill! And reading a fantasy manga about a ninja who¡¯d retired to become a flower arranger. She was just getting to the part where the ninja was about to propose to the clumsy milkmaid when her bedroom door flung open.


    Her sister Hope entered the room with a towel wrapped around her and her wet hair dripping on the carpet. ¡°Have you heard from Michael?¡± she asked. ¡°He told dad that he¡¯d be back from his training camp today.¡±


    Chloe looked up from the manga. ¡°Nope, heard nothing.¡±


    She hadn''t spoken to their brother all week. They were triplets, but Michael had always been a bit distant from his two sisters.


    Michael was the kid sitting alone in the corner and torturing flies whilst Hope and Chloe were making mud pies and pretending to be elves.


    The older the siblings grew, the greater that distance had become, until Chloe thought she really didn''t know her brother anymore.


    ¡°I hope he hasn''t done something stupid again,¡± said Hope. ¡°You know how worried dad gets.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just going through a rebellious phase. We all went through it.¡±


    ¡°Went?¡± said Hope. ¡°He''s been like that since mom died.¡± She shook her head. ¡°For over a year, he¡¯s worn nothing but black. He even changed his name to Morbidie.¡±


    ¡°It''s a catchy name, and wearing all black makes laundry so much easier.¡±


    Hope frowned at Chloe. ¡°How am I the only sane one in this family?¡±


    Chloe laughed.


    ¡°Just so you know, we need to leave early,¡± said Hope, adjusting her towel. ¡°We have to walk. Dad doesn''t want us drinking and driving.¡±


    ¡°Then why doesn''t he drive us?¡±


    ¡°The game has already started,¡± Hope said as she headed out the room. ¡°It will take the house catching on fire to get him off that couch now.¡±


    <hr>


    Chloe, Paladin of the First Order, braced herself for the coming fight. She knew that any mistake she made would lead to her swift death. She muttered the benediction under her breath and prepared to cast Sacred Oath.


    The light of the dimensional magic faded, and her eyes widened as she took in the red curtains, the anime girl bed covers, and a manga, with a picture of a ninja holding flowers, lying in her lap.


    ¡°Oh crap!¡±


    This was not the battle scene she had expected.


    Something had gone horribly wrong. She was meant to be sent to the moment Malice arrived in her world. But she didn''t have time to worry about that. She only had a minute before her old mind wrestled back control of her body.


    She tossed the manga aside and hunted for a pen. She tossed books off the side table and a glass of water smashed on the floor, sending shards of glass in all directions.


    She began to panic, but quickly went through a mental exercise in her mind to focus her mind. There was no pen in this damned room. With no other choice, she picked up a shard of glass and began writing on her hand.


    Pain lanced through the palm of her hand as she carved the first letter into her skin.


    S


    ¡°Holy shit, this hurts.¡±


    She cut the next letter in her hand, and then the next. Blood ran down her arm and dripped on her white sheets.


    Save C


    She paused and hesitated for a moment. There was only one thing she truly regretted. It was the death that led to her joining the order in the first place. Besides, she thought, without her powers there was no guarantee that she could save Cassadin.


    ¡°Forgive me, Talasin,¡± she said, and then she gritted her teeth and changed what she was about to write.


    Save Hope


    A knock came at her bedroom door, and Chloe looked up from the bloody mess that now covered her sheets.


    The door opened and Chloe¡¯s breath caught at the sight of her sister, alive and looking as full of joy as always.


    ¡°Hope,¡± she breathed. Her hands began to tremble as her old mind wrestled back control of her body. Her time was over.


    <hr>

 Chapter 2 - The Beginning of the End

    Seattle - Chloe¡¯s Bedroom


    "I can''t believe you still aren''t dressed," Hope said with mock annoyance as she entered the room.


    Her face dropped when she saw the blood on the sheets. ¡°What the hell, sis! What have you done to yourself?¡±


    Chloe stared down at her bloodied hands in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she muttered. She¡¯d been reading a manga, and then she¡¯d blanked out for a few seconds, only to wake up to pain and blood. ¡°What happened to me?¡±


    Hope crossed the room and pulled the glass out of Chloe¡¯s hands.¡°Don''t worry, it¡¯s going to be ok. I¡¯ll get you a bandage.¡±


    She ran down the stairs, leaving Chloe all alone with blood running down her arms and dripping on her thighs.


    It hurts.


    She bit her lip in a vain effort to distract her mind, but her hand throbbed in constant pain. She hated pain, she couldn''t even stand the sight of blood.


    It doesn''t make sense. What happened?


    She wiped the blood off of the wound and saw two words clearly cut into her hand, ¡®Save Hope.¡¯


    What the hell.


    It was her handwriting, but the words made no sense at all. Her sister didn''t need her for anything. Hope was the hero, not her.


    Her sister returned moments later with a bandage, a tube of antiseptic cream, a bottle of water and a handful of painkillers.


    ¡°Drink these,¡± she said, handing the water and medicine to Chloe.


    ¡°I think the glass shattered in my hand,¡± Chloe said.


    She pulled her hand back out of Hope¡¯s reach. She really didn''t want her sister seeing the words. It would make her look like a crazy person. ¡°I''m ok, hand me the bandage, I¡¯ll wrap it myself.¡±


    Hope anxiously shifted her weight from one foot to another as Chloe cleaned the wound, applied the cream and wrapped the bandage around her hand.


    Come on, medicine, hurry up and bloody kick in already.


    Hope leaned over to inspect the bandaged wound. ¡°How bad is it?¡±


    ¡°Feeling better already,¡± Chloe said. ¡°It actually isn''t that deep. Looks much worse than it actually is.¡±


    It was a lie, but she didn''t want to scare her sister any further. She smiled and gestured at Hope¡¯s outfit. ¡°You look good, are you going to the party as a witch?¡±


    They were twins, well actually triplets, but their brother acted like they weren''t even related. Of the three, Hope had gotten the looks, Michael the oldest of the three by two hours had gotten the brains, that was until he fell off the rails and stopped caring about anyone but himself. And Chloe had gotten the geekiness- if that was a thing.


    Hope forced a smile and said, ¡°If you didn''t want to come to the party, you could just say so. You didn''t have to go all chainsaw massacre on yourself.¡±


    Chloe laughed, ¡°It was an accident. My grip is stronger than I thought. I think the glass just shattered in my hand.¡±


    ¡°All that time playing games on your phone. I''m sure your thumbs have their own six packs by now.¡±


    Chloe forced a smile.


    Hope pulled the bloodied sheet off the bed and rolled it into a ball. ¡°So, I guess that means the Halloween party is off?¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me,¡± said Chloe. ¡°This combination of adrenaline and painkillers is just what I need to get into the party mood.¡±


    Hope laughed, ¡°You still need an outfit. You could go as a mummy. We just need more bandages.¡±


    Chloe pulled a tongue at her sister. ¡°Can''t you see I''m already dressed as a gamer nerd.¡±


    "That''s your normal clothes."


    "Yeah, well, I like to celebrate my love of video games by wearing them all day long, even when I don''t have to."


    ¡°But they¡¯re covered in blood.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go as a zombie nerd.¡±


    <hr>


    They arrived at the party early. Hope said they were being fashionably early, but Chloe was sure that wasn''t a thing.


    George, dressed like a monster, opened the door and smiled at Hope.


    "It''s the Porter girls,¡± he said eyeing Hope. ¡°You''re looking good, let me guess.¡± He leered at her fishnet stockings. ¡°You are a sexy witch.¡±


    He turned to Chloe and frowned. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you are meant to be a checkout girl at Walmart?"


    Hope butted in and said, "She¡¯s actually a sexy gamer girl."


    ¡°And what are you supposed to be?¡± Chloe asked.


    George shrugged, ¡°Isn''t it obvious I¡¯m Frankenstein.¡±


    ¡°You mean Frankenstein¡¯s monster,¡± Chloe said, irritatedly. She really didn''t like George.


    George shrugged, "Same thing,¡± he said, and then he laughed. ¡°Come in, the party hasn''t started yet, but there are a few people already here. "


    <hr>


    Chloe tried her best to enjoy the party, but she would really have preferred to be at home with a cup of chai tea and her favorite manga. She¡¯d only agreed to come to the party because her friend Maple was meant to be there. But it looked like her friend was a no show as usual.


    So Chloe hung around the snack table all alone, picking at a bowl of pizza flavored corn nuts and glancing at the door every few minutes, hoping to see her one and only friend.


    ¡°I see Smelly Chloe is here,¡± said an all too familiar voice.


    Chloe¡¯s smile faltered as she watched Milly Sanders and her group of friends heading her way. They were all dressed as skimpily clad superheroes and had identical shit eater grins on their faces.


    ¡°I would tell you that those corn nuts are fattening,¡± said Milly, ¡°But we both know it''s too late for you to be worried about that.¡±


    Chloe stared at her in stunned silence, like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming truck.


    Milly had bullied Chloe for years, and in all that time Chloe had never figured out why Milly hated her so much.


    ¡°Too dumb to speak?¡± asked Milly.


    ¡°Um¡ª¡± began Chloe.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be stalking a hobbit?¡± said Hope, walking up to stand besider her sister.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Whatever, psycho,¡± said Milly. ¡°I''m dressed as Bat Woman.¡±


    Hope snorted, ¡°Are you sure? You look like Gollum.¡± She eyed Milley¡¯s hair, which had been pulled back into a bun. ¡°It''s probably just your receding hairline that threw me off.¡±


    ¡°Go to hell¡ª¡± stammered Milly.


    ¡°Really, Milly, that''s the best you could come up with,¡± said Hope. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a minute to come up with a proper comeback.¡±


    Hope stared at the flabbergasted Milly for a few seconds, then said, ¡°I thought so.¡±


    Hope grabbed Chloe¡¯s hand and pulled her over to the dance floor.


    Chloe stumbled after her. ¡°You shouldn''t have done that,¡± she said in a low voice. ¡°I''m the one that''s going to have to pay for it on Monday.¡±


    ¡°You can''t let them walk all over you,¡± said Hope. ¡°Next time she gives you shit, you walk up to her and punch her in the throat. Trust me, she won''t mess with you ever again.¡±


    <hr>


    The dance floor was one side of the lounge, with the chairs pushed against the wall. Someone had plugged their phone into the speaker set and was blasting pop music from the 80s. There was a strobe light and a string of flashing fairy lights to set the mood.


    Chloe danced with a young guy named Mark or Mike, she couldn''t tell over the loud music but when it was clear that she didn''t want to make out with a complete stranger, the guy left to ¡®get them some drinks¡¯ and never returned.


    So Chloe sat alone for a while, she¡¯d had enough and just wanted to go home. She wasn''t sure if it was because of the blood loss or if the painkillers were wearing off, but she was battling to keep her eyes open.


    She found her sister on the dance floor and pulled her closer and over the loud music yelled, "I¡¯m going home."


    Hope glanced at her watch and seeing it was only 11pm, she frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She glanced at Chloe¡¯s bandaged hand and said, ¡°Is it hurting again?¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing. You know I don''t like these things. Too many people in the same place at the same time. You carry on, I¡¯ll walk home alone.¡±


    Her sister put her arm around her neck and said, ¡°This music is killing me in any case. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    <hr>


    It was a warm summer¡¯s night, and the cooler breeze on Chloe¡¯s skin was refreshing. Her father had been worried about them drinking and driving home, so the sisters had walked to the party. Ever since their mother had died, her dad had become a bit overprotective.


    Chloe and Hope walked hand in hand singing, ¡°Don''t stop believing¡­ hold on to that feeling.¡±


    Hope had a good voice, and she sang the loudest, but it was one of Chloe¡¯s favorite songs, so she sang along but so softly that it was barely audible.


    After walking for a while, they reached the park a block away from their own home. They stopped near a bench and sat down.


    Chloe knew that Hope wanted to talk about what had happened to her hand. Hope took her role as big sister really seriously, even though she was only an hour older than Chloe.


    Chloe really didn''t want to talk about it. She knew that her sister would freak out if she told her that she didn''t even remember cutting herself. If her dad found out, she¡¯d be sent back to therapy and have to talk about her feelings again with Mrs. Thompson and her three cats.


    Just as Hope began to talk, she stopped and said, ¡°Look at that!¡±


    Chloe looked where she was pointing and saw a black rabbit bouncing in between the bushes.


    "It''s so cute," said Hope. ¡°Do you think dad would let us get one?¡±


    The pale moonlight shone between a patch of clouds and the light hit the rabbit and for a moment Chloe¡¯s eyes and the rabbit''s met. They stared at each other for a few seconds.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably somebody''s pet¡ª¡± Chloe began to say, but a loud popping sound came from nearby.


    Chloe blinked, and the rabbit was gone.


    Hope stood up, ¡°We should leave.¡±


    The sound of footsteps moving quickly reached their ears, and Chloe turned to see a man emerging out of the shadows. He was dressed in a long black robe, which wasn''t that strange. It was Halloween, after all. But what was strange was his eyes. He looked like he¡¯d seen a ghost.


    ¡°We should go,¡± Hope repeated more urgently.


    As they turned to leave, lighting arced across the park, illuminating the night sky and striking the spot where the rabbit had just been.


    The sound made the sisters jump.


    ¡°What the dickens is going on?¡± Hope shouted.


    The man seemed to blur. One moment he was standing under the lamp light and the next he was suddenly in front of them. He grabbed the girl''s hands and said, "Stay behind me."


    "What the hell is going on!" Chloe exclaimed, still holding onto Hope''s hand.


    "Leave us alone, you creep,¡± Hope shouted. ¡°I have pepper spray.¡±


    At first, Chloe thought that the man was ignoring them, but then she realized that he was muttering something under his breath.


    Wisps of smoke began gathering around their feet, and the man''s mutterings grew louder.


    ¡°He¡¯s drunk,¡± said Hope, and she tried to pull her hand free from the man¡¯s grip. But there was no getting away. The man¡¯s hands were like iron.


    Hope shouted and struggled to break free, but something else caught Chloe¡¯s attention. A movement in the corner of her eye. At first, she thought it was her imagination. It was too strange to be real. The shadows were merging together.


    ¡°Blessed mother,¡± said the man. ¡°It is him.¡± He squeezed their hands to get their attention, and Chloe winced as pain shot through her hand. ¡°When I say run, you run like the very demons of Hell are after you.¡±


    The man sounded freaked out. She was sure that he was not drunk. Maybe crazy, but he definitely believed that something bad was about to happen.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Cassadin,¡± said the man. ¡°A brother of the Talamasca.¡±


    The words meant nothing to her.


    ¡°What''s happening?¡± asked Hope as the shadows in the park began to warp and blend. They slowly turned into inky black ropes that twisted around each other, forming the shape of a man with horns.


    This was too much for the sisters to handle. They began shouting for help and trying to break free from Cassadin¡¯s grip.


    ¡°Let us go, you piece of shit!¡± shouted Hope. ¡°I''m going to call the cops.¡±


    And then all of a sudden Cassadin released the girl¡¯s hands, and they fell back. In one fluid motion, he reached into his cloak and drew out a gold amulet.


    As Chloe backed away from the craziness that was happening in front of her, she heard Cassadin say something in a language she didn''t understand.


    A streak of black stretched across the ground and collided with the man¡¯s amulet, and light exploded in Cassadin''s palms. A two-handed axe appeared in his hands and pulsated golden light.


    ¡°Run!¡± he shouted.


    The girls didn''t need to be told twice. They turned and ran like hell. Chloe looked over her shoulder and saw Cassadin leaping towards the living shadows. His axe gleaming in the moonlight and his body arcing across the sky like a falling star.


    ¡°For Belladeon and the Light.¡± His war cry echoed through the empty space, and the shadows warped and rose up to meet him.


    <hr>


    The sisters didn''t wait to see what happened next. They ran like they¡¯d never run before. Their house was just around the corner. They just needed to get there and everything would be ok.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± Hope said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Just run,¡± said Chloe.


    An explosion behind them lifted their feet off the ground and hurled them across the street.


    Chloe hit the ground hard. She groaned in pain and rolled onto her side to make sure her sister was ok.


    ¡°Hope,¡± she said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°I think I broke my arm,¡± said her sister.


    Chloe forced herself to stand up, and she limped across to her his sister.


    Chloe tried to help her up, but Hope¡¯s arm was cut open badly, and tears streamed down Hope¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°Please Hope,¡± she said. ¡°We need to go.¡±


    Chloe heard a rattling sound, kinda like the fuse of dynamite being lit. She looked over her shoulder and saw Cassadin raising his glowing hands and deflecting a massive wave of crackling black energy.


    The diverted magic rolled towards Hope, killing grass and plants and disintegrating the park bench.


    The words ¡®Save Hope.¡¯ Floated across Chloe¡¯s mind, and she turned in desperation to help her sister.


    She grabbed Hope¡¯s arms and lifted her up. The wave drew nearer. There was no way they were going to make it.


    Cassadin appeared in front of her with his hands outstretched. A pale aura of light surrounded him.


    With no other choice, Chloe shoved Hope out of the way as hard as she could. Her sister fell forward just as the spell hit Cassadin.


    Cassadin roared as the spell tore flesh from his bones, killing every cell it touched. His body absorbed the initial impact of the spell and partly shielded Chloe, but her skin burnt, and her knees gave out. She writhed on the ground as wave after wave of agony washed over her.


    Something landed next to her. It was Cassadin breathing heavily. One side of his body was seared to the bone, and one eyeball hung from the socket.


    With the last of his strength, he stretched out a bloody hand and handed the amulet to Chloe. He breathed heavily, trying to form words. ¡°Tell my brothers¡­¡±


    The amulet felt warm in her hand, and immediately Chloe felt the pain subsiding inside of her.


    Cassadin closed his one good eye and said in a low voice that she barely heard, ¡°Malice has returned.¡±


    Chloe rolled over and saw Hope getting to her feet. She was crying, but she seemed mostly unharmed.


    The world grew darker and something soft touched her shoulder and two large eyes stared at her. The black rabbit nudged her shoulder again, and the amulet pulsated in her hand.


    She looked down at it in confusion and as she did golden light poured out of the amulet and enveloped her body.


    Hope''s panicked eyes met hers.


    I saved Hope, was Chloe¡¯s final thought before the magic grabbed hold of her and pulled her into another world.


    <hr>

 Chapter 3 - Living Dead

    Astraeus - Cheapside


    [Welcome to the city of Astraeus]


    Chloe blinked, and the message disappeared from her view.


    Finally, the light faded and Chloe rolled over onto her side and threw up. Her head spun, but she looked around for her sister feverishly. Hope and Cassadin were nowhere in sight.


    Her hand throbbed steadily, but the pain was somewhat camouflaged by the series of aches all over her body.


    I¡¯m going mad.


    She¡¯d carved words into her hand without knowing it. She¡¯d seen things-magic, demons and strange words written in her mind¡¯s eye.


    Wherever the hell she was, she needed to find Hope and get home. Her father would be worried. If she knew him, he was probably searching for them at that very moment.


    <hr>


    It was clear to Chloe that she was far from home. The buildings were all made of wood and stone. The streets were paved in cobblestone and oil lamps glowed at every street corner.


    She realized she still had the amulet in her hand. It was attached to a gold chain, so she hung it around her neck as she looked about. It looked like she was on a fantasy movie set, but how did she get there?


    She was confused and scared. But she knew one thing; this was no dream. The pain she felt all over her body felt all too real to her.


    A few people dressed in Halloween clothes still wandered about the area. So Chloe made her way to a man who was dressed as an injured peasant.


    The guy had gone a bit overboard with the fake blood, though. It was in his hair and running down his neck, and his peasant looking clothes were covered in blood as well. It was really gross.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Do you know where I am?¡±


    The man made a strange crooning sound and lurched towards her. Chloe jumped back nervously. The man was either seriously into role play or he was drunk.


    ¡°Are we still in Seattle?¡± She tried again, but the man just kept lumbering closer to her without saying a word.


    She was seriously scared by that point, and she backed away further and crossed the street. She figured if the man crossed the street as well, she¡¯d run to the nearest police station.


    She continuously looked over her shoulder as she made her way down the street. She saw someone then. A blonde girl dressed in a black skirt. She was standing in the shadow of a building, staring at the wall.


    ¡°Hope?¡± she cried, and she moved as fast as her injured body could carry her to the girl.


    She reached out a hand and touched the girl on the shoulder.


    The girl slowly turned around and Chloe jumped back in fright. Half of the girl¡¯s face was burnt off. Chloe laughed nervously when she realized it was just a costume.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said. ¡°I thought you were someone else.¡±


    A low moaning sound came from behind her, and Chloe turned to see the injured peasant man was still following her.


    ¡°Is this a film set?¡± she asked, turning back to the girl, but just as she did the girl grabbed hold of her arm and yanked her close.


    Chloe screamed as the girl¡¯s teeth sunk into her arm. She pulled away, and the girl licked her lips and lurched towards her.


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Chloe screamed. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± She backed away and cradled her arm and ran as fast as her injured legs could go.


    Everywhere she looked, she saw injured people dressed in medieval clothing with blank looks on their faces. They all turned to follow her as she passed them by.


    Her brain had already pieced together what was happening, but she couldn''t bring herself to admit it. She rounded a corner and bumped into a child clutching something.


    ¡°Get away,¡± shouted Chloe. ¡°It''s dangerous¡ª¡±


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    Her words faded as she realized the child was holding the bloody stump of somebody''s arm.


    ¡°Oh crap, this can''t be happening!¡±


    She pushed the kid over and kept running. The zombies, because that''s what they were-were closing in on her.


    She was surrounded. She looked around. Her eyes searched for a hiding place. She was so damn scared that it took her a few seconds to realize that the strange shape in the middle of the road was a wagon.


    She ran towards it. She peered inside and when she was sure that nobody was inside the wagon, she climbed in and closed the doors behind her.


    The amulet had grown warm against her chest, and she reached inside and felt it burning against her skin. She contemplated throwing it away, but a small part of her brain that wasn''t consumed in terror told her that it was important. A man - no, a mage - gave it to her just before he died. It had to be important.


    Chloe took the bandage off of her hand and wrapped it around the bite on her arm. She didn''t want to think what the bite meant. She knew what bites meant in movies, but this was clearly not a movie.


    It only took a handful of minutes before the zombies started beating on the side of the wagon. She¡¯d foolishly hoped that they¡¯d lose interest if they couldn''t see her anymore.


    The moaning sound became louder and more and more zombies joined in, clawing and throwing their weight against the wagon. The wood cracked and fingers squirmed through the holes trying to reach her.


    She backed away from the crack as far as she could, but they were coming at her from all sides. She only had a few more minutes before they clawed open the side and dragged her into the streets.


    A strange buzzing sound like a match being lit filled the air. She could see fire through the holes in the wagon. She heard more and more buzzing sounds, and then something collided with the side of the wagon, and it began to burn. Through the holes, she saw the zombies writhing on the ground as they were burnt to a crisp.


    She needed to get out before she suffocated. She tried opening the doors, but they were stuck. She noticed light coming in through the floorboards of the wagon. She pulled aside a crate of cabbages and tried to pry loose the floorboards, but they were stuck.


    She needed something that she could use as a lever. Something like a crowbar. She searched around the wagon, but it was getting hotter and hotter, and the inside was filling with smoke.


    She searched a few crates, and then she found a sword. Not one of those fake ones you find at bargain shops, this was a proper heavy iron sword. She stuck it between the planks and leaned against it with all of her weight. She managed to get one board loose, and she stuck her head down between the boards to catch her breath.


    The roof of the wagon caved in on one side and flames scorched her legs. She put all of her remaining strength into lifting another board. It finally lifted, and she pulled it up and squeezed headfirst between the boards and fell onto the hard ground.


    She wiggled free and as she lay there under the burning wagon she saw a tight row of men and women all dressed in red robes. They walked with their arms extended, shooting fireballs from the palms of their hands at anything that moved.


    Chloe remained still as long as she could, but the burning planks were falling around her. She inched away from the burning debris and watched the mages walking in unison.


    They passed the wagon and as they did Chloe got a good look at their grim faces. Their eyes were cold and their lips pressed in grimaces, like soilders trained for battle.


    She heard one of them speaking, it was a woman¡¯s voice, ¡°We should have brought the Fifth Order in to pick off any that escaped.¡±


    ¡°Poor bastards,¡± said a grizzled old man before he launched a fireball at a zombie that was slowly trying to escape. ¡°How could this happen to the whole of Cheapside? It doesn''t make sense. These streets were bustling with people on their way back from work a few hours ago.¡±


    The voices trailed off as they passed her by, and Chloe pulled herself out from under the wagon. She made sure that there was nobody around.


    When she was sure she was safe, she crossed the street into the darkest shadows. She kept moving in the opposite direction from where the mages were going.


    She stayed in the shadows, and finally she reached a wooden barricade. She followed it all along the outskirts of Cheapside until she saw a gate with guards posted in front of it.


    She pulled her jacket closer around her and when she was sure that her bandaged arm was covered, she walked up to the guard post.


    ¡°Halt citizen,¡± shouted a guard, and he lowered a long spear and pointed it at her.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± asked a second guard, this one was dressed in a chain mail vest and held a long sword and a shield.


    Chloe had already planned exactly what she¡¯d say. She cleared her throat and spoke as confidently as possible.


    ¡°I have been sent to fetch the Fifth Order,¡± she said. ¡°They are needed to exterminate any stragglers left behind.¡±


    The guard lowered his spear a fraction and looked at his companion. The second guard shrugged.


    ¡°We have been ordered by the Sixth¡¯s Archon to check all people leaving for bite marks,¡± said the first guard.


    Oh, shit. She hadn''t thought of that.


    ¡°Right here?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Strip,¡± said the second guard. ¡°We need to check you all over.¡±


    Chloe could feel her cheeks reddening. It didn''t make sense. She was in pain. She was lost and possibly about to be killed, but still the thought of being naked in front of men made her nervous.


    The second guard put down his shield and came over carrying an oil lamp.


    Chloe bit her lip and slowly began to unbutton her blouse.


    ¡°Strange clothing you wear,¡± said the guard. ¡°You not from around these parts?¡±


    Chloe said nothing. She undid the final button and opened her shirt. The amulet reflected the lamp light as it swung between her breasts.


    ¡°I beg your pardon, madam,¡± the guard said quickly as he glared at the amulet. ¡°We did not know.¡±


    He quickly lowered the lamp, ¡°Open the gates for the Master,¡± he shouted.


    The first guard stared at him in confusion.


    ¡°Hector!¡± shouted the second guard. ¡°Open the bloody gates.¡±


    Chloe buttoned up her blouse as quickly as possible. She didn''t say a word in case she betrayed herself. She nodded at each guard and stepped through the gates and into the city streets.


    <hr>

 Chapter 4 - Better off Undead

    Astraeus - Merchant¡¯s District


    Chloe headed down the nearest street until the burning slums were far in the distance. A group of drunk folk stumbled down the streets towards her, they laughed and joked like the world hadn''t just gone insane.


    Chloe didn''t want to face them. So she slipped into an alleyway between two tall buildings. The alley was dark and quiet and with each step she took her pain faded, her hunger increased and the amulet became warmer.


    The bite mark had gone from searing agony, to kinda sore and was now just really itchy.


    She kept walking, but a new sense of dread had fallen over her. She felt something inside her that was beyond comprehension. It was in the smell of the people that passed her by. They smelt so good, like a Sunday roast or wood oven pizza. The thought sickened her.


    Shit, I have gone mad.


    There was a brief rustle of paper or leaves behind her, and the smell of fresh blood reached her nostrils. The smell drew her attention and she turned to see a thin figure crouched on the ground. The figure slowly rose up into sight. A beam of moonlight bathed the figure, and for a moment Chloe saw that the figure was a woman dressed in scarlet robes.


    The scent of blood was not coming from her, but from something hidden in the shadows. The woman said nothing and made no move towards her.


    Chloe staggered away from the scene and kept moving as the fear grew inside of her. She started running, and her footsteps echoed down the empty alleyway.


    The alley twisted and turned and at times she heard gasps of surprise and smelt piss and stale beer, but she ignored it and kept running.


    I need to find a quiet place where I can make sense of what''s going on.


    Her mind was racing trying to work things out, but every thought she had come back to the same answer. She had been transported to another world.


    But that wasn''t the worst of her problems. Her sister was missing, and she was changing into something. Something not human.


    A message clouded her view.


    [Hunger 4%]


    ¡°You don''t need to tell me I''m hungry,¡± she yelled. ¡°I can feel my stomach trying to eat its way out of my asshole.¡±


    These messages were a real pain in the ass. They reminded her of the pop-up adverts she¡¯d gotten whilst browsing illegal streaming sites.


    She¡¯d need to figure out who was sending the messages, but for now she shelved the thought, there were more important questions that needed to be answered.


    <hr>


    Chloe slowed down her feverish march as the sound of laughter and mugs clinking together caught her attention. She headed towards the sounds and as she drew nearer she saw orange light spilling out of the windows of a large building. It was a tavern, perhaps she could find a meal to satisfy her incredible hunger and quiet room there for the night. There was no point searching for Hope in the dark. She needed help, someone who knew the area well and would know about any strangers that had arrived in town.


    The tavern was called the Rusty Flagon. It was an old wooden building with a red roof and white trim. A sign above the door read, ''No Weapons. No Magic''. Chloe pushed open the heavy oak doors and stepped inside.


    The room was dark and cold. The air was thick with smoke and the smell of ale and sweat. The floor was hardwood planks and the tables were made from rough cut logs. All in all, it looked like a typical fantasy tavern. Something she had seen in hundreds of video games.


    There were about twenty people sitting around the large round tables drinking and talking. None of them looked at her.


    She hesitantly stepped towards the bar and as she did a bearded man standing behind the counter put down a mug he was polishing and flashed her a smile.


    The man had short brown hair the same color as her own and a lean, muscular body.


    "Hello," he said with a well practiced smile. "You look like you need a drink.¡±


    Chloe nodded nervously and glanced around the room again, hoping to see her sister


    ¡°Josia¡¯s the name," said the man and he extended his hand.


    As Chloe shook his hand the man¡¯s smile faded as he saw the unhealed cuts on her arm.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± he asked, his soft features turning hard.


    Chloe looked down at her injured arms. She hadn''t thought about how people would react to seeing deep wounds that did not bleed.


    She hid her arms behind her back, self-consciously. "I¡¯m fine,¡± she stammered. ¡°I''m just looking for my sister. She looks kinda like me, but she¡¯s blonde, and she¡¯s wearing a black witch''s outfit.¡±


    The man eyed her torn and singed clothes and shook his head, ¡°Sorry, you are the first outsider I¡¯ve seen today. I can offer you a bed for the night and a warm meal."


    She nodded quickly and glanced around the room once again, this time she noticed that people were watching her.


    Josia forced a smile, but she could tell that he was bothered by her appearance. He gestured for her to follow him. She hesitated for a moment. She wasn''t sure she should be following a stranger.


    ¡°The bedroom is this way,¡± he said.


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    Chloe nodded and bit her lip and then not knowing what else to do she followed him through a small hallway to a back room.


    <hr>


    The back room was lit by a single candle and had one bed sitting beside a battered dresser. Chloe looked around nervously. She could feel the anxiety building inside of her, but she gritted her teeth and did her best to push down the emotions. She needed to be brave, not just for her, but for Hope as well.


    "Unfortunately this is the only room we have available tonight,¡± Josia said turning back to face her. ¡°Theres a party of adventurers passing through town and they¡¯ve booked most of the rooms.¡±


    ¡°Adventurers?¡± Chloe stammered.


    ¡°Aye, most of them come here to rest for the night after exploring the nearby ruins.¡± He cocked his head and looked her over once again. ¡°You''re welcome to use the room tonight, but it''s five silver a night, that includes a warm meal and a bath."


    ¡°Five silver,¡± she breathed.


    She fumbled in her pockets, but her purse was gone. Her hand found the amulet, though. She clutched it and shook her head. "I''m sorry, but I''ve got no money."


    Josia sighed and even the forced smile faded. "This is not a charity. Why waste my time if you don''t have any money.¡±


    Chloe shifted her weight from one foot to the other and stared at her shoes.


    The man said something under his breath that she didn''t understand, ¡°Lucky for you, I am in a generous mood tonight. You can have a plate of leftovers. But no money, no bed."


    Chloe hesitated as she considered her options. She wanted to be out there searching for her sister, but she was so hungry it was making her sick. She¡¯d eat something, and then she¡¯d make a plan and find her sister.


    There was a strange thudding sound coming from somewhere, and it took Chloe a moment to realize she could hear Josia''s heartbeat. He seemed nervous. She caught his scent, it was musty with a hint of spiciness. It made her mouth water.


    She noticed a trickle of sweat running down his neck. He saw where she was looking and wiped the sweat away with his sleeve.


    [Hunger 3%]


    "Food," she growled. The sound was primal and desperate, and it scared her.


    Josia stared at her a moment longer, and then he shook his head and left, muttering, "Damn junkies." Under his breath.


    <hr>


    The food arrived a few minutes later. Josia wasn''t lying when he said it was leftovers. There was a dry crust of bread on a plate surrounded by lashings of off cuts and half-eaten chunks of potato and corn.


    Chloe was starving, but the sight of the food sickened her. But she needed to eat before the hunger consumed her. She picked at the food and chewed on the bread and nibbled at the meat, but the bites she took turned her stomach.


    In the end, she managed to force down the whole plate of food. Her stomach groaned, and it felt like she was going to throw up.


    [Congratulations: Evolution: 100%]


    [New Status : Lesser Zombie]


    The message surprised her so much that she fell back off of her chair and hit the ground hard.


    ¡°Hell no,¡± she moaned as she sat up and swiped away the message. ¡°I can''t be a zombie. What the hell is going on?¡±


    The whole situation was overwhelming and confusing. But no matter how she looked at it, this had to be real. The room felt suffocating, and everybody was staring at her and muttering under their breath. She heard words like tainted and junkie.


    She lurched to her feet and a wave of nausea washed over her. She stumbled against the table, knocking over a clay mug that crashed to the ground.


    Josia approached and grabbed her arm.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked, sounding angry.


    Chloe tried to speak, but nothing came out. There had to be something in the food, she thought. Why was the room spinning?


    Shit, he¡¯s drugged me.


    She tried to pull her arm back, but instead she flung the man across the room, and he landed heavily on a table.


    The room went deathly silent.


    Chloe¡¯s body shook, and she was having trouble breathing. She staggered outside and leaned against the wall.


    ¡°You don''t look good?¡± said a beggar that was sleeping under a nearby bench.


    His words made her feel even sicker. Chloe turned her back to the man and threw up on the sidewalk. She heard shouts from inside the tavern, and she knew she¡¯d have hell to pay if they caught her. She wiped her face clean with her shirt and sprinted towards the city gates.


    <hr>


    The guards stationed at the city gates heard the commotion and raised their spears as she ran towards them.


    She didn''t slow down. A primal survival instinct had taken over her. As she got with in arms reach, she ducked under a spear and tossed one guard aside. She leapt into the air and soared higher than ever before. She slammed into the side of the towering stone wall.


    She tried to grip onto the slippery side, but she was falling. She screamed in panic and as she did her nails grew. She stabbed them into the mortar between the stones, and hung there for a moment. The guards below her were shouting at her to get down. She looked down at them and then looked up and began to pull herself up the wall to the top.


    How the hell did I do that?


    She looked back at the terrified faces of the crowd below. She was actually scaring them. It was ridiculous. She turned her back on them and glanced at the forest in the distance. It looked just as terrifying as the city, but at least nobody was chasing her there. She took a deep breath and jumped off the other side.


    <hr>


    She hit the ground and kept running. The trees blurred past her as her feet pounded on the ground. It felt like hours had passed, and soon a thick haze of fog rolled through the trees and billowed over her.


    She heard something moving in the bushes behind her, and she stopped and raised her hands, ready to fight. A black rabbit lopped out of a bush and stared at her.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± she shouted, and her voice echoed and came back to her, sounding frightened and slightly mad.


    She shivered and forced down the sense of dread that was growing inside of her.


    She looked around and when she looked back the rabbit was gone.


    Had she imagined it? She peered into the distance, but it was hard to see through the mist. She kept moving and eventually she could make out the faint shape of a white building set upon a hill.


    The fog was getting thicker and deeper. But through the haze, she saw a lamp spilling orange light through the building''s windows.


    [Hunger 2%]


    [Warning Survival Mode Activating]


    ¡°What the hell does that even mean?¡± she whispered.


    The fresh scent of blood on the wind drew her like a magnet. Her feet began moving on their own accord, scrambling towards the smell.


    She stumbled over a stone and cut open her leg, but she ignored it. In her desperate attempt to reach the blood, she tripped over another stone and fell flat on her face.


    She pressed a hand to the cut on her cheek, but there was no blood or pain. She stared up at the carved stone and shuddered when she realized that she was in a graveyard.


    The mist swirled around her feet as she picked her way through the graveyard and kept moving to the house.


    A sense of urgency came over her. She¡¯d never been hungry before, and the sensation was terrifying. She knew if she didn''t reach the house soon, her hunger would take over, and she would lose her mind.


    She thought she heard voices, but she ignored them. She reached the door and burst inside. The floor was covered in mud and blood, and the furniture was old and broken. She slammed the door shut behind her.


    [Hunger 0%]


    [Survival Mode Activated]


    The color drained out of the room and darkness came crashing in on Chloe¡¯s vision. The smell of blood filled her nostrils and she let out a low, guttural moan.


    <hr>

 Chapter 5 - Brain Food

    Wits End Graveyard


    [Human Devoured: Progress Towards Next Evolution: 18%]


    [Hunger 40%]


    [Survival Mode Deactivated]


    Chloe''s eyes fluttered open, and her vision returned in waves. First she saw light and shadows and then the faint outline of objects and finally color and depth returned to her.


    There was a strange texture in her mouth. Kind of soft and grainy, like eating jell-o with sand in it, but it tasted different. Meaty and satisfying.


    She blinked and squinted down at a heavy object that was lying in her lap. It was an old man''s head. The skull was sliced open like a watermelon, and it looked like the brains had been scooped out.


    Without thinking, she licked her fingers clean and then grimaced in horror when she realized what the taste in her mouth was.


    Her brain was conflicted. On one hand it tasted amazing, better than her grandma¡¯s cooking, but on the other hand she knew she was tasting an old man¡¯s brains.


    She sat up abruptly, and the old man''s head rolled away from her. Her eyes widened as a message appeared in her mind.


    [Memory Extractor activated]


    A searing pain like hot knives behind her eyes lanced through her head and visions bombarded her.


    She was looking through somebody elses eyes. It was a man. His hands were old and wrinkled and he was holding a shovel and digging a deep square hole.


    He¡¯s a grave digger.


    His spade hit something metallic - a treasure chest.


    The vision changed, and Chloe saw men dressed in leather armor. They were kicking the old man and asking him for the treasure.


    A man with a long scar across his nose raised a sword and said, ¡°You don''t steal from the Bone Collectors and get away with it.¡±


    The old man raised his hands to cover his face and screamed.


    The vision ended abrupty and the pain in Chloe¡¯s head subsided. She felt tension leaving her body like a weight had been lifted from her.


    She pushed herself away from the bloodied corpse, resisting her urge to sceam in panic. She spotted a basin in the corner of the room, and she hurried over to wash the blood off of her hands. As she approached the basin, she saw three words written in blood on the mirror.


    Danger Get Out.


    ¡°What danger?¡± she whispered.


    She looked around the cabin, but there was nothing there. Apart from the dead body, a bed and a spade. But the blood was fresh, and it looked like it was her handwriting.


    She saw no danger. She was sure she was safer in this house than outside in the mist.


    She washed the blood off of the mirror and a stranger stared back at her. Her hair which was once brown had turned silver. Her eyes were now light blue with dark rings around them and her skin had turned a sickly pale with a long cut along her cheek.


    There were more cuts on her body, but none of them bled and none showed signs of healing.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening to me?¡± she whispered.


    A message appeared in her mind¡¯s eye as if in response to her panicked words.


    [Aspect]


    [Name: Chloe Porter]


    [Race: Undead]


    [Class: Lesser Zombie]


    [Abilities:]


    - [Memory Extractor] (Auto Response)


    - [Ethereal Armament of Space]


    ¡°What the hell does that all mean? Is this a video game?¡±


    She rubbed her eyes and the vision disappeared. If the message was real, then that meant she really had turned into an undead.


    ¡°Hell no. This can''t be happening!¡± She backed away from the mirror and clutched her stomach. She was going to be sick again.


    She needed some fresh air. She crossed the room to the window. Just as she placed her hand on the window sill, she heard the sound of digging in the graveyard and voices speaking in hushed tones.


    Careful not to make any noise, she peered through the glass.


    "He''ll kill us all if we don''t deliver it soon," said one voice.


    "We need to get this done. Get another spade from the house."


    She could see a tall, thin man standing in front of two burly men. The tall man wore a black suit with a long white scarf wrapped around his neck. Chloe was sure he was the man from her vision. The one that had killed the old man.


    ¡°Oh crap,¡± she mouthed. She needed to get out before they found her.


    She opened the window and the rusty hinges creaked loudly.


    "What''s that," said a voice.


    "Shhh, it came from the house."


    Footsteps approached the house, and she quickly climbed out the window and jumped to the ground. She landed silently and crouched low. A thin layer of mist still hung over the graveyard, but Chloe could smell the thugs. They had blood on their hands.


    The door opened, and a man entered the house. Chloe kept low and crawled away on her hands and knees until she found cover behind a gravestone.


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    "Blast it," came the voice from inside the house. "Looks like some wild animal got to the grave keeper. Ate the poor bastard¡¯s brains clean out."


    "Bring the spade and leave him be,¡± said the gruff voice. "We don''t have time for this crap.¡±


    ¡°We can''t just leave him unburied, his soul will haunt us.¡±


    ¡°Bury him or get the treasure, you choose.¡±


    "Ok, I''m coming, I''m coming!"


    Through the mist, Chloe could make out the faint outline of the cemetery gates. She needed to get away. The message on the mirror had made it clear. She was in danger here.


    She crept forward, staying low and moving from one gravestone to another, all the while making her way to the exit.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ned, he should be helping us dig,¡± said a gruff voice.


    ¡°He''s pissing behind the tree.¡±


    Leaves crunched behind Chloe, and she spun around in time to see a short man holding a spade in his hand.


    ¡°Well, well, what do we have here?¡± said the man.


    ¡°Ned, get over here,¡± said the gruff voice.


    ¡°Look what I just found, boss,¡± said Ned.


    <hr>


    Ned jabbed the spade into Chloe¡¯s back and forced her towards the group of thugs.


    If her heart could beat, then she was sure it would be pounding in her chest like a drum. She was terrified.


    Her evening had gone from bad to worse, and it was looking like what little luck she¡¯d had, had finally run out. So much had happened in such a short space of time. She didn''t think anything could surprise her anymore.


    Hell, she¡¯d been portaled to a new world, seen magic, been turned into a zombie, and now she was about to get killed by a group of grave robbers. All she needed now was an elf riding a dragon, and she could officially die knowing she had seen it all.


    ¡°Keep moving, pretty thing,¡± Ned breathed down her neck.


    She felt a shiver go down her spine as the man¡¯s putrid breath washed over her.


    ¡°I''m just out for an evening walk,¡± she said, trying her best to sound calm.


    ¡°Save it for someone who cares,¡± said Ned.


    They reached the edge of the graveyard where two men were waist deep in a hole and the man with the scar, who was clearly the boss, was standing above them. They had just found the small treasure chest and the boss was inspecting the lock.


    ¡°Hey there, little girl,¡± said the boss, looking up from the chest. ¡°So, what are you doing out here all alone?¡±


    ¡°I was looking for my pet rabbit,¡± she said quickly. ¡°He sneaks out sometimes, father will be so mad. I''m sure he¡¯s already out looking for me.¡±


    The scarred man scratched his chin with the blade of his knife and said, ¡°Nice try, but there ain''t no houses near here.¡±


    He eyed Chloe¡¯s strange clothes and said, ¡°You are far from home, little girl.¡±


    Chloe began to speak, but her voice caught in her throat.


    ¡°What is it, cat, got your tongue.¡±


    She looked at her feet and shifted awkwardly in what she hoped was an innocent damsel in distress kind of look. She hoped that if she acted weak, then maybe they¡¯d let her go.


    ¡°Did you know the grave keeper?¡± asked the man.


    She shook her head.


    ¡°A friend of yours, perhaps?¡± said the man.


    She was too afraid to meet his eyes. Everything about him scared the crap out of her.


    ¡°Do you know what we do to little sneaks?¡± the man continued.


    Chloe gritted her teeth but remained silent.


    The corners of the scarred man''s lips curled in a smile. ¡°The old man stole this from us. He deserved what he got. Unfortunately for you little girl, the Bone Collectors don''t leave any loose ends.¡±


    The burly men laughed- a low, menacing sound.


    Chloe looked up and just as she did, a spade hit her from behind. She fell forward into the hole. Her face sunk into the soft earth and her vision blurred.


    The blow made her head spin, but she felt no pain. She started to stand, but the spade hit her again and her face pressed into the dirt once again.


    ¡°She¡¯s a tough bitch,¡± said Ned.


    [Hunger 35%]


    ¡°Kill her already,¡± said the boss. ¡°We have what we came for. It''s time to go.¡±


    Chloe covered her head as blow after blow rained down on her. With each hit she took, anger built inside of her and her hunger grew.


    If they carried on, they¡¯d cave in her skull and crush her brains. She knew that was instant death for a zombie.


    ¡°Just knife her already, Ned,¡± said the boss. ¡°This is taking too long.¡±


    As Ned leaned over her, Chloe twisted around and caught his arm. He tried to pull back, but she was stronger. She yanked him forward, and his arm made a loud snapping sound as it tore out of its socket.


    Ned screamed as his arm dangled from it''s socket like a floppy fish.


    Chloe¡¯s fear faded as seething anger boiled inside of her.


    Her sister had once told her that Chloe was dangerous and strong. She didn''t have to be the victim anymore.


    Her father had sent all three of the siblings to self-defense classes when they were young, but at that moment all of her training went out the window and her survival instincts kicked in.


    She leapt out of the hole with her claws extended. She slashed one thug across the face, and he fell screaming.


    She landed and pounced on the man and headbutted him so hard that his nose shattered and her head spun.


    Cold iron stabbed into her back and she felt the blade penetrating her lungs.


    ¡°Her blood''s all dried up,¡± the boss shouted as he pulled the knife out of her back. ¡°She¡¯s a demon.¡±


    Chloe heard noise behind her and saw one of the men carrying the small treasure chest scrambling out of the graveyard.


    She didn''t care about gold. She turned back to the boss. She could smell his blood, and it made her hungry.


    "I¡¯ll call the Talamasca," he said as blood gushed down his face. "They''ll have you burnt at the stake.¡±


    ¡°Talamasca,¡± she said the name and the familiar word resonated in her head like a gong going off.


    While she was distracted, the man pushed her aside and got up and ran for it. He¡¯d made a big mistake. Her hunting instinct drove her forward after the man. As he turned to scream, she pounced and caught him from behind, dragging him to the ground.


    He landed heavily with her on top and the blood frenzy overtook her. She tore open his tunic. He was a killer, and he¡¯d tried to kill her too, he deserved to die.


    ¡°Please,¡± he blubbered pathetically. He looked so pathetic and helpless. It made her feel strange. She¡¯d always been bullied by older kids, but nobody had ever been afraid of her.


    She liked this new feeling.


    She ran a single nail down the man¡¯s chest, watching the blood run. The sight was mesmerizing. She wanted to taste it so bad.


    A movement in the corner of her eye made her look up, and she saw the rabbit sitting on a gravestone and watching her. The amulet burnt against her chest and she felt her blood rage subsiding.


    ¡°You are not a monster,¡± she told herself.


    She got up off of the man and turned around. She might be a zombie, but that didn''t mean she had to be a monster.


    ¡°Keep telling yourself that demon bitch!¡± he shouted. ¡°You¡¯ll be burning in hell before this night is over.¡±


    She turned her back to the man, she decided that she¡¯d call the town guards and have him arrested, that would work.


    A leaf crunched behind her, and the man¡¯s knife sliced cleanly across her neck.


    ¡°Die, you demon bitch!¡± he growled.


    If she was human, she would have been choking to death in a puddle of her own blood.


    Chloe twisted around and grabbed him by the throat lifting him off the ground.


    He squirmed and feebly punched her face but she did not let go.


    This man was a murderer, it was in his nature to kill without remorse. If she let him go, how many more victims would there be?


    ¡°I really wish you hadn''t done that,¡± she said through gritted teeth.


    She squeezed tighter and tore out the man¡¯s throat in one fluid motion.


    [Human Bandit Killed - Progress Towards Next Evolution: 22%]


    <hr>


    She dragged his body to her new home. When she reached it, she kicked open the door and tossed the body on top of the grave keeper¡¯s.


    Something was wrong with her, she should feel something. She¡¯d just killed a man. But all she felt was the blood on her hands. It was drying now, getting sticky. The bright red fading to brown-everywhere but inside her clenched fists.


    She hid her hands, hid the blood, hid herself. Her mind, less numb than her heart, knew that there was no point in beating herself up. The man was evil, he was food.


    ¡°Hope,¡± she whispered.


    The word echoed around the empty house and faded. She was becoming a monster, and the realization frightened her.


    <hr>

 Chapter 6 - The Crimson Hunter

    <Talasin Ward>


    Calduran Fortress


    A blue bird the size of an eagle was silhouetted against the pale moon and perched atop the battlement of the Calduran Fortress. It was a rare bird, known as an arctic swift, and was usually only seen in the icy plains of Freljord.


    The swift tilted its head as it watched Garrick - Crimson Hunter of the Fifth Order - ascend the towering walls that surrounded the fortress.


    The Crimson Hunter¡¯s apprentice, Talasin, followed close behind, breathing heavily as he clutched a second rope and slowly climbed up to meet his master.


    The wind, a howling unseen monster, threatened to tear Talasin from the wall at any moment. His arms burned with the effort, and his hands gripped the rope with ice numb fingers.


    The arctic swift cocked its head and chirped a single note. The sound echoed off the rocks and the hunters froze in place.


    A moment later, a guard approached holding a flaming torch which illuminated the night sky with red light.


    With his right hand, Talasin tightened his grip on the rope, and his left hand strayed to the throwing knife on his belt.


    His master saw the movement and shook his head.


    Talasin let go of the knife and waited, hoping the guard would not spot the grappling hooks.


    The guard breathed out a cloud of mist and spun on his heels returning to his post.


    His footsteps faded and Talasin sighed in relief. He strained his muscles and continued his ascent.


    His master reached the top first and held out a hand to the apprentice. Talasin took the hand and Garrick hauled him up onto the battlements.


    Talasin landed on the balls of his feet and quickly pulled up his rope and fastened it inside the large riding cloak he wore.


    The bird flapped its wings and lifted into the sky to scout the surroundings, and Talasin followed his master¡¯s example and kept low and flexed his hands to regain feeling in his fingers.


    ¡°Two guards,¡± Garrick said as he received the information from his familiar. ¡°Standing around a fire, so they have no night vision.¡±


    <hr>


    Garrick drew a dagger and padded silently along the battlements towards the guards. Talasin waited a few seconds and then followed.


    There were two guards, each dressed in chain mail and their faces hidden behind steel masks. Talasin crouched down and pressed himself against the stone wall and watched one of the guards approach the other.


    ¡°I can''t believe this,¡± the first guard said.


    ¡°I know, I am telling him I should have taken the job at the stable yard,¡± the second replied.


    The first guard moved closer and tapped the other on the shoulder. The second guard turned around and opened his mouth to speak.


    Garrick lunged at the second guard. The pommel of his dagger connected with the back of the man''s neck, knocking him unconscious.


    The first guard opened his mouth to shout a warning, but just as he did, Talasin sprung forward and swung the back of his dagger at the man''s face, hoping to hit him in the temple. The blow hit the guard in the neck, and he fell backwards, but before he could stand the arctic swift descended on the man and ice rippled out of the bird¡¯s talons, freezing the guard in place before he could shout out a warning.


    Garrick shook his head. ¡°Clumsy. Don''t strike unless you are assured of victory.¡±


    Frostbeak chirped.


    Talasin felt his face redding. He nodded quickly.


    Garrick patted him on the shoulder and then turned to the bird. "Make sure you unfreeze him before we leave."


    <hr>


    Talasin crept through the empty hallways. His steps were silent and muffled by the tar dipped moccasins he wore.


    In the distance he heard voices and Talasin''s heart leapt into his throat. It sounded like two men arguing.


    The hunters moved forward cautiously. There was something about the voices that made Talasin uneasy. They didn''t sound like two men, more like one man talking to himself. Talasin held his breath and crouched down.


    "You''re not going to get away with this," the voice said.


    "I will. You''ll never see me again."


    "You think there are no witnesses? No one knows what happened to them. What we did. Or who is responsible."


    "They don''t matter. They''re dead."


    Talasin swallowed hard and tried to make out the voice. It sounded like a man. A man with a commanding tone.


    "What are you doing here?" the voice asked.


    Garrick flattened himself against the wall and moved closer. He stopped five feet away from the door and gestured for Talasin to take a position on the opposite side.


    Once he was in position, Talasin peered through a crack in the door. He could see a portly looking man with a thin beard and a deep furrowed brow. His eyes were sunken into his skull and he was wearing a blue robe. He had a book in one hand.


    Something else stirred in the room, and Talasin shifted his position to see the second person.


    It was a woman sitting on a bench next to the man. Her skin was pale and her hair white as snow. He could not see her face, but he saw that her hands were folded together and that she wore a dress of red velvet.


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    Talasin saw the man''s lips moving and realized that the man must be reading from a scroll.


    "And then the knight Validora drew her sword and the evil wizard shrieked in terror," the man said, and a shrill laugh came from somewhere else in the room.


    A child''s voice.


    He¡¯s reading a bedtime story to his daughter.


    "Stop it!" the woman shouted. "You''re frightening our little girl."


    "She likes it," the man said.


    Talasin watched the man turn around. He could see the outline of a face under the hood. It was the Duke of Caldura.


    Talasin''s eyes narrowed. The Talamasca had uncovered the Duke''s body in a frozen lake a week earlier. The man had been murdered and his blood drained.


    "Father?" the child said.


    "Yes, my dear, I''ll finish the story but no fighting scenes, I don''t want you to be too afraid to sleep."


    The man turned back to the scroll.


    Talasin saw his master reaching for the amulet he wore around his neck. Garrick grasped it firmly and muttered a single word, and blue light streaked down the passageway and collided with the amulet.


    Garrick kicked open the door - a shimmering blue sword trailing snowflakes in his hand.


    Talasin drew his own dagger and charged.


    The lady screamed and clutched her daughter tight against her chest, but Talasin ignored them. His job was to make sure the Skinwalker did not leave the room.


    Garrick swung the ice blade at the man''s head. It struck the man between the eyes and shattered his skull.


    The man collapsed onto the floor, his head split in half. The body twitched once and then lay still.


    Garrick spun toward the woman and raised his sword.


    "No! Don''t hurt us!" she cried.


    Her voice was pleading. She was frightened and shaking.


    Talasin stared at his master in confusion, why would he point his sword at her.


    ¡°Master,¡± he said, and just as he did the woman threw the child straight at him with great force.


    Talasin caught the shrieking child, but the woman was already descending on him, her face contorted in demonic rage.


    Two demons. Light, we didn''t plan for that.


    The woman caught Talasin with a crushing grip on his throat. She lifted him off the ground and held him up like a puppet.


    He released the child, and she scrambled away and ran to her bleeding father.


    "Curse you Talamasca scum." The woman''s words were muffled as her demonic visage tore through the skin mask she wore. "We will destroy you all. Our victory will be glorious."


    ¡°Help me, master,¡± he yelled.


    Garrick stepped back from the fight and said, ¡°You trained for this. My help now would only hinder your growth.¡±


    Talasin flailed about, trying to push the demon back, but her grip was too strong. He tried to focus on the mental exercises, but it was hard to do when it felt like his throat was about to be crushed.


    He realized then that no hero was coming. His Master would watch him die. This was his test, survive and show that he was strong enough to be in the order or die.


    Talasin gritted his teeth and reached into the pouch hanging from his belt. He pulled out a vial of glowing white liquid. He¡¯d never enjoyed studying alchemy, but he was glad he took his Master¡¯s advice and came prepared for anything. He poured the tincture of light essence over the woman''s hands.


    The woman laughed and said, "Blessed water that does not work on my kind."


    Talasin''s lips moved silently as he whispered the invocation. He couldn''t speak out loud. He was losing oxygen quickly, he knew in a few more seconds he¡¯d pass out.


    The woman stopped laughing and looked down at her hands as they began to burn. She dropped Talasin and stumbled backwards and fell onto the floor. Her skin began to smoke and bubble. Small wisps of black smoke rose from her burning flesh, and the smell of singed hair filled the air.


    "Filthy human scum," she said, tears streaming down her face. "Our Lord will avenge us."


    Garrick walked forward, his blue sword shimmering in the lamp light. "Your lord is dead," he spat, and he raised his sword.


    "Please," the child said. "Don''t hurt my mommy."


    Garrick paused. He glanced at the child and then back down at the dying Skinwalker as she began to crawl along the floor, trying desperately to get away from the flames consuming her. Her skin bubbled and revealed shimmering scales all over her body.


    Garrick hesitated for a moment and then said, "Close your eyes, child."


    <hr>


    Cathedral of The Fifth Order.


    Talasin followed his master into the great cathedral of the Fifth Order. The ceiling was high and arched, and the walls were covered in frescoes depicting the Talamasca''s history.


    The floor was made of marble, and the golden mosaic tile patterns of winged creatures were intricate and gave a sense of mysticism to the whole cathedral.


    Talasin walked slowly toward the central altar. The altar itself was large and made of ornately carved marble, and statues of Belladeon in the different stages of her ascension stood about it. The statue of the Goddess of Light in all her glory seemed to stare directly at him.


    Garrick moved towards it and knelt before the statue of the long haired goddess wielding a two-edged sword. He touched his hand to his head and said the holy benediction, and then he cleansed his hands in the purification bowl and stood up.


    Talasin quickly followed his example, and then they both stood up when they heard a clear, crisp voice speaking.


    "You''re late brother, Garrick."


    Talasin turned around and saw Archon Gwenllian standing behind them. She wore a long white dress. Her hair was flowing free and golden, just like the statue of Belladeon. Her face was beautiful but stern, and she smiled at him. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.


    "We ran into trouble." Garrick said.


    "Did you kill the Skinwalker?" she asked.


    "Yes."


    "And where is the mother now?"


    "Dead."


    The Archon frowned.


    "There were two," Talasin said quickly. ¡°Both parents.¡±


    The woman''s face fell, and Talasin felt a pang of regret for causing her pain.


    "What became of the child?" asked the Archon.


    "Given to the Second Order," said Garrick. ¡°We collected the demon¡¯s soul stones and have added them to the well of ascension.¡±


    The Archon nodded and then said, ¡°Did you hear about the zombie outbreak?¡±


    Garrick shook his head a fraction. The talk was on the lips of every citizen in Astraeus.


    ¡°We have received reports claiming that there were two mages fighting in the streets on Cheapside,¡± said the Archon. ¡°There was an explosion. Many people lost their lives, but they started coming back to life as zombies.¡±


    Talasin tilted his head and watched the Archon, he had not heard that piece of news. ¡°How is this possible?¡± he asked. ¡°Zombies do not just appear. If that were so, the whole of Ivalice would be infected.¡±


    Garrick glared at him, and Talasin quickly fell silent with an apologetic shake of his head.


    The Archon smiled at him and said, ¡°The Lore Masters of the Fourth Order are investigating the incident. An inquiry has even been sent to the Prophet, I doubt Aurelian will speak to us, his disdain for the Talamasca is as legendary as his gift.¡±


    ¡°Has the Second Order moved in to offer support?¡± asked Garrick.


    The Archon nodded, ¡°They have set up a command station in Cheapside and are offering relief aid to the families of the victims. Unfortunately, this damned war in Brevale has drained much of the Orders budget. We will need all the volunteers we can muster to get through this crisis.¡±


    ¡°We will head there straight away and offer what aid we can,¡± said Garrick.


    The Archon raised her hand. "I''m sorry, but I have another task for you, brother Garrick. A monster has appeared at the Wits End Cemetery. I need you to exterminate it."


    <hr>

 Chapter 7 - Monster and the Hunter

    <Chloe the Undead>


    The Iron Forest


    "Come little one. Just a bit closer, that''s it, almost there,¡± Chloe''s voice was smooth and gentle. ¡°It''s ok. It''s safe. I won''t hurt you."


    The black rabbit inched closer to sniff the leafy greens in Chloe''s outstretched hand. "You are so cute. Can I get a closer look?" Chloe reached down, holding her hand flat. "Don''t worry, I''m not going to eat you."


    That was the wrong thing to say. The rabbit''s ears stood on end, and it thumped its foot on the ground and hopped off into the nearest bush.


    "What did I do? Don''t be scared. I won''t hurt you. Please come back here."


    Chloe chased after the black rabbit with her hand stretched out as far as it could go, but the damn thing just kept running further away.


    She grew tired eventually, and she found a red maple tree to sit under. It was a hot and humid day, and she found herself wishing for winter. She thought of her sister and how Hope had loved the summer.


    The thought of her sister sent a pang of sorrow through her heart. She¡¯d spent every day searching the city for her, only returning to the graveyard at sunset each evening, but still there was no word of her.


    Chloe was beginning to think that her sister had not come to this new world after all. She felt a sense of relief at that thought.


    Chloe was lonely and scared and wished that her sister was with her. The two had been inseparable since they were kids. But she was happy, knowing her sister was safely back home.


    There was a scraping sound behind her, and she spun with the reflexes of a cat. Her hands went up, ready to defend herself from an attack, but nobody was there.


    A shadow fell over her and a cool breeze caressed her skin. She sighed, enjoying the refreshing wind, and she looked up and saw a blue bird circling overhead. The bird was trailing something.


    She reached up a hand and caught a soft white object. She stared in shock as the ice melted in the palm of her hand.


    "Snowflakes," she murmured.


    Light reflected off of something metallic, and Chloe ducked just as something shining streaked over her head. She spun around just as the heel of a boot connected with her cheek.


    The blow sent her spinning backwards, and before she could recover, a man dressed in a black cloak raised his hand and fired an arm mounted crossbow directly at her.


    The bolt caught her in the chest, and hot, searing pain burst through her chest as the silver bolt sizzled between her ribs.


    ¡°It hurts!¡± she screamed as she fell to the ground and clawed at the bolt trying to pry it free, but the silver burnt her fingertips.


    It was the worst pain she¡¯d ever felt. Through her tears, she saw the man raising his crossbow and aiming it at her head.


    Oh! No. It can''t end like this.


    She continued trying to pry the bolt free, but all she managed to do was tear open her shirt.


    The man froze and stared at her-his face a mixture of anger and confusion. He lowered the crossbow slightly.


    "Where did you get that?" His words were harsh and intimidating.


    "What..." she paused and gasped for air as the pain intensified. "Please, it hurts," she whispered, her voice weak and unsteady.


    He took a step forward, "Speak monster, where did you find that amulet?"


    "My name is Chloe¡­" she replied, her voice still weak, but gaining strength. "I¡¯m not a monster. I was given the amulet¡­ in Seattle."


    ¡°He gave it to you. That is unspeakable, why would a celebrated order mage give away his ethereal armament?¡±


    She shook her head. "I don''t know... He gave it to me¡­ told me to deliver a message."


    The man drew a dagger, and his black cloak billowed behind him, revealing a bright silver sigil of an open hand emblazoned on his collared shirt. His grip tightened on the knife, and he stepped towards her.


    Chloe squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself for what she knew was coming. ¡°Please,¡± she whispered.


    The blade entered her flesh and the pain doubled. She cried out and then the pain disappeared. She breathed heavily for a moment.


    When she opened her eyes. The sun was high in the sky and the clouds seemed to dance overhead as they floated by. The man stepped into view. He held the silver bolt in his hand.


    "Speak," he said, and the voice carried a tone of command that she could not ignore.


    ¡°Please don''t hurt me," she said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡±


    ¡°Speak the truth,¡± he said. ¡°I will know if you are lying.¡±


    She nodded and paused for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. So much had happened in the last few days, she wasn''t sure where to begin.


    She took a deep breath and said, ¡°It all began when I woke up with a message carved into my hand¡­¡±


    She told him about the message, the party, the rabbit, Cassadin''s words and the shadowy horned figure. How she had been turned into a zombie and finally the men in the graveyard. She left out the part about killing the boss, best to let sleeping dogs lie.


    She finished by saying, ¡°And then I ate his brains and I saw visions.¡±


    His eyes had a strange gleam to them, but the grip on his dagger had relaxed, ¡°What visions?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I saw how the grave keeper had found a treasure and the thugs killed him for it.¡±


    ¡°So you didn''t kill the grave keeper?¡±


    ¡°No, I wouldn''t harm a fly. The killer was a man with a scarf. I think he was the boss, but I didn''t get his name. There was someone named Ned, though.¡±


    ¡°What about the man whose nose you broke and the man whose arm you dislocated?¡±


    So the grave robbers had run to the Talamasca and reported her after all.


    Damned cowardly lowlifes.


    She just hoped they hadn''t been around long enough to see her kill their boss. If they had, then this meeting with the hunter wouldn''t end well.


    ¡°Those were accidents," she stammered. "They were trying to kill me. I was just defending myself?¡±


    The hunter scratched his stubble beard as his eyes ran down her body, taking note of the cuts on her arms and her strange clothing.


    ¡°Do you believe me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Your story sounds like the ramblings of a drunk.¡±


    ¡°I didn''t lie.¡±


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    He shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you believe what you have told me. It is true that brother Cassadin had uncovered a great secret. He told me that himself, but he disappeared before he could tell me anymore.¡±


    He massaged his temples for a moment and his eyes had a distant look to them like he was deep in thought. ¡°Brother Cassadin¡¯s armament gave him access to spatial magic, so we were used to him disappearing for days or even weeks at a time. No one suspected that he could be dead.¡±


    She could tell that the man was upset by the news, but she didn''t have much sympathy for a man that had caused so much pain to her and possibly her sister.


    ¡°Can you undo what''s happened to me?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m a bloody zombie. Can you fix me and send me home.¡±


    The man shook his head. ¡°Sorry lass, the only cure for zombies is a silver bolt to the heart, decapitation and fire.¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to do? I don''t want to die.¡±


    ¡°Chloe, if what you say is true, then we have bigger problems than your¡ª¡± he paused, looking for a delicate way to say it.


    ¡°For my fracking problem,¡± she supplied.


    He smiled. ¡°If we could get some evidence about everything you¡¯ve told me, then maybe we could convince the Archon to look into your condition.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°I could kill a demon, and you could extract information from its mind. If Malice is free, then the demons would be the first to know.¡±


    Chloe didn''t like the sound of that but she had no choice. She needed help, even if it was from someone that was sworn to kill people like her.


    ¡°So what do we do now?¡± she asked.


    "You lie low in the graveyard. Once I¡¯ve tracked down a demon, I¡¯ll send Frostbeak with a message.¡±


    "What''s a Frostbeak?"


    "He¡¯s my familiar."


    Chloe stared at the blue bird, which was now perched on a branch and seemed to be sleeping.


    ¡°What about the thugs?¡± she asked. ¡°What if they come back?¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry. I''ll take care of them.¡±


    She sighed in relief. "Um, can I ask you one question?¡±


    He stared at her but didn''t say a word.


    She shrugged and said, ¡°Can I at least know your name? Or don''t monsters deserve that kind of civility."


    The corners of his lips curled in a smile. "Garrick, brother of the Fifth Order."


    ¡°Is that all you wanted to know?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said quickly. ¡°I have heaps of questions, like what are the strange messages I see in my mind? What does this amulet do? What''s up with the black rabbit following me around?¡±


    He smiled, ¡°Those are good questions, but I don''t have the time or the interest to answer them for you. Get me the information I require, and then we can speak again.¡±


    He turned to leave, and then he stopped, looked over his shoulder and said, ¡°Don''t forget Chloe, you are still the enemy. If you lie to me or harm a single human, I will end you right there on the spot.¡±


    <hr>


    <Talasin Ward>


    Talasin released the grip on his two-handed sword as the zombie girl passed out of view.


    Garrick watched her go, and then he turned and said. ¡°What do you make of this?¡±


    The apprentice stepped out from behind the tree. ¡°She¡¯s a liar, Master. We should kill her and take back Master Cassadin¡¯s armament.¡±


    Garrick held up his hand, ¡°The ethereal armament can only be freely given, you know that. If I were to force it from her, its magic would be locked away from us forever.¡±


    He scratched his stubble beard. ¡°Life is not so black and white, Talasin. Her information is disturbing, but if she speaks the truth, then we are all in danger.¡±


    The apprentice nodded but remained silent. There was no point arguing with his master. He still had the scars on his back from the day he¡¯d been taught that lesson.


    ¡°Talasin, I want you to remain here and keep an eye on the monster. Stay hidden. I want to know who she meets and what she does. If she threatens anybody, kill her.¡±


    Talasin nodded. ¡°What will you do, Master?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m heading back to the cathedral. The Archon must hear of this. She is wise in the ways of the balance and will know what to do.¡±


    <hr>


    Chloe watched the sun slowly sink behind the mountains. It was time for her to head back to the graveyard. She was still thinking about Garrick. The man called her a monster, but he was easily the scariest person she had ever met.


    She thought if she could get him to trust her, then maybe he could help her find a way back home. It was worth a shot.


    [Hunger 18%]


    The grave robber¡¯s brain had fed her for a few days, but she¡¯d need to feed again soon.


    Not feed. That makes me sound like a monster. I must eat soon-yes, that''s better.


    She wished she could go to the market and buy a sandwich, but human food didn''t work for her anymore. Even thinking about eating all of her favorite foods made her stomach turn.


    What she needed was brains-fresh preferably, but if it comes to it, she could dig up a corpse in the graveyard.


    Hopefully one that''s not too dry.


    She shook her head. "Did I really just think that?" She couldn''t believe she was thinking about eating people.


    Her stomach growled and she groaned in dispair.


    <hr>


    She arrived at the cemetery, where the grass was covered with red roses, and their petals floated gently in the wind. There must have been a funeral while she was out.


    She noticed the light was still on in the house. She was sure she had turned the oil lamp off when she¡¯d left.


    She moved closer to take a better look. She''d snuck around more in the last few days then in her whole childhood.


    She was just beginning to think that she was being paranoid when she heard voices coming from inside the house.


    The door opened and a fat man wearing a bowler hat and with a mustache that split his face in two smiled at her.


    ¡°Are you the grave keeper''s assistant?¡± he asked.


    Chloe turned her face from the man and hid her arms behind her back. She didn''t want him seeing her wounds. ¡°Um, yes, sire,¡± she stammered. ¡°I''m the assistant.¡±


    She didn''t like lying, one lie always led to another, but she couldn''t think of anything else to say.


    ¡°Where is Ol¡¯ Cobb? I thought he would be here.¡±


    ¡°He had to return home, for family matters.¡±


    ¡°I see. Are you related to him by some chance?¡±


    ¡°His niece, sire.¡±


    ¡°You look nothing like the man. You are a bit scrawny for this kind of work and incredibly pale.¡± The man leaned forward and stared at the cut on her face. ¡°Are you sure you are quite well, young lady?¡±


    ¡°Yes sire, as fit as a fiddle. I had a bad fall the other day, but it''s fine now.¡± She didn''t know why she was speaking like a housemaid out of a period drama, but it seemed appropriate at the moment.


    The man eyed her then said, ¡°There is a plague going around these days. If you come down with a fever, be sure to send word to the third order healers. As for those wounds, you should really have those stitched up before they get infected.¡±


    ¡°Yes sire.¡±


    The man blew out his mustache and said, ¡°One question. Why is there a dead body inside the house?¡±


    ¡°That wasn''t me, I swear.¡±


    ¡°I can see that. He should have been buried hours ago. It looks like some wild dogs got to him. His head has been torn apart, and his brains are missing.¡±


    ¡°Yes sire. It''s a terrible sight. Dogs got in during the dead of night. I was just about to bury the man. Had to inform his family, you see.¡±


    ¡°Well, hop to it. We have another body for you, a young woman.¡±


    ¡°Fresh?¡± asked Chloe.


    The man frowned at her, ¡°I''m guessing you heard about the zombie outbreak in Cheapside. The dead woman¡¯s body was not checked for bite marks, if that is what you mean. The guards did cut off her head as a precaution, though.¡±


    Chloe smiled and nodded and then when she realized that smiling was probably inappropriate, she quickly covered her mouth with her hand.


    ¡°This plague is getting out of hand,¡± said the man. ¡°This is the fifth victim this week. We left the body round back. Make sure it''s buried nice and deep, we don''t want this plague spreading.¡±


    She nodded and said, ¡°Um, sire. Who are you? I mean, what is your name, sir?¡±


    ¡°Captain Flintlock of the City Watch and this is Gus, he''s new.¡± A young man wearing a similar hat and looking a bit green stumbled out of the house. He bent over and threw up all over a nearby tree.


    ¡°He doesn''t have the stomach for this kind of work quite yet, but he¡¯s my cousin''s son and I owe him a favor.¡±


    Chloe nodded at the youth.


    ¡°He¡¯s our new corpse carrier,¡± said the captain. ¡°So you¡¯ll be seeing him a lot more around here.¡±


    <hr>


    Chloe sobbed as she chewed and swallowed another mouthful of fresh human brains. It wasn''t just the fact that she was eating brains that made her so sad. It was the fact that she enjoyed it so much. It satisfied her in ways she¡¯d never imagined possible.


    She was discovering that being a zombie changed the way she viewed life. Killing the cut-throat in the graveyard had not bothered her as much as it should have, and cracking open people''s skulls and eating their brains was more enjoyable than a walk on the beach at sunset or getting the highest score in a video game. This bothered her, but not enough for her to stop chewing on the oh so tender brains.


    When she¡¯d finished the meal, she covered the girl¡¯s mutilated face with a cloth. She said a prayer for the girl to whatever god was listening in this world, and then she stripped the girl of her clothing.


    Her own clothes were torn and bloody, and the girl was wearing a hooded robe and a new set of boots that were close enough to Chloe¡¯s size. She wasn''t a monster, though, so of course she''d wash the clothes before she wore them.


    [Memory Extractor activated]


    "Oh shit," she cursed. She¡¯d forgotten about the strange side effect of eating brains.


    A wave of images flooded into her mind like waves breaking against the rocky shore.


    The girl was in a dark room, a lantern hung by the door. The walls were plastered with pictures of people. She didn''t recognize any of them.


    A woman wearing a scarlet robe entered the room. The girl backed away and tripped over the side of the bed. When she looked up, the woman was standing over her.


    The woman stared right into her eyes. Her red lips curled up in a smile. She grabbed the girl by her hair and pulled her head back. She licked her lips with her black tongue and said, "I''m going to enjoy this."


    <hr>

 Chapter 8 - Let鈥檚 Hunt Some Demon Scum

    <Chloe The Undead>


    Cathedral of the Fifth Order.


    It was late afternoon when Chloe, wearing her new robe with the hood up, arrived at the gates of the Cathedral of the Fifth Order. She squinted as she looked up at the building that was so blindingly white it hurt her eyes. It had four massive columns in front and stood tall above the rest of the buildings in the city.


    This must have cost a fortune to build.


    She paused in front of the building and looked up at a large statue of a priest holding a book above his head. A plaque below the statue read "Vanguard of the Faith."


    Chloe stepped across the threshold of the cathedral door, bumped into an invisible wall, and fell back. She tried again, but each time the invisible field knocked her back.


    Two elderly women dressed in long robes and hoods walked up the stairs. They bobbed their heads to Chloe in a greeting and then entered the cathedral without any difficulty.


    "Wait," Chloe shouted, and one of the women turned around to face her.


    "What is it, daughter?" asked the woman with a friendly smile.


    Chloe shifted uncomfortably and turned her face away from the woman so that she would not see her scars. "I''m looking for a man."


    The woman''s eyebrows rose at this.


    "A specific man," Chloe continued. "His name is Garrick."


    The woman''s smile faded. "Brother Garrick is not here at the moment. He left early this morning. Would you like to leave a message?"


    Chloe shrugged. She really needed to speak to him face to face. "Can you tell him that Chloe wanted to speak to him urgently.¡±


    <hr>


    Chloe sat on the stairs and waited outside the cathedral, hoping Garrick would return, but after a while she gave up and started back home. Not my home, she corrected. Just a house in a graveyard that smells like blood and is infested with cockroaches.


    Chloe kept to the back alleys and streets as much as possible. She''d eaten recently, but her hunger wasn''t satisfied and the people on the streets smelt so damn good. She hoped that there would be a new body waiting for her when she got back.


    If she ran out of food, she''d be forced to hunt rats. The city had no shortage of rats ¨C Chloe could see them scurrying off when they heard her approach.


    The scraping sound of leather upon stone was the only warning Chloe had that someone was following her. She turned around and saw a young, dark haired man around her age walking towards her. He had a large sword strapped to his back and a wide-brimmed hat.


    She quickened her pace and adjusted the hood of her robe, but the man sped up and soon caught up to her.


    He grabbed her shoulder and spun her to face him. "You are bold for a friend of the dark," he snarled.


    She noticed he had the same open hand sigil on his leather armor that she''d seen on Garrick''s vest.


    "Wait!" she replied. "It¡¯s not like that. I was just looking for someone."


    He rested his hand on the pommel of his sword and said, "The only thing you will find is a swift return to your unholy maker."


    Before Chloe could say another word, the boy unsheathed his great sword and swung it at her neck.


    It would have decapitated her if the alley wasn''t so narrow. The blade hit the wall behind him with a loud crack. And the young man grunted and stumbled forward in confusion.


    Chloe darted behind him and caught the edge of his cloak. With a quick pull, she yanked the man forward and then hooked her foot around his ankle. She swung her arm up, but he caught her fist and pulled her off balance. They both fell to the ground, and he landed on top of her.


    He drew a silver dagger and pressed the tip of the blade into her soft skin. The cold silver blade cut into the spot and her claws extended reflexively. If she could get one hand free, she could rip out his throat before he had time to end her.


    "Step back from the zombie," said a cool voice behind them.


    Chloe turned to face the newcomer. It was Garrick and his crossbow was leveled at her head.


    "What the hell do you think you are doing?" he asked.


    She glared at him, "I came to warn you," she replied. "I had a vision I thought you should know about."


    Garrick lowered the crossbow and then shouted at the young man, "Get up, Talasin. You and I will speak about this later."


    The youth bowed to the Master and glowered at Chloe as he was bent over.


    Garrick waved his hand, ¡°Report this to the Archon, I''ll take care of the girl.¡±


    "But¡ª"


    "No buts, apprentice. That''s an order."


    Talasin bowed his head and shot another glance at Chloe before scrambling down the alleyway.


    <hr>


    When they were alone, Garrick spun on Chloe and said, "You failed to obey my instruction.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°I told you to wait in the graveyard. I said I would send for you at the right time.¡±


    Frostbeak dropped from the sky and landed on Garrick¡¯s shoulder.


    "Wait! This was urgent!" Chloe shouted. "I had a vision. I saw a woman in red. She¡¯s already killed two people that I know of. I saw her the first day I arrived and again in the vision."


    ¡°Whose brain did you devour, monster?¡±


    ¡°A dead girl, brought to me by Captain Flintlock.¡±


    Garrick frowned, ¡°I see. How did she die?"


    "There were holes in her neck. The captain had her decapitated, so it was hard to tell, but I got a closer look.¡±


    ¡°I''m sure you did. What else did you notice?¡±


    ¡°The girl¡¯s brain was¡­ dry.¡±


    ¡°I didn''t know zombies were so fussy.¡±


    ¡°It''s not like that, I mean-her body was drained of blood.¡±


    "A Hellion," Garrick breathed.


    "Is that like a vampire?"


    Garrick shrugged, "A Hellion is one of the weaker demons. They look just like humans, and they drink blood.¡±


    ¡°Yup, sounds like a vampire.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know that word. But Hellions are not to be underestimated. They are faster, and more powerful than any human. It is said that the strongest of their kind can use a form of blood magic.¡±


    "And you call that a weak demon?"


    Garrick folded the arm mounted crossbow and pulled the sleeve of his cloak over it. "During the day," he said. "The weakest Hellion is a threat to three fully armed city watchmen. At night, with the element of surprise- one Hellion could take out a squad of guards without breaking a sweat."


    "And you want to go after her now? While it''s getting dark. Shouldn''t we call the guards?"


    "And put others at risk. No, the Fifth Order was created to deal with these creatures." He ran a hand through his dark hair and gazed at the sun setting over the city. "What else did you see in your vision?"


    Chloe thought for a moment and the images came back to her as if they were called. "It happened inside a room. There were images on the wall, and I remember the bed covers were gray."


    "Anything else?"


    "I could see a tower through an open window."


    ¡°What color was the tower?¡± he asked.


    Chloe shook her head, ¡°I think they were white.¡±


    ¡°That''s the clock tower. Could you see the face of the clock?¡±


    She stared at him. ¡°You expect me to remember the time during something like that?¡±


    ¡°Not the time,¡± said Garrick. ¡°Did you see the clock face?¡±


    ¡°No, I don''t think so. Just a white tower.¡±


    Garrick nodded slowly, ¡°The clock¡¯s face can be seen from three sides, you must have seen the north facing side," he said. ¡°I suspect it happened in Wynhead Lane if I had to guess.¡± He paused for a moment as if he were weighing all the possibilities. ¡°What clothing was the victim wearing?¡±


    Chloe stared down at her new robe.


    ¡°You¡¯re wearing her clothes?¡± Garrick said with undisguised disgust in his voice.


    ¡°What, some maniac shot me with a crossbow and left a giant hole in my shirt.¡±


    He shook his head and wrinkled his nose, ¡°From the smell of that robe, I imagine the victim was a tanner''s daughter or maybe a pig farmer.¡±


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    <hr>


    It was a warm summer evening and the air was filled with the sounds of laughter and the dull clink of mugs as workers gathered at the tavern for a drink before heading home.


    A few kids still played on the streets. As it grew darker, parents called their kids indoors and golden lamps came on one after another until the streets were bathed in warm light.


    Chloe and Garrick walked silently past a crowd of drunken people gathered in front of a tavern.


    "Where did you learn to fight like that?" Garrick asked.


    Chloe laughed and said, "My father insisted that his daughters learn self-defense. Didn''t think I''d ever need to use it, though."


    "He was a soldier?"


    "Ah, no. He''s a software engineer."


    Garrick''s brows creased in a deep frown. "You say the oddest things, Chloe."


    She smiled, "At least I don''t point my crossbow at everything that moves."


    He watched her from the corner of his eye as they continued walking and after a long time of silence he finally said, "I was trained to kill monsters on sight. By all rights, you should be dead right now."


    Chloe looked away from him. "But you spared me. Is this Malice guy that big a threat?"


    Garrick didn''t answer right away. Instead, he watched the sky, as if searching for a sign.


    When he spoke, his words sounded soft and almost reverent. ¡°In the beginning there was Argus, the Shaper of all and Belladeon, the Mother of Light.¡±


    Chloe nodded at this, even though she didn''t know what he was talking about.


    ¡°They had three children,¡± Garrick continued. ¡°The names of which were stricken from the holy scriptures. They are now known as the three Prime Evils-Torment, Chaos and the oldest of the three, Malice. Their dark rule lasted for a thousand years.¡±


    ¡°Why didn''t their parents put a stop to them?¡±


    ¡°They did. The battle lasted for seven bloody years. In the end, Argus was killed and Belladeon was forced to seal her children in a world devoid of magic.¡±


    The words disturbed Chloe. Three demons sealed in another world. That sounded too close to home for her liking.


    ¡°And Cassadin thinks that Malice is free now?¡±


    Garrick looked away and fell silent, tangled in his own thoughts. Finally, he gazed at her and said, ¡°For all our sake, let''s hope he was wrong.¡±


    <hr>


    They reached the inn at Wynhead Lane. The sign above the door read, "The Pissing Pot". There was a single lantern hanging outside, and Chloe could make out shadows moving behind the glass windows.


    From the street, she could see the back of the clock tower. It looked just the way it had in the vision.


    "I think this is the place," she said.


    Garrick nodded. He studied the night sky for a moment, and then he held his fingers to his lips and whistled a single note.


    There was a soft tap on the roof as something landed, and a cool wind washed over them. Chloe looked up to see Frostbeak perched on the edge of the roof and pruning his blue feathers.


    Garrick placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Hide your face. Follow me, and most importantly, don''t say a word."


    He slipped through the wooden inn¡¯s door, and Chloe followed him inside.


    <hr>


    The room was dimly lit by a lone lantern hanging from the ceiling. Chloe couldn''t help but notice the strange odors of sweat, alcohol and boiled mutton that drifted in the air.


    Garrick stepped towards the bar and said, "A pint of mother''s milk."


    The bartender put down the mug he''d been cleaning and eyed Garrick warily. "I have a keg round back." He waved at a serving girl, and then he slung the rag over his shoulder and said to Garrick, "It''s heavy, give us a hand bringing it around."


    He left the bar, and Garrick and Chloe followed him into a back room.


    It was dark in the room except for the blue glow of a small lamp that hung over a table.


    Chloe''s eyes scanned the room as the barkeep closed the door behind them. Apart from a rat scurrying along the wall, there was nothing else alive inside the room.


    Garrick placed a gold coin on the table. The barkeep moved to retrieve the coin, but Garrick kept a finger firmly pressed down on it.


    "A Hellion has been spotted in this area," said Garrick. "There have been two victims we know of in the last week, but no report has been sent to the Archon of the Fifth."


    The barkeeper ran a hand through his beard. "Yeah, well, you know how it goes.¡±


    Garrick¡¯s lips thinned as he glared at the man, ¡°No, tell me,¡± he said. ¡°How does it go?¡±


    The man whipped sweat from his brow and looked about nervously. ¡°The inn''s close to Cheapside,¡± he said quickly. ¡°You heard about the zombie attack. These are dark times. You can''t expect us to send word to the Archon every time some monster is spotted."


    Garrick¡¯s hand was a blur as he drew his dagger and stabbed into the table, a hair¡¯s breadth from the barkeeper¡¯s hand.


    "These are innocent lives we are talking about!¡± he barked. ¡°The inns in Astraeus have a covenant with the order. If you cannot fulfill your side of the bargain, I will find someone that can."


    The barkeeper¡¯s eyes widened in panic. "Fine. Now that you mention it. I have heard a rumor about a woman that was spotted in Lanray''s Lane.¡±


    ¡°What woman?¡± asked Garrick.


    ¡°I don''t know. It sounded like bullshit to me. I heard she disguises herself as a beggar asking for alms to feed her kids. When anyone gets too close." The man shrugged. "Well, you know how these rumors go."


    "They are never seen again," said Chloe.


    The man eyed her as if it was the first time he was seeing her, and then he nodded.


    Garrick slid the coin across the table and said, "I don''t care if it¡¯s rumors or a drunk telling you his bad dreams. If it involves the Dark, I want a message sent to the order. Do you understand me?"


    The man glared at Garrick, but finally he picked up the coin, stashed it into a pocket and nodded.


    <hr>


    Lanray''s Lane was a narrow cobbled path that ran between old houses that seemed to be held together by mud and a heavy dose of luck.


    As they got further down the lane, Chloe picked up a familiar coppery scent in the air.


    "Blood," she said in a voice so low that only Garrick could hear.


    "Where?"


    Chloe sniffed the air. "This way."


    As the scent grew stronger, Chloe¡¯s pace sped up, her heart pounding as her feet thudded on the hard ground.


    She found the source of the blood in a small alleyway. It was a few drops, something a normal person wouldn''t have even noticed. Garrick dipped his finger in the blood.


    "Still warm," he said. ¡°They are close.¡±


    He whistled and Frostbeak soared, circling them overhead, in an ever widening arc.


    "Two women," he said as the bird relaid its information. He spun around and pointed. "This way."


    He set off at a breakneck speed, with Chloe following on his heels. His stride was long, and he was unnaturally fast, but Chloe¡¯s light and swift steps were able to keep up with him.


    They rounded a corner and came upon a woman leaning against the wall. She was dressed in rags, her neck was covered in blood, and she was weeping.


    "Please," she cried, "please help me. She took my baby. Please save my daughter!"


    "Which way did she go?" Garrick barked.


    The woman¡¯s face was pale from shock, but she raised a trembling hand and pointed left down a side branching alleyway.


    Garrick whistled for Frostbeak and gave chase.


    Chloe knelt next to the woman and placed her hand on her back. She patted her on the head and said, ¡°It''s going to be ok. We¡¯ll find your child, I promise.¡±


    The girl held onto her, sobbing into her chest. It was then that Chloe realized something was wrong. She was holding a bleeding woman, and she felt no hunger. For some reason, she didn''t find the woman¡¯s scent very appetizing. She looked down at the girl''s neck. The blood had dried, but there were no wounds there.


    "You¡ª" she began to say.


    The woman smiled, showing sharp teeth, and then she twisted in Chloe''s arms and wrapped her legs around Chloe, pushing her onto the ground with incredible force.


    Chloe struggled to get free, but the thing was strong. It wrapped its hands around her throat in an attempt to cut off her air supply. It didn''t matter, though, as Chloe didn''t actually need to breathe.


    "Clever little bitch," the demon hissed. "I¡¯m going to enjoy killing you and your friend."


    It fastened its jaws on Chloe¡¯s neck and then quickly released her and let out a hiss of disgust, "Filthy bloodless creature."


    Chloe snapped her head forward, headbutting the demon in the face. "Who the hell are you calling filthy?"


    The Hellion stumbled backwards, and Chloe darted forwards. She tried to do the same move she¡¯d done on Talasin, but the demon was too fast. It blocked her hands and punched Chloe in the stomach.


    ¡°An undead working with an Order whelp,¡± said the demon. ¡°You disgust me!¡±


    The Hellion wrapped its powerful arms around her neck and held her in a choke hold. She squeezed, but not to choke Chloe to death, she was trying to tear off her head.


    Chloe clawed at the demon¡¯s arms, but it wouldn''t budge. She opened her mouth wide and bit the demon¡¯s hand as hard as she could. Demon blood gushed into her mouth. It was bitter and tasted like rusty metal.


    ¡°You will die for that,¡± said the demon. ¡°After I¡¯ve killed you. I''ll hunt down your whole family and torture every single one of them. I¡¯ll be sure to let them know that you are the reason for their suffering.¡±


    Chloe twisted around and raised her hands and grabbed hold of the demon''s head. She forced its mouth open and slid her hand inside. The demon gagged and tried to bite her, but Chloe grabbed the demon''s tongue and yanked.


    The demon howled in pain as Chloe tossed the bloodied tongue onto the ground.


    "Yooo thucking bwitch," the Hellion said. "I''m gonna¡ª"


    But before it could finish that sentence, a sword of pure ice pierced through its chest, the tip of the blade an inch from Chloe¡¯s face.


    Garrick stood over the demon as it gripped its chest in confusion. He placed his foot on the demon¡¯s back and pulled out his sword and spun in one fluid motion and lopped the demon''s head off.


    He stood over Chloe, his blade dripping with the demon''s blood. He rolled the demon over, sliced open her chest and cracked the rib cage open like he was trying to pry a nut out of a hard shell. He reached in and pulled out a green, blood covered gem.


    Chloe was about to ask him about the gem when he turned to her and said, "That was the ugliest fight I''ve ever witnessed."


    Chloe laughed, "My self-defense training didn''t cover fighting demons."


    She looked down at her robe that was now covered in demon blood. "Ah shit, my new clothes."


    "Did you find the girl?" asked Chloe.


    "She was already dead."


    Chloe lowered her eyes, "I¡¯m sorry."


    Garrick frowned at her, "You''re a strange monster, Chloe."


    "People thought I was strange when I was human. It¡¯s no wonder that I''d be strange as a zombie, too."


    He shook his head, ¡°Well, don''t let me stop you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Eat the demon''s brains.¡±


    ¡°Oh that.¡±


    ¡°That''s why you are here.¡±


    Chloe grimaced as she stared at the demon''s head. ¡°Can you turn around?¡±


    Garrick frowned, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I''m not comfortable eating in front of people.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a zombie, god dammit, just eat the damn thing''s brains and be done with it.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said.


    Chloe crouched low, picked up the blood soaked head. Her index finger nail extended to the length of a butcher''s knife. She was getting good at controlling it now. She sliced the demon''s skull open and cracked it on her knee like she was opening a coconut.


    She blocked her nose and bit into the demon''s brain. Even with her nose blocked, it tasted like sour milk and the memory of the demon''s scream still echoed in the back of her mind.


    "Ugh, gross," she said.


    "Well?" asked Garrick.


    "One moment please."


    <hr>


    [Hellion Devoured: Progress Towards Next Evolution: 92%]


    [Hunger 46%]


    [Memory Extractor activated]


    The sour taste of demon brains still lingered in Chloe''s mouth when the vision''s came.


    At first, she thought something was wrong. All she saw was darkness, and then something stirred, and a body fell at the demon''s feet. The demon swung its head to face footsteps coming its way. Chloe saw the memory of herself running past the demon at an incredible speed.


    That must be the moment I arrived in this world.


    Moments later there was another set of footsteps, these moving slower and the silhouette of a lean figure stood at the end of the alleyway looking in. Something moved behind the figure and she screamed. Black tendrils shot out of the darkness and bound the girl''s arms and legs and drew her back.


    The Hellion backed away from the newcomers in fear, but just as she turned to flee, the light hit the newcomer''s face, revealing all too familiar features.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Garrick asked as he bent over Chloe, his face icy and hard.


    Chloe said nothing.


    ¡°Come on, say something, did you see Malice? Did the Hellion see him?¡±


    Chloe just sat there as her world came crashing down. Being a zombie had dulled her senses and desensitized her to most things-things like gore, fighting, killing and fear, but there was no amount of desensitizing that could dull the pain she felt at that moment.


    ¡°I saw him,¡± Chloe muttered. ¡°He was here¡­ Malice was here, and he¡¯s got my sister.¡±


    <hr>

 Chapter 9 - Harbinger of Darkness

    <Chloe The Undead>


    Chloe led Garrick through the town to the place she''d seen in her vision. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and her body was still trembling with emotion.


    "This is the spot," she said when they stopped at the end of the alley. "This is where that piece of shit snatched her."


    She paced up and down as Garrick crouched low and inspected the spot.


    ¡°There¡¯s no blood anywhere and the traces of magic are faint.¡± he said. "You sure this is the place?¡±


    "Yes, I''m sure!¡± she felt another bout of tears coming on. ¡°The bastard took my sister. We need to get her back!" Chloe said with such passion that her voice cracked.


    Garrick stood up and rummaged through the pouch on his belt and drew out a small leather sack.


    "What are you doing?" asked Chloe.


    Garrick opened the sack and poured a pinch of white powder into his hand.


    "Salt blessed by the mother," he said.


    ¡°What¡¯s it for?¡±


    Garrick drew a wide circle of salt on the cobblestone street all around the spot where Malice had been standing.


    "Our protection. No demon can escape this circle."


    Chloe frowned. "How do we know he will return to this spot?"


    "We don''t.¡± he hesitated for a moment, as if he was deciding what to say. ¡°When I was younger, I studied under Belgemine the Wax Witch. That was before I joined the order. There is a spell I learned- a way to send a demon an invitation."


    "An invitation," said Chloe in disgust.


    ¡°There is no way to force Malice to return. But if we move fast, this trace of magic might be enough for me to send him a message.¡±


    ¡°Why would he bother to come?¡±


    "Demons are arrogant. If he gets the message, he will come, if only to kill those who have called to him.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we call the rest of the Talamasca?¡±


    ¡°I have sent Frostbeak to the Fifth Order, but these magical traces are fading quickly. If we can summon him now, the salt binding might be enough to hold him until reinforcements arrive.¡±


    ¡°Do it,¡± said Chloe. ¡°This might be our only chance.¡±


    Garrick nodded and drew his dagger. Without hesitation, he sliced it cleanly across his palm.


    The scent of his blood washed over her. It was different to the human blood she¡¯s smelt before-almost richer.


    Is that because he can use magic?


    Garrick didn''t notice the hungry look on her face. He knelt down and drew six symbols inside the circle of salt and a seventh symbol in the center.


    ¡°What do they mean?¡± asked Chloe. She had never seen writing like that before. They reminded her of the hieroglyphics she¡¯d seen in history books, but there were also strange looking letters around the pictures he drew.


    ¡°Silence. I need to concentrate.¡±


    Chloe held her breath as he pressed his bleeding palm against the ground and drew the lines connecting the seven symbols together.


    He closed his eyes and Chloe waited with bated breath. After a while, he opened them.


    "Nothing," he said.


    Chloe shook her head. "Are you sure?"


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    "There''s no response to my summons."


    She looked down at the bloodied symbols and then back up to Garrick. "I can''t give up so easily. I have to keep looking."


    "Maybe your vision was wrong."


    The wind stirred and tossed Chloe''s hair. She stepped aside and watched it blow and swirl debris in a slow dance. A streetlamp flickered a short distance down the road, but still there was no response.


    "Please, I have to know," she whispered. "If my vision was wrong, then¡ª"


    She trailed off as the wind picked up suddenly. It shifted violently and blew straight toward the salt circle. Chloe heard a distant crack and the sound of something snapping.


    She took a step back and watched as a large piece of wood flew into the air and smashed against a nearby roof. The flames of the streetlamps turned electric blue and flared brightly into the night sky like a beacon.


    She turned to run, but found herself face-to-face with a dark figure standing between her and the open street. An aura of darkness surrounded the newcomer. He stood motionless and silent, as if he were made of mist. His eyes burned with an inner light, and Chloe felt her chest tighten as he stared deep into hers. She froze and stared back just as intently.


    "Who are you?" Garrick shouted over the sound of the wind.


    "I am Malice, the firstborn," came the calm reply from his lips. ¡°And the harbinger of those to come.¡±


    An intense pressure fell upon them, like a mighty hand was pressing them into the ground. Chloe gasped as pain shot through her body. She could feel it in her bones, her muscles, and even her teeth. She wasn''t used to pain in this new body, and the sensation was overwhelming.


    Garrick struggled to stand, but couldn''t move. His arms snapped and blood poured from his ears, nose and eyes.


    "Where¡¯s my sister?" shouted Chloe.


    Malice stared at her quizzically. "There is something familiar about you.¡± He shook his head. ¡°A lesser zombie possessed of twin souls and an Order whelp. A puzzle I would love to pick apart, but alas, I have more important tasks to attend to this night."


    Garrick groaned and tried to sit up, but another wave of power forced his face further into the stone and more bones snapped under the pressure.


    "Curse you foul demon," he said through gritted teeth.


    The corner of Malice¡¯s lip twisted in a smile. ¡°So much arrogance in one so ignorant of the world. I am no demon, I am the first son of the goddess you serve.¡±


    Malice raised his hands to the sky, and Garrick''s body rose up like a puppet. He gestured, and the Crimson Hunter drifted over the ground and stopped before him.


    "Your light flickers with uncertainty," said Malice. "Your mind is divided, and your resolve is weak. I will extinguish your light, so only the darkness remains.¡±


    Malice extended a finger and in one swift movement he thrust it into the Crimson Hunter¡¯s right eye.


    Garrick screamed in gut curdling agony as black runes of power spread out of Malice¡¯s finger and crawled across his face.


    Blood and fluid poured from the wound as Malice spoke again. "So easily extinguished."


    Garrick¡¯s lifeless body hit the ground, and a cry went up from a nearby rooftop.


    <hr>


    A rift split the ground beneath Malice¡¯s feet, and he plummeted into the darkness and vanished.


    Chloe shook Garrick and his head rolled loosely from side to side and blood flowed freely from his eye socket. He was dead.


    A crossbow bolt whizzed past her head and slammed into the wall behind her.


    Chloe looked up at Talasin. The apprentice stood atop the roof of the tallest building with a crossbow in his hand. He began to load the crossbow again.


    Chloe hesitated for a moment. She looked down at Garrick¡¯s lifeless body. ¡°I''m sorry,¡± she whispered, and then she turned around and fled.


    A second crossbow bolt streaked past her, but she didn''t look back.


    The city guards shouted at her to stop, but she ignored them and kept running, even as hot tears streamed down her face.


    Garrick had trusted her, and now he was dead. She flung guards aside, careful not to injure any of them, and then she passed through the city gates and out into the countryside.


    Hours passed. The forest gave way to marsh lands and the hard earth became thick mud. Her zombie form gave her inhuman strength, but with each step she took, her arms grew weaker and her legs faulted.


    <hr>


    The sun rose over the nearby mountain range and the sky brightened to a blinding white. As the sun climbed higher, the air became warmer and Chloe struggled to keep moving. She¡¯d had enough of all the pain, all the suffering. She just wanted to lie down and sleep and wake up at home in her bed.


    She dragged one foot after another through the mud and was about halfway across the marshlands when she heard a strange noise ahead.


    At first, she thought it was voices. She moved silently through the mud and reeds until she reached a small clearing and found herself looking upon a cliff face with a small cave.


    She entered the cave and stared at the source of the noise. It was a waterfall that fell at the back of the cave and ran into an underground river. The water was clear and cool. Chloe had no need for drinking, but she cupped her hands in the water and washed her face and tired body.


    She laid down on her side in silence, gazing at the water. She thought of her sister and Cassadin dying to save them, and of the man she had killed and the dead bodies she¡¯d devoured. And then she remembered the look on Talasin¡¯s face as his Master lay dead at her feet.


    ¡°So much blood and death,¡± she murmured.


    Her hands began to tremble, and her breathing grew heavier. It felt like she was being dragged into a deep pit of despair that she¡¯d never escape from. She curled into a ball and held herself tight and cried.


    As she lay there sobbing, she heard the faint scuff of stone. She turned and looked towards the entrance of the cave and saw two glowing eyes staring back.


    <hr>

 Chapter 10 - My Future Self

    <Chloe The Undead>


    Brackenfell Marshes


    The glowing eyes moved closer. The silhouette of twin ears appeared, followed by a shiny nose, and finally the whole body of the black rabbit came into view. It titled its head as it watched Chloe.


    "What?" she asked, annoyed by all of her unanswered questions. ¡°Who are you? Why are you following me?¡±


    The rabbit moved closer, sniffing the air suspiciously.


    "You are Cassadin''s familiar," Chloe said, her voice softer now, so she wouldn''t scare off the creature.


    ¡°Is this what you want?¡± She reached inside her shirt and pulled out the amulet. "This was his, it¡¯s connected to you somehow."


    The rabbit took another step closer, its nose twitching furiously.


    "Don''t worry,¡± Chloe said. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of death. I''m not going to kill you."


    Her words seemed to calm the creature. It tilted its head again, studying her.


    "Is that why you''re so afraid?¡± Chloe asked. ¡°Because of what I am?¡±


    A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she pulled herself up against the wall to keep herself from passing out.


    Her sudden movement startled the creature, and it turned and fled.


    [Hunger 5%]


    <hr>


    Chloe was tired and dizzy, but her stomach demanded food. She had no choice but to follow its demands. She¡¯d seen what happened to her when she ignored it. Her body had taken control of her, and she didn''t want that to happen again.


    Chloe pulled herself up, dusted the dirt off of her blood soaked, clothes and went hunting.


    Her new body was strong, but she was still clumsy, and she often slipped in the deep mud. The further she went, the deeper the mud became until she had no choice but to lay down on her stomach and pull herself across the mud.


    She did this for sometime until she spotted a red and white striped snake. She inched towards it slowly. The snake¡¯s tongue flicked in and out, sensing her presence. She wondered what the scent told the snake about her. Was it confused by the smell of a dead corpse sneaking up on it.


    Chloe inched closer, careful not to disturb the water. When she was in reach, she slowly rotated her body into a crouching position and launched herself at the snake.


    She caught it easily, and the snake twisted around her arm and buried its fangs in her hand. Back on earth, she had been terrified of snakes. But that fear had disappeared in the wake of all she had experienced since coming to this new world.


    In a world of monsters, demons and magic snakes were the least of her concerns. Chloe pulled the snake''s head back, tearing the fangs out of her hand. She then twisted the snake into a knot, snapping its spine and killing it instantly.


    She felt no pity for the creature, it was prey, and she was the predator. She tucked the dead reptile into her coat pocket and kept hunting.


    By the end of the day, she¡¯d managed to catch a few small fish and a giant toad.


    She returned to her cave and bathed in the cool spring. Once she was clean, she devoured the snake and toad. Their skin was tough, but she ignored the terrible texture and forced down the foul tasting flesh.


    [Hunger 4%]


    The snake and toad did nothing for her hunger. She needed something bigger. Something with a brain larger than a pea.


    The next day, she managed to find a beaver stuck in the mud, and she quickly wrung its neck before it could get away. She returned to her cave and cut open the adorable creature and ate its golf ball sized brain.


    She felt bad about killing it. It seemed that some part of her humanity still lingered.


    I''m losing my humanity. Next I¡¯ll be hunting kittens and puppies.


    After the meal, she curled into a tight ball and cried herself to sleep.


    With every day that passed, her hunger grew, and she became more driven by her animal instincts. She knew that if she didn''t do something soon she¡¯d end up killing an innocent person for food, and once she¡¯d crossed that line, there was no turning back.


    <hr>


    On the third day, she came across a young fisherman. He was all alone sitting under a willow tree with a fishing pole in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.


    He hadn''t noticed her watching him from the shadows. She knew she was being a creepy stalker, but she missed people. Watching the man fish calmed her somehow and made her feel human again.


    But she was also scared of her appetites, so she made sure to stay far enough away that she wouldn''t be tempted to attack him.


    She watched him for a few hours, and as she did, she wondered if she could learn to love this new world and it''s people.


    As much as she hated to admit it, she knew in the back of her mind that with each day that passed, her chances of finding Hope and returning home diminished.


    I might be stuck in this world for the rest of my life, and being a zombie, that might be a very long time.


    She leaned against a rock and dozed in the sun as she lazily watched the man sitting on his log singing a song she¡¯d never heard before. Her eyes slowly closed, and she eventually drifted off to sleep.


    <hr>


    Chloe woke up from the sound of the fisherman crying out in a language she didn''t understand.


    The sun was setting over the horizon and the landscape had changed. Her eyes scanned the area around her for danger.


    She saw the man waving his rod. She couldn''t tell if he was excited that he had caught a big fish, or if he was fighting off something.


    She crawled closer for a better look. The man kept hauling in his line and shouting the same strange word over and over. It looked like he had a massive fish on the end.


    She sighed in relief and smiled at herself for being so paranoid.


    From her new vantage point, she could hear the thump thumping of the man¡¯s excited heart. He reached down into the water and lifted the massive fish.


    The later afternoon light reflected off of the scales and Chloe grinned thinking how much meat would be on that fish. Just then, the water stirred beneath the man¡¯s feet, and a set of flashing teeth shot out of the water and grabbed the fish and the man¡¯s arm.


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    The creature thrashed violently and pulled the man into the shallow water.


    Without thinking, Chloe leapt forward to save the man, her feet carrying her across the ground at a break neck speed.


    She could make out the faint outline of the creature¡¯s body. It was covered in spikes and had a massive thrashing tail.


    It looked like a crocodile, but larger and meaner than any she had seen before. It twisted its long neck and the fisherman screamed as blood sprayed into the water.


    Chloe breathed in the sweet smell of the man¡¯s blood soaked clothing. It smelt so good, like steak on a barbecue or chicken pot pie.


    Adrenaline coursed through her in waves, and the color faded from the world. She couldn''t wait any longer. The hunger forced its way into her mind like an unwelcome guest. It was time to feed.


    [Hunger 0%]


    [Survival Mode Activated]


    <hr>


    <Future Chloe>


    Chloe, the Paladin of the First Order, had been struggling to control her old body for over a week now. She had gained the briefest amount of control the first night she''d arrived back in Ivalice, but the control had been seized from her by her body''s zombie instincts. She''d used that brief time to leave a message for her old self.


    She still couldn''t believe she¡¯d become a zombie. When she¡¯d originally arrived in Ivalice she¡¯d been so devastated by Hope¡¯s death that she¡¯d run straight to the gates and begged them to let her out.


    After they¡¯d searched her for bite marks and found none, she had been let out. She¡¯d had no money, so she¡¯d been forced to find a spot to sleep outside of town.


    She¡¯d arrived at the same graveyard. But things had gone way worse for her the first time. The thugs had caught her, and she''d been stabbed and left for dead inside an occupied coffin. When she''d been found, clinging to life by the barest thread, she''d been taken to the Healers of the Third Order.


    Once she''d been healed, she''d joined the Paladin''s of the First Order. They could sense her hatred for the dark, and they trained her to get revenge on Malice for the death of her sister.


    She''d risen in the ranks quickly, and soon she was commanding a squadron of her own. But even with all of her strength and with the five most powerful companions at her side, the armies of light had still lost the war.


    She¡¯d always suspected that one of the five had betrayed them, but she¡¯d never been able to tell who.


    Things would be different this time. She¡¯d let Cassadin die and chosen to save her sister instead. She''d never imagined that her sister would be brought into this world with Malice.


    She had never truly understood the connection Malice had with her, but over the years she had been spared by the demons time and time again for reasons she did not know.


    She was still pondering the implications of all this when she noticed that her body was acting stranger than usual. It was making strange moaning sounds and stalking a man that was thrashing in the water.


    She felt the zombie part of her brain taking control of the body. This was her moment, the one chance she had to steer her past self in the right direction. She concentrated all of her will power into regaining control.


    She had spent the last ten years of her life fighting demons. She had fought them and killed them, and she had no desire to let her old self kill someone innocent. She forced her mind into the monster''s brain and overpowered it.


    <hr>


    She¡¯d been trained by the order and knew how to wield the ethereal armaments of the Fifth Order. She also knew the secret name of Cassadin¡¯s familiar.


    ¡°Onyx!¡± she yelled. ¡°I need your power.¡±


    She reached into her shirt and gripped the amulet that the zombie Chloe still wore.


    A black blur shot across the marshlands and collided with the amulet.


    [Ethereal Armament: Spirit Sword]


    Blinding light flooded the water and a black sword appeared in her hands. She spun the sword, getting a feel for its balance. Its weight was perfect, and it fit her hand like it was made for her.


    She tightened her grip and shot forward. She leapt over a fallen log and ducked beneath the branches of a willow tree, and then she launched herself into the air.


    She drew on Onyx¡¯s power and the familiar responded to her urgent need.


    [Armament Ability: Portal Activated]


    She dashed through the portal and appeared in the sky above her target. She spun around, positioning her body for the attack. She plummeted towards the muddy water like an eagle after a rat, her sword radiating power.


    She swung the weapon in a wide arc, and it whistled as it cut through the air and connected with the crocodile¡¯s spiked armor.


    The creature roared as the blade bit into it and then tore straight through armor, cartilage, muscle and bone. The ethereal armament sliced through the beast effortlessly, decapitated the crocodile in a single precise strike.


    Blood gushed into the water and the head floated up to the surface.


    The fisherman pulled his hand free of the monster''s mouth and cursed in a language Chloe recognized as El¡¯bhed. She could tell that he was afraid of her. He was right to be.


    [Colossal Crocodile Killed - Progress Towards Next Evolution: 92%]


    The blood and exposed flesh threatened to drive her mad with primal need. She could feel her resolve crumbling as the undead creature inside of her raged to take back control.


    Its bloodlust pulsed through her in urgent need. She grabbed the fisherman¡¯s bloody arm and sunk her teeth into his flesh. Blood filled her mouth.


    Oh, crap! This can''t be happening.


    The words echoed in her head as the monster tried to bend her to its will. It was strong-it''s power fueled by single-minded desire.


    The fisherman tried to pull back his arm, but her nails dug into his skin. He shouted, ¡°Demon!¡± over and over again.


    She pulled back, her mouth dripping blood, and then she grabbed the man with both of her hands and tossed him through the air and onto the river bank. He landed and there was a crunching sound as bones broke.


    Chloe the Paladin released the ethereal armament and shouted, ¡°Run!¡±


    <hr>


    <Zombie Chloe>


    [Colossal Crocodile Devoured: Progress Towards Next Evolution: 100%]


    [Hunger 36%]


    [Survival Mode Deactivated]


    Chloe the zombie''s eyes fluttered open. Her hands were covered in mud and blood, her mouth tasted of reptile brains, and it took her a few minutes to figure out where she was.


    She was standing knee-deep in water. She lifted her head and looked to her right, and she saw the night sky and a flock of birds flying overhead. She watched them until they disappeared over a nearby hill, and then she turned back to the dead crocodile. Its head floated apart from its body, and its small brain was gone. The fisherman was nowhere in sight.


    [Evolution: 100%] [Lesser Zombie Evolution paths:]


    -[Greater Zombie] - [Balanced Class. Wields minor dark magic]


    -[Armored Zombie] - [Close combat class. High defense]


    Chloe read the message over and over again. She¡¯d managed to evolve. It seemed like she¡¯d achieved that through killing monsters and by devouring brains.


    She wondered what that meant. Would she still be the same person after this? Would she still have her memories and her personality, or would she become something different?


    She tried to push away the message, but it remained in her mind¡¯s eye, forcing her to make a choice.


    She¡¯d always played magic wielder classes in video games, but mages were squishy and this was no video game. The armor type would keep her alive for longer, and at that moment survival was all that mattered.


    [Lesser Zombie? Evolved To? Armored Zombie]


    Her body began to tremble as great power entered and coursed through her muscle tissue. The muscles hardened, and her skin shimmered like polished porcelain. Next, her neck extended slightly, and her spine curved, lowering her into an attack pose. Her knees creaked and snapped, and her legs grew.


    The wound in her chest closed up and the cuts on her arms and face healed. The only mark on her body that remained were the two words cut into the palm of her left hand. ¡®Save Hope¡¯


    She read the words and felt a stab of pain in the region of her dead heart. She was still human looking but sleeker-built for killing.


    [Choose an ability:]


    [Oath of Pain: Sets you on fire when cast. The oath uses your pain to increase your strength]


    [Defying Shout: Forces enemies to focus their attacks on you]


    [Cover: Take all damage intended for another party member]


    All of those abilities sounded shit. Why would she want to cause herself pain and even worse, why would she want enemies to target her. The last one made the least sense, she was all alone, what use was there for covering for some else.


    But she had to pick one of the abilities. The menu would not go away otherwise.


    She signed, ¡°Zombies don''t feel pain, so this decision shouldn''t be too bad.¡±


    [Skill Acquired: Oath of Pain]


    <hr>

 Chapter 11 - The Depths of Hell

    <Chloe The Undead>


    Chloe stumbled back to her cave. She wasn''t used to walking in her newly evolved body as yet.


    It was awkward, and she felt gangly like a spider. She was taller, but she was more hunched over now. She was really starting to feel like a monster. She just hoped that if she evolved again, she wouldn''t turn into a thing of nightmares.


    Chloe went through her nightly routine. She climbed into the cold water and washed the mud and blood off of her body. She sat there letting her new muscles relax and thought about what the hell had just happened.


    She''d blanked out again. It was starting to become a habit, and she wasn''t happy about it. This time there was no message for her to follow.


    The one thing she had noticed just before her evolution was that her amulet was warm to the touch. It was obvious that the amulet had power. She¡¯d seen Garrick use his own to create a sword of ice. He also used it to communicate with his familiar.


    Maybe I can do the same thing with this one.


    She pulled her hair back into a tight bun and lifted the amulet and studied it. It looked just the same as ever. Golden with a symbol of an open hand on it and strange letters that she could not read.


    She focused on the amulet. It was hard to concentrate when she was constantly on guard.


    If I want this to work, I need to let go.


    She closed her eyes, letting the distractions around her fall away.


    The sound of the waterfall faded, the scent of blood on her clothing vanished, and she opened her mind, letting the amulet in.


    At first there was nothing.


    To be honest, she hadn''t expected it to work the first time.


    She took a deep breath, not that she needed the oxygen, but it was a habit from being human, and it still calmed her.


    As she slowly exhaled, she had the sudden sensation of long grass caressing her naked skin and the taste of sweet roots in her mouth. There was a note of alarm, followed by curious prodding in her direction.


    Black rabbit, is that you?


    The reply came in the form of images and emotions. She saw her cave and felt a sense of wonder coming through the connection.


    The wind shifted and blew a small cloud of dust across the marshes. On the wind, the rabbit picked up a clear and unmistakable scent.


    It was Fire.


    The connection broke and Chloe stood up and just as she was about to get out of the water, she heard low murmurs outside her cave. She drew back into the dark waters and waited.


    A sense of urgency came from the rabbit, and an image of burning torches flashed through her mind.


    Footsteps drew near, and someone shouted. A large barrel was tossed into the cave. It smashed open and the smell of oil perforated the air.


    A moment later, a torch was flung in, and the cave burst into crackling flames.


    The flash of light revealed a group of men and women standing in front of the cave. They were dressed in animal hides, just the way the fisherman had been dressed. They had torches and spears in their hands and grim looks on their painted faces.


    They shouted words Chloe couldn''t understand, but their intention was clear enough. They had come for her life, and she had no idea why.


    A second barrel of oil was tossed into the cave and this one exploded closer, sending a ball of fire right at her. The cave exit was completely blocked. There was no way out, and the fire was getting hotter by the minute.


    Chloe had played enough video games to know that the biggest threat to zombies, apart from decapitation, was fire. She really didn''t want to be burnt to death. That had to be the shittiest way to go.


    Panic welled up inside her chest, but she didn''t have time to panic. She could do that later when she survived this mess.


    She dived under the water and looked up and saw oil burning on the water above her head.


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    Her mind raced. She needed to do something, but what?


    Her hands and feet floated by her head as she tried to think of some plan. She knew that if she stayed underwater, they would find her and kill her.


    She looked down to where the waterfall ended and became an underground river. She had no choice. She flipped over and swam down. She heard them shouting above her. They¡¯d probably realized that she was escaping.


    She ignored the shouting and clawed at the rocks until the hole was large enough for her to fit through. She pulled herself through the hole and felt the sharp rocks tearing her clothes and her skin. Soon the resistance faded as she landed in the river and was carried along by the current.


    It was pitch black underground and the space was so tight that a human would have drowned on the way down. The water became rougher up ahead, and she heard the sound of water crashing on rocks far below.


    Oh shit, here we go.


    Chloe went over the edge and fell through the air, her limbs pointing in all directions as she tried to grab onto the ledge.


    Her fingers slipped and she continued to fall. The wind wiped around her ears and her eyes stung.


    How far down is this?


    The thought had barely entered her mind when she reached the bottom.


    She plummeted into the underground lake. It was deep, but not deep enough for the height she had fallen from. Her legs smashed into rocks and her arm bent backwards and popped as it dislocated from her shoulder.


    Chloe sucked in a breath, she didn''t need to breathe, but her instincts kicked in, and she gulped in a mouthful of water. She kicked her legs, sending bubbles of air into the water as she tried to reach the surface.


    Something grabbed her foot, pulling her back. She struggled and tried to kick away, but whatever held her had great strength. Her silent screams faded as she sank deeper into the water.


    Hands gripped her legs, pulling her down. Glowing moss on the rocks cast enough light to reveal long green hair flowing all about her and hands clawing at her skin.


    Something blurred in front of her and a face appeared inches from hers. The face was full of long shark-like teeth, with two eyes black as night.


    Chloe grabbed the creature''s hair and yanked it closer. She sank her teeth into its skull and bite as hard as she could. She felt the skull give way to her teeth and tainted blood washed into her open mouth.


    The creature¡¯s shrieks of pain reverberated through her head like a brick colliding with her brain. She rotated and pressed her legs against the bleeding creature and kicked off, pushing her towards the surface.


    She breached the surface and dragged herself onto hard ground. She was exhausted, her ears were ringing, and her arm was dislocated.


    She rolled over and spat the creature¡¯s skull fragments and blood onto the ground.


    It tastes the way rancid seafood smells.


    She grabbed the wrist of her injured arm and pulled it forward and straight in front of her.


    "Mother custard!" she moaned as the joint popped back into place.


    She sat up and looked around and saw that she was in a cavern lit by a bubbling pool of lava. There were bioluminescent fungus and moss growing on rocks and on the roof.


    She saw movement by the lava. A thin creature with a long tongue was lapping up the red lava. It wiped its mouth and turned to watch her with mild curiosity. Its look reminded her of how a lion would look at an ant that had crawled into its den.


    She could feel many eyes watching from the dark, and a large bat-like creature flew overhead.


    I can''t stay here.


    She pulled herself to her feet and ran.


    She stumbled several times and had to grab at rocks to keep from falling. Each step she took made her more anxious.


    She wasn''t sure if she was being pursued, but she didn''t want to take the risk. She ran faster and harder until she came to a series of small holes in the wall. She entered one and crawled into it and collapsed against the cool wall.


    A figure stepped into her vision, it had human features, but its skin was pale, and it was covered in fur. It growled and advanced toward her hole. She backed away, but the hole was too narrow to go much further.


    She knew that the creature could easily stick its arm into the hole and pull her out, like a bird catching a worm.


    A low hissing sound filled her section of the chamber. The beast spun around and stopped. A ball of fire hit it square in the chest, incinerating it instantly.


    <hr>


    A figure, with eyes that looked like burning orbs of fire, strode past Chloe¡¯s hiding spot. It wore a red robe and carried a staff made of bone.


    Chloe put her hand to her throat and felt a lump forming.


    The figure bent down and retrieved a gem that was all that remained of the incinerated beast.


    As the figure stood up, its burning eyes locked with Chloe''s, and she realized that it was not human. Its body was covered in Draconian scales, and its long tongue flicked in and out of its mouth, tasting the air.


    It slipped the gem into its robes¡¯, ignored her, and strode off into the darkness.


    Chloe watched the figure walk away, and then she dropped to her knees. She felt weak, exhausted and terrified.


    She waited for sometime until she was sure that there was nothing else close by. Then she left her hole and found a deeper one. She crawled into the new hole and wiggled as she dragged her body deeper and deeper in.


    She felt claustrophobic, but the fear of being caught was far more terrifying at the moment. So she kept moving deeper and deeper.


    When the tunnel got too narrow, she clawed the hole wider and continued on. It took hours or days. In the constant dark, with no sign of the sun or moon, she could not tell the time.


    The tunnel stretched far back into a small room about the size of her father¡¯s car.


    She chipped away at the rock until she¡¯d made the space as wide as possible. She pushed the debris into the tunnel as a door. When she was sure that nothing could find her there. She let her head fall to the stone floor, and she cried.


    Through the sobbing and tears she thought of home and her sister and she began to sing in a low voice, ¡°Don''t stop believing, hold onto that feeling.¡±


    <hr>

 Chapter 12 - The Depths of Despair

    <Hope Porter>


    Two men dressed in white robes with their hoods covering their faces held Hope Porter up and dragged her down a corridor that never seemed to end. It felt like she had been drugged. The roof sagged like a pregnant woman''s belly, and the ways bent and twisted impossibly.


    Outstretched hands reached out to her from either side of the corridor. Men and women shouted, cursed and pleaded for help from anyone who¡¯d listen. Hope couldn''t help them, she couldn''t even help herself.


    She was taken through several rooms; each one filled with screaming people or corpses hanging from hooks. They were stripped naked and forced into lines where they knelt. People in white robes with hidden faces stood above them, holding knives.


    "Belladeon mother of light accept our humble offering," the words were chanted around the room and moments later the throats of the kneeling men and women were slit, their blood pouring into bowls.


    Hope tried to scream, but no sound came out. She threw all of her remaining strength into breaking free, but the only movement she made was the twitching of a single finger. Her body was completely limp and lifeless.


    Her mind raced in anguish and despair as her captors continued the journey through this living nightmare. Finally, they came to a halt.


    A key clanged against iron and a gate creaked as it swung open.


    ¡°Welcome to your new home,¡± said a guard. "Don''t get too comfortable. You demons won''t be here for long, the goddess will make sure of that."


    The guards tossed her into the cell, and she landed heavily on her chest. Pain shot through her ribs and back, and she gasped in agony.


    At first all she could do was breath, cry, and finally she was able to think.


    How had she ended up in this nightmare? Her last memories were scattered and confused. She''d seen lights and what could only be described as magic, and then Chloe had vanished, and the world had gone dark.


    Hope had woken up in a medieval looking city, and then someone had captured her. The memories were faint. All she knew was that she needed to get out and find Chloe.


    After an hour, she regained the ability to whisper and move her fingers. She prayed for help in her feeble voice and for her sister''s safety.


    As more time passed, she slowly regained control of her body until finally, she was able to stand up and inspect her surroundings.


    There was nothing inside the cell. Just a pile of straw on the floor.


    She picked up the straw and shook it. Some feathers floated to the top. The feathers were mostly gray and black, with some white mixed in. In the corner of the cell was a hole, too small for a human to fit through, it was clearly meant as a toilet. There was also a small barred window, but it was so high up the wall that she couldn''t see through it.


    Hope sat down on the straw and cried.


    <hr>


    It took over a week before Hope noticed the monster in the corner of her cell. It was small, shaped like a jellyfish and floating. She could only see it in the corner of her eyes and only late at night.


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    For some reason, it didn''t frighten her. She was more afraid of the guards, they stayed far away from her and always wore their hoods up, so Hope could never get a good look at their faces.


    At first, Hope was afraid that the guards would violate her, but as the time went by she realized that they were repulsed by her. They called her a demon and refused to look her in the eye.


    She overheard snippets of their conversations. Apparently they were from an order called the Talamasca, they spent their time capturing, torturing and killing demons. Hope didn''t know much about this new world, but it was clear to her that the Talamasca were the real monsters.


    She didn''t have much time to think about it, though, in the weeks she was there the guards refused to feed her. She grew weaker and hungrier with each day that passed.


    Her thoughts became more and more primitive, all she cared about was her hunger and protecting herself. Her sanity was beginning to fray.


    Late one evening, when lights were out, she was woken by the sound of her cell gates opening. Something was tossed into the cell and the gate slammed shut again.


    The smell of cooked meat washed over her and Hope dived on the meat. She tore at the carcass with her bare hands, ripping it apart and devouring it.


    The next morning, as the light poured into her cell, Hope stared in horror at the bones of a tiny human hand lying in the center of her cell. The bones had been picked clean. Hope felt her stomach lurch. She crossed the cell to the hole in the floor and threw up.


    <hr>


    They waited another week before they fed her again. This time it was a human leg. She didn''t throw up that time. Another week passed and Hope was craving meat, but the food did not come. Days went by, and her hunger grew and grew until she couldn''t stand it anymore.


    Late one night, she heard the familiar sound of the gate opening. She was already moving towards the door when a human was pushed inside the cell. Hope didn''t hesitate, she attacked the human, ripping open the girl''s throat. It was only when she had finished eating her fill that she stared into the eyes of her victim.


    She cried out in horror. It was Chloe''s lifeless eyes that stared back at her.


    <hr>


    Hope''s sanity wavered heavily after that. She cried and scratched herself with her long nails. She hated herself, but more than that, she hated the Talamasca. She wanted nothing more than to kill each and every one of them.


    The monster in the corner of her cell became more visible with each passing day. Now, she could clearly see the detailed ringed patterns on its blue glowing tentacles. They radiated out from the rings at their base; which were connected to a bulbous body. The creature appeared to have eyes in the middle of its face, though they were far too large for any creature in existence, and shone with a bright blue light.


    The creature would sit with her late at night, stroking her face and whispering words of comfort. It promised her a way out. It promised revenge.


    <hr>


    As the golden light rose over the horizon and shone into Hope''s tiny, dirty cell, the screams of dying prison guards stirred Hope out of her nightmares.


    Someone was standing outside her cell. It was a man. He was tall, pale skinned with dark hair, dressed all in black. He looked young with a well-defined jawline and piercing green eyes.


    She knew his face. But it couldn''t be real. How could he be here?


    "Michael," she whispered.


    For a moment, her brother just stood staring at her. His gaze dropped to her bloodied arms, covered in self-inflicted wounds. Then he walked closer.


    "Hope," he said, and tears welled up in his eyes. "It is you."


    The gate swung open, and he crossed the cell and crouched down beside her. He gently took her bloodied hands in his own. "Don''t worry, Hope, it''s over now."


    <hr>


    Michael carried Hope out of the prison. All about her were dead guards and pools of blood, and the sight of their corpses filled her with joy.


    "How did you find me?" she asked.


    Michael stroked her hair and smiled sadly. "It was your friend," he said, gesturing at the floating creature. "It showed me the way."


    Hope felt warm tears running down her cheeks. "Thank you," she sobbed. As they walked through the prison block, Hope noticed something strange. One of the dead prison guard¡¯s hood had fallen back, revealing gray skin and black eyes.


    "What is that?" she asked, uncertain if her eyes were playing tricks on her.


    Michael held her close. "Close your eye''s sis, it''s almost over."


    <hr>

 Chapter 13 - Talamasca

    [Aspect]


    [Name: Talasin Ward]


    [Race: Human]


    [Class: Apprentice Crimson Hunter of the Fifth Order]


    [Abilities]


    - [Alchemical Invocation] (Tier 1)


    - [Two-handed Sword Master] (Tier 1)


    - [Agility Boost] (Elixir: 24 hr duration)


    - [Stamina Boost] (Elixir: 24 hr duration)


    Talasin stood on the edge of the night bazaar in the western district of the city of K''rith Vatali. It was his first assignment since his old Master had been murdered in front of him and the zombie had fled Astraeus.


    Thunder roared in the distance, the sound muffled by the crowd. Talasin glanced up at the sky. It looked like it could rain any second, but that had done nothing to deter the city folk. They came out from every corner of the city, to fill their bellies with roasted meats and spiced wine, to buy or sell golden trinkets, to make business deals and gossip.


    The crowd swelled as Talasin watched and waited. His job was simple: protect the K¡¯rith Vatali head councilor''s daughter, Garnet Tarklos, while she did her shopping and then escort her back home.


    He hated every moment of the job. He''d joined the order to hunt demon''s, and now he was a glorified bodyguard.


    He¡¯d been given two elixirs by the Fourth Order Alchemists for this job. He thought the elixirs were overkill for a simple protection mission, but the counselor had paid for them, so he happily obliged and drank them.


    He¡¯d left his own alchemy pouch back in Astraeus, he wouldn''t need it for such a mundane assignment.


    The Talamasca had a rule that apprentices were not allowed to hunt demons without a Master being present. His Master Garrick was lying six feet underground in an unmarked grave - that was to prevent necromancers from using his corpse in whatever the hell they got up to.


    Which all meant that Talasin was on babysitter duty until a new Master could be found for him.


    Garnet Tarklos, his assignment, walked through the crowd with confidence and grace. She wore a green silk dress bedecked in scintillating jewels and she wore it well. Her red hair was pinned up in a bun, and she carried a ceremonial long sword on her hip.


    She smiled at everyone who spoke to her, she seemed to know them all and made sure they knew she knew them. She was every bit the politician her father was.


    She was a beautiful woman. Her skin was a rich ochre, much like the mellow-brown light from the lamps that bathed the bazaar, her lips full and red, her body was athletic and her breasts full. She was fierce, beautiful and charismatic but those things werent enough to make Talasin like her. She was a spoilt rich girl that he was forced to protect.


    Talasin¡¯s two companions Velkos and Imogen flanked the girl on either side. He was on point-duty.


    He didn''t get that job because he was the most powerful of the three apprentices; he wasn''t even the strongest or the quickest, and he definitely was not the best fighter.


    He was just the most stubborn. If he was going to do this crap job, he didn''t want to spend another moment watching some girl shop for a few hours.


    He''d rather be up front, scanning the crowd-not for potential threats. Nobody was stupid enough to threaten the councilors'' daughter in her own city. No, he was looking for the zombie girl. He''d searched for her for weeks and found no leads. But he was not about to give up. He''d find her and have his revenge.


    <hr>


    When they reached the far end of the bazaar. Garnet stopped to hug an elderly woman, selling flowers.


    ¡°Hey!¡± shouted Talasin. ¡°We can''t protect you when you¡¯re hugging people. One of them could slip a knife between your ribs before we could even react.¡±


    Garnet released the elder woman and smiled at her before turning to face Talasin.


    ¡°Listen here, bodyguard. I''m not going to stop caring about people just so you can do your job. I didn''t want a bodyguard in the first place.¡±


    She smiled at a passing group of merchants and then turned back to him and frowned when they had passed by. ¡°Your job, Talasin, is to stand up front and look brooding, and my job is to care for the people.¡±


    Talasin glared at her and then shook his head, ¡°Whatever, princess,¡± he said. ¡°But if you get stabbed, the only sympathy you¡¯ll hear from me will be a fat ¡®I told you so.¡±


    Garnet laughed, ¡°Whatever, Order boy, just do your job.¡±


    <hr>


    It happened the moment they turned and began heading back to the palace. First there was a scuffle in the road between two drunk men.


    Velkos and Imogen moved to break up the fight, and just at that moment a woman selling hotcakes passed by and blocked Talasin''s view of the councilors'' daughter. He looked back and Garnet was gone.


    "They took the girl!" he yelled as he ran to the tallest building to get a better view of the market square.


    He leapt against the wall then kicked off and twisted in the air, catching the edge of the roof. The large two-handed sword strapped to his back clanged against the tiles as he pulled his body up and over the edge and onto the roof.


    Velkos and Imogen followed him and climbed the roof with as much dexterity and more grace than he did.


    Talasin perched on the edge of the roof and scanned the crowd. It was a sea of faces and swishing cloaks.


    He searched for the familiar green dress and red hair. With each minute that passed, the likelihood of finding the girl grew slimmer.


    "There! A flash of green," said Velkos pointing on the east side of the bazaar.


    Talasin spotted her then being led away from the market by two burly men wearing brown priest robes. He sprang into motion, following the direction of her flight.


    The three companions raced along the rooftops, leaping across gaps and bounding from one rooftop to the next.


    Talasin felt the strength flowing from his muscles, and he could hear the sound of his heart thudding in his chest.


    He spotted the priests again. Running down a narrow alley heading towards the docks.


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    "If she reaches the docks, we''ve lost her for good!" Velkos yelled as he kept pace with Talasin.


    Not for the first time, Talasin wished he had some of his old Master¡¯s magic, but he was only an apprentice and his magic was limited to invocation spells used for activating alchemical reagents. He had no ethereal armament, and he had not been trained in the Fifth Order¡¯s secret arts.


    "You two stay on their track," said Talasin. "I''ll try to cut them off at Beltane''s Bridge."


    Velkos and Imogen nodded and shot off across the rooftops in pursuit. Talasin paused for a moment, thinking of the fastest way to get to the bridge. If they were heading to the docks, then all paths would lead to the bridge. There was no other way across the river Keth.


    He decided to follow the alley that led directly to the bridge. He leapt off the rooftop and hit the ground running.


    The alley was dark and narrow, with only a few torches burning along its length.


    Thunder roared again, and the sky opened up, and the rain poured down. He ducked under a low hanging drainage pipe and sprinted towards the bridge.


    <hr>


    He reached the bridge out of breath and panting heavily, and waited, unsure if he''d made it there first or if the kidnappers had already crossed.


    Moments passed, and then he heard the heavy thud of boots on stone drawing nearer. He drew his two-handed sword and stepped back into the shadow of a nearby building.


    Four figures emerged out of the rain. They were all dressed in brown priest robes and iron manacles with chains cut glinted on their wrists.


    They are escaped prisoners.


    There was no sign of the councilor¡¯s daughter.


    As soon as the men crossed the bridge, their eyes flicked in unison over to his hiding spot. There was no way they could have seen him, but they sprung into action.


    The first man drew a wooden club out of his long robes, and the second drew two daggers. The third and fourth men fought with wooden quarter staves.


    "Silence the witness," they said in unison.


    Their voices were lifeless and void of any emotion. The sound sent a cold chill down Talasin¡¯s spine.


    Talasin had been trained to fight against multiple opponents, but he didn''t like his odds. He needed to be on the offensive and take them out before they could coordinate their attacks.


    The club wielder swung and Talasin blocked the blow, and then he spun around into a low kick that swept the legs out from under the first man.


    The second man stabbed low and missed, and then followed his attack with two fast slashes at Talasin''s face.


    The third and fourth shot forward and jabbed at Talasin''s stomach.


    Talasin¡¯s training kicked in, and he dodged each attack. The dagger wielder lunged and overextended. Talasin¡¯s sword crushed the man''s pelvis.


    A quarterstaff clipped Talasin¡¯s arm, and he spun around and hit the ground. The staves beat him repeatedly, and he tasted blood in his mouth. He rolled out of the way and raised his sword to block a follow-up attack.


    The wooden club hit the ground where his head had been moments earlier, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris.


    Through the cloud, Talasin caught sight of some creature on the man¡¯s head. If not for the dust, it would have been invisible. It looked like a jellyfish, with its tendrils wrapped around the man¡¯s temples and running down his necks.


    "A Tormentor," Talasin breathed.


    Why the hell are demons after the councilor''s daughter?


    "What do you want?" Talasin asked as he backed away from the four men, even the man with the crushed pelvis stumbled towards him.


    "Kill the witness," they said in the same deadpan tone as before.


    The club wielder swung, and Talasin ducked under the blow and sliced open the man''s stomach. The prisoner fell forward into a pool of his own blood.


    [Human Cut purse Killed - Progress Towards Next Ascension: 17%]


    Talasin thanked the goddess for her wisdom, and the aspect of the goddess vanished from his mind.


    Talasin leapt over the man''s body and slashed low. It sliced through a prisoner''s staff, and the second man jumped back in time and dodged the blow.


    The club wielder hit the sword out of Talasin¡¯s hands and advanced on him with his club raised high.


    Talasin¡¯s hand fumbled for his silver dagger. It was a weapon his Master had given him and was meant for demon hunting.


    A thrown dagger flew out of the dark and caught the club wielder at the nap of his neck. He went down like a sack of potatoes.


    A sword glinted as it cut off the next man''s leg. Garnet stepped into the light and thrust her sword through the prisoner''s chest.


    The Tormentor howled in fury as its host died.


    "What the hell!" yelled Garnet as the ghostly jellyfish demon outlined by the falling rain floated away.


    "I''m going after it!" shouted Talasin.


    "Wait," said Garnet. "You can''t leave me here alone with demons about."


    "I''m a demon hunter, it''s my job to kill them, not to guard spoiled princesses."


    ¡°I saved your life,¡± she said hotly.


    Talasin eyed her sword, so it wasn''t ceremonial after all.


    ¡°I owe you one,¡± he said, and then he drew his silver dagger and sprinted after the demon.


    It wasn''t that he wanted to be a hero. He had questions for the demon, but the Order had made it near impossible for him to get anywhere near the servants of the dark.


    There was something he had seen the day his Master had died. One thing that he didn''t understand. The zombie girl hadn''t been alone. He''d seen a shadowy figure standing beside her with his Master bleeding at their feet.


    The figure had stepped through a rift and vanished. That was high tier magic, not something a common demon, let alone a zombie, could perform.


    There was more to the zombie girl than what met the eye. She was deeply involved with the demons, and Talasin was going to find out why.


    Talasin heard soft footsteps behind him, and he looked back and saw Garnet chasing after him. She was faster than he¡¯d given her credit for.


    He slowed down a fraction until she was right behind him. The Tormentor outlined by the falling rain was still ahead of them, but they were catching up.


    They rounded a corner and ran straight into trouble.


    Talasin saw the Demented first. The demon was massive, its shoulders touched the sides of the alley, and it stood twice Talasin¡¯s height.


    It had reddish gray skin, crisscrossed in scars and a pair of ram horns sprouting out of its giant head. In each of its colossal hands, it held a butcher''s cleaver. One of those cleavers was swinging right at Talasin¡¯s head.


    ¡°Get down!¡± Talasin shouted as he dropped low and slid under the attack.


    Garnet was not so lucky. The cleaver hit her hard and sent her flying into the wall, cracking the stone.


    She staggered to her knees and clutched at her side where a deep wound opened. She grimaced in pain and tried to stand up, but collapsed again.


    The Demented turned and raised its cleavers and roared with anger and hatred.


    The rain poured down around them, and Talasin saw the Tormentor floating behind the Demented, watching them.


    Beneath the Tormentor were the crumpled forms of Imogen and Velkos. The pools of blood surrounding them indicated that they were already dead.


    Light! What the hell is going on here?


    A Demented should not have been in the city. They were only seen on the fields of war, on the front lines of hell¡¯s army. And how had his companions managed to reach there before him. It didn''t make sense, none of this did.


    All this information passed through Talasin''s head in a second as he stared in horror at his dead companions and the injured form of the councilor¡¯s daughter.


    There was no chance in hell that he could face this demon and live. The one weakness a Demented had was its lack of speed.


    Talasin flipped onto his feet and dodged a cleaver swinging at his head. He ducked low, scooped Garnet into his arms, and then shot down the alley.


    A cleaver exploded against the wall beside him, and rocks and mortar flew in all directions.


    Talasin lowered his head and kept running, too afraid to look back. He knew the demon would catch up soon. He had speed, but he didn''t have the strength to carry Garnet far.


    He could feel the vibrations rolling through the ground as the Demented closed in on them. Talasin¡¯s arms burnt and his legs grew weaker. He¡¯d reached his limits. He knew that the iron cleaver would cut through him at any moment.


    He looked down at Garnet¡¯s blood soaked body. Her eyes were closed, but he could still feel her faint heartbeat.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered. He should have listened to her. If she died, her blood would be on his hands.


    Talasin stepped onto the bridge and heard the pounding footsteps growing nearer. He risked looking back and as he did, he saw the demon raise its cleaver, ready to hurl it straight at them.


    ¡°Goddess protect us,¡± he shouted as he tossed Garnet into the river.


    He ducked low as the cleaver flew over his head. He looked back one final time before he dived into the water after her.


    <hr>

 Chapter 14 - Sewer Rats

    <Talasin Ward>


    Talasin held onto Garnet as the river swept them along. The water roared and crashed over their heads. They were going too fast for him to swim against the current, but he could hold on tight. He didn''t know how long they would live if they kept this up.


    He caught glimpses of the Demented chasing after them along the shore. It was a slow, lumbering demon, but it had the stamina of a horse and kept pace with them.


    Finally, the river widened, and the current slowed down enough for Talasin to pull Garnet to the shore. The Demented had run ahead and was crossing a stone bridge to ambush them on the shore.


    Talasin knew he needed to keep moving, but his legs felt like led and his vision swirled black with exhaustion.


    Garnet groaned in pain and tried to rise. He helped her sit up, but her dress was soaked in blood and her skin had turned a chalky white.


    "Don''t move," he whispered through labored breaths.


    He looked around in panic. Garnet''s wounds were looking bad, he knew she wouldn''t last the night.


    He looked down the shore and saw a shadow heading towards them. He was out of time.


    Talasin lifted Garnet into his arms. He took a step and stumbled. He caught himself before falling, and then he took another step. He kept going until he saw a narrow sewer pipe emptying into the river. He climbed into the pipe and dragged Garnet in after him.


    Heavy footsteps pounded on the hard ground outside his hiding place. A shadow moved over the exit and Talasin pulled Garnet further back, but his strength was failing him.


    Talasin caught a glimpse of the demon''s massive form. It reached in its hand and clawed at them, missing their face by a few inches. Talasin scrambled back, dragging Garnet by her feet. Finally, once the howling of the demon was in the distance, he collapsed and held Garnet to his chest as he finally ran out of strength. Darkness closed around his mind and there was nothing left to fight it.


    <hr>


    Shadows danced across the room and the wind caressed Talasin''s skin, drawing him out of unconsciousness. A lamp on the wall sconce flickered as figures scurried by. He felt like he''d been asleep for days; his muscles were sore, and his head throbbed with an unfamiliar pain. He lifted his head off the hard ground and looked around blearily as he tried to remember where he was.


    A net curtain opened, and he looked up at a girl with short mousy-brown hair. She wore a torn linen shirt and faded black trousers over scarred and scuffed brown boots, and had a nervous smile on her face.


    "You''re finally awake," she said. "That''s good. I wasn''t sure you''d make it"


    She reached out a hand as if she wanted to touch him, but then pulled back suddenly. "I hope you don''t mind, but I cut the Order sigil off of your clothes and tended to your partner¡¯s wounds."


    Talasin blinked slowly. He didn''t know what she was talking about. His eyesight seemed blurry and distant, so he closed them and tried not to think too much. When his vision cleared, he saw the girl still sitting next to him, watching him.


    "What''s going on? Where am I?" he asked. The words came out in a croak.


    The girl smiled again. "I''m Wren and¡ª"


    "Wait, you said my partner?"


    "Ah yes, the bleeding girl," said Wren.


    "Garnet. Is she ok? Where is she?"


    Wren gestured behind him, and he twisted his neck and saw another net curtain and the faint form of a body lying on the ground behind it.


    "You two have been out for a day now.¡±


    "Is she alive?" asked Talasin.


    The girl nodded. "Oh, she''s alive. She got beat up pretty bad. What happened to you? You are from the Order. I didn''t think anything could hurt you. What are you doing here?"


    "Slow down, you''re giving me a headache," breathed Talasin. "So she''s alive. Is there a healer down here?"


    "Nope, no healer. We do the best we can. Ol'' Cobb, that''s the name of our patron, he used to do work as an apothecary. That was before they found out he was stealing from them and selling the meds to addicts."


    "For goodness¡¯ sake, what are you talking about?" said Talasin as he tried to sit up again.


    "Sorry about that. I speak faster when I get excited. We don''t get Order folk down here often. Raithen doesn''t like their kind. I mean your kind. Says they ain''t to be trusted¡ª whatever that means. So that''s why I had to cut your sigils off. I kept them for you. If you want them back. Maybe you could get someone to sew them back on."


    Talasin ignored the chattering girl and stood. He wobbled and caught himself on the wall.


    "I need to see Garnet," he said and staggered toward the door.


    Wren grabbed his arm and yanked him back against the wall. "Wait Mr. We have business to discuss. I didn''t spend two silver coins on your medicine out of kindness, oh no. I need a favor. One only an Order lackey can help with."


    Talasin shrugged off the girl''s hand and stumbled over to Garnet. He pushed back the net curtain and sat down beside her. He felt her pulse. It was faint, but she was alive, and it seemed like someone had cleaned and bandaged her wounds. He realized then that his own cuts had been treated and bandaged as well.


    "Thank you," he said. "You saved our lives. Honor would usually demand that I stay and help you with your request, but there is a demon loose in the city, and I must send word of this to the Order."


    Wren ran a hand through her short hair and said, "About that. No ones getting out and nobodies getting in. You''re stuck here, with us."


    Talasin reached down for his dagger and then realized it was missing. "Is that a threat?" he asked as he watched the little girl step closer.


    "Not a threat, just a fact. You see you brought trouble to our warren and Raithen ain''t too happy about it. If he had his way your necks would be slit and your bodies given to the demons."


    "Demons?"


    "Aye, that''s the reason we''re stuck here. All the exits have been blocked and there are demons in the sewers.¡±


    Talasan scanned the room looking for his weapons.


    ¡°A few members of my warren have been taken already,¡± Wren continued. ¡°It won''t be long before they get us all.¡±


    Talasan met her gaze, "And that''s where I come in?"


    The girl folded her arms and smiled, ¡°Exactly. You¡¯re going to kill the demon¡¯s and get us out of here before we run out of food.¡±


    <hr>


    Talasin was still sitting beside Garnet when a door opened and five men entered the small room.


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    "Friends of yours, Wren?" asked the largest of the men. His face had a nasty scar running from his right eye to the corner of his mouth.


    "They are mercenaries, Raithen," said Wren. "They got beat up fighting the demons."


    Raithen shook his head. "You and your demons. I told you already, there are no demons in our sewers. None worse than the cutthroats and rapists that wander in our midst."


    "I tell you I saw a demon," said Wren. "It was a woman, with silver hair. She took Twister in the northern sewers behind the old water pump."


    "Yes, yes, you''ve told me the story already" said the leader. "These two don''t look like any mercenaries I''ve ever seen.¡± His eyes lingered on Garnet¡¯s unconscious form for a few seconds, ¡°A bit scrawny if you ask me.¡±


    One of the other men, a small rat faced guy with greasy hair, stepped forward, he twitched nervously. "They look like frightened puppies. I say we kill the guy and have some fun with the girl before she kicks the bucket."


    Talasin stood up, trying not to show just how weak he felt.


    He could sense the tension in the room. These guys were scared and angry. They might not believe that there were demons, but something had happened down here and it had spooked them.


    Any outsiders now were considered a threat. He needed to do something dramatic. Something to show that they couldn''t be messed with.


    Talasin smiled and darted forward. Before anyone could react, he kicked the rat faced man in the groin, knocking him back against the wall. The second man went down under a powerful punch to the jaw.


    Talasin charged at the remaining two and slammed his fist into the stomach of the smallest man. He felt a crunching sound and knew the bastard had broken a rib.


    The middle-sized man tried to grab him and pull him away, but Talasin spun around and kicked him in the side of the head. He doubled over and collapsed onto the floor.


    He turned to face Raithen. The man hadn''t moved since the fight began. He stood back straight with a curious expression on his face.


    "Not bad," said the leader. "A bit showy, but maybe you are mercenaries after all."


    Talasin felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him, but he couldn''t show weakness yet. He turned his back on the big man and took one careful step after another back to Garnet.


    He reached her and sat down before his legs gave out under him.


    He took a deep breath and said, "I have no interest in solving your problems. Once we¡¯ve eaten and rested, we¡¯re getting out of here."


    <hr>


    There were growing concerns about the tunnels being blocked and the limited resources underground, so the guild rats went off to meet with their boss, leaving Talasin and Garnet alone.


    Talasin knew that they were running out of time quickly. Starvation wasn''t the problem. If they didn''t find a new way to surface soon, the guild would start turning on each other way before they ran out of food.


    Talasin could take down five unarmed men when he had the element of surprise, but if they were armed and came at him at once it would be a different story.


    He needed to recover his strength and get the hell out of here. That was going to be hard. Garnet''s left arm was in a sling, but the bleeding had stopped. Her ribs looked bad though. She might have cracked a couple, and the surrounding bruising indicated they might be fractured.


    Not for the first time, Talasin wished he had paid better attention when the second order healers had taught at the academy.


    Fortunately, the young thief Wren had some basic healing skills. Talasin figured that skills like that were a necessary in the hard conditions the girl lived in.


    Talasin rested a hand on Garnet¡¯s chest, feeling her heart beat and her chest rising and falling as her breathing steadied. She would still need medicine, if only for the pain.


    Garnet¡¯s eyes slowly fluttered open and then widened when she saw Talasin bent over her.


    ¡°It''s ok,¡± he whispered, trying to calm her.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked, her voice weak.


    Talasin adjusted the bandage around her ribs.


    ¡°You were hurt badly,¡± he said. ¡°But you''re going to live. I can''t fix your broken ribs, so you''ll have to deal with the pain, but I think you should stay put until I can get us out of this place."


    "Not like I was planning on going anywhere," she said and coughed.


    She winced in pain and then looked up at him, "So what''s the plan, bodyguard? I need to get back to my father. He needs to know that there are demons in his city."


    Talasin sat back against the wall, feeling the cool bricks against his skin. "We are trapped down here like fleas in a bottle,¡± he finally said. ¡°There are demons in the sewers, hunting us. We have no weapons."


    He shrugged, ¡°Right now, I don''t have a plan.¡±


    "My father is paying you to protect me. You''re the one that got us into this mess in the first place," she said. ¡°You will get us out of it.¡±


    "You didn''t have to follow me."


    "You didn''t have to chase the Tormentor like an idiot. I thought the Order was better than that."


    Talasin looked away, embarrassed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. ¡°I didn''t plan for you to get involved.¡± He looked at her. ¡°Why did they take you?¡±


    Garnet shrugged and then winced from the pain in her ribs. ¡°I don''t think they were after me.¡±


    She paused, her mind going back to her kidnapping. ¡°Their eyes were lifeless,¡± she said in a whisper. ¡°When they reached the bridge, they dumped me on the side of the road.¡±


    Her hands began to tremble. ¡°I saw the Tormentor then. Its body outlined by the falling rain.¡±


    Talasin took her small hand into his own and squeezed it gently. ¡°By that point, the demon had full control over their minds,¡± he said. ¡°It must have slowly broken down their minds for months in prison.¡±


    He shook his head, ¡°I don''t understand any of this. Tormentors are interested in feeding on the twisted minds of their prey. They slowly bleed them of all joy until their victims go insane or take their lives. This seemed¡ª¡±


    ¡°Organized,¡± said Garnet.


    Talasin nodded, not liking the idea that the demons had a plan. He liked to think of them as mindless animals.


    ¡°There have been disturbing reports coming into the palace over the last week,¡± said Garnet. ¡°High ranking officials in the city being killed in suspicious ways. King Tidus, a peaceful neighbor of ours, declared war on Caldura over an imagined insult.¡±


    Talasin¡¯s brow rose, ¡°You suspect demons?¡±


    ¡°My father thought so. That is why he hired the Fifth order as bodyguards for my sister and I. He feared something bad was coming.¡±


    ¡°These are dark times,¡± said Talasin. ¡°But as long as the light abides, there is always hope.¡±


    He didn''t believe his own words, but if they comforted her, then that was enough.


    Hope is the lie people tell themselves about the future.


    He had lost his hope the day his master died. Now the only thing he lived for was vengeance.


    <hr>


    The door opened and Wren stepped inside holding a half loaf of bread and a jug of water. Her shirt was wet, and she had a red welt under one of her eyes, but Talasin didn''t bother asking about it. The guild rats had their own politics, and he had no interest in getting involved.


    "Sorry about the wait," she said, and she tossed the bread to Garnet, "I had to go all the way to Raithen''s hole, as you can imagine we are running short on food."


    "Don''t worry about it," said Garnet, who was already chewing on the crust of the bread. She was a true politician, she seemed to be comfortable no matter the company.


    She gestured for the water, and Wren handed her the jug.


    "It might taste a bit like mud," said Wren, "But I strained it through my shirt to get most of the dirt out."


    Garnet stared down at the jug suspiciously, but she was too thirsty to care. She shook her head and gulped down some of the water.


    Talasin watched as Wren walked over to the corner and dropped the empty bread sack. The guild rats were mostly unwashed and wore dirty clothes, and hardly any of them had clean hair, but Wren didn''t look like the rest of them. The way she stood seemed out of place. Like she had been brought up in a wealthy home.


    "Why aren''t you with the others?" asked Garnet as she finished her water and took another drink.


    Wren shrugged. "They''re busy."


    "Busy with what?" asked Talasin.


    "We''ve got a problem."


    "And that is?"


    "There''s a group of thugs holing up in the east wing."


    Talasin groaned. "What''s going on out there?"


    Wren shook her head and leaned against the wall, "People are panicking. They found the body of one of the missing kids. He was drained of all of his blood."


    "A Hellion," said Talasin. "It won''t stop until it¡¯s bled your whole gang dry."


    Wren stared at her feet and said nothing.


    Talasin looked at Garnet and then back at Wren, and then he sighed.


    "Alright, I''ll help you, but I''m going to need a weapon. Silver, preferably if you have any."


    Wren¡¯s face split into a grin, and she stepped over and threw her arms around Talasin. "The goddess bless you," she whispered.


    Talasin frowned at that. He hadn''t taken the girl for a religious person.


    "What time is it?" asked Garnet.


    Wren shrugged, "It''s hard to tell down here, but I''d say it''s around dinner time."


    Talasin stepped over to the door and shut it and then he inspected the locking mechanism. "Do you have a key?" he asked.


    Wren nodded.


    "Good," he said. "We need to keep it locked from now on, and one of us needs to be awake at all times. Demons are weaker during the day. So for now, let¡¯s get some sleep. In the morning, we go hunting."


    <hr>

 Chapter 15 - Break Out

    <Talasin Ward>


    Talasin was woken by the sound of screaming coming from outside Wren''s tiny room, he looked around and saw that Garnet and Wren were awake too.


    In the light of the torch they had been left burning, Talasin could see them looking scared and wide-eyed.


    "Demon," he mouthed the word.


    Wren had managed to find a weapon, it wasn''t anything fancy, just a rusty iron shiv, but it was better than nothing.


    But what Talasin really needed was silver. If he could pierce the demon''s heart with a silver dagger, it would be immobilized long enough for him to cut off its head.


    More shouts of terror echoed down the passage, and the sounds of fighting grew louder.


    Talasin got up and pulled on his boots, which were still lying in the corner. He picked up the torch and went out into the corridor.


    The first thing that struck him was the smell. It was a strange mixture of rotting flesh and excrement. His eyes began to water. The second thing he noticed was the sweltering heat.


    It was far hotter than the room where they¡¯d slept, even more so when you consider the sewer tunnels would have cooled considerably once they''d descended below ground level.


    He looked up and saw flickering red lights moving through the air above him. At first, he thought it was fireflies or some kind of bug, until one landed on his hand and he realized it was actually a balefly staring back at him.


    He''d read about these demonic insects and seen drawings in Master Tannen''s lore books, but never imagined he''d see one face to face.


    It was black with glowing red veins covering its tiny body and red eyes. It was said that the balefly was a sign of bad luck.


    The reason was that when the demonic armies attacked cities, the first sign of the demon''s approach was the baleflies that swarmed them.


    Shouts came from ahead of him, and the sound of heavy boots thudding on stone drew nearer.


    Talasin extinguished his lamp and snuck closer. As soon as he rounded the corner, he knew something was wrong.


    There was blood everywhere, splashed over the walls and floor and pooled in puddles under the fallen bodies of the guild rats.


    They young men and women weren''t just dead, they were torn apart, their leather armor ripped away and their flesh eaten.


    Their limbs were missing, and their intestines spilled out across the floor like a giant slug had devoured them from within.


    There was no doubt about it, there were more than just blood sucking hellions in the sewers.


    A voice called out, "Help!"


    In the same moment, another voice called. "Who''s there? Please, help us."


    The voices belonged to men, both of them sounded old, and the one who had spoken first was wheezing and seemed unwell.


    Talasin peered into the empty chamber and scanned the room for the injured men. Movement caught his eye and he saw an old man writhing on the ground a short distance away.


    "The demons are gone. Please help me," the other man shouted again, and he sounded desperate.


    Talasin crept forward. His eyes were used to seeing in the dark, and he could make out an old man sitting against the wall, his back leaning against the rough stonework and his legs stretched out in front of him.


    Talasin inched closer and then stopped. The old man''s eyes were dull and white as a sheet.


    Something moved behind the man, and Talasin saw it then. A thin tendril-like arm holding the man up like a puppet.


    A mimic, thought Talasin. They lured people either by acting as treasure or by pretending to be a victim. Those that got too close died before they even knew what had happened.


    Mimics had three major weaknesses, though. They were blind, and their true form was incredibly fragile.


    Talasin crawled closer. He bent down and picked up a severed leg and tossed it at the old man. The old man''s chest split open and massive teeth burst out of it and snatched the leg out of the air.


    Their third weakness of the Mimics was that they only had one weapon-their teeth.


    Talasin darted forward, he leapt over a decapitated body and dived past the old man.


    The mimic shrieked and tried to spit out the half chewed leg, but it was too slow. Talasin severed the puppet tendril with one clean slash.


    The whole room trembled as the mimic let out a piercing howl. Before Talasin could swing his blade a second time, the Mimic merged into the shadows.


    Talasin strained his eyes trying to find his quarry, but the demon was nowhere in sight. Mimic''s had zero pain threshold. The wound wouldn''t kill it, but Talasin knew it wouldn''t be able to fight again this night.


    <hr>


    Talasin left the room and continued on down a smaller sewer pipe. The sound of running water muffled any other sounds in the area, but he could feel vibrations under his feet. He didn''t know what the source of the vibrations were, but he suspected it could be a water wheel below ground.


    He continued following the narrow pipe for over an hour. The trickling sound of running water faded and was replaced with a dull roaring sound that Talasin couldn''t quite place.


    The tunnel opened up into the main sewer pipe, it was massive, about the height of a small building.


    He climbed atop a stack of crates and peered out into the shifting shadows down below. What he saw filled him with dread.


    Waves of Demented hunched over and marching in single file, all heading to the city above. They walked quickly, as if some great terror was pushing them on.


    Behind them came hordes of zombies, skeletons, kobolds and furies.


    Talasin had only read about these demonic war beasts. The books did furies no justice. Every part of their body was a weapon. They walked on all fours, their legs ending in sharp blades that could slice through bone effortlessly. Their snouts were long, revealing glistening fangs and their whip-like tails swishing as they marched.


    Talasin tried to back away, but his foot slipped on a crate. It fell off the side and smashed into splinters.


    A single fury stopped marching. Its head swung towards Talasin¡¯s hiding place, and the boy froze, not daring to breathe.


    His heart pounded in his chest and he held his breath, afraid to even breath.


    The fury¡¯s nostrils flared as it sniffed the air.


    A loud cracking sound resounded through the passage, and the fury hissed in challenge. A Demon Overlord that looked like the bloated corpse of an obese giant cracked its whip a second time, and the fury bared its fangs and then turned, rejoining its pack.


    Talasin laid flat on his belly as he watched a procession of dismounted soldiers following behind the hordes of undead.


    These humans were obviously professional soldiers, and they carried curved swords and round red shields. They had to be the Redhand, a tribe of Sethi warriors from across the Iron sea.


    Talasin had read stories about them at the academy. It was said that the Redhand painted their shields in the blood of their victims and that they never surrendered in battle, choosing instead to fight to the death.


    Talasin shrank back and watched with one eye as the army continued marching on. There had to be thousands of them, he thought. Enough to destroy a city in a single night. The thought sent chills down his spine.


    Behind them all came a lone figure, this one more frightening than the rest put together. A Forsaken. The sightless demon was dressed in black robes. Its skeletal hands clutched a gnarled staff, and it glided across the ground like a wraith. Talasin knew that in this creature¡¯s wake, all plant life and small animals withered and died.


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    Talasin''s legs began to tremble uncontrollably, and he felt his bladder releasing. Warm urine ran down his legs, but he didn''t move. He couldn''t.


    The terror that had gripped his heart would have killed an untrained man. Talasin¡¯s own training barely kept his sanity intact.


    He could feel the strain on his heart and his labored breath heavy in his chest. He wanted to run, but he knew his legs wouldn''t obey him.


    He silently watched in horror as the Demon General passed by. The creature would have sensed Talasin¡¯s presence, but the young Talamascan boy was so far beneath this demon that it didn''t even bother to look his way.


    <hr>


    An hour had passed before Talasin was able to move again. His muscles were stiff from being frozen in place, and his breathing was slowly returning to normal.


    He''d heard stories of people being so terrified at seeing a Forsaken that they''d lost their minds or died on the spot. He''d always thought those stories exaggerated, but at that moment he felt lucky to still be alive.


    It had to be magic, he thought. The demon must have some fear aura surrounding it. He wondered if anybody had managed to pierce that barrier and kill a Forsaken. It seemed hard to believe that any mortal could stand against it and live.


    On shaky legs, Talasin made his way back to Wren''s room. His mind was still poisoned with terror, so the journey was painfully slow. He¡¯d walk a few steps and then stop and listen, making sure he wasn''t being followed. He had a feeling that he was being watched every step of the way, but he pushed those thoughts away, choosing to believe that they were just symptoms of the Forsaken¡¯s magic.


    His mouth was dry and really needed a drink, maybe something stronger than just water.


    He imagined the feeling of cool liquid running down his parched throat as he drew closer to Wren¡¯s room.


    He rounded a corner and heard the sound of a girl screaming.


    "Go away!"


    ¡°That was Wren¡¯s voice!¡± Talasin whispered to himself.


    He reached her door, kicked it open and stepped inside, his weapon drawn and ready.


    Wren sat on the bed with her knees drawn up to her chest. Tears trickled down her cheeks. Her hands gripped the blankets, and she was shaking violently.


    Talasin took a tentative step forward. "Are you okay?"


    And then he saw Raithen slouched against the wall. The man was covered in blood. A small gash ran along his cheek and his left ear was torn off. His clothes were ripped and bloody, and the skin underneath was burned raw.


    Raithen held one hand against his wounded side. "It''s okay, I''m fine," he said quietly.


    He pulled himself up against the wall, ¡°I was trapped in my room when the roof collapsed,¡± he continued. ¡°I just managed to get out alive, but Zed and Nosebleed.¡± He trailed off, shaking his head.


    Wren wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up at Talasin. He knew that she was hoping he''d found her friends and family.


    Garnet winced as she got to her feet. She slowly crossed the room and came to stand beside Talasin.


    He slung his arm around her waist for support.


    "How bad is it out there?" she asked.


    Talasin shook his head, "It''s bad," he said.


    Garnet nodded slowly, "How many survivors are there?"


    "They..." he began, and then he cleared his throat.


    Wren sucked in a deep breath and more tears formed in her eyes.


    Talasin swallowed, and his voice cracked, "They are all dead."


    The room fell silent. Talasin looked at the floor, not wanting to meet their eyes.


    ¡°I''m sorry,¡± he said in a voice barely audible.


    It sounded like lightning had stuck their room. A wall exploded and debris fell about them like snow. Garnet fell forward, but Talasin held her tight.


    Wren shot to her feet, her eyes wild in panic.


    "We need to go now," Talasin hissed. "There is an army of demons heading for the city. We don''t have time to warn the city watch, but if we get moving, maybe we can get out alive."


    <hr>


    Talasin led the way, with the three following close behind. They picked their way through the corpses and down the large central sewer line that the demon''s had used. Talasin didn''t want to go back there, but he knew it was the only way out.


    Around every corner there was another body, or worse, a pile of bodies. So far, they hadn''t encountered any demons, but they could hear the sounds of fighting echoing through the tunnels.


    "It''s getting louder," whispered Garnet.


    Talasin shook his head, "It means the city is putting up a good fight.¡±


    Garnet nodded at his words, she still thought they had a fighting chance. Talasin knew better, he¡¯d seen the might of the demon''s army. There would be no glorious battle above ground, it would be a slaughter.


    ¡°This tunnel leads right out onto the street,¡± said Wren. ¡°We''ll be able to see what''s happening soon enough.¡±


    As they walked the noise continued, louder than ever, and the surrounding walls seemed to shake with the thunderous clash of battle.


    A low moan echoed through the tunnel, and they all froze.


    "What was that?" whispered Wren.


    Talasin swallowed, "I''m not sure. It sounded like..." He trailed off and squinted into the dark


    A second later, the corridor erupted into chaos.


    Cries of terror filled the air, and the ground vibrated beneath their feet. The tunnel split, and they heard the sound of something huge crashing through the wall ahead of them.


    An Abomination burst into the tunnel and stopped short when it saw Talasin.


    ¡°By Teon¡¯s balls!¡± shouted Raithen. ¡°What the hell is that?¡±


    The beast was a mishmash of body parts both human and monster, sewn together and animated by dark magic. It wasn''t a demon, but a chimera created by demonic alchemists. Talasin had only seen sketches of them in books during history lessons.


    The creature''s head was that of a man, the body a humanoid shape with long arms and legs. Its torso was that of a goat, and the limbs were those of a spider. The thing was hideous to look upon, and yet Talasin found himself transfixed by the sight of it.


    ¡°Get back,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    He hoped he sounded braver than he felt.


    Talasin drew his shiv and watched the creature. Its legs twitched and made a strange clicking sound like branches of a tree being rubbed together.


    Which twisted mind thought up this creature?


    Before he could complete the thought, the monster attacked.


    Talasin dodged the attack and brought his shiv down, and the blade sliced through the beast''s spider arms and plunged into its chest.


    The beast roared in pain and grabbed at it, but the shiv was lodged deep, and blood spurted from the wound.


    "Hand me a weapon," Talasin roared as the monster lunged at him, its limbs slashing wildly in a low arc.


    Talasin ducked under the swinging arms and stepped back, taking a moment to steady himself.


    The abomination closed in, thrashing its talons at Talasin face.


    Raithen whistled and tossed his iron sword. Talasin caught it deftly and rolled aside, dodging another blow. He struck again and the beast''s head snapping back as the blade cut through its neck.


    Blood sprayed the floor in front of Talasin and the creature stumbled, dropping to the ground and trying to crawl away.


    Talasin watched it for a moment. His Master had often told him that an enemy was at it''s most dangerous when it was about to die.


    Talasin stepped forward and chopped off the beast''s head with one clean slash.


    The abomination was weak, its strange assortment of body parts hindering its movement rather than aiding it.


    [Abomination Killed - Progress Towards Next Ascension: 37%]


    <hr>


    It was still dark when the four companions emerged from the sewers.


    The sky glowed an ominous red as the city burnt. They were in the northern district near the temple of Ramagos and the great library of K''rith Vatali. Both ancient buildings were burnt to the ground and the whole city was ablaze.


    The streets were lined with bodies, charred and still smoking, and screams echoed through the air.


    ¡°Why?¡± Wren murmured beside him. Her eyes were wide with fright and confusion.


    ¡°Evil bastards,¡± Raithen spat. ¡°We need to get out of here.¡±


    Garnet gestured down the street towards the palace, and Talasin nodded.


    The group moved quickly across the street towards the palace, and the sounds of fighting grew louder.


    Raithen ran ahead, stepping over dead bodies, and disappeared into the palace grounds.


    Garnet and Wren ran ahead of Talasin, and he guarded their rear and made sure that Garnet was not left behind.


    As they ran, he scanned the rooftops for signs of danger.


    There were no demons so far. But, baleflies swarmed in black clouds over dead bodies and many fires were dotted around the city


    Ahead of them, a group of soldiers gathered about the palace. They wore the insignia of the Royal Guard, a red cross on white. Three men stood guard at the door, and the other soldiers huddled around the building.


    Raithen waved them over, and the companions crouched low behind a stack of wooden crates and watched.


    A single figure walked out of the building and joined the guards. She was lean and muscular with short red hair cut in a bob. She wore a sleeveless leather breastplate and leggings beneath a long brown coat. From that distance, Talasin could see that her face was covered in blood.


    "My sword instructor," said Garnet. She tried to stand up, but Talasin caught her arm and held her tight.


    ¡°Wait,¡± he said. ¡°We need to move cautiously.¡±


    ¡°Let me go!¡± said Garnet, trying to pull free.


    A shout of warning rang out from the soldiers, and the three guards drew their swords as the palace gates burst open.


    A horde of Demented surged through the gates, they swung their butcher''s cleavers with practiced ease, decimating the guards in seconds.


    Talasin''s own shout of warning died as the woman¡¯s head soared through the air. It landed on the road a short distance from them.


    Garnet cried out in horror and Talasin released her arm. She ran across the street and fell down on the ground, sobbing heavily.


    Someone screamed, and Talasin turned to see a soldier impaled on an axe blade. The man''s guts spilled out onto the street as the axe felled him in two.


    "We need to get out of here," Wren hissed.


    Talasin looked around and realized they were too late to help. The battle was already over. The city had been lost.


    He left the hiding place and ran over to Garnet. He pulled her to her feet and turned to face her. He felt numb and confused.


    The light is meant to prevail, how has the darkness overthrown us so easily.


    Garnet''s expression was dull, as she stared into the lifeless eyes of her sword instructor.


    "We need to get back to Astraeus and warn the Order," Talasin said in a voice so low it could barely be heard over the sounds of shouting.


    Garnet said nothing. She clutched onto his arm as all of her strength vanished.


    Talasin looked back at the palace and then at Wren, Garnet and Raithen. Their eyes all mirrored the fear and horror he felt.


    "Let¡¯s get the hell out of here," he said.


    <hr>

 Chapter 16 - Bowels of Hell

    <Chloe The Undead>


    Chloe''s week in the Bowels of Hell, that''s what she called the place, was a mixture of scavenging the remains of dead things, running, hiding and avoiding anything that moved.


    She quickly realized that she was one of the weakest creatures in this new world of monsters. She needed to get out, but she didn''t have the courage to cross the great cavern and return to the waterfall.


    ¡°Even if I did manage to reach it,¡± she muttered. ¡°How am I supposed to climb up?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, that won''t work. I need to find another exit, if one even exists.¡±


    [Hunger 7%]


    Her growling stomach reminded her that she couldn''t just hide away. She needed to eat. If she let her hunger get out of hand and she lost control down here, she would be torn apart by the other monsters.


    She couldn''t die yet. She had a mission. Get stronger. Kick Malice''s ass and find her sister, and then return home.


    <hr>


    A week later, while Chloe was looking around the tiny bit of territory she had mapped in her mind, she found a corpse of some sort. She assumed it was a dead demon, since it was mummified and almost completely unrecognizable.


    She poked at it with one finger, and it crumbled to dust in her hand. A shiny green gem lay in the center of the ash pile.


    She picked it up and pocketed it. She wondered what the gem was for, but her stomach growled again, and she quickly forgot about it. She wiped her hand off on a rock before returning to her search.


    She was looking for something weak to kill, if something like that existed. If there was nothing weak, then she needed something stupid enough to fall for a trap.


    She¡¯d spent many sleepless nights thinking about how she''d trap something more powerful than her. She''d come up with a few ideas, all stolen from movies.


    Her first idea was simple enough. She needed to dig a hole in the floor directly above the lava lake. Then she''d cover it with a thin layer of shale and hope to hell something stood on it and fell into the lava. She¡¯d then sneak down and decapitate the burning beast. She didn''t feel positive about that idea, the chances of her falling in the lava were too high.


    Her next ideas were standard trap fare. The rolling boulder trap, the spiked pit trap and the last and most desperate trap, hanging upside down with her claws extended and hoping something walked beneath her. She¡¯d then stab it in the head with her claws and hope it died.


    None of these plans sounded very appealing, but Chloe was desperate, and sometimes desperate people have no choices left but to do something stupid.


    She fled back to her hole when she heard something stomping down the passageway.


    Chloe spent the next few hours planning her trap. Her hunger gnawed at her, and in her desperation she even tried to eat the gem she''d found. It was rock hard and tasted like dirt.


    She had gathered a small stash of glowing moss which lit up her new home, and in that light she studied the gem. There was a rough spiral shape carved into the center of it.


    She played with it throughout that night and finally when she grew bored with the gem she drew out her amulet. As soon as the gem got near to the amulet, the gem began to change shape in her hands.


    It twisted and reached up to the amulet like the branches of a tree reaching for the sun. She touched the stone to the amulet, and immediately the symbol of the Talamasca on the amulet opened up, and the stone was absorbed into it.


    It happened so quickly that Chloe thought she''d imagined it at first. But when she ran her fingers over the amulet, she found that it was warm.


    <hr>


    It took Chloe two days of constant searching to find another body. This one''s head was caved in, and Chloe managed to scrounge up a mouthful of its brains.


    It tasted like shit and did nothing for her hunger, but it would work as bait.


    She dragged the body under a stone ledge that she had found a few days earlier, and then she climbed up onto the ledge and waited.


    Hours passed before something appeared. It looked like a giant snail, about the size of a large dog. Its shell was orange, and it left a trail of fire in its wake.


    It was too short for her ¡®stab it in the head strategy.¡¯ But she was already in position, and she couldn''t back out now. Her stomach wouldn''t let her.


    The Ember snail, that''s what she decided to call it, slithered towards the corpse slowly, and she watched it carefully studying its movements. If the snail could survive in this place, than it had to be dangerous.


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    It stopped twenty feet from where she sat, and then its lower jaw dropped open, revealing rows of razor sharp teeth. She didn''t know snails had teeth. She just hoped it had a brain.


    The snail slowly inched nearer until it was close enough to smell the disgusting fleshy aroma of the decaying body.


    It started to chew on the cadaver, and Chloe knew that this was going to happen. She could wait no longer. She extended her nails and then activated her new ability for the first time.


    [Oath of Pain: Activated]


    [Sets you on fire when cast. The oath uses your pain to increase your strength]


    Her body burst into flames and her muscles bulged. She expected that part. The part she did not expect was just how incredibly painful it would be.


    She fell to her knees and screamed in agony as her skin burnt. She bit her lip, trying to control the pain, but it did nothing to dull it. Even when she was still human, she had never felt pain like that.


    "Holy shit!" she screamed, but she couldn''t hear her own voice, the roar of the flames were so deafening.


    She had not expected such intense, all consuming pain. Her head spun, and she fell from the ledge and landed on her back.


    She rolled to her feet and slashed at the Ember Snail''s head. Her claws cut through its antennae, and red-hot lava spurted out of the wounds and sizzled on the stony ground.


    Chloe dropped to her knees as the pain redoubled. The snail''s neck stretched out towards her-its face a wall of jagged teeth.


    Hell no, I can''t go out like this.


    She scrunched up her eyes, and felt the hard ground beneath her feet. She directed her new strength into her legs.


    "Die you slimy mother custard son of a biscuit!" she yelled as she thrust herself forward.


    Her arms outstretched, claws reflecting the flames. Her razor sharp nails ripped through the snail''s mouth and tore through its flesh effortlessly.


    The snail let out a pitiful squawking sound as its slimy body deflated and a pool of lava spread around it. Its shell began to expand and glow a menacing red. Chloe jumped over the lava and slashed off the snail''s head and dived away just as it exploded.


    The explosion threw her across the cavern, and she hit the wall and crumpled to the ground. An intense pain lanced through her head and she saw an image of her standing over the dead body of Hope.


    [Ember Snail Killed - Progress Towards Next Evolution: 13%]


    She lay motionless for a moment, groaning in agony and trying to process what she had just seen.


    "Shit!" she groaned as she realized that she was in control of her own pain.


    [Oath of Pain: Deactivated]


    The pain faded, and she sat up, still with the snail''s floppy head in her arms. She looked at her arms and legs expecting burn marks, but there was nothing, not even faint scorch marks.


    It seemed like her fire spell was an illusion - a damned painful one, though.


    She sniffed the snail and pulled a face, "Please have a brain."


    <hr>


    Chloe returned to the hole she called home, sweat soaked and covered in slim. She ate the measly snail''s brain, then she fed the snail''s gem to the amulet, and once again the amulet absorbed it. She wasn''t sure what it was doing, but she felt that it was important somehow.


    She focused on the amulet, trying to sense a connection with it. After a few attempts, she felt a tingling sensation run down her arm. She looked down to see that the amulet was glowing.


    "What are you?" she asked, and an image appeared in her mind of her holding a black sword, standing over a dead crocodile.


    "That''s me. But how?"


    There was no response.


    She tried to summon more images, but they never came.


    ¡°Wait. You are the weapon,¡± she said. ¡°Just like Garrick''s bird that transformed into a sword.¡±


    She picked at an unhealed wound as she drew on the memories of the past few weeks.


    ¡°When Cassadin used you,¡± she said, speaking to the amulet. ¡°You transformed into an axe. How does it work? How do I summon you?"


    An image flashed through her mind. It was her speaking, she couldn''t hear the words she said, but she saw her lips moving. She was saying a name.


    "What is your name?"


    Only silence answered her question.


    <hr>


    Chloe woke up the next day in a bad mood. She was sick of all the mysteries, all the pain and mindless killing.


    She just wanted out of this underground prison and to see the light of day. The vision she''d received from the snail''s putrid brain showed a series of tunnels that led slowly upwards.


    She had also seen something else in that vision. A monster the size of the tunnel itself. The snail knew it as the Behemoth, the Lord of the Catacombs.


    Chloe was afraid, and she didn''t know where the hell she was, but she knew she couldn''t stay there another day.


    She was so sick of being afraid. It felt like she was losing her mind. Each day was made up of fear and hunting. She was becoming an animal. A creature of instincts, and her instincts were telling her that she needed to get out before something hungry came looking for her.


    Chloe adjusted the amulet around her neck and crawled out of her hole in the wall.


    As soon as she emerged from the darkness, she heard the sound of wings flapping. It was a flock of Hellkites. That was her name for the black and red bat-like creatures that owned the air. They were weak alone, but she had seen a flock of them take down a lizard man.


    The Hellkites circled and swooped around her, squealing and screeching in protest at her intrusion. She had noticed days earlier that the Hellkites didn''t like her scent. It was one of the perks of being undead.


    Being a rotting corpse has its benefits.


    Chloe waited for them to pass, and once the air was clear she strode determinedly to the end of the tunnel. She reached the edge and looked up at the sheer cliff sides stretching as far as her eye could see.


    The top of the catacombs were so high above her that she felt dizzy and her stomach lurched. She turned back and looked down into the dark abyss of the cavern. There was no going back. It was time to leave this place.


    <hr>

 Chapter 17 - Adventurers

    <Chloe The Undead>


    Chloe followed the tunnels leading up. She got lost many times and often had to stop and hide to avoid something that would¡¯ve liked to have her for breakfast.


    Late one day she smelt something. The scent was faint, a whiff of blood and fear that had been so long buried in her memory it wasn''t even recognizable as such anymore.


    Weeks had passed since she''d sunk into the depths of the catacombs, and in that short time she had become a creature of the darkness.


    Her eyes were accustomed to the dim surroundings, only illuminated by the odd bioluminescent mushrooms and glowing hanging moss.


    She moved slowly through the tunnels, stalking her prey and making sure not to make any noise. It was hard not to be tempted by the delicious scent of fear. It was almost like a drug for her; an aphrodisiac.


    A small voice in the back of her head told her that she was making a mistake. She shouldn''t be near humans when she was hungry. But it was so hard to find food. They would understand. It was nothing personal, she was just an animal looking for an easy meal.


    It took nearly an hour for Chloe to track them down. There were three of them, huddled together against one wall.


    The leader was a man dressed in shining armor and wielding a sword and shield. His hair was white like Chloe''s and his yellow eyes shone in the dark.


    Behind him was a girl, young, her skin pale and lightly freckled. She wore an eye patch over her right eye, and she clutched a wooden staff in both of her hands. She trembled as she peered out into the darkness, her single eye big with fear.


    The third party member was a young man dressed in blue robes. He wore glasses and held a glowing wand in his hand. She assumed he was the healer of the group.


    A classic party of adventurers.


    Chloe crept closer, keeping low and watching their every move. The fear emanating from them was sweet and thick, like honeyed wine. She was tired of rancid monster brains, fresh meat would go down so well.


    The adventures were all hunkered down in a corner of the tunnel, waiting for something.


    Maybe there''s a fourth member that is coming?


    "It''s close," whispered the girl. Her voice was sweet and innocent, and it tugged at a part of Chloe''s mind that she¡¯d been forced to bury to survive underground.


    "Stay behind me, Velvet," said the swordsman. "Quinby you keep your guard up."


    Velvet nodded nervously but did as she was told, and the healer boy raised his wand higher.


    Chloe crept forward, careful to avoid making any sound. She was inching closer to the group when suddenly she saw movement on the wall. The shadows the healers wand were casting flickered and then moved on their own.


    ¡°Did you see that?¡± asked the healer, his voice a loud squeak of panic.


    The swordsman waved his sword threateningly. ¡°Come out and face us, you damned monster.¡±


    ¡°Be quiet, Gus,¡± said the girl.


    Chloe watched as the shadows bent and formed the shape of a bird. She clenched her jaw, someone was trying to steal her food.


    The young girl, named Velvet, whispered a single word. Tiny sparks appeared above each of her fingertips. The sparks merged and pulsed, forming a fireball in the palm of the girl''s hand.


    Velvet flicked her wrist and launched the fireball at the shadow. The flames hit the wall with a loud pop followed by a low sizzling sound.


    Chloe backed away into deeper shadows and waited. She knew the demon would not give up so easily.


    Minutes dragged on, and then she sensed its presence sneaking up behind the three adventurers. They were so focused on the shadow illusions that they hadn''t realized that the Mesmer demon that had cast the illusions was behind them.


    Chloe felt a rush of exhilaration coursing through her body. This lessor demon was trying to steal her prey. She relished the opportunity to defend her territory.


    "It''s behind¡ª" Velvet began to say.


    Something dark burst from the wall, materializing in front of Quinby and putting out the glowing wand. The dark shape wrapped around his arms and legs.


    Quinby screamed in terror, thrashing against the invisible chains. But the boy was weak and was no match for the demon.


    "Gus, help me!" he screamed as the darkness whisked him away.


    A low, guttural groan of anger came from deep in Chloe''s chest. The Mesmer demon was fast and elusive. If she went after the boy, there was a good chance the demon would go after the remaining two.


    The mage shot a weaker fireball down the passage, to illuminate the way, but the boy was gone.


    ¡°Stay here, Velvet,¡± said the swordsman. ¡°I''m going after Quinby.¡±


    Chloe stepped out from the shadows and sped forward. Her body blurred past the two startled adventurers.


    She could sense the Mesmer. It had pulled the boy into a dark corner and was in the process of draining his life force.


    The shadowy creature spent most of it''s time in its incorporeal form, but it was forced to use its solid form when it fed. That was its one weakness.


    Quinby struggled weakly, flailing wildly at the air, as if somehow hoping to dislodge the thing that held him down. But his strength was fading. He dropped to the ground unconscious, the fear overwhelming him.


    "My prey," Chloe hissed, her voice a low rasp.


    She leapt across the room and was upon the Mesmer in a flash, pinning him to the ground and clamping her teeth onto his neck.


    A growing sense of self-loathing washed over her.


    I''ve become a monster.


    The Mesmer tried to scream, but she bit off its words and tightened her grip, driving her nails into the flesh beneath its chin.


    The shadow demon trembled beneath her grip. It was a weak monster, using tricks to prey on the foolish.


    Chloe didn''t hesitate. She tore out its throat and let his blood spill across the floor.


    It deserved to die. The weak should die.


    With a last shudder, she released the corpse and wiped her lips clean with the back of her hand.


    [Mesmer Demon Killed - Progress Towards Next Evolution: 52%]


    She looked down at the unconscious form of Quinby. She could drag him into a quiet spot and slowly slice his head open.


    She gasped as a rush of excitement rippled through her body. She would savor each mouthful of his soft, delicate flesh. She would make sure she didn''t spill a drop.


    Her hands reached out to the unconscious boy. His skin was warm, and she could feel his heart beating in his chest. She touched her finger nail to his forehead and watched a tiny globe of blood welling up beneath it.


    ¡°No,¡± she whispered.


    She pulled her hand back, holding it to her chest like it had been burnt.


    I''m a terrible person.


    She made up her mind that she would spare the boy. Not for his sake but for her own.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    She stood up and stepped across his body, leaving him there. She reached down and grabbed the shadow demon¡¯s by the leg and dragged its corpse into the darkness.


    She heard the two companions searching for their friend. Her instincts told her to go back, to finish them. She needed to feed soon before her bloodlust took over.


    With nails extended and a trembling hand, she sliced open the shadow demon''s head. She didn''t pause to take in the smell and to relish her meal. Instead, she scooped out its brains and bite into them as quickly as she could. She mechanically chewed and swallowed, hating herself for what she¡¯d become.


    <hr>


    "I know you are there," said Velvet. "I can feel you. Come out, please."


    Chloe hesitated. Her head was still pounding from the visions she''d received from the demon''s brains.


    It was a strange creature. It had stayed in this same territory for years. It was afraid of everything and hid whenever it heard footsteps.


    It was a lonely creature, and in the last years of its life it had slipped into madness. It used its shadow illusions to hunt, but it also used them for company.


    The visions hit a bit too close to home. In a couple more years, she would be nothing more than a mindless beast, no better than this demon.


    ¡°Hello!¡± Velvet called out again.


    "You saved my friend," said the swordsman. "We just want to thank you."


    Chloe didn''t want to reveal herself. She hadn''t seen her reflection in weeks. She was sure she looked every bit the monster she felt she was.


    But if she was going to get out of this place, she would need help. These adventurers had entered the catacombs, which meant they knew the way out.


    "I am here," Chloe said, stepping out of the shadows and revealing herself.


    The three involuntarily backed away from her. She didn''t want to know what they were seeing. In their eyes, was she a young girl, or did they only see the monster?


    "What''s your name?" Velvet asked.


    The sound of her sweet voice in the dark tunnels made Chloe smile. It felt so out of place, but it was so welcome.


    "Chloe," she said.


    The companions exchanged nervous glances.


    "Why are you here?" the swordsman finally asked.


    "Lost,¡± said Chloe. ¡°Like you are. I just want to get home."


    "Thank you," Quinby stammered. "I owe you my life."


    Chloe gazed at him, seeing the blood smeared on his forehead. He was so weak. She could crush him between her fingers if she wanted. It wasn''t too late.


    "How did you find us?" asked Velvet, and the sound brought Chloe out of her dark thoughts.


    "I fell through a hole," she said. "And I''ve been hiding ever since. I heard voices and then the demon attacked. I... I had to do something."


    Her voice faltered. She hadn''t spoken much in the last few weeks, and it felt odd to be speaking so much all of a sudden.


    The swordsman extended a hand to Chloe, and for a moment she just stared at it in confusion. Then she took it in hers and smiled weakly.


    <hr>


    Quinby, the healer with his glowing wand, led the way, and Gus the swordsman stuck close to his side, ready to defend him if anything attacked.


    Velvet and Chloe stayed at the rear of the group, their job was making sure nothing snuck up on them.


    "So how long have you been down here?" asked Gus.


    "I lost track of time," said Chloe. "Almost lost myself to madness too, but now..." Her voice trailed off.


    "I''m sorry," said Gus. "We are hunting for soul stones. Velvet over here is joining the Sixth Order and needs them for when she gets her ethereal armament."


    Chloe looked at the shy girl.


    "What do the soul stones do?" she asked.


    "It''s how the Talamasca level up their weapons," said Velvet. "It''s a long way off before I''ll even be accepted as an apprentice, but Gus insisted we explore this dungeon together. Who knew there would be something as powerful as a shadow demon down here.¡±


    "We should leave as soon as we can," said Chloe. "This place is far more dangerous than you guys might believe."


    "Don''t worry," said Gus. "That shadow demon caught us by surprise. My guard is up now, so that won¡¯t happen again."


    Chloe shook her head, but she remained silent. There was no point trying to explain just how deep in the shit these kids were.


    Some time later they reached a tunnel which opened onto the slope leading down to a chamber below. A light spilled into the tunnel up ahead and as they drew nearer, they saw white moths bathing in the light.


    ¡°What is this place?¡± Chloe asked.


    Gus shrugged and stepped towards the light. His hand grasped his sword and his face grew grim and determined.


    Chloe followed him over a rocky outcrop and into the light. The moths circled their heads curiously, their wings beating gently against their skin. There was something comforting about their presence.


    Gus motioned for them to stay behind whilst he went to explore further up ahead.


    ¡°Should he be going alone?¡± Chloe asked.


    Velvet shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s stubborn as an ox most days.¡± She smiled. ¡°And now that he has a pretty girl to protect, he''s going to be even more stubborn than usual.¡±


    Did she mean me? Chloe wondered.


    No, Velvet must have just been kidding around. There was no way that Chloe could ever be considered a pretty girl.


    A few tense moments passed, and then Gus emerged from the light with a grin spreading from cheek to cheek.


    ¡°You''ve got to see this place,¡± he said.


    ¡°Well, don''t keep us guessing,¡± said Velvet, stepping towards him.


    Gus laughed, ¡°Just come on, you¡¯re going to love it.¡±


    <hr>


    They party stepped through the door and into an area that seemed so out of place in this world.


    An underground river cut through a valley deep within a cavern bathed in blue light. The ceiling of the cavern was covered in glow moths. There had to be hundreds and thousands of them. They made gentle humming sounds as their wings beat in unison.


    As they stepped into the long grass, Chloe felt a weight being lifted off of her, and she heard the sighs of pleasure coming from her companions.


    For the first time in over a month, Chloe felt at peace.


    ¡°What is this place?¡± she whispered, afraid that if she spoke too loud she¡¯d break the spell.


    ¡°A safe haven,¡± said Velvet, and she fell back into the long grass and laughed. ¡°I read about these.¡±


    ¡°There is ancient magic in these places,¡± said Quinby sitting down beside her. ¡°It''s impossible for a person or a monster to feel aggression. You couldn''t even swing a sword with conviction in this place.¡±


    As he spoke, Chloe saw creatures peering at them from between the grass. There was a small tribe of goblins swimming in the river and a large cave troll lazing in the grass.


    A Hellkite flew overhead, sending a cloud of moths flying in all directions. Chloe felt no fear. The monsters were at peace and so was she.


    ¡°Who created this place?¡± she asked.


    Gus shrugged, ¡°Some say Belladeon, but many believe that the dungeons and safe havens are an old magic, from before the time of gods.¡±


    ¡°That''s blasphemy,¡± said Velvet, but her voice carried no conviction.


    Gus shrugged and picked a tall blade of grass and chewed on the end of it. ¡°It''s sweet, try some.¡±


    Quinby and Velvet picked a blade each, but Chloe didn''t bother. She had no interest in any flavor apart from brains.


    At least, I¡¯ll never have to worry about deciding what''s for dinner ever again.


    She smiled at the morbid thought.


    ¡°What''s so funny?¡± asked Velvet.


    Chloe shrugged and brushed a lock of hair out of her face. ¡°Just thinking about how strange life is. Not in my wildest dreams would I ever imagine seeing a place like this.¡±


    ¡°We should take a dip in the river,¡± said Gus. ¡°We can wash the grime and blood off of ourselves.¡±


    <hr>


    Chloe turned her back to the others and pulled off her tattered robe, and quickly jumped in the water before anyone could see her.


    The three followed suit, and they all swam lazily for a few minutes.


    Pain throbbed in Chloe''s head and black specks floated across her vision. In her minds eye she saw a castle in ruins. The image was there for less than a second, but the headache that accompanied it lingered far longer.


    These vision headaches were growing more frequent. She didn''t understand them. They weren''t the same as the visions she saw from people''s brains. This was something else, almost like somebody else''s memories trying to force themselves into her mind.


    Chloe opened her eyes and realized Gus was swimming next to her.


    ¡°How did you get those scars?¡± he asked.


    Chloe subconsciously raised a hand to cover a scar on her chest.


    Velvet splashed Gus in the face and said, ¡°You¡¯re such an ass, Gus. Don''t ask people questions like that.¡±


    Gus waved his hands in a sign of surrender. ¡°Sorry, I was just curious. It''s just, it looks like you¡¯ve been through hell.¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry about him,¡± said Velvet. ¡°He was raised by trolls, and then they kicked him out of their tribe for being so uncouth.¡±


    Gus laughed heartidly.


    Before Chloe could think of a lie, loud screaming from down the river interrupted them. The sound came from the direction of the goblin tribe.


    But the party felt no fear, just mild curiosity.


    Chloe waded down the river towards the sound and saw a female goblin, she assumed it was female because it had breasts and a swollen belly.


    It was clearly giving birth. The goblin screamed again and moments later a crying baby goblin was born. The elder of the tribe washed the baby in the water and then handed it back to its mother.


    ¡°Goblins are some of the weakest monsters you¡¯ll find in dungeons,¡± said Quinby. ¡°They are vulnerable when they give birth, so they come to places like this when the females are heavily pregnant.¡±


    The mother goblin turned to look at them and from across the way, Chloe''s eyes met hers. They stared at each other for a few seconds before the mother looked back down at her child.


    ¡°They are not so different from us,¡± said Chloe.


    ¡°Except that they eat human flesh,¡± said Gus. ¡°It''s a pity we can''t fight in this place. I would have killed them all if I could.¡±


    Quinby nodded.


    Chloe frowned but said nothing for some time, and then after a while she looked back at the tribe and said, ¡°Why don''t they leave this dungeon. If they are the weakest, why stay?¡±


    Velvet gave her an odd look. ¡°You know, monsters can''t leave the dungeons they are born in. There are many paths that lead into a dungeon, but monsters are unable to leave.¡±


    Chloe felt her heart sink. What if she was stuck here too. Would people see her as a monster and want to kill her on sight?


    Velvet laid a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Don''t worry, we¡¯ll get you back to Astraeus, but we should stay here tonight and replenish our strength.¡±


    <hr>

 Chapter 18 - Hairy Angler

    <Chloe The Undead>


    "There''s something ahead," said Velvet as they walked down a dark corridor in the depths of the catacombs.


    Chloe turned to study the girl. The mage light had dulled her own night vision, she couldn''t believe the one eyed girl could see so far in the gloom.


    Being an undead had done more than just grant Chloe unholy strength and a grim appetite. Her hearing and smell had improved. Even over their own footsteps, she could hear the scuff of bare feet moving over hard ground far ahead.


    "Can you tell what it is?" she asked.


    Velvet rubbed her eye patch. "I can sense a life form, but nothing more than that."


    Chloe stared down in the deep darkness. "I can scout ahead."


    Gus shook his head. ¡°No, I should go.¡±


    Who said chivalry was dead.


    ¡°You make too much noise in that armor,¡± she said, ¡°We could be walking into a trap. I think it''s best if I go.¡±


    Gus placed a hand on her shoulder, "If you aren''t back in five minutes, we''ll come after you," he said.


    Chloe smiled, it was good being amongst humans again.


    She stepped forward on the balls of her feet and without looking back again, she vanished into the shadows.


    The sound of her companions faded away, and the air grew cold as she moved deeper into the depths.


    There was never silence in the dungeon. If she strained her ears enough, she could always hear something. Maybe a monster devouring its latest victim, or the sounds of the dungeon itself. Sometimes it felt like it was alive and breathing. It would groan, and she swore that at times the tunnels shifted and new doors appeared.


    She paused and crouched low when she heard something in the distance screaming out in agony. It was far off but still too close for comfort.


    When the screams stopped, she continued on. The air grew thinner as she walked, and at times she felt a cool breeze on her skin from an unknown source.


    She reached an intersection and bent down to study the ground. It was clear from the tiny footprints in the sand and small droplets of blood that the left path was used often.


    But the right path was the one that frightened her the most. The air was thicker down that way, and it carried the scent of decay.


    She turned down the well-used path and kept walking, her hand touching the wall for support as the tunnel grew ever darker.


    A crunch and then the sound of flesh tearing echoed through the tunnel. Chloe backed away and extended her claws.


    Footsteps approached her at a speed. Something small, about the size of a child, appeared running towards her, its skin slick with blood.


    It reached for her, its eyes wide in fright. Chloe didn''t hesitate. She swung a clawed hand, cutting through the thing''s neck effortlessly.


    [Goblin Hunter Killed - Progress Towards Next Evolution: 61%]


    She pressed her body against the wall and waited in silence, straining to hear if there was anything else nearby.


    A minute passed with no sound or movement. Chloe sighed and relaxed.


    She looked down at the corpse and with the tip of her boot, she pushed the creature over and stared into the lifeless eyes of the goblin.


    She looked back the way she had come, just in case her companions had followed her. She still wasn''t sure that they trusted her. She¡¯d noticed that Gus was keeping an eye on her at all times. She feared that the swordsman might have seen through her innocent victim routine.


    When she was sure that she was truly alone, she bent down and sliced open the goblins head and fed.


    She needed to eat as much as possible. If the humans could get her out of here, then she didn''t want to risk turning on them. Not until they¡¯d made their escape.


    After her meal, she collected the monster''s soul stone, wiped her bloodied hands on her robes and turned back to call the others.


    <hr>


    "Are you certain this is safe?" Velvet asked, as the four companions stood in front of a set of stairs cut into the rock and leading further down.


    Gus shook his head. "Not really."


    Chloe said, "We got the soul stone from the goblin. We should leave now."


    Quinby nodded, the young healer had barely spoken a single word since they had left the safe haven early that morning.


    "Please, Gus," said Velvet.


    The swordsman sighed, "I had hoped to collect more soul stones, but if you are that scared, then let''s get out of here. I wouldn''t mind a warm meal." He winked at Chloe. ¡°And maybe a hot bath together.¡±


    Chloe watched him from the corner of her eye, what would the man do when he saw her in full daylight. Would he know what she was?


    ¡°Ok, let go,¡± Gus said, he waved Quinby over. ¡°Lead the way, light bearer.¡±


    As they turned to leave, a clear and unmistakable voice echoed down the tunnels.


    "Hello?" the voice rang out.


    If Chloe¡¯s heart still worked, it would have skipped a beat. It was a girl''s voice.


    "It¡¯s Kim," said Quinby, his voice quivering with excitement. "I¡¯d recognize that voice anywhere."


    "Wait!¡± said Velvet, ¡°It can''t be her, that''s impossible.¡±


    "Kim, is that you!" called Quinby.


    "Don''t," said Chloe. "This is a trap."


    "How would you know?" asked the swordsman, and his eyebrows narrowed as he looked at her.


    Chloe hesitated, something didn''t feel right. The goblin she¡¯d killed had been running away from something. It wouldn''t run away from a human child.


    "Help me!" called the girl. "Please, it''s so dark. Somebody save me."


    "It''s coming from this way," said Quinby and he pointed his wand down a passageway. ¡°It''s my sister, it has to be her.¡±


    ¡°We should leave,¡± said Chloe as she backed away towards the exit.


    Velvet grabbed hold of Quinby¡¯s sleeve, ¡°She died a year ago, Quin,¡± she pleaded. ¡°You know it can''t be her.¡±


    Gus drew his sword and Quinby readied a spell, and the light radiated out of the end of his wand.


    "You girls can stay if you want," said Gus, hotly. "But let it be never said that I was too afraid to save a child in need."


    <hr>


    It started with a low buzzing sound, and then all at once the visions hit like an axe to the side of her head.


    Her vision went black behind tears that couldn''t be stopped.


    She staggered forwards and fell to one knee as a flood of images came. The goblin running. It was terrified. Its family had been torn to shreds by something massive.


    Velvet shouted something, but Chloe couldn''t understand the words. The drum in her head was pounding too loudly.


    She tried to stand again, but the world spun. Her head collided with something solid.


    Through the haze of blurry images, Chloe could just make out the three adventurers leaving her behind. Velvet was gesturing for her to follow.


    ¡°Wai¡ª¡± Chloe tried to get the words out.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°It''s¡ª,¡± she took in a deep breath, ¡°It''s¡ª it''s a trap,¡± the words spilled out of her in a jumble.


    But it was too late, the three friends were already disappearing down the passage.


    The goblin had escaped as its family was torn apart by the Behemoth. The Lord of the Catacombs.


    Chloe fought to regain her footing, her vision gradually clearing as she blinked away the blurriness.


    Before her lay the entrance to a tunnel, its yawning darkness seeming to stretch into the abyss.


    With unsteady steps, she advanced into the tunnel, the haunting images that had besieged her mind began to fade like shadows before the dawn.


    In the distance, the faint murmurs and whispers of the adventurers reached her ears, a reassuring sound of life amid the eerie silence of the underground.


    Relief washed over her; at least, her companions were still alive.


    "I''m stuck!" Quinby resonated in the distance. "It won''t let go."


    As Chloe regained her strength, she quickened her pace.


    A sword clashed loudly against stone, followed by Gus cursing loudly.


    Suddenly, a burst of fire illuminated the room, revealing the shadowy figures of the three individuals desperately trying to break free as menacing rows of jagged teeth loomed ominously around them.


    The Behemoth wasn''t inside the chamber. It was the chamber. The cage was its teeth and the small girl, in the center of the room, the bait.


    Chloe didn''t think twice. She dived through a row of teeth that were closing shut around her companions.


    She landed in something wet and sticky. Her eyes widened when she realized what it was. Not just saliva but gallons of blood.


    She felt a tugging on her leg and an arm was wrapped around her ankle. A hand reached up and grabbed her hair. Another hand closed over her face. Hands reached out of the monster''s gums and pulled her in.


    Someone screamed in terror and pain. It was Quinby, who had been trapped under the monster''s tongue. It wrapped around him, and a bone crunching sound echoed throughout the room that was the Behemoth''s mouth.


    The mouth continued to close, and new teeth appeared all around them, boxing them in like prison bars.


    Chloe grabbed hold of Velvet and leapt out of the tiny hole that still remained in the Behemoth¡¯s closing mouth.


    The demon¡¯s tongue lashed out and caught Chloe¡¯s leg, yanking her back.


    The two girls fell back into the mouth. Sticky saliva began to rise up from under the earth, filling the demon¡¯s mouth.


    Velvet illuminated the head of her staff, and pale blue light revealed their new surroundings. They were trapped in the mouth of the demon. With razor sharp teeth forming the perimeter.


    Black tattoos rippled up Velvet¡¯s arm, and fire appeared in her hand. She launched fireball after another down the giant demon¡¯s throat, but it did not budge or even paused for a second.


    Time was running out for them. The saliva was rising. Chloe clambered over the teeth and clawed at the inner lining of the monster¡¯s mouth, trying to cut a way out.


    The saliva kept rising until, eventually, it was up to her neck. Her skin stung, and she realized that the saliva was slowly eating away at their skin like acid.


    She turned around and saw Velvet flailing as she tried to stay above the liquid.


    Chloe didn''t need to breathe, but Velvet did, and the girl was running out of oxygen quickly.


    Velvet¡¯s wide eyes watched Chloe in terror as the saliva kept rising. Those eyes reminded her of the way her sister had looked at her as she laid bleeding on the streets of Seattle.


    It felt like it had happened a lifetime ago. Being in the catacombs in constant fear had made her forget about her purpose.


    But she had a goal, one reason to keep on living. She would save Hope.


    ¡°Hold on!¡± Chloe shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll save you.¡±


    [Oath of Pain: Activated]


    Chloe screamed as the flames burst out of her skin and bathed the monster¡¯s mouth in light.


    With her new strength, she tore chunks of flesh off the walls of the monster''s mouth. It trembled in pain, releasing its grip on Velvet.


    Chloe reached back and grabbed hold of Velvet¡¯s arm. The girl felt limp in her arms, but Chloe didn''t have time to think about that. She screamed as she slashed at the wall until a hole appeared. She tore it wide and then with all the strength she had left she forced her way through the hole.


    She landed heavily on solid ground with Velvet beside her.


    She rolled over, coughing up fluids and blood. When her fit was over, she reached out and turned Velvet over and looked into the eyes of the girl who reminded her of Hope.


    Velvet¡¯s eye patch had fallen away. Her one eye was black as night and the other blue and lifeless, her face frozen in a look of panic.


    [Oath of Pain: Deactivated]


    <hr>


    Gus and Quinby were gone and Chloe was all that remained. She picked up the lifeless body of Velvet and carried her out of the chamber.


    She didn''t bother looking back at the monster eating her other two companions. She felt defeated.


    She stumbled along carrying Velvet. She could barely stand, but she kept moving forward. Every time she looked down, she could see Velvet''s blood staining her clothes and dripping on the floor.


    She knew that the scent of blood would draw the monsters, but she wouldn''t let them have the girl''s body.


    She moved as quickly as she could, backtracking to the spot where she''d first found the adventurers. From what they''d told her, they hadn''t been in the dungeons for long before they''d come across the shadow demon.


    Which means the exit is close.


    A few minutes later, she heard footsteps. They denizens of the catacombs were stalking her.


    Chloe turned around and saw a dark figure approaching. It was weary of her. Maybe the monsters higher up were weaker than the ones she had faced in the depths of the catacombs.


    The figure whistled as it came closer, the sound shrill and haunting.


    Chloe turned and ran, and the figure followed. She tripped over a rock, but she caught herself before falling. She stumbled on, but the figure was fast. It leapt through the air and Chloe caught the glint of steel in its hand and the unmistakable reptilian tail.


    A sword raked across her arm and burnt into her flesh. Her skin sizzled and popped. She ignored it and kept running, a burst of adrenaline giving her new speed.


    A shadow moved by her side, and Chloe dropped Velvet''s body and raised her hands to defend herself. The sword bit into her wrist and hit the bone.


    Her arm was violently yanked out of its shoulder socket, causing her to crumple to the ground.


    The shadowy figure approached, nonchalantly dragging the blade behind it.


    With her good arm, Chloe reached out and grabbed her amulet.


    The Draconian warrior stopped over her. Its sword raised high, ready to deliver the finishing blow.


    "If you can hear me," Chloe shouted. "I need you."


    The demon paused, and a wicked grin split its face.


    In response to her, words, the amulet grew warm in her hand.


    "Onyx," she said, as the name floated through her mind. "Onyx, I summon you."


    The Draconian swung its sword straight at Chloe''s neck.


    Chloe felt Onyx, the black rabbit, responding to her call.


    Energy pulsed in her hand in anticipation as a streak of black energy raced through the tunnels at godlike speed.


    Time seemed to slow as her familiar drew near. The sword was halfway to her neck when movement appeared around the corner.


    Onyx in its ethereal form collided with the amulet, and an explosion of light erupted in Chloe''s hand.


    The sound of steel striking against steel rang out through the tunnels as Chloe''s Ethereal Armament took shape in her extended hand.


    [Ethereal Armament: Spirit Scythe]


    A black scythe as tall as Chloe appeared in her hand. The blade was curved like the sickle moon and on the bottom of the pole was a round fluffy rabbit tail.


    Chloe jumped to her feet and charged at the Draconian warrior.


    It turned to face her and brought its sword down again. But it was too slow.


    Her spirit scythe met the creature''s blade, and magic slammed against the mundane weapon.


    A flash of black energy exploded outward and the creature was thrown back. It crashed against a wall, but before it could get back to its feet, Chloe was over it, her blade arcing through the air. It sank deep into the creature''s chest, and the monster gave a strangled cry before collapsing.


    Chloe stood there for a moment in stunned silence and then as if time had started again she stooped down and picked up the shining green gem.


    She lifted it to her amulet, and it swallowed the gem whole.


    [Spirit Scythe Evolved Into Pathfinder''s Scythe]


    The weapon began to change in her hand, the blade twisting, forming into what looked like a demon¡¯s wing.


    Blood coated her arms and her legs were soaked in the crimson liquid. She looked down at the new scythe in her hand and then up to the tunnel where Velvet''s body lay.


    She heard more footsteps coming.


    She needed to run. As if her armament understood her need, the weapon shattered in her hands, disintegrating in a shower of black sparks.


    Chloe scooped up Velvet''s body and ran.


    <hr>


    The air grew less stuffy the higher Chloe went, and a faint light appeared up ahead. The light grew brighter, and she could see more details in the room beyond.


    Finally, she reached a stone door, standing alone, in the center of the room.


    Her pursuers were getting closer.


    Chloe touched the door and her hand convulsed in pain. The door shimmered, and blue symbols appeared on its frame.


    It''s warded to keep monsters inside.


    Chloe reached out and touched the runes, and then recoiled when a jolt of pain shot up her arm.


    A stone crashed against the wall beside her head. Chloe whirled to see monsters pouring out of the tunnels. They whooped and called out to her hungrily.


    They want Velvet¡¯s body.


    Chloe took the girl¡¯s bloody and lifeless hand and pressed it against the door.


    If this doesn''t work, then it''s game over.


    The runes blinked out in an instant, and wind swept into the room. With a loud creak, the door swung open.


    <hr>


    The ancient door stood alone, surrounded by a field of sunflowers. The sun was bright and hot, and the smell of flowers was intoxicating.


    Chloe stepped through the doorway and into a garden.


    She was finally out. Instead of dark stone walls and glowing mushrooms, this place was brightly lit with colorful blooms and trees swaying in the breeze.


    She looked around and saw nothing hostile. There was no sign of the monsters that pursued her.


    Chloe stared at the flowers for what felt like hours. She''d been running so long, she didn''t know if she could run anymore.


    "We made it, Hope," she said as she looked at the lifeless body of the dead girl.


    <hr>


    Chloe placed Velvet''s body under a maple tree and laid down beside her, staring up at the sky. She remembered her days as a child, popping clouds with her brother and sister. They had really believed that they had magic and that they could burst the clouds and keep the sky blue just by thinking it.


    But now, she was here in another world. She had magic but no siblings. The sky was blue, but she was so alone.


    "It''s going to be ok, Hope. From now on, everything is going to get better."


    [Hunger 24%]


    <hr>

 Chapter 19 - To Kill A Prophet

    <Gavriel Talos>


    Amidst the ethereal moonlight, the ancient city of Astraeus stirred with a hushed energy. The mist, like a shroud, seemed to wrap the city in secrets, obscuring the familiar streets and alleyways. It was a night when whispered tales and half-imagined legends came to life.


    In the heart of the city, at the crossroads of Elm and Oak Street, Gavriel Talos crouched low atop the roof of the old mill, watching for movement in the streets down below.


    He''d been there since dusk, when he''d woken up with that damned feeling in his gut, the one that told him that something bad was about to happen.


    Only a few streets away from his hiding spot was the Arcane University, home to all those mages who were not part of the King''s Cadre, or the Sixth Order.


    As Gavriel watched, a lone figure exited the building. From his vantage point, he could make out the purple robes that signified the man was no other than Arch Mage Aurelian.


    The Arch Mage was the greatest mind to come out of the University of Arcane arts in millennia. He was also the only living person in recorded history to enter the valley of Shalegos and return with the Armament of the Nameless King.


    But it was that which made him famous. It wasn''t even his all encompassing intellect or his boundless power. No, it was his gift of prophecy. That one thing placed him higher than any other mortal.


    Many worshiped the Prophet as a god, but Gavriel knew better. The Arch Mage might be brilliant, but he was predictable, like any other human.


    Each evening at midnight, the old man left the university down the same street, pausing briefly at the cemetery before heading to the docks.


    The Prophet would spend an hour watching the black waves crashing against the lighthouse. Some nights he¡¯d pass through Lavender lane and procure a high class prostitute for the evening, on other night''s he¡¯d lie on the lawn in the academy grounds smoking his pipe and reciting bad poetry.


    Gavriel had watched the man every night for a month now, and he was sure that tonight the Prophet would be returning home alone.


    He slipped off the edge of the roof, landing lightly on the clothes line that hung between the city buildings.


    The thieves had long ago reinforced the lines with thick coiled iron rods, turning the cloth lines that spanned the city into a secret highway.


    Gavriel stepped lightly on the cord and with a handful of swift steps he crossed onto the other side. He lifted himself onto the roof and padded along until he reached the edge of the next building.


    His tar dipped moccasin shoes were virtually silent as he leapt over to the next rooftop, where he crouched again, peering down at the guard stationed at the university gates.


    Gavriel waited for the guard to face the opposite direction, and after five painfully long minutes the man finally turned his back and began sauntering off to a nearby tree to relieve himself.


    He dropped from the rooftop, landing in a roll and springing to his feet. The guard never knew what hit him, a single blow to the head sent the man sprawling.


    Gavriel dragged the unconscious man behind a thicket of brambles, seeped in darkness.


    When he was sure nobody else was around, he passed through the gates and into the university grounds.


    Fortunately for him, once he was past the guard post, there was no longer any security in the building. Nobody was foolish enough to rob a building full of mages.


    Gavriel paused as he heard a girl giggling close by. There was no point in hiding now. He stood straight and walked as if he belonged there. He passed around the corner and saw a young couple pressed together.


    Gavriel grimaced at the sight. If there was one thing that was bound to make him feel lonely, it was seeing a couple kissing in an alcove in the moonlight.


    He shrugged off the unwelcome feelings. He¡¯d given up on relationships, it was the price he paid for his trade. There could be no attachments, that was the first law of the guild.


    He passed a water fountain with a statue of a naked girl posing with a snake in the center of it. He spared it a brief glance and continued on. He¡¯d spent enough time around the whore of Cheapside to not be bothered by the sight of nudity.


    A group of young mages dressed in black robes laughed as they exited the building. Gavriel ran a hand through his hair to disguise his face and nodded a greeting at them.


    He scanned the second floor windows as he did a quick loop around the building. He knew that there was no way to go unnoticed if he took the stairs, so the only way to the Prophet¡¯s chambers was by scaling the wall.


    He spied an open window a few minutes later. When he was sure that there was nobody else around, he grappled up the side of the wall effortlessly until his hands gripped the second floor window sill.


    The window was warded, of course. Gavriel was not a magic user, so he couldn''t see wards, but the Guild Master had prepared him for this obstacle.


    He drew a cantrip bell out of his pocket and rang it a single time. He heard the unmistakable sound of the ward cracking. Once he was sure the ward was down, he crawled inside, pulling the shutters closed behind him.


    The room was small, barely large enough to hold the bed along with its heavy wooden frame. There was nothing valuable in the room, but that was not the reason Gavriel was there.


    He''d been given a mission from Ahri Fetar, the Guild Master herself. His mission was straight forward, but definitely not simple. He was there to kill the Prophet.


    Gavriel smiled, this would be the big break he needed. The kill that boosted his career into legendary status. The only question and the one that had kept him up at night ever since receiving the order was, how would he kill a person that could see the future?


    The answer had come to him in the dead of night as he sat upon the tavern roof watching the patrons enjoying their drunken revelry. The answer was simple. You kill a Prophet by having so many paths leading to death that it would be impossible for him to see them all at once.


    He wasn''t a religious man, but Gavriel said a quick prayer to whatever god was listening, and then he exited the room.


    He made his way down the corridor towards the Arch Mage¡¯s quarters. He knew the layout of the building by heart. He¡¯d spent three silvers buying a map of the building from a housemaid.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    He rounded a corner into a darkened hallway. He didn''t need light. His eyes were trained to pick out details in the darkness, but still he waited until his eyes had adjusted completely to the darkness before continuing on.


    Finally, he stopped outside the Arch Mage''s chambers, the door was locked. He pulled a set of lock picks out of his coat¡¯s many pockets and set to picking the lock.


    A few seconds later there was a soft scuffing noise followed by the sound of tumblers falling into place. The lock clicked, and he pushed the door open.


    Too easy.


    Once inside, he pulled on his leather gloves and drew out a vial of black asp venom. The vial had cost him a small fortune and could only be procured from snake smugglers coming from the islands south of Westwind.


    The poison was so lethal that even a drop on a person''s hand would lead to death within a few minutes. Gavriel applied a thick layer of the venom on the door handle. He then dipped a long pin into the vial and fastened the pin to the cushion on the arch mage¡¯s chair. He placed a few drops inside the water jug and then rubbed the poison all along the inside of a mug.


    Once he was sure that everything that could be poisoned was poisoned, he climbed into the rafters of the building. He drew out a small crossbow and waited.


    Rule number two of the guild, always confirm the kill.


    <hr>


    Gavriel woke up with a start. How had he fallen asleep? He still had the crossbow in his hands.


    He looked down and saw the Prophet sitting in his chair drinking water from the poisoned mug.


    Gavriel raised the crossbow, aiming it at the man¡¯s head.


    Aurelian the Prophet smacked his lips and sighed heavily. ¡°So, you are finally awake, assassin. Good, I was getting bored.¡±


    Gavriel remained silent. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. His finger strayed to the trigger of the crossbow.


    ¡°Trust me, you don''t want to fire that weapon,¡± said the old man.


    ¡°Don''t tell me what to do,¡± Gavriel said as he squeezed the trigger.


    He heard a loud clanking sound and the iron bolt fell to the floor. The screws holding the crossbow together had been removed, and the weapons fell apart in his hands.


    Aurelian chuckled. He reached into his mage¡¯s robe and drew out a vial of white liquid and placed it on the table.


    Gavriel¡¯s hand strayed to his own pockets.


    Oh, shit!


    He realized three very bad things at the same time. One. His gloves had been removed from his hands. Two. The trigger of the crossbow was wet and sticky. Three. His vial of antidote was sitting on the table in front of the most powerful mage in the city.


    I''m a dead man.


    Gavriel scrambled out of the rafters and dropped to the floor in front of the old man. He still had his dagger. If it came to it, he could slit the man''s throat and be done with it. He wasn''t sure what his chances of success were, though.


    ¡°Give me the antidote,¡± he said in his most threatening voice.


    Aurelian tossed the vial into the air and muttered a single word under his breath. A shimmering bubble surrounded the vial and suspended it in midair, high above the two men.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Gavriel asked as he eyed the antidote and thought of the quickest way for him to reach it.


    The old man spread his hands in a sign of innocence. ¡°I just want to talk.¡±


    ¡°Give me the vial, and we can talk as much as you,¡± Gavriel barked. ¡°Hell, we can even spoon after if that''s your thing.¡±


    The old man laughed.


    ¡°Why aren''t you dead?¡± asked Gavriel.


    The man was the picture of health. ¡°You look healthier than me, and you¡¯ve already ingested enough poison to kill a stable full of Alturan pack mules.¡±


    The old man raised his mug and studied it for a moment. "Has the Assassin¡¯s Guild really become so sloppy? You do know who I am?"


    Gavriel¡¯s hand strayed to the dagger on his hip, ¡°Even if you can see the future, there was no way you¡¯d see all the different outcomes.¡±


    ¡°You''re right, young man, but I didn''t read my future. It is not wise for a Prophet to read his own, no, that path leads to insanity and a quick grave."


    Gavriel¡¯s hands tightened around the hilt of the dagger.


    The old man flicked his wrist and a bubble appeared around Gavriel locking him in place.


    ¡°Stop trying to kill me,¡± said the old man. ¡°It''s getting embarrassing. Has it gotten so bad that Ahri Fetar is hiring street thugs as assassins these days.¡±


    Gavriel froze at that. The man knew the Guild Master''s name. Nobody outside the guild knew that name and lived.


    "If you didn''t read your own future," said Gavriel. ¡°Then how did you know I was coming?¡±


    It was possible that there was a spy in the Guild. If Gavriel got out of this situation alive, then there was a chance that he could uncover the rat and save face that way.


    The old man chuckled, reading his frustration, "I read the guard''s future. It''s a habit of mine.¡±


    He flicked his wrist and the vial of antidote spun in the air. ¡°Statistically, your own guards are the most likely to kill you,¡± he continued. ¡°As saw the guard''s future. It was confusing at first. The man was staring at a tree while he relieved himself, and then all of a sudden his vision went black. I figured it out eventually. Someone was going to attack him.¡±


    The Prophet waved his hand and smiled again, ¡°Don''t feel too bad for the guard, though. He will fall in love with the healer that nurses him back to health. Unfortunately for him, he will die before he gets a chance to confess his love to her."


    ¡°You could have told the man,¡± said Gavriel, ¡°Why let it go this far?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± said the mage. ¡°Why not, this is the most fun I¡¯ve had all week. When I realized that you were sneaking in here, instead of going all the way to the harbor, I back tracked and waited a short distance from the bush where you deposited the guard''s body. I read your future and saw you meticulously laying the traps for me.¡±


    Gavriel said nothing.


    ¡°I knocked you out with a spell of Magical Slumber,¡± continued the Prophet. ¡°Then I removed all the poisoned items and applied some of my own.¡±


    Gavriel bit his lip to keep his frustration at bay, ¡°Just give me the damned antidote, old man.¡±


    The Prophet shook his head. ¡°Strange how quickly the tables have turned. Would you have had mercy on me?¡±


    He shook his head, ¡°Of course not. By all rights, I should have killed you, but I need you alive.¡± He took another sip from his mug. ¡°If you are going to survive what comes next, you need to start listening.¡±


    This was taking too long. Get in and out quickly, no talking, no humanizing the target, that''s the way of the assassin.


    ¡°Is that what you want?¡± Gavriel asked. ¡°You want to hire an assassin.¡±


    He realized something then. He should have been showing symptoms of poisoning by now. He should have at least had lightheadedness and blurred vision, but he was perfectly fine apart from being stuck inside a bubble prison.


    ¡°You didn''t actually poison me,¡± he said.


    The old man laughed. ¡°You are a bright one. Good. You will be needing those smarts for what is about to come.¡±


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°Change is coming, young man. Something big happened a month ago. Whatever it was, it changed all of our futures. I do not know the cause of it, but I know that our future hangs in the balance even now.¡±


    Gavriel¡¯s legs were going numb. He tried to move his feet, but they wouldn''t budge an inch. ¡°What future?¡± he asked.


    He needed to get to the bottom of what the old man wanted so he could get the hell out of there. The Guild Master would not be happy with his failure.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the future of guards, peasants and even nobles,¡¯ the Prophet continued. ¡°And they all end the same. In fire and blood. But when I looked at your future, I saw something quite unexpected.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess, you end up boring me to death?¡±


    The old man shook his head and his beard waggled as he did so. ¡°No, my young assassin. You are the only one in this city who is going to survive the horrors that are coming. You must be very talented or very lucky. That must be why the Guild Master gave you this assignment.¡±


    ¡°Actually, this is my official first job,¡± said Gavriel.


    The Prophet¡¯s eyes widened at that. He pressed a finger to his lips and shut his eyes.


    Gavriel shivered as the room grew icy cold.


    A moment later, Aurilean opened his eyes and Gavriel saw fear etched into the Prophet¡¯s face.


    The sound of a crossbow being cocked rang out in the stillness of the night.


    ¡°The future has changed,¡± the mage breathed. ¡°You¡¯re just the decoy.¡±


    <hr>

 Chapter 20 - Assassins Guild

    <Gavriel Talos>


    A hail of crossbow bolts thundered across the room, tearing books apart and shattering the glass jug on the table in front of the Prophet.


    An iron bolt ricocheted off of the ward around Gavriel and slammed into the wall. A second bolt hit the ward in the center, an inch from his face. The bolt fell to the ground, but the ward shattered and tiny fragments of magic dissipated into the air.


    Gavriel fell, landing in a mess of broken crockery and shredded paper. He checked himself, making sure he hadn''t been hit.


    No blood.


    He looked back at the Prophet and saw blood leaking out of the old man from countless holes in his chest.


    "That was unexpected," Aurelian muttered to himself as he rose to his feet. "Once I realized what was happening, it was already too late."


    The Prophet glanced at him with those piercing eyes. ¡°Are you ready, Gavriel Talos?¡±


    The assassin tried to back away, but the old man gripped his coat and lifted him off the ground.


    Black tattoos rippled across the Prophet¡¯s face, and his eyes turned electric blue.


    Another bolt tore into the mage¡¯s arm, but it didn''t matter; the Prophet seemed impervious to pain.


    The mage held up a hand and an aura of power surrounded it. The energy crackled around between his fingertips and a sphere of light grew until it filled the whole room. In its center was a shimmering green-white orb.


    It floated there, pulsating, like the heart of a dying star.


    "Take it," cried the Prophet. "I was never going to survive the calamity.¡±


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Gavriel shouted as tried to pull away.


    ¡°I pass this blessing and this curse over to you, young man.¡±


    Gavriel had no idea what the old man was saying. This wasn''t the time for light shows, it was the time for running and hiding.


    ¡°Take it!¡± the Prophet¡¯s voice, full of magic, boomed in his ears


    Gavriel stopped resisting as the magic compelled him to obey. He reached out shaky hands and took hold of the blinding orb.


    The light began to spin and Gavriel could see that it was full of cracks, like a mirror that had been dropped. The light inside began to fade, and the sphere exploded into shards that flew through the air and scattered across the room.


    Gavriel looked down at the glowing orb resting in the palm of his bloodied hands and watched as it was absorbed into his skin. Tattoos spread out his hands and up his arms like black lines crawling across his flesh like vines.


    Aurelian the Prophet stood nearby, looking on in wonderment as Gavriel''s tattoos shifted and morphed. They became brighter, more defined, filling his skin with color.


    "Save the Monster and save the world," said the Prophet, "But if the Hunter dies, the Monster will kill us all."


    Aurelian touched his blood soaked robes and smiled a final time before his strength gave in, and he collapsed on the ground.


    <hr>


    Gavriel heard the shouts of the guards as they came running down the corridor. He looked through the cracks in the wall and saw hooded figures moving.


    He didn''t hesitate. He crossed the room and leapt out of the window without a second look.


    He landed on the ledge and jumped again and swung himself up onto one of the spires.


    He pulled himself along the wall and scanned the rooftops for signs of pursuit. He saw no signs of the guild, but he knew that they would come.


    Rule three of the Assassin¡¯s Guild. Leave no loose strings behind. His Master had set him up and used him as a decoy. Gavriel swore that she would pay for that.


    He breathed in deep and focused all of his energy on sensing his surroundings. It was an old Shenshin technique taught to all assassin apprentices, and one that Gavriel had mastered when he was still young.


    The warm, spicy scent of the ocean filled the air, caressing his senses as he listened to the gentle rustling of leaves, stirred by the ocean breeze.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Overhead, an owl''s wings flapped nearly soundlessly. Meanwhile, rats scurried along alleyways, their focus unbroken by the silent winged predator above.


    Gavriel strained to hear more... and in the distance behind him down the street he heard it. The faint scuff of a hand against cloth, the soft thud of padded feet on rooftops.


    So they have come after all.


    He didn''t understand if the guild were planning on pinning the murder on him or if he had heard something he shouldn¡¯t have. Whatever it was, he knew he needed to reach the docks and leave the city as soon as possible.


    His pursuers kept to the shadows and moved silently across the rooftops. He knew that a Fist was after him. Four assassins with crossbows and one mage. Nothing escaped a Fist when they got their sights on you.


    He kept wondering why they were hanging back. He wasn''t the best assassin, not by a long shot. There was a reason he¡¯d never been trusted with any jobs before tonight.


    So why are they being so cautious? Are they waiting for something¡­ or someone?


    A roof tile shifted under Gavriel¡¯s foot, almost tripping him. He caught himself and leapt through the air, landing on a clothesline. He wobbled, trying to regain his balance. He was losing time. The assassins would be on him any minute now.


    He somersaulted to the ground and rolled to break his fall. He sprung to his feet and ran along the moonlit road, his gnarled hand thumbing the leather wraps of the dagger at his side. His fingers were itching, ready for the fight they knew was coming.


    If he survived the night, he¡¯d be a legend. The thought excited him. Finally, he¡¯d get the recognition he deserved,


    A torch flickered as Gavriel ran by. He would be out in the open around the next corner; the docks lay ahead, and there were no buildings left to hide his pursuers. If they wanted to make use of the shadows and the high ground, they would have to move soon.


    The inside of his skull itched as his enemies'' bloodlust became palpable. Like vipers ready to strike. He reached into a pocket and pulled out his get out of jail free grenade. It was one of his own inventions, a combination of fire salts, ice chalk and shadow haze dust.


    A scraping of wood on a nearby roof alerted him.


    Gavriel dropped to the ground as an iron crossbow bolt flew inches above him. He rolled to his feet and smashed the dark vision grenade onto the hard ground. Oily smoke burst out around him. The green mist rolled across the ground, crashing against the sides of buildings like waves against the rocks.


    Gavriel ran towards the docks under the cover of the fog as bolts flew past him.


    A loud incantation carried on the wind reached his ears. A voice shouted from the rooftops and a gust of powerful magic rushed past, almost knocking him over and sweeping away the mist that hid him.


    Ahri Fetar had finally arrived. With a roar, she leapt from the rooftop of a building overhead. She seemed to float as she descended, chanting an incantation in a rough voice. Her long red hair flying in the wind, like an angel of wrath.


    In her hands, she formed two orbs of dark mana that crackled and sparked golden light. With a word of power, they shot out at Gavriel, arcing across the sky like black lightning.


    The air cracked like thunder, and the earth shattered below Gavriel as cobblestone fragments scattered in all directions.


    He propelled himself backwards, carried by the force of the spell and narrowly avoiding the attack. Still flying back, Gavriel launched two daggers at the descending Guild Master.


    The weapons sped straight at their target, the second blade hidden in the shadow of the first.


    Ahri gestured with her hand and threw up a ward of black shadow. The first blade bounced off of the oily, shimmering shield and fell to the ground. A heartbeat later, the second blade appeared in her vision. Ahri, caught off guard, spun in the air with a flourish of her cloak, dodging the second lethal weapon.


    ¡°Why attack me, Master?¡± Gavriel called out in a clear voice. ¡°I have always been your loyal servant.¡±


    ¡°It''s just business.¡± Ahri Fetar¡¯s voice seemed to emanate from all places simultaneously. ¡°This city will fall soon enough. It is in our best interest to be on the right side of the coming war.¡±


    ¡°What war?¡± he barked. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The Prophet had to die, but it looks like he gave you the Nameless King¡¯s Armament at the end. The Lord of Darkness doesn''t want anyone to have that power. It¡¯s nothing personal.¡±


    Ahri advanced like a striking cobra. Black lightning shot out of her pale extended hands. The powerful blast of energy flew straight into Gavriel''s side. The impact threw him backwards and pain ricocheted through his body, blurring his vision.


    He dropped to one knee, exhaustion threatening to overwhelm him.


    Assassins dressed in black leather leapt at him from multiple directions; one pounced from behind, splashing a puddle of water as he jumped.


    He knew that he was about to die.


    Time seemed to freeze and then abruptly the tattoos rippled across his body, covering him from head to toe.


    The moment took on a startling clarity. It froze like a diamond and rotated before his eyes. Every facet gleaming, futures shearing off and sparkling. Gavriel looked from his Master on his right hand to the assassins in midair.


    He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the end.


    <hr>


    The air changed. The scent of blood and the ocean was gone, replaced by the smell of books and dust.


    Gavriel opened his eyes and saw that he was back inside the Prophet¡¯s room. The walls were destroyed and the furniture shredded and covered in blood.


    Something moved, and he looked down at the bloodied form of the Prophet lying at his feet. The man was barely alive.


    ¡°What just happened?¡± Gavriel breathed.


    The Prophet coughed out blood and said in a weak voice, ¡°You saw a fraction of your future, boy. Don''t do it again. It leads to madness.¡±


    ¡°What the hell is happening? I saw myself die.¡±


    ¡°The enemy has made his move, and all of my paths lead to my death. I chose to pass on my mantle to you, Gavriel Talos. You are the last hope your world has. Save the Hunter. Save the Monster. We will need them both.¡±


    Gavriel heard the shouts of the guards as they came running down the corridor. He looked down at the lifeless body of Arch Mage Aurelian, and then he turned and ran straight at the guards.


    <hr>

 Chapter 21 - Jade Fire

    <Chloe The Undead>


    It was a warm summer night. Chloe Porter stood looking up at the stars and trying to spot a single constellation that she knew. But apart from the cool jeweled moon sparkling above, the stars were indistinguishable blurs of light and dark.


    She could see no pattern or order to them; they were as much a mystery to her as was the strange new world she found herself in.


    The crows were still circling her overhead, watching and waiting. They had come out in their droves, and Chloe had been forced to stand guard over Velvet''s body throughout the day.


    Chloe¡¯s mouth salivated as she caught the smell of Velvet''s body, propped up against a maple tree. Her hair had begun to fall out and insects had started burrowing through holes in her skin. Even with this level of decomposition, Velvet''s corpse smelled incredible, like baby back ribs on a barbecue.


    [Hunger 4%]


    She''d tried to ignore her growing appetites, but she could feel her resistances crumbling. If she left it another day, her primal side would take over and there was nothing she could do to stop it.


    As if reading her mind, the chorus of crows began to croak and cry out in protest. They weren''t happy about the prospect of having their dinner stolen.


    "Forgive me, Hope," she breathed as her finger nail ran along the side of Velvet''s head.


    A red line appeared and a gentle flow of blood ran down the side of the dead girl¡¯s head. The sight was mouth watering.


    Better me than the crows.


    She removed the hard cap of Velvet¡¯s skull and sobbed a final time before taking her first bite of human brains in over a month.


    It was tender and succulent, sweet and juicy. She savored every mouthful and swallowed with relish. The taste was intense, heavenly even. She sighed in pleasure as she felt her senses heightened by the experience.


    [Half Demon Devoured: Progress Towards Next Evolution: 82%]


    [Hunger 46%]


    Chloe fell back on the grass and stared up at the night sky. Her eyes dilated and her vision blurred. She blinked several times as she tried to focus on something beyond the blackness.


    Through her tears and sobs, she saw the moon hanging high in the air, surrounded by a faint aura. It looked for all the world like an eye staring down upon her.


    Hope''s eye. Watching and silently judging me.


    And then, like a flood gate had been opened, the visions came.


    Velvet sat across from an old woman with long silver hair. They sat in a cramped room beside a small table illuminated only by candlelight.


    "It is done," said the old witch. "The demon is sealed inside of you."


    The vision changed. Now Velvet was standing in a wheat field beside an imposing mountain. Gus and Quinby were with her.


    "Did she do it?" asked Gus.


    Velvet laughed, her voice light and merry.


    "It is done."


    The vision ended and pain rolled through Chloe''s head. Tears stung her eyes as she lay curled into a ball and sobbed.


    When she finally recovered, she realized she was lying flat on her back, with the crows pecking at Velvet''s body. Their beaks clacked together, and their feathers ruffled as they fought over the flesh.


    ¡°You were loved, Velvet, even in death.¡±


    She looked over the field of sunflowers, past the nearby hill, and in the distance she saw the mountain from her visions. The mountain where the witch had sealed Velvet''s demon side.


    She had her next destination. It was time for change.


    <hr>


    Chloe followed a river through a valley and up the hill leading to the witch''s mountain. As she climbed, the crows followed, hoping that she would provide another meal.


    Occasionally one would land on her shoulder, its talons digging deep into her skin. She ignored the birds, focusing on the task at hand. She reached a waterfall at the base of the mountain as the sun began to rise.


    The water splashed and gurgled, and Chloe stripped off her clothes and climbed into the icy water. Even as an undead, she still loved the cold and the way it made her skin prick with goosebumps.


    She picked up a rock and scrubbed her arms and face, washing away dried blood and the taint of the catacombs. And trying to remove the last traces of Velvet under her nails and in her hair.


    When she finally emerged, the sun burned bright overhead and the air was crisp with the early onset of autumn.


    She put her wet hair in a ponytail and wring it dry. Her body had changed so much in this new world. She bore an untold number of scars and unhealed wounds, and where there had once been padding on her thighs and waist there was now pure muscle and hard skin.


    She sighed and wrapped her torn and shredded robes around her shoulders, covering her naked body.


    With nothing better to do, she went hunting. The stream attracted all sorts of mammals, and she was able to catch a startled looking deer with little effort. She snapped its neck, ending its life swiftly, so it would feel no pain. She ate and then set off again, heading up the mountain.


    She walked until the shadows grew long and the light became dim and hazy. She built a fire and roasted the deer, more from a sense of nostalgia than from a desire to eat cooked meat. She took a few bites of the meat and then tossed it aside. For some reason, her body rejected anything that was not brains.


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    Pain lanced through her head and she saw an image of two armies facing each other in a valley.


    The pain subsided and the vision vanished. It felt like her brain was too small to fit inside her skull.


    She was tired of the visions, they were growing worse with each passing day.


    She ran a hand through her short hair and as she did it she saw a man standing right beside her.


    His footsteps had made no sound, and he had no scent, but Chloe did not sense hostility from him. She relaxed her muscles and studied the stranger.


    He wore a peasant''s garb, tied with a sash. His head was covered by a round cap, but his face was visible enough to see he had long blonde hair. A pointed beard hung from beneath his chin and matched the color of his hair.


    "It''s a bad night to be out alone," he said. His voice was rich and mellow, filled with warmth.


    Chloe glanced up at the darkening sky and shivered in response. There was something strange about this man, but he was unarmed and seemed harmless enough.


    The bearded man took another step towards her, his footstep silent on the ground. He sat down beside her and offered a flask. "Mother''s milk to warm the bones."


    Chloe shook her head.


    The man chuckled and pressed the flask to his lips instead.


    "I miss the way liquor burns as it goes down the throat," he said, almost as if he was talking to himself.


    Chloe''s hand tightened into fists, but she remained silent. She''d had enough of death and killing. She''d be glad if she could get out of this without bloodshed.


    The man tilted his head towards her and smiled as if reading her mind.


    "I can smell your rotting flesh,¡± he said matter-of-factly. ¡°And I can hear the hunger in your stomach. How do you stand it, undead creature?"


    Chloe crossed her arms. "I''m sorry, but who the hell are you?" she asked.


    He smiled, "The name''s Owen. Belgemine sent me to find you."


    ¡°I don''t know that name,¡± Chloe said, as she unfolded her arms.


    The man stretched his hands out in front of the fire and then rubbed them together.


    Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Aren''t you scared of me?"


    The man tilted his head to watch her, "You can''t kill what''s already dead," he said.


    "What are you?" she asked. "Clearly you aren''t human."


    Owen shrugged. "What I am does not matter. You should rest now, even the undead need their sleep."


    <hr>


    Chloe laid down, her back against the log and her hand gripping her amulet tight. She could sense her familiar Onyx nearby. He was foraging for leafy greens down by the stream.


    She told herself that she would not sleep, but sometime during the night her eyes had drifted shut, and her body had surrendered to its exhaustion.


    When she woke, Owen was still there, sitting in the exact same place as where she''d left him.


    As she stood, she brushed off some dirt from her robe and noticed that the fire had gone out.


    "Would you like to hunt before we leave this place?" he said.


    "How do you know where I''m going?" she asked.


    "If you weren''t looking for Belgemine, she would not have sent me to find you."


    "How does she know I was looking for her? I''ve never met her."


    "It''s not my place to question her,¡± he said. ¡°It''s not wise to meddle in the affairs of witches.¡± He stood up. ¡°She asked me to find you, so that is what I am doing.¡±


    "Do you work for this witch?" Chloe asked.


    "You could say that, but enough questions we should leave. Belgemine''s impatience is as legendary as her power."


    Why does it feel like I''m walking into a trap?


    But it was not like she had much of a choice. She needed to see the witch and find a cure for being a zombie. She just didn''t like the fact that the witch knew she was coming.


    "Ok, let''s go," she said.


    <hr>


    They headed up the mountain, over rocky outcrops and along narrow footpaths. The mountain seemed designed to throw people off. Footpaths split in multiple directions, with some ending on the edges of cliffs and others going in a circle.


    Chloe kept her eyes peeled, but she caught no signs of danger. Every time she looked over her shoulder, Owen was always there, walking along silently behind her.


    After following a narrow footpath for over an hour, they came to a clearing. There amongst the wheat fields was a small hut.


    Just like the one in my vision.


    "This is it," she said, and when she looked back, Owen was gone.


    <hr>


    There was a strange scent in the air. Like herbs being burnt in a fire, it made Chloe''s head spin.


    As Chloe approached the hut, she saw an old woman wearing a gray sleeveless dress sitting on the porch weaving a straw basket.


    The witch didn''t look up as Chloe approached.


    "Belgemine?" Chloe asked, and her words came out slurred.


    The old woman peered at her with bright blue eyes that looked very much like sapphires. "Yes, dearie, you''ve come at last."


    Chloe stepped closer. "I need you¡ª" she stumbled and felt the earth rise up to meet her.


    She hit the ground hard, and it knocked the wind from her lungs. She groaned as she tried to stand up again. Her arms and legs felt like limp spaghetti and refused to obey.


    "Help me!" she cried.


    The old woman appeared next to her and placed a wrinkled hand on her arm. "Aren''t you a strange one?" she said.


    "Please help me," Chloe begged. "I came to see you."


    The witch had a burning smudge stick in her hand, and the smoke muddled Chloe''s thoughts. It was obvious that the smoke was the cause.


    Chloe exhaled as hard as she could and held her breath. She was a zombie, she only breathed out of habit and as a way to maintain some sense of her humanity, but this time trying to be human had gotten her in trouble.


    "I sensed someone was seeking me out," said the witch. "You can imagine my surprise when I saw it was an undead.¡± She raised Chloe¡¯s chin with a bony finger and peered into her eyes. ¡°Who told you where to find me?¡±


    "Velvet," Chloe mumbled. "I saw you in a vision... you helped her... please help me."


    The witch clicked her tongue loudly and waved the smudge stick in Chloe¡¯s face as if she were performing a ritual.


    "Is the child still alive?" the old woman asked.


    A dangerous look crossed the witches face. She raised a hand, and a green flame streaked from the smudge stick and into her palm. The flame grew until it consumed her entire hand.


    Chloe focused her mind and tried to move her toes. They were numb, but after a few seconds of trying, she finally felt them respond.


    There''s no point lying to a witch.


    "She''s dead," said Chloe. "They all are."


    As the witches eyes widened, Chloe stretched her hand and gripped the woman''s leg. Her fingers dug deep into the witches flesh and tore at the skin.


    "No!" the witch screamed as she tried to push her away. Chloe''s hands were covered in blood, but she did not let go.


    The old woman hit the floor and the chair tipped over as she landed.


    Chloe pulled herself up by grabbing hold of the chair.


    The witch lay still on the floor, the flickering light from the flame turning her skin a sickly green.


    "You shouldn''t have done that," Belgemine said in an icy tone.


    The jade fire erupted outwards, engulfing Chloe in a vortex of green flames. By the time she realized that she was on fire, it was already too late. It burned hot and fast, like she was being wrapped in molten lava. She felt her body collapsing under the strain, and darkness closed around her.


    <hr>

 Chapter 22 - Wax Witch

    <Chloe the Paladin>


    "There are two souls occupying this body," Belgemine said.


    "How is that possible," replied a male voice. "No mind can contain two souls and live."


    "Yes, it would kill a lesser human in hours, the strongest would last maybe a week at most."


    Chloe the Paladin stirred as she gained control of the body. Her arms were tied behind her back and her lungs burnt.


    She looked around and saw a man dressed in peasants clothes. He was standing next to a woman whose face she knew well.


    The witch nudged Chloe with the end of a long stick.


    ¡°What is your name?¡± she asked.


    The Paladin opened her mouth to speak and instead began to cough uncontrollably.


    ¡°Your name?¡± repeated the witch.


    ¡°Chloe Porter,¡± she said, her voice sounding harsh in her own ears. ¡°I''m a Paladin of the First Order.¡± She coughed again. ¡°I know who you are, Belgemine, Wax Witch of Glenhollow¡¯s Coven.¡±


    The witch inhaled sharply, ¡°So I am speaking to the second soul.¡± She tapped the ground with her long stick. "How is it that you know so much about me? My name is known by many, but only a handful, know about Glenhollow¡¯s Coven."


    The Paladin strained against her bonds, and gave up when she realized they were too tight.


    ¡°We met during the second siege on Astraeus.¡±


    "The second?" asked the witch. "But there hasn''t been a first."


    "Not yet," said the Paladin. "Garrick of the Fifth Order was your apprentice."


    "Hmm, so you know little Garrick. How is he?"


    "Dead."


    Belgemine eyes widened, "That is disturbing news. Were you the one that killed him?"


    "No. It was Malice."


    The witch let out a start. "Malice?" she whispered. She shook her head. "Why should I believe a word you say?"


    Chloe shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable, "In my timeline, Garrick''s apprentice Talasin brought you in to help during the coming war. The spirit of your husband and of your five sons aided us in gathering vital intel on the demon army."


    Belgemine''s hands clenched into fists, "You know about the spirits of my family."


    Chloe''s eyes narrowed. "I am of the Order, your conjurations are an abomination to me and everything the Order stands for, but I am not here to judge you."


    "Why are you here, Order child?"


    ¡°I was sent back in time to warn of Malice''s return.¡±


    "If what you say is true, then how is that possible? The Prime Evils were imprisoned by the goddess herself, no mortal could free them."


    Chloe nodded, "It took the Order three years after the first attack to discover what really happened. Belladeon imprisoned her three children in a world with no magic, rendering their powers all but useless. She then placed a ward on each of them so that their true nature would be sealed away forever."


    "What other world? You speak in riddles, child."


    "You have the evil eye," said Chloe. "Gaze into my past and see for yourself."


    The witch frowned and looked at the farmer.


    The man reached out his hand to grasp the witches, but his hand slipped right through hers.


    He smiled sadly, "Do what you must, my dear wife. If this woman speaks the truth, then we are not safe, not in this life or the next."


    Belgemine nodded at her husband, "Very well. My sight will prove your story one way or the other, but even if you speak the truth, you will not be allowed to leave. Your mere existence is a threat to the living¡­"


    She pointed a bony finger directly between Chloe''s eyes, "I will not lie, this is going to hurt."


    Chloe felt power flow into her as she closed her eyes and turned her head away from the witch.


    And then she felt the world shift.


    <hr>


    A scream tore through the air and filled Chloe''s ears. She opened her eyes and gasped, the witch was gone, and she was standing in the ruins of Bevale castle surrounded by five corpses. Around her waist was a cord of black energy connecting her to the witch.


    Chloe knelt down, touching the forehead of each of her companions. Talasin Ward, Evelyn Mews, Theomar the Giant, Sylvia Gremlock and lastly Uriz Dominus.


    They had given their lives to send her back in time to save the world, and she had failed them all. She''d saved Hope instead of Cassadin, and that moment of selfishness had cost them everything.


    Chloe took a deep breath to steady herself and forced her eyes closed again.


    There was nothing but darkness.


    And then she heard a voice, "This can''t be!"


    Something jerked on the cord around her waist and Chloe reappeared in the chair with the witch standing next to her with a look of concern on her wrinkled face.


    "You stood at the end of the world," said the witch. "How is this possible?"


    The Paladin forced back tears and said with a shaky voice, "The crown of the dead king granted me passage to change a single mistake. One that could set right the course of Ivalice."


    "Did you succeed?"


    Chloe shook her head, "I¡­¡± Her voice faltered. ¡°I failed. My actions only made things worse.¡±


    The witch sank back into a chair and stared at the ground. Silent minutes passed before the witch looked up again, and said, ¡°I am old, my life almost spent, but I am not dead yet. If there is a chance at victory, even if only for the generations to come, then I will fight.¡±


    She met Chloe¡¯s eyes. ¡°Your body will not sustain two souls much longer. I must exorcize your past self. So you can gain control of this body."


    Chloe shook her head, ¡°No. My time is over. Please save my past self if you can. This is her life, and I would not take what little she has left from her.¡±


    "That would be foolish,¡± said the witch, her voice harsh. ¡°Her mind is more monster than human.¡±


    A thin smile appeared on the Paladins pale lips. "I have watched her from the shadows and seen her struggles and her pain. She has become strong. I can''t kill her now, not after all she has done."


    "You would sacrifice your mind for hers? I cannot let you do that. The information you contain could be the difference between winning or losing this war."


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Owen cleared his voice and the two women¡¯s eyes fixed on him.


    He smiled sheepishly. ¡°I am no magic wielder or holy man,¡± he said. ¡°But is there not a way you could merge the two souls?¡±


    Belgemine looked at her husband, who just shrugged.


    She frowned, "That seems¡­unwise. We could lose them both."


    ¡°I''m dying anyway,¡± Chloe said, ¡°What have we got to lose?¡±


    Belgemine stood up and shook her head at her husband, who was pretending to study a butterfly that had landed on a nearby flower.


    ¡°It has been many years since you were right, dear husband of mine,¡± she smiled as she said this. ¡°I think you might be due. I will need to confirm with my sisters, though. A ritual of this magnitude would take the full coven.¡±


    <hr>


    Chloe''s bonds fell away, and she stretched and flexed her newly freed muscles, "Thank you," she muttered.


    Belgemine led her inside of her hut. It was larger inside than she had expected. There were tables and chairs, a large bed and several shelves stacked high with books, jars of alchemical reagents and candles. There was also a small kitchen area with cured meats and garlands of dried herbs hanging from hooks.


    On the mantle above the fireplace were six red candles wrapped in human hair, one of which was lit.


    "Sit down," said Belgemine. "I will send a crow to my sisters, but it could be a day before I get a response."


    Chloe the Paladin slumped onto a chair. She was tired and bruised. She was not used to being in control of her body anymore, and she found it exhausting.


    ¡°Rest child, the demon¡¯s bane I used to subdue you will wear out soon and your old self will reclaim your body. It will need to feed soon. I will send Owen to hunt for you."


    <hr>


    <Chloe the Undead>


    When Chloe the zombie awoke, she was tied to a bed in an unfamiliar room. It was dark outside and the room was cool and quiet.


    She tried to sit up, but found her arms bound behind her back. She struggled against the ropes.


    There was nobody in the room, and the only sound she could hear was a slow drip of water dripping somewhere in the distance.


    She could tell that she had eaten recently.


    [Hunger 53%]


    Who did I eat?


    She racked her memories, trying to piece together what had happened. The last thing she remembered was an old woman and green flames. Had she killed the woman and eaten her? She hoped not, she still had questions for the witch.


    She strained against her bonds again, trying to loosen them enough to reach her amulet. But her arms were too tight.


    She sat still, trying to think. She was tied to a bed, but she was untouched. She had been burnt, but there were no wounds on her arms.


    I''m a prisoner, but they don''t want me dead.


    She looked around the room. It was a simple stone room. There was a small window with a curtain pulled shut.


    She heard voices coming from outside. Voices talking and laughing.


    "Help me!" she shouted.


    The voices fell silent and she heard footsteps approaching.


    The door creaked open and a ray of moon light shone on someone standing in the doorway.


    "Quiet, child. You''re safe," said a soft voice.


    The door opened further and Belgemine entered wearing a robe of black lace. "Be brave, child, the ritual is about to begin."


    <hr>


    In the darkness of the night, Belgemine carried a lantern down a narrow path. By its dim glow, Chloe saw that she was walking through a forest.


    Her arms were still bound, and her strength was gone. It took everything she had just to keep walking. She asked Belgemine what was happening, but the witch said not a word.


    Chloe gave up questioning the old woman, instead she walked in silence, her eyes darting around looking for a chance to escape. She had a sickening feeling that she wasn''t going to like whatever came next.


    Chloe crouched low as they passed under a tree whose branches bent towards each other, forming a tight tunnel. Hundreds of crows called out as the pair walked beneath the ancient trees.


    It wasn''t long before they reached a clearing. At the center stood a circle of women dressed in green robes. A large pole was erected in the center of the ring of women.


    Chloe¡¯s eyes moved over the statuesque forms, but none would meet her eyes, each of them stared straight ahead, unmoving.


    "Who comes to us this night?" Belgemine''s husky voice rang out.


    One by one, the women raised their hands and started chanting. "One who seeks the truth of the heart; one who seeks to know her place in the world."


    Belgemine fastened Chloe to a pole in the center of the circle and gave her a tight-lipped smile before stepping back.


    "Whose face shall we see when the veil is lifted from the soul?" said Belgemine. "Whose name shall rise up to greet the morning sun? Whose countenance shall be revealed?"


    "Chloe, daughter of Amber," said the women.


    Chloe tried to move her head but found it stuck fast. A spell held her still. Her chains clanked as she shifted her weight.


    A strange tingling sensation washed over her. She felt like invisible hands were rearranging her soul, prodding and pulling it in ways that felt wrong.


    Shit, are they going to burn me as a witch?


    Belgemine drew a dagger, and the six women all followed her lead, drawing daggers of their own.


    She watched the scene unfold from the corner of her eye. Her mind was drifting. She knew something bad was about to happen.


    The scent of blood filled the air as the witch sliced open her hand and stepped towards Chloe.


    "Blood of my blood," said Belgemine as she pressed two bloodied fingertips to Chloe''s eyelids.


    She stepped back and placed a lit candle in the sand beneath Chloe''s feet.


    "Two become one," said the other witches.


    A warm sensation filled Chloe''s mind. She could feel her memories trickling into her consciousness. Images of a life she had never had flashed through her mind. Her head resting on the warm chest of a naked man. His strong arms wrapped around her as he held her close and kissed her neck.


    The vision faded, and a second witch stepped forward and held her bloodied hands over Chloe''s ears.


    "Bone of my bone" said the witch, and she placed her own candle at Chloe''s feet.


    Chloe''s vision blurred as words melted into each other and the world seemed to tilt and spin. Her nails extended, and the world went red as her monster side fought for control.


    The sound of wings flapped overhead and crows cawed. Candlelight flickered all around her and through the haze of smoke and madness she saw the golden eyes of Onyx, her familiar, watching her from the circle''s edge.


    "Help me," she whispered.


    Through her link with the rabbit, a single emotion pulsed and warmth spread through her chest.


    It said that everything was going to be alright.


    <hr>


    Belgemine raised her dagger and cut through a lock of Chloe''s hair. She tied the hair with a bunch of dried herbs and held it over the candle flames.


    As soon as the hair burst into flames, Chloe felt intense pressure behind her eyes. It felt like they were about to pop out of her skull.


    ¡°Let what was lost be found,¡± said Belgemine.


    The witches echoed her words.


    ¡°Let what was hidden be revealed.¡±


    ¡°Let what was two become one.¡±


    The candle flames turned blue and rose into the sky.


    A loud yawning sound filled the air, and the sky sagged low like a pregnant woman¡¯s belly. Tiny black rifts appeared in the sky all about her, and grotesque arms reached to her through the portals.


    "What''s happening?" shouted a witch.


    The sky ripped open and a pair of bone white hands with skulls on each knuckle emerged through the rift. The hands pulled the rift apart and chaotic energy poured out of it like puss out of a septic wound.


    An eye appeared through the rift. It scanned across the assembled faces and then settled on Chloe.


    ¡°My vessel is whole,¡± a feminine voice boomed across the sky.


    "Witches of Glenhollow, on me!" Belgemine yelled.


    The old woman raised her hand and the full coven assembled behind her, each one laying their hands on their leader¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°By bone broken and blood spilled, by semen sewn and tears shed, by nature¡¯s touch and heaven¡¯s grip, we banish you Queen of Air and Lady of Chaos.¡±


    Cries went up as a witch fell to the ground clutching her chest.


    Chloe saw the woman''s Scarlet hair turn bright white as the young witch aged before her eyes.


    A second witch collapsed, foaming from the mouth and screaming in gut-wrenching agony.


    A short, dark skinned witch was lifted off the ground and flung across the yard. She hit the earth hard with a bone crunching thud and rolled several times before coming to a stop.


    Her body was twisted and contorted in unnatural ways. She looked like a doll that someone had glued an arm onto the wrong way round.


    All around, was chaos and death as witches fought for their lives against something great and terrible.


    Chloe screamed in agony as the power of Chaos engulfed her. It felt like she was being pulled into the rift. She tried to scream, but no sound came out.


    "Child, don''t give in!" Belgemine''s voice could be heard over the madness.


    An explosion rocked the woods and the sky burned with brilliant light. But Chloe resisted. In her head she heard thousands of voices like tiny flies.


    ¡°You are mine,¡± the voice repeated in a jumbled tangle of madness.


    From the corner of Chloe¡¯s eye she saw Belegemine, standing upright, a crooked staff pointed at the sky, her gray hair dancing in the wind. The witches chant mingled with the death screams of her coven.


    A shrill whistle rend the sky and the flock of crows took flight as the rifts snapped shut one after another.


    The final rift closed, taking with it the unholy spirit of Chaos. The blue flames extinguished.


    Chloe staggered to her feet as her bonds were broken.


    "We should go," said the old woman. "It looks like this is over... for now."


    <hr>

 Chapter: 23 New Prophet

    <Gavriel Talos>


    ¡°How did you do it?¡± asked Gabbro Basalt, spice merchant by day and by night, the finest smuggler in Ivalice.


    Gavriel the Prophet took a long sip of his mead before placing his mug down on the wooden table. He smiled at Gabbro, his one and only friend.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he asked.


    Gabbro scratched his beard and waved his other hand. ¡°You know what I mean. A month ago you were the lowest ranked assassin in Astraeus and then one night you single-handedly wiped out the whole guild. On top of all that, you¡¯ve become so wealthy that the nobles are scared shitless of you. Dammit, every merchant this side of the Iron sea would sell their newborn baby to have a shred of your good luck.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it''s just that,¡± said Gavriel. ¡°Luck. The twin goddesses have to smile on someone, why not me?¡±


    Gabbro snorted and took a long swig of his pale ale. ¡°We both know that the goddesses don''t give a rat¡¯s hairy nipple about people like us. Where were they when we were begging for scraps in the merchant district or getting beaten in the town square for stealing a loaf of bread.¡±


    Gavriel laughed, ¡°You haven''t done too bad for yourself either, old friend. You¡¯re the finest smuggler this side of the Iron sea.¡±


    Gabbro scratched his beard again, ¡°You don''t need to butter me up, Gav. What do you want?¡±


    Gavriel feigned ignorance, ¡°I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s been problems with the merchants?¡±


    Gabbro shrugged, "Ain''t no ships coming from K''rith Vatali anymore. Heard rumors the city was burnt to the ground."


    Gavriel took a long gulp of the lukewarm ale. It tasted like piss.


    "Just rumors," he said.


    He''d heard the talk in the marketplace. K''rith Vatali, the shining jewel of Ivalice, burnt to the ground in a single night and not one witness was left alive. It sounded too crazy to be true.


    Gavriel tapped his finger on the table and then smiled at his friend. ¡°I heard you had an unusual shipment come in the other day.¡±


    Gabbro¡¯s eyebrows rose, ¡°How did you hear about that?¡±


    ¡°Not much gets past me these days. I inherited the guild¡¯s spy network when Aras Fetar met her unfortunate end.¡±


    ¡°You mean when you slit the Guild Master¡¯s throat whilst she bathed.¡±


    ¡°I heard it was a shaving accident,¡± Gavriel said with a smile.


    Gabbro snorted. ¡°I''m surprised your spies don''t know what was inside the crates?¡±


    Gavriel shrugged and took another sip of his drink.


    ¡°Bodies,¡± said Gabbro. ¡°Crates full of them. My men picked them clean of all their jewelry and valuables, but that kind of thing gets to you.¡± He shook his head. ¡°There are some sick people in this world.¡±


    ¡°Who paid you to smuggle the crates into Astraeus?¡±


    ¡°I don''t ask questions, it''s not good for business. Why do you care? I thought you¡¯d gone straight,¡± He snorted. ¡°Gavriel Talos the law-abiding citizen. Who¡¯d have thought it?¡±


    A cold wind blew into the tavern as the door opened, and a woman dressed in a green evening dress entered.


    Gavriel glanced at the prostitute, admiring her curves and taking note of the dagger strapped to her inner thigh.


    He turned back to Gabbro and said, ¡°There''s a war coming, my old friend, you should get out of town while you can.¡±


    Gabbro drained his drink, banged the mug down and stood up, ¡°War is good for business.¡±


    Gavriel watched the burly silhouette of his friend leaving the tavern. He knew Gabbro would never leave Astraeus, but he had to try.


    He¡¯d read the future of every person he could find, and he¡¯d seen the same thing over and over. The Prophet had been right, unless he did something, they would all die the grizzliest of deaths on the eve of the Beltane festival. The pieces were already in motion. He knew what was coming, but had no idea how to stop it.


    <hr>


    The inn¡¯s doors swung open, letting in a cool breeze. A man dressed in rags peered inside the building. His eyes met Gavriel¡¯s, and he placed three fingers on his chest.


    Gavriel nodded at the sign, and the man slipped back out of the inn.


    Gavriel finished his drink and waved his hand to the barmaid. The busty serving girl strode over and took the empty mug from him.


    Gavriel smiled as he eyed the woman''s figure. She was a beauty and from seeing her future, he knew exactly what words to say to get her in bed.


    He slid a gold coin onto the table, and the serving girl¡¯s eyes widened when she saw the coin.


    ¡°Buy yourself something nice,¡± he said, standing up.


    The barmaid cleared her throat, "My shift ends in a few hours," she said in a husky voice. "If you are around, maybe we could go for a quiet drink back at your place or mine."


    Gavriel smiled. There was a possible future where he''d sleep with this girl tonight. He¡¯d love every minute of it, and he''d wake up the next morning and find his coin purse missing.


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    The future was a strange thing. People''s lives had many webs of possibility, but they were powerless to change their own future. Their decisions were locked in.


    Only he could see the future and therefore change it. If Astraeus was to be saved, he was the only one that could do it.


    He winked at the barmaid, "See you later," he said as he exited the Salty Tusk Inn. A missing coin purse was a small price to pay for a night of pleasure before hell poured in to destroy it all.


    <hr>


    The air was crisp, and the moon was hidden by clouds. It was the perfect night for a job. Gavriel pulled his cloak around his ears and looked for the beggar.


    ¡°Psst over here,¡± called the man.


    Gavriel rested his hand on his dagger and headed down the dark alleyway where the voice had called from.


    Two men were waiting for him there. A burly beggar named Pitt and the small man named Rem.


    ¡°What do you have?¡± Gavriel asked.


    ¡°It''s her,¡± said Pitt. ¡°She looked just the way you described her. Blonde hair, skin as pale as mother¡¯s milk, and wearing a black dress. There were two others with her, big men, they looked like they knew how to handle themselves.¡±


    Gavriel nodded. ¡°Which gate?¡±


    ¡°Burrow''s Way,¡± said Rem. He cleared his throat and stretched out his grubby hands. ¡°About our payment?¡±


    Gavriel flicked a gold coin, and the tall man snatched it out of the air and grinned at it greedily.


    ¡°Pleasure doing business with you, Master.¡±


    Gavriel waited for the men to leave, and then he leapt onto a crate and pulled himself onto the rooftop of the nearest building.


    He felt at home in the solitude high above the city. Golden light illuminated the streets for a second as a crowd of drunks spilled out of the tavern singing a song about a mermaid and a kraken that fell in love.


    Gavriel took a run-up and leapt from one roof to another. He landed lightly and waited for a few seconds as a patrol of Night watch passed down below. He didn''t want to involve anybody in this job. He didn''t know who the girl was, but the prophecies had shown him that she was powerful and dangerous.


    The Night watch called out into the dark, and a moment later the signal was echoed by a second patrol. The group turned around and headed back down Farrell''s lane. Gavriel counted to five and then he continued on.


    <hr>


    As he got closer to Burrows Way, he noticed that the guards were missing from their post. He didn''t bother checking on them. He knew he¡¯d find them with their throats slit.


    Gavriel scratched his chin as he considered his options. He¡¯d seen the girl in many of the city folks'' futures. She was a ghost, a silent wanderer and wherever she walked, destruction followed in her wake.


    <hr>


    Movement stirred down below. A cat crossing the road. It passed and licked its paw and then meowed as if startled and ducked behind a building.


    Something was definitely amiss, where were the people. It was still early enough that the streets should have been filled with street vendors plying their trade.


    Gavriel used a broken shingle as a foothold and dropped to street level. The area was deserted apart from an old woman sitting in a doorway with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She was smoking a pipe and breathing out hazy silver clouds.


    When she saw him, she tapped her pipe on the floor, sending out a shower of sparks.


    Gavriel recognized the signal. He''d spent the last month setting up a network of spies amongst the beggars and the whores. They had eyes everywhere and were the first people to notice any newcomers into the city.


    The woman¡¯s signal meant that strangers had passed by recently.


    Gavriel pulled the cloak around his face more tightly and moved forward through the shadows down the road in the direction the old woman had pointed.


    As he rounded the corner, he heard the clip-clop of horse''s hooves on stone.


    He hid behind the low wall in the fletcher''s yard. Two armored riders appeared down the road. Their horses breathing out jets of steam as they drew steadily nearer.


    At the sight of them, dread descended upon him like a tidal wave. He felt like all the light in the world had suddenly faded, and the void was sucking him in. His hands balled into fists and his muscles tensed in anticipation.


    ¡°Impressive aren''t they,¡± a feminine voice whispered in his ear.


    Gavriel spun around, his dagger streaking out of his belt, ready to deliver death. An invisible hand stopped his arm in midair, and he found himself looking into the cold blue eyes of the girl he''d seen in prophecies so many times before.


    The girl was beautiful in the same way that a sword was beautiful. Sharp lines, perfect balance, deadly as hell and made to kill.


    Her skin was flawless porcelain that glowed like the moon on a cloudless night. Her hair was long and silky, falling down her back as though it had been woven from threads of purest gold. Her dress was cut low at the neckline to display the swell of her breasts, and flared slightly over her hips to show off every curve of her form, leaving the eye to dwell on the perfection of what lay beneath.


    She reached out and touched his cheek gently with the back of her fingers. "The last assassin left in Astraeus." She smiled, her teeth were white and perfect.


    Gavriel swallowed hard as he willed his hand to move again, but it was frozen in place.


    She stepped closer to him and ran her hands along his chest. Her lips brushed across his and he tasted blood. She laughed softly, her breath caressing his face.


    "My name is Hope," she whispered. "I am in need of a blade, sharp and precise, one that can pierce the hardest heart in the most hidden of places.¡±


    With each word she spoke, Gavriel felt his resolve breaking. In the corner of his eye, he caught the faintest glimmer of a translucent form drifting behind the girl. It looked like a jellyfish with its tendrils wrapped around the girl¡¯s throat. He blinked and a second later the creature was gone.


    The girl moved in close and kissed him again. He opened his mouth to her. He felt like he was drowning in her sweet taste.


    ¡°Will you be my sword?¡± she asked.


    She¡¯s the enemy.


    He pushed the intoxicating desire out of his head and forced his mind to focus. He peered in her eyes and opened himself to let her future in.


    Pathways appeared before him like spider webs spread across the sky.


    In one path, she stood beside a girl and boy. The three were clearly siblings. Kings and nobles bowed before them.


    In another path, her sister and a man wielding a two-handed swordsman stood over her lifeless body.


    In a third path she walked in a foreign world with buildings reaching up to the sky all about her.


    The visions continued one after another, each more confusing than the last. It was clear that Hope''s path fractured into thousands of possibilities based on the next words to come out of his mouth.


    Gavriel let go of the visions, and the future vanished like a door slammed shut on his mind.


    He stared at the girl in shock as his mind raced to come up with the right words to say.


    "What do you want from me?" he asked.


    She smiled. ¡°A small thing.¡± She kissed his cheek and said, ¡°I want you to kill the six Archons of the Talamasca.¡±


    She turned away from him, and he watched her walk away. She moved as if the wind gently pushed her along, her thin dress billowing seductively around her as the darkness swallowed her whole.


    His dagger fell from his hand and clattered to the ground. He looked down at it and realized it was covered in blood. He opened his hands and saw that his nails had dug into his skin, drawing blood.


    <hr>

 Chapter - 24 Wyvern

    <Talasin Ward>


    The sun shone low over the desert sands, when Talasin and his three companions made camp for the day.


    The sky was clear of clouds, and it looked like the weather would hold out until morning, when they hoped to end their fast march in the village of Kadrak.


    The four travelers were tired and hungry. They rested for a few hours to catch their breaths, but they still had work to do before they could settle in for the night.


    ¡°Did you just put clean socks on dirty feet?¡± Garnet asked as she pulled on her night cloak and fastened the sword on her hip.


    Talasin looked up from his leather boots, ¡°What?¡± He shook his head in confusion. ¡°I guess so. Is there something wrong with that?¡±


    Garnet rolled her eyes, ¡°You are an animal, that''s all I''m saying.¡±


    He shrugged one shoulder and continued tying the laces of his boots, ¡°When you are finished with your baby rant, can we get back to the mission.¡±


    Garnet threw him a look of mock annoyance.


    ¡°We are south of K''rith Vatali in the Arid Steppes,¡± Talasin said as he stood up and dusted the sand from his cloak. ¡°If we rest in the warmest hours of the day and travel in the cool hours of the morning and late afternoon, then we should reach our destination by sunset tomorrow.¡±


    Wren, the thief cleared her throat, ¡°Um, one question?¡± she asked. ¡°Why does the princess get to go hunting with you while Raithen and I are left collecting wood?¡±


    Talasin tied his half empty water skin onto his belt before meeting her eye. ¡°Because¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because,¡± interrupted Garnet. ¡°I''m the only one that''s hunted in these parts before.¡±


    ¡°You are still injured,¡± Wren demanded. ¡°I''m the stealthiest, if we need to get close to our prey, then I''m the best choice.¡±


    ¡°You don''t even have a weapon,¡± retorted Garnet.


    ¡°Give me your sword,¡± said Wren.


    ¡°Just shut up!¡± snapped Talasin. ¡°Garnet knows these parts better than any of us. She¡¯s coming with me and that''s final.¡±


    Raithen fingered the silver ring on his finger and chuckled, ¡°Why would you break up a cat fight, they were just about to get physical.¡±


    Garnet and Wren stared daggers at the ex-leader of the Sewer Rats.


    ¡°We are all hungry, scared and frustrate,¡± said Talasin. ¡°I get it. But right now, every decision we make is crucial. We don''t have the luxury of making mistakes. We need food, and we need to send word of K''rith Vatali''s fall.¡±


    He looked back at smoke on the horizon where the great city had stood only days before. He shook his head, ¡°If the demon''s conquered the Desert Jewel so easily, what would stop them from taking the whole of Ivalice?¡±


    Grunts of ascent answered his question.


    ¡°Fine,¡± said Wren, and she shot a nervous glance at Raithen. ¡°We''ve got a lot of ground to cover if we are going to reach Kadrak tomorrow. If you are going hunting, then you should go now.¡±


    Raithen stretched out lazily in the sand and winked at Garnet, ¡°Wake me when the foods ready,¡± he said before pulling up his hood and covering his eyes.


    ¡°Just don''t get killed out there,¡± said Wren.


    Garnet looked at Raithen then back to Wren. ¡°You be safe too.¡±


    <hr>


    Talasin gripped his short sword, he still missed the two-handed sword he''d lost in the sewers. It had taken him years to get comfortable swinging such a large weapon. He didn''t miss the weight, or the length of it. What he missed was the feeling of power it gave him and after everything he¡¯d been through, he really wished he had some power on his side.


    Garnet strode purposely beside him, her hand resting on her long sword.


    He watched her from the corner of his eye. She was the councilor of K''rith Vatali''s youngest daughter, which should have meant she was a spoiled rich kid but the more he got to know her the more he realized that she was far from that.


    Garnet was as tough as nails and refused to let anyone push her around. It was obvious she was tired and still injured. Her face was pale, her lips were cracked and bleeding from dehydration.


    They were all exhausted. It had been over a week since they''d fled the burning city and food, water and a good night''s sleep felt like distant memories.


    His lips tightened as he surveyed the barren desert. The rocks and sand that surrounded them were stark and lifeless. There wasn''t a single plant in sight, not even shrubs or cacti. He wasn''t feeling optimistic about their chances of finding food.


    Garnet kicked a loose stone and cursed.


    ¡°Something bothering you?¡± asked Talasin.


    Garnet shook her head.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Raithen?¡± asked Talasin.


    She looked at him and nodded. ¡°I can feel his eyes on me all the time. It makes my skin crawl.¡±


    ¡°He''s a pervert, but he seems harmless enough.¡±


    ¡°Wren didn''t seem to think so,¡± said Garnet.


    ¡°You think he¡¯ll harm the girl?¡±


    Garnet shrugged, ¡°She was nervous about being left alone with him.¡±


    ¡°You should have said something,¡± he snapped. ¡°We should go back.¡±


    Garnet shook her head. ¡°The needs of the many out way the needs of the few. We have a job to do, Wren will have to take care of herself. I just don''t have to be happy about it.¡±


    Talasin didn''t like the thought of leaving Wren to fend for herself, but he agreed with Garnet¡¯s wisdom. They needed the energy a hearty meal provided to carry them through the desert. There would be dangers ahead, there always were.


    ¡°Let''s make this quick,¡± he said. ¡°What are we even hunting out here?¡±


    Garnet looked about her a final time before swinging her gaze to him. ¡°My father brought my sister and I here to hunt whooping hares, whilst him and his guards hunted wild gruffalo.¡±


    Talasin raised his sword, ¡°With these weapons,¡± he shrugged. ¡°There''s no chance of bringing down something as large as a gruffalo.¡±


    Garnet nodded, ¡°But with some luck we might find a hare''s warren or at the very least a couple of fiery newts.¡±


    Talasin snorted, ¡°Fiery newts?¡±


    ¡°They are real and hot as hell,¡± said Garnet. ¡°My father used to cook them up with sweet onions, gruffalo milk and Vatali shade peppers.¡± She smiled. ¡°I would prefer some coconut cream shaved ice right now, but beggars can''t be choosers.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like your father raised you as sons,¡± said Talasin.


    ¡°What''s that supposed to mean?¡± said Garnet. ¡°You don''t think girls would enjoy hunting and camping in the desert?¡±


    ¡°Did you?¡±


    ¡°No... but that''s not the point.¡±


    ¡°I am just saying¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know what you''re trying to say,¡± said Garnet. ¡°The fact is, I''m a girl, and you think I shouldn''t be doing this. You think girls should be sitting at home, learning how to sew dresses whilst playing cards and drinking tea.¡±


    Talasin sighed, ¡°That''s not what I meant.¡±


    ¡°Then what did you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªwhat I meant is, I don''t care if you''re a girl.¡±


    ¡°Of course you do. We both know men hate women who aren''t weak and helpless.¡±


    ¡°Shhh!¡±


    ¡°Don''t shhh me.¡±


    ¡°No, shhh,¡± said Talasin. ¡°I hear something.¡±


    Garnet stopped dead and listened intently. After a moment, she let out a small sigh of disappointment. ¡°You probably heard my stomach rumbling.¡±


    Talasin frowned and walked forward slowly, holding his short sword ready.


    He reached the edge of a high dune and peered out over the vast expanse of sand below.


    After a minute of silence he heard a series of thuds, scrabbling sounds on rock, followed by an unmistakable high-pitched scream.


    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Garnet whispered. ¡°It didn''t sound human.¡±


    ¡°It wasn''t,¡± said Talasin. ¡°It sounded like a wyvern.¡±


    ¡°Can we eat those?¡±


    ¡°They are giant, bat-like monsters that suck the blood from their victims,¡± said Talasin. ¡°Do you really want to eat that?¡±


    Garnet shrugged, ¡°Right now, I''m so hungry I could eat the ass off of a dead donkey.¡±


    Talasin looked at her and smiled. ¡°Let''s hope it doesn''t come to that.¡±


    <hr>


    As they moved along the dune, they heard more screams, this time further away. Talasin clutched his sword hilt tighter.


    ¡°This way,¡± he said, pointing into the desert ahead.


    They made their way slowly forward, keeping a careful eye out for anything that might attack them.


    ¡°Can you smell that?¡± asked Garnet.


    Talasin nodded. ¡°Rotting flesh.¡±


    A large batlike creature, the size of a horse, flapped its leathery wings and released a high-pitched ear-piercing screech as the crested the dune.


    ¡°Wyvern?¡± asked Garnet.


    Talasin nodded and held his sword out in front of him. His eyes darted all about, taking in the details of the grizzly scene, without focusing on the obvious horror of it.


    A man lay on the ground, his head half ripped from his body. His intestines spilled across the sand. His entrails were tied up in a long rope that led back into the desert. There was no sign of who had done this.


    The wyvern had been chewing on the man¡¯s face, it rose up and circled high above them.


    ¡°Will it attack us?¡± asked Garnet.


    ¡°Probably not. They only attack humans when they are desperate for food. It will just wait for us to leave and then continue finishing off its prey.¡±


    ¡°Well, that''s one hell of a way to die,¡± said Garnet as she eyed the dead man''s corpse.


    ¡°Come and take a look,¡± said Talasin as he strode closer.


    ¡°Really!¡± said Garnet. ¡°It''s a bad enough site from up here.¡±


    Talasin grunted as he slid down the sand dune.


    ¡°Are you coming,¡± he said, looking back up at Garnet.


    She cursed under her breath and followed after.


    Talasin held out a hand to steady her as she slid down the bank beside him.


    ¡°The stench,¡± she moaned as she covered her mouth with her jacket sleeve.


    Talasin looked down at the man. His face was covered with deep cuts.


    ¡°See that cut on his forehead?¡± he said.


    Garnet looked closer and saw that the wound was very clean, almost surgical in nature. ¡°Looks like it was made with a knife.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. The wyvern didn''t do this.¡±


    ¡°His blood still looks fresh. Whoever did this must still be close by.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not,¡± said Talasin, shaking his head. ¡°Look at the marks on his arms.¡±


    Garnet turned the corpse over and saw that a pattern had been sliced into the skin. The cuts ran from the wrists all the way up to the shoulder.


    ¡°Divination,¡± said Talasin. ¡°There are demon¡¯s that practice human augury. The spell can only be cast while the victim is alive.¡±


    ¡°He was alive for all this?¡±


    ¡°Look at his lips,¡± said Talasin.


    Garnet leaned closer, but the stench made her feel sick. ¡°They looked burnt.¡±


    ¡°Demon blood,¡± said Talasin. ¡°A demon fed this man its own blood to keep him alive long enough for them to perform the divination.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡±


    ¡°They must have been looking for something.¡±


    Garnet looked around and spied a set of faded footprints in the sand, ¡°Or someone,¡± she said, pointing at the footprints.


    Talasin followed the footprints with his eye, and then his face fell. ¡°They¡¯re heading towards our camp.¡±


    <hr>

 Chapter 25 - Blood In The Sand

    <Talasin Ward>


    A pale sickle moon and a scattering of stars lit the sky, high above Talasin and Garnet, as they reached the edge of their camp.


    The small fire had burnt down, leaving only a handful of glowing embers.


    "Wren!" Talasin shouted as he burst into camp.


    The light was dim and in the shadows Talasin could just make out the sight of a figure lying at the base of a dune.


    He rushed over to the figure. It was Wren. He knelt down beside her and placed a hand on her neck to check for a pulse.


    "Is she dead?" Garnet asked from behind.


    "No." Talasin said with relief. ¡°She¡¯s just sleeping.¡±


    Wren stirred and looked up at the two of them. "Please tell me you brought food," she said.


    ¡°You should be keeping watch, not sleeping,¡± Talasin scolded. He looked around the empty campsite. ¡°Where''s Raithen?¡±


    "I don''t know," Wren replied, "He went off somewhere a while ago."


    Garnet shook her head. "We need to get out of here, we are in danger?"


    "Why?" asked Wren. "What''s going on?"


    ¡°There''s something in the desert,¡± said Talasin. ¡°It killed a man. I think there might be more coming.¡±


    The sound of sand being kicked caught the attention of both of them.


    They both turned to see Raithen running towards them, his eyes wide open.


    "I heard talking out there," Raithen spoke quickly as he approached. "It didn''t sound human.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± asked Talasin, springing forward, his sword halfway out of its sheath.


    ¡°It came from over this way,¡± said Raithen, pointing out into the darkness.


    "Did you get a look at them?" asked Talasin.


    Raithen shook his head. "Just heard their voices. I think there were three of them."


    Garnet turned to Talasin, worry clearly reflected in her eyes, "What do we do?"


    Talasin pointed his sword at the fire, "We build up the fire and wait for them to attack."


    <hr>


    "What kind of creature is that?" asked Garnet.


    Talasin glared at the small beast that lay dead in front of them. Its long fur covered it completely from nose to tail. It had a pair of horns sticking out from its forehead and a spiked collar that ran around its neck.


    "Ratkin," he said with a grimace.


    "Ratkin?" Garnet repeated dumbly.


    "Demons use them as trackers," said Talasin.


    Raithen peered down at the creature, "Who are they after?"


    Garnet and Talasin exchanged worried glances.


    "Probably making sure that nobody escapes from K''rith Vatali," Talasin said.


    "This is a bad place to be right now," said Raithen. "We should keep moving."


    Talasin shook his head, "We''ll be sitting ducks out there. At Least here we have the fire to protect us."


    "Are you crazy?" Wren snapped. "You want to stay here and wait for them to come back?"


    "There''s no point in running," said Talasin. "If we run away, they will follow us. We have to fight."


    "What if our waiting gives them a chance to call for more reinforcements?" asked Wren.


    "Then I fight," said Talasin. "What else is there to do. Here we have a chance, we have light, and we have each other''s backs, but out there we are sitting ducks."


    Wren stood up, "No!" She stormed past Talasin towards her backpack.


    "We''re leaving," she yelled at Raithen.


    Raithen grabbed her arm before she could walk any further. "Where are you going?" he asked.


    She pulled her arm loose and stared him down. "I''m not staying here to die. We should run while we can."


    Talasin stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know you are afraid, we all are."


    "Don''t touch me," she growled.


    "If you go out there, you die," Talasin said, his voice low and menacing. "Stay and fight, and maybe we get lucky and survive the night."


    Wren spun around and marched towards the edge of camp.


    Talasin watched her walk away. "The Second Order has a cathedral in Kadrak," he said. "It''s a day''s walk from here. If we survive the night, we can make it there tomorrow."


    "What''s to stop the demons from following us there?" asked Wren.


    "No demon or undead can enter a cathedral sanctified by Belladeon. Trust me, there is no safer place in all of Ivalice."


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Wren looked at Talasin. "I don''t like this, but if you say we have a chance, then I will stay.¡± She lowered her gaze, ¡°You just better hope we make it out of here alive, or I''ll kill you myself.¡±


    <hr>


    They built up the fire and sat with their backs to each other, each of them holding a weapon and glaring out into the darkness looking for any sign of movement.


    "We can''t stay awake all night," said Talasin. "We should rotate. Two on shift, whilst the other two sleep."


    Raithen raised his hand, "Wren and I can take the first shift. After your hunting trip, you two need the rest more than we do."


    Garnet shook her head, "There''s no way I can sleep right now," she said. "I''ll take the first shift."


    "So you and I then," said Raithen.


    Garnet shot a quick look at Talasin.


    "I think I''d better take the first shift with Garnet," said Talasin. "We need an able swordsman to be awake."


    Raithen stared at Talasin for a moment, his hand an inch from the dagger on his belt.


    Wren stood up and stretched, "Wake us when the moon is halfway across the sky," she said as she left to her sleeping pack.


    But Raithen remained, watching them in silence.


    Talasin casually tossed another log onto the fire, whilst watching the man from the corner of his eye.


    Finally, Raithen snorted, and sauntered after Wren.


    <hr>


    Talasin sat down with his back against Garnet''s and felt her warmth against his arm. She was so close that his hand brushed against hers.


    He opened his mouth to say something, anything, but then he stopped.


    "What is it?" asked Garnet as she leaned back against him.


    "I was going to say that we mustn''t fall asleep."


    Garnet shook her head. "I wasn''t lying when I said that there was no way I could sleep."


    She fell silent for a moment. "Thanks," she finally whispered. "You know, for staying with me."


    Talasin nodded.


    Garnet brushed a lock of hair out of her face and began polishing her sword on the hem of her cloak. ¡°Why do you think they are after us?¡±


    ¡°Who says they are?¡±


    He could feel Garnet twist around to look at him.


    ¡°Well,¡± she said. ¡°First they kidnapped me in K''rith Vatali, it was obvious they weren''t actually interested in me. It seemed like they were using me as bait. And now they send demon trackers after us.¡±


    Talasin had been thinking about the exact same thing himself. The attackers in the city had repeated the words, ¡®kill the witness.¡¯


    He was sure that he was missing something. Was he the witness? If he was, then what was it that he had witnessed?


    ¡°I''m sure it''s just a patrol trying to intercept anybody that escaped the city. They wouldn''t want word getting out about what happened.¡±


    "I never thought demons were so cunning,¡± said Garnet. ¡°I''d always heard that they were more primal, just hunting humans for food.¡±


    "Something''s changed," said Talasin.


    They both fell silent for some time, tangled in their thoughts.


    ¡°Do you think anybody survived?¡± Garnet asked in a low voice.


    Talasin shrugged. "I''m sure your family got out."


    "What makes you think that?"


    "Well, what''s the point of all of your father''s money if it can''t save his ass when enemies attack."


    ¡°He''s not like that,¡± said Garnet. ¡°He wouldn''t flee. He''d want to help.¡±


    ¡°If there are any survivors, they will be trying to do the same thing as us.¡±


    Garnet nodded.


    A branch cracked in the fire and sent a shower of sparks across the sand.


    They fell quiet again. After a time, Garnet spoke. "Why did you join the Order?"


    "It seemed like a good idea at the time."


    She snorted. "Not really an answer."


    "You know, you ask a lot of questions."


    She smiled, "It will keep us awake."


    He snorted.


    "So..." she said. "Are you going to tell me or..."


    Talasin poked the fire with the end of a stick, ¡°It''s a long story.¡±


    ¡°Long stories are my favorite,¡± she said.


    Talasin sighed. ¡°I haven''t told anyone the whole story.¡±


    ¡°Your secret is safe with me.¡±


    Talasin took a sip from the water skin and handed it to Garnet. ¡°I had a sister,¡± he finally said. ¡°Her name was Calista. She was seven years old when our village was attacked.¡±


    ¡°Demons?¡± asked Garnet.


    ¡°Worse,¡± said Talasin. ¡°It was our neighboring village. Some dispute over land that turned sour.¡±


    Garnet frowned, ¡°They killed your sister?¡±


    Talasin shook his head, ¡°No. But our parents were both killed. We knew no one outside our village. So we hid in the woods for a few weeks until starvation drove us to a small village near Auroch Mountain. There was a witch in that village. She took us in.¡±


    ¡°I thought the Order hated witches?¡±


    ¡°They do, but Belgemine was the best healer in the region, the Order is funded by the public, so killing their favorite healer would do them no favors.¡±


    Talasin stretched his legs and tossed another log on the fire. ¡°We lived with the witch for three months. One day I came across a book of hers. It was hidden behind an old closet.¡±


    ¡°What was it?¡±


    ¡°A grimoire.¡±


    ¡°Did you read it?¡±


    ¡°I did more than that. I''d pretend to go out exploring each day, but I''d take the book with me, and I''d study it for hours in the forest.¡±


    ¡°You wanted power to get revenge?¡±


    Talasin shook his head, ¡°I wanted to bring back my family.¡±


    ¡°Necromancy,¡± Garnet breathed. ¡°But that''s--¡±


    ¡°Forbidden,¡± said Talasin. ¡°Yes. Belgemine was a wax witch, but sometimes her studies led her into the darker side of the arcane. She blended necromancy with hedge magic and created a technique of binding souls to candles. When she lit her candles, the souls of her dead sons and husband would appear.¡±


    ¡°Why didn''t you just ask her to cast the spell? Why learn it yourself?¡±


    Talasin shrugged. ¡°The candle magic was great, but it wasn''t the same as having them alive. I wanted to hold my mother once again. I wanted to ride on my father''s shoulder.¡±


    Garnet nodded, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Talasin let out a long breath and stared into the flames for a few minutes.


    ¡°One day, when the witch had left to deliver a baby in a neighboring village, my sister and I tried to raise the dead. We failed and my sister¡­¡±


    Talasin shook his head. ¡°It was my fault, I was a fool.¡±


    ¡°You summoned a demon instead?¡±


    Talasin smiled weakly at the hideous memory. ¡°It looked just like my mother, but it gripped its icy hands around Calista¡¯s neck and choked her to death. It only stopped moving after I hacked off its head with the witch¡¯s lumber axe.


    After my sister''s funeral, Belgemine sent me to the Order, she knew a man there. He took me in as his apprentice, and I have never looked back since.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry,¡± said Garnet.


    She reached out a hand and squeezed his own.


    Talasin pulled his hand away, ¡°Yeah, so am I.¡±


    He stood up.


    "Where are you going?" she asked.


    "I need to relieve myself."


    Garnet waved a hand at him, "Just don''t go too far from the light."


    <hr>


    Talasin walked to the edge of the light and found a spot beneath a sand dune. He leaned against its trunk and let out a deep breath.


    He closed his eyes and he could feel his mind drifting, his thoughts turning inward and then outward. He finished peeing and as he turned away he saw a pool of blood in the sand. There was something sticking out of it. He knelt down and picked up what he thought was a stick.


    Talasin wiped some of the sand off it.


    It was a human finger, and he thought he knew just whose hand it belonged to.


    <hr>

 Chapter 26 - Desert Wraiths

    <Talasin Ward>


    The sun rose over the desert sands, burning off the last remnants of night with its heat, illuminating the sand dunes and dead trees that littered the landscape for miles around them.


    The wind whipped at Talasin¡¯s clothes and skin as he walked. His companions followed close behind, keeping to the long shadows cast by the towering dunes.


    There had been no more attacks all night, nor any sign of pursuit; but there was still an uneasy tension between them.


    Wren and Raithen kept to themselves, muttering to each other under their breath, while Talasin and Garnet walked together, talking quietly about what lay ahead.


    Talasin told no one about the severed finger he¡¯d found the night before. He was biding his time as he planned his next move.


    If they kept up their relentless pace, they would reach Kadrak by late afternoon. But the failed hunt the evening before and searing heat had drained their energy levels.


    Heat, hunger and thirst was starting to get to the companions though and showed in the hostile attitude Raithen showed towards Talasin and Garnet. Especially when Talasin hadn''t bothered to wake them up for their shift the night before. He''d let the three sleep whilst he had stood guard alone.


    "Something''s not right here," Garnet muttered at his side. "Raithen is usually a creep, but now when he looks at me, I don''t see lust, I see hatred."


    "Keep an eye on him," Talasin said. ¡°But for now there is not much else we can do. We just need to keep moving.¡±


    The sand shifted under Talasin¡¯s feet as he stepped off of a rock. He stumbled forward and Garnet grabbed his arm to keep him from falling.


    He was exhausted, his vision was blurring, and his throat was so dry that it hurt to breath.


    ¡°You need rest,¡± she whispered, ¡°If you keep pushing yourself like this you¡¯ll eventually break.¡±


    Talasin adjusted his pack, ¡°I''m fine, we¡¯ll rest when we reach Kadrak.¡±


    He looked back over his shoulder and saw Raithen eyeing him.


    Shit, I can''t afford to look weak, not now.


    <hr>


    It was around midday when they sighted a massive fin sailing through the sand on the horizon.


    "Sand shark?" said Garnet.


    Talasin stopped and watched the fin. Moments later, more fins appeared, each one slicing through the sand effortlessly just like a shark through water.


    He smiled. "Sand sharks are a myth," he said. "The fins are actually the regulator flaps on the Abyss Wurm."


    "Is it dangerous?" Garnet asked.


    "Is a volcano dangerous?" he asked.


    "It depends."


    "Exactly. If we keep clear of it, the wurm will leave us alone."


    "Can we eat it?"


    Talasin laughed, "No, but if there are wurms nearby, then there might be sand phantoms and those we can eat."


    "What are they?"


    "Much like any biome, there is an ecosystem in the desert. The wurms are the center of that system. They swallow tons of sand and live off of the organisms in the soil, they excrete a liquid which many creatures live on out here. The sand phantoms feed on those creatures."


    "So what are we looking out for?" asked Garnet.


    Talasin raised his voice so Wren and Raithen could hear as well. "Dark shapes under the sand, about the size of a bed. Its stinger looks like a snake. It stings the victim, rendering it unconscious, and then it drags its victim underground."


    ¡°We should rest here and hunt,¡± Wren said. ¡°God''s know we could do with a decent meal.¡±


    Talasin shook his head, ¡°We can''t stop now here, we are too out in the open. Let find some shade, we¡¯ll rest during the hottest hours to conserve our energy and set off again when it cools down.¡±


    <hr>


    As they continued on their way through the desert that afternoon, they saw several abyss wurms far in the distance and even a pack of basalt foxes.


    The creatures kept their distance, satisfied with watching and waiting the humans trekking through their land. Soon enough, the sun and sand would claim another victim and the animals would come out to feed.


    An hour later, they had still found no shade and no water. Their legs were weak, their skin red-hot and blistering. They walked in silence, conserving their energy. It was then that they spotted their first sand phantom.


    They stood in silence, watching the sand ripple under their feet as the dark shadow moved beneath them.


    "This thing¡¯s massive," Garnet said. ¡°Are you sure we can kill it?¡±


    A smarter person might have ignored the sand phantom and kept marching. But Talasin, Garnet, Wren and Raithen were starving, they hadn''t eaten in days. All they could think about was their stomachs and how good it would feel to have them full.


    A sinkhole appeared behind them and a sand phantom dived into the hole.


    Talasin groaned and ran after it, his hand going for his short sword as he followed the phantom into the sands below.


    The sand shimmered a moment before the ground opened up underneath them.


    Talasin yelled as he fell through the open space to land hard on his back.


    The phantom''s stinger rose out of the sand like a cobra and struck at him.


    Talasin rolled away just in time as the needle sank into the sand above him. He jumped to his feet and charged forward, leaping over the sand that had opened up behind him. His blade slashed down through the air, catching the phantom''s stinger cleanly.


    The severed stinger bled across the sand and the phantom writhed in pain, as its body became fully visible. It was round and thin, resembling a manta ray, complete with an air hole on its back, it had a single large eye and two smaller ones on either side of its head and a mouth full of sharp teeth.


    Talasin stabbed down into the creature''s fleshy stomach. Blood sprayed from the wound and the creature screamed.


    It released Talasin and turned towards him. It moved fast, ducking beneath the sand, mouth open to grab him.


    Talasin threw himself aside and landed in the sand just as the phantom lunged for him again. As it did, he swung his weapon back and forth, cutting deep gouges into the creature''s body. The sand parted around the phantom, and for a second it looked like the creature was free.


    The sand rustled behind Talasin and he turned to see Raithen jumping towards him with Garnet''s sword in his hand.


    Talasin flung himself out of the way, rolling to his feet.


    Raithen streaked past him and his blade caught the phantom between its eyes. With a sickening crunch, it tore the flesh open, leaving a bloody mess in its wake.


    The wind whistled across the sand, sending dust into the air as Talasin stared at Raithen with wide eyes.


    <hr>


    The sun beat down on them as they dragged the lifeless body of the sand phantom out of the sinkhole. The creature''s skin was brown and smooth and it smelt like freshly ground spices.


    Garnet picked up the creature''s stinger lying amongst the sand and tossed it towards the sinkhole. "It would have been nice to roast this thing over a fire," she said.


    Talasin shrugged. "The El¡¯bhed nomads cut the meat into thin stripes and dry it on racks," he replied. "We don''t have time for that or for a fire."


    He drew his sword and cut a thin sliver of meat. He took a deep breath and then popped the rubbery meat into his mouth. He chewed mechanically as he watched Garnet peel off a strip of flesh and stare at it.


    "Well?" she asked.


    "Tastes worse than it looks," he replied.


    Garnet grimaced and tossed the piece into her mouth. She chewed once and swallowed.


    "Tastes like chicken," she said, with a smile.


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    Talasin laughed and cut two more strips of meat from the sand phantom for Wren and Raithen.


    He popped another piece in his mouth and chewed it slowly as he watched the horizon.


    "Light!" he cursed.


    Garnet turned to look.


    A haze filled the horizon. It was green with a red glow behind it.


    "That doesn''t look good," she said.


    Talasin nodded and pointed to the sky. "Look there. A flock of birds all heading South."


    "Sandstorm," said Wren.


    Talasin cleaned his sword on his coat and said, "It''s time to leave."


    <hr>


    Talasin had never seen a storm like it, not even when he''d been living on the streets of Astraeus.


    This was a storm of death and destruction, every gust of wind sent grit flying into his face and he was forced to wipe his eyes constantly.


    His ears rang with the sound of the sand being whipped into a frenzy. The desert floor was already white with so much sand blowing through the air.


    Garnet kept pace with Talasin, both of them looking up at the clouds in terror.


    "We need to keep moving," said Talasin. "The village should just be up ahead."


    "I can''t see anything for miles," Garnet replied. "If we can just find some shelter¡­"


    She broke off as a whirling column of sand hurtled towards them from the North.


    Talasin flinched as it passed over his head, and then there was an explosion of sand and debris. He shielded his face with his arm and kept running.


    Garnet followed close behind.


    "You okay?" she shouted.


    Talasin wiped the sand from his eyes and nodded. "Fine," he said. "Just keep going."


    He looked back and saw Raithen and Wren with their hoods up and keeping pace with them.


    "We need to run!" he shouted.


    <hr>


    They ran until their lungs burned, but the sand storm was unrelenting in its fury.


    Soon Talasin saw the distant line of the mountain range.


    "We''re almost there," said Talasin. "Kadrak is at the base of the mountain."


    The next few minutes were the hardest yet. Their legs felt like lead and their bodies ached from the exertion. They stumbled forward, moving slower and slower. But the wind howled around them, causing them to stumble and fall many times. Each time they fell, it became harder to stand again.


    Then, just as suddenly as it had started, there was a break in the storm. Their vision cleared, and they spied a road leading up to the base of one of the mountains.


    Talasin turned and checked on each of his companions. Their faces were mirrors of his own. Tired and afraid.


    ¡°This is it,¡± he said, and his words came out like a croak. ¡°One last push, and tonight we¡¯ll drink wine and sleep in soft beds.¡±


    <hr>


    At first glance, the village of Kadrak looked empty. The houses were shuttered closed to keep out the sand and the wind. On closer inspection, one could see golden lamp light shining from under those doors and shadows moving inside the buildings.


    But whether there were people or not didn''t matter. Nobody wanted to open their doors to strangers in the middle of the night.


    Talasin knocked on doors, but there was no answer. He didn''t have the strength to force them open.


    They needed to get out of the storm. The wind had turned fierce, and the sand tore at their skin, cutting thin bloodied lines across their skin.


    Talasin knew that if they tarried too long, the sand would peel their skin from their bodies.


    As they ran he kept an eye out for the cathedral, he''d never been to the village, but he knew the cathedral would be the largest building in town.


    The sand obscured his vision, though, and he couldn''t see much further than his hand in front of his face.


    "There''s an inn," said Raithen, coming up beside him.


    Talasin squinted through the wind and saw the swinging sign that all inns had.


    New hope fluttered in his chest. He patted Raithen on the back and followed after.


    As he stepped up the inn, his heart sank. The doors were barred.


    Wren kicked the door, then cursed loudly when it didn''t budge. She turned to Talasin, "Can you get us inside?"


    Talasin gritted his teeth, they had come too far and gone through too much to die mere inches from food and shelter.


    "One way or another,¡± he barked. ¡°We¡¯re getting in."


    He banged on the door with the butt of his sword, but the sound was drowned out by the winds.


    "My name is Talasin," he shouted. "I am seeking shelter for my party."


    There was still no answer from inside.


    Talasin looked at his companions.


    "On three," he said.


    "One, two."


    Talasin and Raithen kicked the door as hard as he could, but it merely rattled and groaned in response. They tried again, but the doors were reinforced with iron.


    ¡°Over here,¡± Garnet shouted, from the side of the building. ¡°There''s a servant''s entrance.¡±


    The door was smaller, made from light wood. Wren inspected the latch.


    ¡°Looks like no ones bothered to set the dead bolt in place,¡± she said. ¡°It''s merely locked by a simple latch.¡±


    Wren backed up and Raithen roared as he kicked the door with all the strength he had.


    The seems shattered, and the wooden door crashed inward. Dust flew into the room and the light was blocked.


    Talasin stepped inside and saw the innkeeper and a bunch of inn patrons backed up against the wall and staring at them wide-eyed and afraid.


    "Desert fiends," cried an elderly woman.


    Wren stepped forward and raised her hands, "We just need a room."


    Raithen was already trying to close up the broken doors and was pushing a heavy table in front of them.


    Talasin glanced at Raithen in wonder. The man was far stronger than he looked.


    He walked over to the bar and grabbed a pitcher of ale and poured himself a mug.


    "Who are you?" asked the innkeeper with fear in his voice.


    "Fifth Order," replied Talasin.


    Something heavy crashed to the ground, and Talasin turned to see Raithen watching him.


    He''d never told the man that he was of the Order. He remembered Wren telling him that Raithen had a problem with the Talamasca.


    The innkeeper snorted, "We want no trouble. There have been strange sightings around these parts these last few days."


    "What sightings?" asked Garnet, stepping forward.


    The innkeeper sighed, "If you are of the Order, then you may have heard that the Second''s Archon is in town. That can only mean¡ª"


    "Something serious," Talasin said.


    He took a long swig of ale and then filled his mug again and handed it to Wren, who emptied the mug in a single gulp.


    "Thirsty work," she said with a smile.


    She refilled the mug and took another drink.


    Talasin smiled at the innkeeper, "Thank you for your hospitality. We will wait out the storm here. Don''t worry, the Order will pay for our expenses and any damages."


    <hr>


    Talasin woke up to the sound of footsteps moving towards him. The room was dark, and he could just make out the faint shape of a female figure standing there, the outline of her body illuminated by the tiniest sliver of moonlight that shone through the window.


    "Garnet?" he asked.


    He heard an intake of breath.


    "No," she said softly, "It''s me, Wren."


    He felt his bed sink in as she sat down beside him.


    Talasin relaxed.


    "Are you all right?" he asked.


    "Yeah. Just having a nightmare. I thought..." She ran a finger down his naked chest.


    "You thought what?"


    Wren shrugged, "That I didn''t want to be alone tonight."


    "Stop," he whispered.


    She pressed up against him, and he felt the warmth of her bare breasts under the thin cloth of her shirt. "Why? What''s wrong?" she purred.


    "This isn''t right¡ª"


    Wren cut him off with a kiss. Talasin tried to push her back, but she held him tight and her tongue entered his mouth.


    He tried to pull away from her, but her grip was like iron. Her lips were soft and tasted of ale and wine, yet still she held him firm.


    Talasin¡¯s breath caught as the moonlight reflected off of her eyes.


    ¡°I''m sorry I couldn''t protect you,¡± he said.


    Wren¡¯s eyes widened as Talasin drew the sword hidden under his pillow and plunged it into her stomach.


    <hr>


    A dagger fell out of Wren¡¯s bloodied hand and clattered to the ground.


    "How?" Wren breathed as the blood ebbed from her gaping wound.


    Talasin picked up a small object wrapped in cloth and opened it.


    "A woman¡¯s finger," he said, tossing it to her. "You killed Wren in the desert and took her place."


    The corner of the skinwalker''s lip curled into a smile.


    Talasin ripped the sword out of the demon¡¯s stomach and the blade arced through the air, cutting through the skinwalker¡¯s exposed neck. Its head fell to the floor with a dull thud.


    [Skinwalker Killed - Progress Towards Next Ascension: 66%]


    In the dim light, he watched the blood pooling around the demon. Wren''s body slowly changed as scales rippled down her skin and her eyes turned red.


    "Garnet!" he breathed as he leapt from his bed.


    His heart pounded in his ears as he ran across the room and pulled open the door.


    The corridor was a bloody mess. An old woman''s body was slumped against the wall, bleeding from her sliced throat.


    Talasin stepped over the body and ran down the corridor to Garnet''s room.


    He flung the door wide and rushed inside, his sword ready and held high.


    One moment Raithen was kneeling next to Garnet and the next he blurred and crossed the room. His sword rang out loudly as it collided with Talasin''s blade.


    Talasin parried the blow and the tip of the sword cut deep into the skinwalker''s arm. Blood spurted and the skinwalker howled in pain.


    Raithen raised both hands, claws coming free as it screeched at Talasin. The demon slashed Talasin across the face and blood sprayed on the wall.


    Talasin rolled across the floor and came up facing the creature. He stabbed again, and this time the blade pierced the skinwalker''s leather jerkin.


    The shape-shifter snarled and threw itself at Talasin.


    Talasin stumbled backwards as the monster barreled into him, his sword clattering to the ground.


    Raithen reached for him, talons extended as it clawed at his stomach.


    Talasin punched the creature in the face, and Raithen dropped to the floor.


    "What do you want from me?" Talasin growled.


    "You witnessed the rise of our Lord," Raithen said, blood dripping from his lips. "You have seen too much."


    The skinwalker opened its mouth and Talasin saw sharp teeth glistening in the darkness.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    A low growl started deep within the demon, and it lunged towards him.


    Talasin staggered backwards and tripped over the fallen sword.


    The skinwalker swiped at him with one clawed hand, and Talasin brought up his arm to block the attack.


    The claws sunk deep into his flesh, but it gave him the opening her needed. He slashed the demon¡¯s leg with his sword. Raithen fell to one knee.


    "Your Lord is dead, and now you join him in hell," Talasin said as he gripped the sword in two hands and severed the demon¡¯s head in a single slash.


    [Skinwalker Killed - Progress Towards Next Ascension: 74%]


    Talasin leaned against the wall breathing heavily, sweat mingled with blood trickled down his face.


    <hr>

 Chapter: 27 Made Whole

    <Chloe Porter>


    Chloe woke up on an old couch in the sitting room of Belgemine''s cottage.


    A fire crackled in the hearth. It took her a moment to remember what had happened, then fragment memories of the strange ritual came back to her.


    The witches and Chaos, the Prime Evil that had tried to possess her. Other memories came to her too. A conversation with Belgemine that she didn''t know she''d had. The memories seemed strange, foreign, as if they belonged to a stranger.


    Her pupils dilated as she caught the scent of blood drifting in through the open door.


    [Hunger 6%]


    Belgemine stepped into the room carrying a plate piled high with steaming food.


    "What?" Chloe asked as she sat up and took the offered plate.


    "You are famished," said the witch. "And you are a threat when you are hungry."


    "I can''t eat that, I''m a... you know."


    "A zombie," said Belgemine. "That''s why you need to eat. It''s a stew made of various animal brains."


    Belgemine shook her head at Chloe''s baffled expression. "I don''t know how you stomach them raw."


    Chloe''s questions fell away as the smell of brains washed over her. She quickly, with a shaky hand, spooned some of the stew into her mouth and felt the warmth of the brains running through her body and soothing her aching muscles.


    "It''s good," she said.


    Belgemine nodded approvingly. "We''ll talk about the first stage of your training once you''ve eaten."


    Chloe ladled another mouthful of stew into her mouth and then said, "I''m not here to train."


    Belgemine frowned and tapped her foot against the floor. "Look, girl, I don''t like this either. Because of you, I lost friends. My whole coven was wiped out in a single night."


    "But!"


    "No buts, by all rights, I should have killed you the second you entered my domain..."


    "I''m not a monster," Chloe protested.


    "No, but I am sure you have done monstrous things." Belgemine shook her head. "You would be dead right now if it wasn''t for the insights you have locked inside that head of yours."


    Chloe swallowed and tried to think of something to say. She still had fragments of memories swirling around her head. She grasped onto one, in it, she saw herself wearing plate armor and wielding a sword and shield with the mark of the Talamasca on the shield.


    "What did you do to me?" she asked in a low voice.


    "Nothing, the ritual was only partly completed."


    "I don''t know what you are talking about. I woke up and you people were summoning a demon.¡±


    ¡°Demon! We were doing you a favor.¡±


    ¡°That''s not what it looked like to me. I need to know what¡¯s going on?¡± Chloe demanded. ¡°There are gaps in my memory, and I''m remembering places and people that I¡¯ve never seen.¡±


    Belgemine grimaced as Chloe spooned another mouthful of brains into her mouth.


    "Your soul is being pulled apart and reshaped," said the witch. "Your future and present are merging.¡± She scratched her injured arm. ¡°The process is flawed. At times, you will catch fragments of a future that could have been. To you, it will seem like d¨¦j¨¤ vu."


    Chloe didn''t understand what the witch was trying to say. It sounded like she was saying that Chloe¡¯s future self had come back in time and merged with her former self. But that didn''t make sense. She¡¯d watched enough time travel movies to know that you couldn''t be in the same time as your other self.


    All the thinking was giving her a headache, "How long will this take before I am normal again?"


    The witch sighed, "Forever," she said.


    Chloe stared at the witch and then added quietly, "Oh gods."


    "I''m sorry," said Belgemine. "But there''s no other way."


    Chloe pushed away her bowl. "I really don''t want to stay here. I have a mission."


    "Yes, I know of your mission to save your sister. That will have to wait.¡±


    ¡°What could be more important than saving my family?¡± Chloe asked.


    ¡°We almost lost you back there,¡± said the witch. ¡°A second later and Chaos would have possessed your body. Without my training, you won¡¯t survive long enough to find your sister, let alone get back home.¡±


    Chloe shook her head. "No. I came here, so you could cure me of being a zombie. Not for training, not for some weird soul merger.¡±


    Chloe stood up from the couch, ¡°I saw in Velvet''s mind that you were able to contain the demon inside of her. I need to contain this thing inside of me, that is all I want. Can you help me with that, or do I need to find a witch that can?"


    The witch¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I can''t let you leave this place untrained. It would be like sending a viper into a nursery.¡±


    She turned her back to Chloe and adjusted a red candle on the mantle. ¡°Velvet was an aberration,¡± she finally said. ¡°A thing that shouldn''t exist. Half human, half demon. I was able to suppress her demon side. That eye patch she wore had a rune stone inside of it. It was the first layer of suppression. The second layer came from strong roots she ingested every morning. But that will not work for you."


    "Why not?"


    The witch shook her head, "Zombies can only ingest brain matter. You would throw up the plants."


    "There must be another way."


    "I have already thought about it," said the witch. ¡°There might be another way, it won¡¯t cure you, but it might give you a fighting chance.¡±


    <hr>


    Belgemine blew on the candle and green flames sparkled into life, casting shadows throughout the small room.


    The candlelight flickered, and a shimmering figure appeared in front of the altar. It was the ghost of her husband. He glared at Chloe with open anger.


    "What is she still doing here?" he asked.


    "This is not the time, Owen¡ª"


    "Don''t give me that, Bel. This undead bitch almost got you killed."


    "What is done is done," said Belgemine. "How could we have guessed that this child would be a vessel."


    Owen turned his gaze back to Chloe and said, "What''s to prevent the demon from returning?"


    "That is partly what I need you for," said the witch. She crossed the room and opened a chest in the corner next to the fireplace. "We must mask her soul and suppress the undead inside of her."


    Owen gritted his teeth and nodded, "What do you need, my love?"


    The witch opened the chest and pulled out a pair of silver chain mail gloves. She handed the ghost the gloves.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°I need demon''s bane, not just the leaves,¡± said the witch. ¡°I need the whole plant with the roots intact.¡±


    Owen pulled on the silver gloves and glanced at Chloe a final time, and then he nodded at his wife and opened the door and left the cottage.


    <hr>


    Belgemine led Chloe into the garden, passed a row of saplings and into the woods.


    ¡°What were the silver gloves for?¡± Chloe asked.


    The witch shrugged, ¡°The only thing that can touch a ghost is silver. Which means-¡±


    ¡°That ghosts can interact with the world by wearing silver gear,¡± Chloe said.


    ¡°Exactly. It''s not quite the same as the tender touch of my husband, but it''s better than nothing.¡±


    Chloe was about to ask another question, but the look on the witch''s face caused her to fall silent.


    They walked for some time in silence, and as they walked Chloe realized that she¡¯d had no vision from eating the stewed brains. She wondered if cooking them was the secret. She¡¯d need to test it out again and see if it produced the same results. She hoped it would work, she was sick of having visions of animals'' last moments before they died.


    She looked up from her strange thoughts and realized they had reached a grove of oak trees. In the center of the grove stood a single spade, stabbed into a pile of soil.


    "What are we doing here?" Chloe asked as she looked around.


    "Digging a grave," said Belgemine. "We must honor the fallen."


    Honor the dead, Chloe thought. That was a joke. Her first though when seeing the dead was not sadness but hunger.


    It was strange how one small thing, like your appetite, could completely change your world view. She wondered if vegans saw life differently. Were they closer to nature, did they see all animals as friends.


    She shrugged, it didn''t matter, that world was so far away from her. She picked up the spade and went to work.


    Her zombie strength allowed her to work tirelessly with no breaks, whilst Belgemine sat under the ancient tree chanting a hymn.


    Soon, the dirt around Chloe turned to mud, and then her spade hit stone.


    Belgemine stopped singing, ¡°That will do, child.¡± She reached inside of her robes and drew out a single urn.


    ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± Chloe asked.


    "This is all that remains of them," said the witch, she opened the urn and walked over to the hole.


    ¡°They were incinerated?¡± asked Chloe.


    ¡°I burnt their bodies myself. There are many who would use the bones of witches for dark purposes. It is safer for all if their bodies are reduced to ashes.¡±


    Chloe dropped the spade and wiped the sweat off her brow. ¡°Should we say something?¡±


    Belegemine smiled sadly. ¡°Words are for comforting the living. I don''t want comfort, I want revenge.¡±


    She tipped the urn over and emptied the ashes of her covern, her friends and family into the deep and empty hole.


    <hr>


    When they returned to the hut, Owen was waiting for them with two demon bane plants in his gloved hands.


    Belgemine took the plants from her husband and turned to face Chloe.


    ¡°So, what do I do with the plants?¡± Chloe asked.


    ¡°You are going to grow them.¡±


    ¡°What? But I won¡¯t be coming back here once I leave.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Owen. ¡°Which means you¡¯ll need to grow them on your person.¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t make sense,¡± said Chloe.


    ¡°Patience, child,¡± Belgemine said as she entered her hut.


    A few minutes later, she returned holding Chloe¡¯s jacket.


    ¡°That''s mine,¡± said Chloe.


    "Yes,¡± said the witch. ¡°We will place soil in the two front pockets. You will grow the demon''s bane in the soil. That way, the plants will never be far from you.¡±


    ¡°What! That''s crazy.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but this herb only grows on this mountain side. I will give you a supply of dried leaves to smoke, but you must be able to grow them yourself.¡±


    ¡°You expect me to smoke that?¡± Chloe gasped. ¡°I¡¯ve never even smoked a cigarette. I''m not smoking some random witchy herb.¡±


    The witch ignored her outburst and gestured at the jacket. ¡°In the inner pocket there is a flint and a pipe. Crush the dried leaves and smoke them in the pipe."


    Chloe looked up at Belgemine, "Are you sure this won¡¯t kill me?"


    ¡°You have lived like a monster for weeks on end,¡± said the witch. ¡°It has twisted your soul, filling it with chaos. It has become a mirror of the demon, Chaos. We must mask your soul, change it so that the Prime Evil cannot find you."


    ¡°Are you saying that she¡¯ll come back?¡±


    ¡°The Prime Evils will not give up so easily.¡±


    ¡°But why would a demon lord need my body?¡± asked Chloe.


    ¡°A soul without a body is like blood without a heart to pump it,¡± said the witch. ¡°Right now, Chaos¡¯ power is limited, that is, until she claims her vessel.¡±


    Chloe took the jacket from the witch and examined the contents of its pockets. ¡°So what you''re saying is that smoking this herb will keep me from being possessed?¡±


    Belgemine smiled, ¡°You are the demon¡¯s vessel, but even a vessel needs to be compatible. As long as you keep the chaos inside you in check, then you will remain incompatible to the demon. The herb will help with that.¡±


    Chloe looked down at the handful of dried herbs in her hand.


    ¡°Do you need help with that?¡± asked Owen.


    Chloe glared at him, and he shook his head, muttering under his breath.


    She crushed the leaves in the palm of her hand, and the pungent smell filled her nostrils, causing her head to spin.


    ¡°I don''t like this,¡± she moaned as she poured the leaves into the pipe.


    ¡°Go on,¡± said the witch, she waved her hand and the dried leaves ignited in the pipe. ¡°Inhale it. As an undead, your lungs are all but lifeless, but the herb does not need to enter your blood, it just needs to enter your body.¡±


    Chloe pressed the pipe to her lips and sighed. ¡°So help me god, this better work.¡± She took a long drag of it, letting the smoke fill her lungs.


    <hr>


    ¡°I have what I came for,¡± said Chloe, patting the sides of her jacket. ¡°This is not the cure I¡¯d hoped for, but it''s a start. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You are not ready to leave yet, little zombie,¡± said Owen.


    ¡°I don''t need your permission,¡± said Chloe. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Belgemine raised her hand, ¡°Sorry, but that does not work for me. You are the key to all this. I will not send you out into the world, so you can be captured and used against humanity.¡±


    ¡°I can''t stay here for months of training,¡± said Chloe. ¡°Every day I get further from Hope.¡± She looked at her feet. ¡°I''m sorry.¡±


    Owen stepped between Chloe and the witch. ¡°So us that you can defend yourself,¡± he said. ¡°Defeat me and my sons in a battle and you can leave. But if you are unable to defeat a few ghosts, then there is no chance that you could ever do what is needed to rescue your sister.¡±


    <hr>


    Chloe stood in the back yard of the witch¡¯s cabin and stared at the ghosts of Owen and his five sons. They were all dressed in silver chain mail and wielding silver short swords.


    ¡°She is a monster.¡± Owen''s voice was a growl. ¡°Show her no mercy, my sons.¡±


    Anger rose inside of her. She was sick and tired of being called a monster, tired of being told what to do. If a monster was what they wanted, then a monster was what they''d get.


    The demon''s bane dulled her senses, but they were not enough to keep her anger in check. She took a deep breath and clenched her jaws tight. She''d show them how strong she was. There was no point holding back.


    [Oath of Pain: Activated]


    Chloe howled in pain as flames burst out of her skin and power pulsed through her like a mighty wave.


    The ground cracked underneath her feet and she shot across the yard, her clawed hands extended, ready to tear through her enemies.


    She collided with Owen and the two of them flew backwards, crashing into the wheat field.


    His blade came slashing down towards Chloe''s head, but she moved faster than him. She ducked under it and rammed her shoulder into his gut.


    The silver mail burnt her skin, but the pain was nothing compared to the fire burning her up.


    Owen flew backwards, slamming into a gnarled tree, which snapped like a twig. He let out a deep groan and rolled back onto his feet.


    ¡°Not bad little zombie,¡± He charged again swinging wildly, trying to catch her off guard.


    She dodged to one side, letting his sword graze her arm. Her skin sizzled as the silver blade sliced through her. That she did feel. The pain cut straight through her defenses and she was forced to release her spell.


    [Oath of Pain: Deactivated]


    The enchanted flames vanished, and only the pain of the cut on her arm remained.


    She fell to one knee, breathing heavily.


    To survive, I must become a monster.


    Her claws dug into the earth beneath her, and she leapt up onto Owen''s shoulders and swung her leg around his neck. The silver armor burnt her exposed thighs, but she never let go. She tore off his helmet and threw it away, revealing a young man with pale blond hair.


    A silver blade pierced through her shoulder blades and burned her skin and caused her muscles to spasm uncontrollably, but she held on, tightening her grip on the armor around Owen''s throat.


    Her fingers sizzled against the silver chain mail as it bent in around his throat like a crushed soda can.


    He choked and started to slip from her grasp, so she slammed her knee into his groin as hard as she could. The armor gave him the power to harm others, but it also gave her the power to harm him. He doubled over and fell to the ground.


    A second silver sword stabbed into her back. She released Owen and swung at his sons. They dodged easily, and a third blade pierced her skin.


    She fell to one knee and cried out in pain and frustration.


    ¡°It is over,¡± said Owen, standing up and picking up the sword that he''d dropped. ¡°Do you submit?¡±


    She hated them, they were standing in her way, preventing her from saving her sister.


    ¡°I''ll kill everyone who gets in my way,¡± she said through gritted teeth.


    Owen spat, ¡°You are nothing but a wild animal.¡±


    She punched him in the face as hard as she could, but her hand passed straight through the ethereal form. She staggered forwards and Owen¡¯s elbow connected with the side of her head.


    Her landed in the dirt face first.


    ¡°I''m going to hunt every last one of you down and slaughter you in the most painful way possible.¡±


    Owen laughed. ¡°At least you''ve got some spirit, zombie girl. Hopefully we can make something of that.¡±


    <hr>

 Chapter 28 - Something Familiar

    <Chloe Porter>


    A cool wind blew down Auroch Mountain and through the trees, scattering autumn leaves as it traveled across the land. The sky was red and purple with wisps of cloud scudding across it in slow motion like smoke from a fire.


    It was beautiful, but Chloe felt no joy or happiness at its beauty. She didn''t feel anything other than pain and humiliation.


    ¡°Do you know why you were so easily defeated?¡± Owen asked as he stood over Chloe.


    He had won again. Time and time again she''d tried to beat him, yet every match ended with her lying on the ground defeated and in pain whilst he stood over her with that smug grin on his face.


    ¡°I guess you''re going to tell me that I''m weak?¡± Chloe said through gritted teeth. ¡°That I lack skill? That my focus is divided?¡±


    Owen chuckled. ¡°No, no, and no.¡± He walked around her slowly, examining her carefully.


    Every now and then he would reach out and touch a part of her body, probing gently for a moment before moving to another spot.


    ¡°You are powerful,¡± he said. ¡°There''s nothing wrong with your strength, I can see that. But you''re not using it properly.¡±


    Chloe glared up at him. ¡°You''re a bloody ghost, what do you know?¡±


    Owen''s eyes lit up as he smiled, ¡°More than you think.¡±


    He crouched down next to her, close enough to touch if he wanted to. ¡°Your body is capable of so much more than you realize. Your mind, however¡­well, let''s just say yours isn''t quite where it needs to be.¡±


    Chloe looked away from his gaze, feeling ashamed and embarrassed. She''d challenged him three times in a row, and each defeat had been swifter than the last.


    ¡°Up to now you have faced untrained men, wild monsters and weak demons,¡± Owen continued. ¡°You have managed to survive by brute strength, dumb luck and cunning. But a trained soldier would defeat you every time.¡±


    Chloe opened her mouth to speak, but Owen waved her silent with a finger.


    ¡°Most importantly, though, you must learn to control your emotions. You cannot fight effectively while angry, frustrated and scared.¡±


    Chloe bit her lip to keep from speaking, she knew he was right, but she didn''t feel like a lecture.


    ¡°Your anger and frustration stem from your fear that you will never win,¡± he continued. ¡°Your hatred comes from a desire to defeat me. If you could learn to channel these emotions into something better, you could become unstoppable.¡±


    ¡°So what am I supposed to do?¡± she said hotly. ¡°I don''t have the time to train in the mountains whilst Malice does who knows what to my sister.¡±


    Owen smiled sadly. ¡°Even if you had a year, it wouldn''t be enough, Malice is a god compared to humans. I cannot train you to defeat him, but I can show you a few things that might keep you alive.¡±


    Chloe stared at the dirt beneath her feet and shifted awkwardly from one foot to another, ¡°Help me,¡± she whispered. ¡°Please.¡±


    <hr>


    Chloe took another puff of her pipe and grimaced. Each puff she took tasted worse. This time it tasted like dirt, pine cones and grass, but with a strange metallic aftertaste that she couldn''t get out of her mouth.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± she asked.


    Owen raised a silver gloved hand for silence and continued leading Chloe down a narrow rocky path. An hour later, they reached the edge of a deep hole.


    ¡°There,¡± he said, pointing down the massive hole, ¡°Is the bottom of the mountain. It was once an old mine.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So, it''s time for you to learn your first lesson.¡±


    ¡°Rock climbing? I don''t think I¡¯ll have much use for that.¡±


    Owen laughed, ¡°Your ability, Oath of Pain, is powerful, but the agony it deals causes the mind to go into a state of panic. You must control the power, not let it control you.¡±


    "You expect me to ignore the pain?¡±


    ¡°No, but you can guide it. Focus the power and the pain in one part of your body. That will amplify the power in that one spot.¡±


    It made sense, she guessed. It was kinda like a focused explosion beneath a rocket to launch it off the ground. The only difference was that the rocket wasn''t howling in pain as it tried to launch.


    She peered down into the deep pit, ¡°What do you want me to do-¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, Owen shoved her over the edge.


    For a second she was weightless, suspended in the air and very pissed off, and then she fell, plummeting towards the rocks below.


    She cursed Owen as she fell and as she saw the bottom rushing up to greet her, she closed her eyes and braced herself.


    Then the pain hit.


    It was like someone had stabbed her in the leg with an ice pick and then twisted it about, all whilst punching her in the stomach.


    She slammed into the rocks hard enough to knock the breath from her lungs, sending shards of rock spinning everywhere.


    As she curled up in a tight ball, trying desperately to ignore the pain, her vision began to blur.


    Then she heard Owen''s voice.


    ¡°Breathe slowly. The air is full of silver dust.¡±


    ¡°You bloody asshole, you could have killed me!¡± she yelled.


    She opened her eyes and looked around, seeing silver stones speckled in the gray walls all around her.


    ¡°What is this place?¡± she shouted.


    ¡°An old silver mine, don''t touch the rocks, they will burn your skin.¡±


    She tried to stand, but couldn''t find the strength. She slumped back down and stared up at Owen high above.


    I bet you enjoyed that, you sick bastard.


    A drop of water struck her face and she blinked. The sky was filled with dark stormy clouds. As she watched, the rain began to fall. Lightning flashed in the distance, far off.


    ¡°You best get moving,¡± shouted Owen. ¡°It''s almost dinner time.¡± He turned and walked away, leaving Chloe in the dark at the bottom of the mine shaft.


    <hr>


    The rain continued to fall as Chloe struggled to climb the cliff face out of the mine. Her fingers slipped on the wet rocks, and the silver burnt her hands.


    There was no way she could climb out of this place. What made things worse was that with every breath she took she breathed in silver dust which filled her body with searing pain.


    Shit, I hate you, Owen.


    Chloe crawled along the cliff side, dragging herself forward. Her arms turning black where the silver touched them.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    She crawled through a tunnel, dripping wet and shivering from the cold. But the tunnel came to an abrupt dead end.


    Chloe took another tunnel but then paused, glancing up at the ceiling, it grew narrower the further in she went.


    If I''m going to get out of this place, I need to do what that bastard told me to do.


    ¡°Focus the power,¡± she repeated to herself as she shuffled backwards out of the tunnel.


    She returned to the cliffside and looked up at the stars twinkling through the dark clouds up above.


    Here it goes. This better work.


    [Oath Of Pain: Activated]


    Flames engulfed her and the pain in her body intensified, it felt like thousands of tiny hot blades cutting into her.


    She gritted her teeth and tried to focus through the pain. She could feel the power building inside her, there was so much energy it was overflowing out of her pores.


    Lightning flashed and thunder crashed overhead.


    Chloe closed her eyes, feeling the power inside her swelling as the storm raged outside. She let it flow through her fingertips and up her arms. It was a river, hard to control, but with sheer will it could be steered.


    Damn, that bastard, he was right.


    She opened her eyes and stared up at the heavens, letting the power surge from her body in short bursts. She needed to focus, but the pain was so overwhelming that her mind couldn''t hold onto a single thought for long enough.


    She lowered her head until she could see the reflection of the stars on the polished stone beneath her.


    With a sharp intake of breath, she forced the power down through her body. Pain flared as energy surged through her core and down into her thighs, then legs and finally into her feet.


    There! That should do it.


    The pain was focused only in her legs now. It was more intense than before, but at least the rest of her body was at ease.


    She crouched low, like an animal ready to pounce. She reached down and pressed the palms of her hands on the floor. She concentrated, forming the image of what she wanted inside her mind.


    With a determined shout, she pushed the power outwards, willing it to be absorbed into the earth.


    The ground exploded beneath her feet as she released the power in one single leap. Her muscles burned as she strained against gravity and soared up to the stars.


    Her body was taut, straining for every inch of height. The muscles in her body bulged as she powered upwards, stretching her limbs until they nearly snapped.


    She saw the top of the hole come into view, but her angle was too steep, she¡¯d never make it to the top.


    She slammed into the side of the wall and dug her nails into the rock. She hung there, suspended by three of her nails. She looked down and saw just how far she¡¯d come.


    Climb, dammit! Let''s rub the grin off of Owen¡¯s smug face.


    She forced herself up inch by inch. Her fingers sizzled as they gripped the rock, but she kept going, willing herself on.


    Finally, her hand stretched out and grasped thin air. She looked up and saw that she had reached the top.


    "Thank god, I''m alive," she said, as she collapsed onto the ground in a heap. She rolled onto her back, laughing like a lunatic as lightning flashed overhead.


    <hr>


    An hour later, Chloe returned to the hut, feeling like she could take on the world. She was greeted with a proud nod from Owen and a bowl of stewed brains from Belgemine.


    She sat in silence, her back against the wall as Belgemine, Owen and their five ghostly sons sat by the fireplace swapping stories about the good old days.


    Chloe overheard snippets of the conversation. Apart from the fact that six of them were ghosts and the other was a witch, they sounded like a normal family. They spoke about hunting trips, odd relatives and family trips.


    The talk sickened her. She didn''t want to hear about other people''s families. She wanted her own damn family.


    ¡°You did well today,¡± Belgemine said, coming over to Chloe, she handed her a blanket. ¡°Get some sleep. Tomorrow I will be instructing you.¡±


    Chloe nodded numbly, she didn''t want to imagine what the witches training would entail.


    ¡°Goodnight,¡± she said as she wandered out the room to the makeshift cot the witch had built for her.


    As she lay on the bed, trying desperately not to think too much about her sister, she heard Belgemine talking to Owen.


    ¡°We will cross that bridge when we get there,¡± said the witch. ¡°If she loses control, then we have no choice¡­¡±


    Chloe closed her eyes and drifted into a fitful sleep.


    <hr>


    ¡°To reliably summon your armament, you must be as one with your familiar,¡± Belgemine said as they stood outside under the early morning sky. ¡°You must know where your familiar is at all times. See what it sees, feel what it feels.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mistress,¡± Chloe stammered.


    Belgemine''s eyes widened at that reply. ¡°Good. I want you to sit in the middle of the cornfield and bring the familiar to you. It needs to learn to trust you again.¡±


    Chloe gazed out at the corn field, watching it sway lazily in the morning sun. She nodded, not wanting to argue with the witch, as she slowly made her way into the field.


    She found a quiet spot beside a massive boulder and sat down, legs crossed, the way she''d seen it done in old martial arts movies.


    Belgemine¡¯s words from the night before came back to her. She wasn''t a fool. She knew that if she messed up, the witch would kill her.


    Chloe lit her pipe and inhaled deeply. There was so much she didn''t understand, and each question she had answered gave her more questions. She was sick of the mysteries, of the half-truths and the veiled threats.


    She breathed out a cloud of smoke and took another deep breath. As her lungs filled with smoke, she felt something shift inside of her. A strange sensation filled her body, as if her organs were rearranging themselves.


    ¡°Close your eyes and see through your familiar''s eyes,¡± the witches words droned on.


    Chloe sighed and closed them.


    At first, there was nothing, just the tingling sensation in the back of her mind and the foul taste in her mouth.


    ¡°Are you linked to your familiar? Can you feel its emotions and thoughts.¡±


    Chloe gritted her teeth, ¡°Give me some damned time,¡± she moaned.


    ¡°What was that?¡± asked the witch.


    Chloe shook her head, ¡°I don''t see anything,¡± she yelled back.


    ¡°Think of your familiar as a second part of yourself. If you are uncertain, then it will be uncertain.¡±


    Great, thanks.


    Chloe closed her eyes and once again she tried to reach out to her familiar.


    Something strange happened. It started with an odd sensation swirling inside her chest. An emotion that didn''t belong to her went off inside her stomach like a tiny spark, like a firefly dancing around in the night.


    ¡°What do you feel?¡± asked the witch.


    ¡°Fear,¡± said Chloe. ¡°My familiar is afraid.¡±


    ¡°It would be. Its previous owner died brutally, and now you have changed and become something unfamiliar and dangerous. It is anxious.¡±


    ¡°What must I do?¡±


    ¡°Calm it, give it a reason to trust you again. This might take some time.¡±


    The witch began to leave, and then she turned back and said, ¡°Return to the hut when you have gained your familiars trust.¡±


    <hr>


    Hours passed. Chloe kept trying to calm her spirit. Every so often, she would open her eyes and check if Onyx had come closer. He never did.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this,¡± she whispered to herself. ¡°This is stupid.¡±


    She closed her eyes and again reached out to her familiar. All she felt were flickers of anxiety bubbling inside of her.


    At times, she caught faint glimpses of gnarled roots and tree trunks. She knew Onyx was near, but could not tell where he was.


    In the distance, Chloe could make out the sound of an animal stamping its hooves. It sounded scared. Moments later, there was a loud squealing sound followed by a thud.


    The stamping and the squealing stopped, and the scent of fresh blood permeated the air all about her.


    The smell filled her head with images of her tearing open the throats of her victims. She imagined biting into their flesh. She pictured the taste of warm blood running down her throat and soft brains squishing between her teeth.


    Her stomach growled loudly.


    Her hand shot out and grabbed the nearest rock. She dug her fingers deep into the ground, willing the earth to tear apart. The demon¡¯s bane suppressed her hunger, but it definitely did not take it away completely.


    Panic shot through her connection with Onyx.


    Chloe opened her eyes and looked at the rock she held in her hand. The stone had cracked into four pieces.


    She dropped it, letting it clatter to the dirt before her.


    ¡°Onyx,¡± she cried out. ¡°I need you. I can''t do this without you!¡±


    Still nothing.


    ¡°Please,¡± she begged. ¡°Please help me.¡±


    Nothing.


    Chloe''s heart was beating too fast. She could hear Belgemine calling her name from behind the hut door. Her bloodlust pounded in her ears.


    I''m sorry, little one. I don''t want to be like this anymore.


    Her hands drew out the pipe and the bag of dried leaves. Her hands trembled as she filled the pipe and lit it.


    The smell dulled her sense as she pressed the pipe to her lips.


    This is not the way. This is replacing one master with another. I don''t want to be a slave to my hunger or to this plant. I want to be the master of my own life.


    She dropped the pipe and squeezed her eyes shut. She tried to distract her mind by forcing herself to think of life back home.


    It took a while for the memories to come. She remembered the cat that used to live in the alley near them. Its name was Lulu, it was a cute fluffy creature that would sneak through her window at night and sit on her bed. Lulu was afraid of her, but after a year it had learned to trust her.


    Chloe sniffed. Home was gone now. She¡¯d never see that cat again. Tears dripped on her arms and she felt something warm against her skin.


    She opened her eyes and saw Onyx, her rabbit familiar, curled up in her lap.


    He looked up at her with wide eyes, and she stared down into his massive orb like eyes. Tiny lights swirled in them like miniature galaxies shifting across space. She reached out a hand and rubbed the rabbit between his long ears.


    <hr>

 Chapter 29 - Ethereal Armament

    <Chloe Porter>


    The days passed by in a blur. Chloe¡¯s mornings were spent training with Owen, and the evenings were spent going through spirit exercises with Belgemine. Whatever free time she had was spent building her bond with her familiar Onyx.


    But in the last few days the training had taken on a new form. She woke up one day and her pipe and demon¡¯s bane were gone. She didn''t like the way the herbs tasted and smelt, so she didn''t mind its absence, and she didn''t bother mentioning it to the witch.


    The next day, Belgemine refused to feed her. Chloe was pissed about it, but she decided she would show the witch how disciplined she¡¯d become.


    The third day with no food was about as much as Chloe could take. Her hunger had started to take on a life of it''s own and she could feel her mind slipping back into predator mode.


    Each time she saw Belgemine or a passing villager, she¡¯d have to wrestle with her mind as it screamed at her to be fed. The impulse became so strong that one night, Chloe was forced to leave the hut out of fear that she would attack the witch.


    She prowled around the surrounding area for an hour, hunting anything that moved. She caught a pair of rats and devoured them whole.


    Owen was waiting for her outside her window when she returned.


    ¡°Going for a walk at this time?¡± he said.


    Chloe stared at him for a moment. She wasn''t sure what the witch was up to, but she assumed this was part of her training.


    ¡°You got a problem with that?¡± she asked.


    Owen smiled, ¡°You¡¯ve got a little something on your cheek,¡± he said.


    Chloe touched her mouth, and it came away wet and sticky.


    She wiped her hands on her cloak, ¡°I''m going to bed,¡± she growled as she passed the spirit.


    ¡°Get some sleep, little zombie,¡± said the ghost. ¡°Your final test begins at sunrise.¡±


    Chloe stopped and turned, ¡°What test?¡±


    ¡°Get to bed,¡± said Owen. ¡°You¡¯ll find out when Belgemine wants you to know.¡±


    Chloe cursed and kept walking. There was no point arguing with the man. He¡¯d made up his mind to say no more, and there was nothing she could do to get him to speak.


    <hr>


    Chloe woke up to light rain on her window. The sun had just begun to peak over the mountains, and the birds were beginning to chirp in the treetops.


    [Hunger 4%]


    She got out of bed and threw on her cloak. The sooner she got this test over with, the better. The rat brains had done little to appease her appetite. She needed more, and she needed it soon.


    She stepped outside. The rain had stopped, but puddles had gathered in the paths. The sky was dark with clouds, and it looked like more rain was on its way.


    Belgemine was waiting for her in the backyard. She wore a black robe and leaned on a gnarled staff as she watched Chloe approaching.


    ¡°Fitting weather for a final test,¡± said the witch.


    Chloe shrugged, ¡°I¡¯d have preferred to have breakfast under a blue sky, but I guess a test in the rain will have to do.¡±


    Belgemine laughed, ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you.¡±


    ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Chloe asked.


    The witch shook her head, ¡°One way or another, this is your last day here.¡±


    The words sounded ominous to Chloe. In the beginning, she¡¯d wanted nothing more than to get the training over with, so she could find her sister. But now that it was over, she felt conflicted. The witch and even Owen were the closest thing to friends she¡¯d had in this world.


    "What more is there to test me on?¡± she said, smiling. ¡°I''ve punched through boulders, dived off mountain cliffs and even hunted a deer with my eyes closed!¡±


    The witch smiled thinly. ¡°I think you''ll find this test quite different from any you have ever done before.¡± She held up her staff. ¡°You''ll need to defeat me.¡±


    Chloe frowned and stared at the staff. ¡°I''m not beating up an old woman.¡±


    Belgemine shrugged. "Some say age brings wisdom." She spun the staff around so that the silver tipped end pointed directly at Chloe. "But I have found that cunning is really what age brings. I may lack strength and the speed, but what I have more than makes up for any of my weaknesses."


    Chloe narrowed her eyes. "How do we know when the fight is over?"


    The witch leaned forward. "Many times over the years, people have tried to kill me. And every time they have failed. Fight me like your life depends on it, because it does."


    <hr>


    The two women circled each other, both keeping a careful distance and measuring the other''s movements.


    Chloe was used to fighting Owen, and he was fast and nimble. The witch was slow, each of her steps were deliberate and forced Chloe to face her on her weaker side.


    Chloe shifted her stance, and Belgemine chose that moment to lung forward.


    As soon as her staff touched down, Chloe threw herself backward into a roll, then came back up onto her feet.


    The staff whistled past her head and she heard the witch laugh.


    "That felt good," said Belgemine. "Now your turn. Don''t fight me with claws and teeth like a wild animal. Summon your Ethereal Armament and fight me like a Crimson Hunter."


    Chloe relaxed her hands, retracting her claws. "How?¡± she asked. ¡°I''ve only summoned it once, and it was by accident.¡±


    Belgemine shifted her weight and spun her staff. ¡°Think of your weapon as more than just a blade,¡± said the witch. ¡°It is the source of a Crimson Hunter''s power. You have developed your link with your familiar all this time. Use it as a trigger to call upon your Ethereal Armament."


    Once again, Belgemine¡¯s instructions sounded vague and mystical. Chloe wished that things could be more straight forward. In video games it was, just press a button, but in real life it was all about feelings, and Chloe wasn''t too good at that.


    She gritted her teeth and tried to concentrate but as soon as she did, the witch lashed out again, this time the staff connected with her ribs and sent her flying.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    She groaned as she got to her feet. "What the hell, I thought you wanted me to summon my weapon?¡±


    The witch shook her head, "You aren''t taking this seriously. Do you really think Malice will give you time to gather your strength?"


    Chloe didn''t bother telling the witch that that was precisely what Malice would have done if this were a video game.


    She tried to concentrate again, but this time she was ready for an attack, "Come to me, Onyx," she whispered. "I need you."


    Belgemine attacked again, but Chloe had expected that. She dodged left, avoiding the staff, and as she did, she felt her familiar¡¯s answering the call.


    <hr>


    Chloe blinked as a streak of black darted through the scrubs and across the wet ground. The dark shape collided with her amulet and light flared up around her.


    The witch stumbled back, covering her eyes from the light.


    [Ethereal Armament: Pathfinder¡¯s Scythe]


    A black scythe as tall as Chloe appeared in her hand. One side of the blade looked like a demon¡¯s wing, and the other was curved like the sickle moon. On the bottom of the pole was a round fluffy rabbit tail.


    ¡°I can sense that you have fed many souls to your weapon,¡± said Belgemine. ¡°Use your will to unleash its power.¡±


    That must be from all those gems I fed it in the catacombs.


    ¡°How do I use them?¡± Chloe asked.


    ¡°The weapon is an extension of yourself,¡± said Belgemine. ¡°The scythe is a mirror of your own soul. It represents your desire to control life and death.¡±


    ¡°It''s part of me?¡± said Chloe as she gripped the handle firmly.


    So my soul is a secret edge-lord?


    She smiled as she brought the scythe down and dropped into a fighting stance.


    ¡°Now you are ready to fight,¡± said Belgemine. ¡°Defend yourself, your life hangs in the balance.¡±


    The witch twisted her hand and green flames rushed out of her extended palm, flowing towards Chloe like a wave of death.


    Chloe raised the weapon and the fire hit the curved blade, driving her back. When the flames died out, she uncovered her eyes and looked for the witch, who had disappeared.


    "It was only a distraction," Belgemine¡¯s voice came from behind her.


    The staff hit Chloe in the leg, dropping her to one knee. The second blow was aimed at her head.


    Chloe blocked with the scythe and saw a flash of silver as the staff hit it. The weapon bent, and she heard the clank of wood against metal.


    "Good," said the witch. "But now it''s time to get serious."


    <hr>


    She raised her hand and Owen, dressed in full silver armor, appeared from behind the hut, dragging a man by his ankle.


    The man bled from multiple wounds and his face was bruised dark purple. When he saw Chloe, scythe in hand and eyes wide with bloodlust, he let out a wail of terror.


    Those details meant nothing to her. All she could think of was the sweet scent of blood filling her nostrils.


    ¡°He is an outlaw bandit,¡± said Belgemine, and her words sounded distant. "He was caught exiting a young woman''s house.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Her body was found mutilated.¡±


    The man¡¯s legs dangled, and his arms hung slack as Owen lifted him up and dumped him in front of Chloe.


    "Let''s see how well you fight when blood is in the air," said Belgemine.


    [Hunger 3%]


    Chloe felt her animal instincts kicking in. She clenched her jaw and tried to concentrate, but the sweet odor kept drawing her attention. Her stomach grumbled and she could feel her mouth watering.


    Belgemine grimaced. "Don''t worry about him. I''m your target."


    Chloe raised the scythe and glared at the witch, but her eyes drifted down towards the man, and she saw him moving slightly. A bloodied hand reached out from under his shirt, grasping at the dirt.


    The prey is trying to escape.


    While Chloe was distracted, Belgemine released a barrage of emerald green fireballs. The air sizzled as they shot through the air and exploded around Chloe in a ring of death.


    ¡°I''m disappointed, Chloe, after all that training, I thought you would be stronger than this.¡±


    <hr>


    The witch gestured at her husband, and Owen pulled out his silver dagger and ran it down the bandit''s back, parting his flesh like a fisherman deboning a tuna. Blood sprayed, and the man kicked, screaming as he thrashed in agony.


    Holy shit!


    The metallic scent of blood hit Chloe like a freight truck, driving her senses mad. Her nails extended in anticipation. Her body was poised for the feeding it knew was coming.


    She gripped the scythe tightly as her bloodlust came upon her in waves. She bit her lip, feeling her teeth sinking into her flesh.


    Screw the test, I want meat.


    She lumbered forward towards her meal. Her vision had turned red and all she could hear was the frantic beating of her prey¡¯s heart.


    The witch was doing something, but Chloe didn''t care. Everything she wanted in the world was squirming on the ground before her.


    One bite, that''s all I need.


    A fireball connected with her arm. She felt the pain and smelt burnt flesh, but she didn''t register what it all meant.


    It''s just a distraction trying to keep me from what is mine.


    A second fireball arced across the sky, aimed straight at her. In the back of her mind, she knew that this one was larger, more powerful. If it hit her, she¡¯d be incinerated.


    Her eyes snapped up from the man to the fireball flying straight at her. She needed to do something, or she would have her final death.


    ¡°Not yet!¡± she yelled.


    [Oath Of Pain: Activated]


    She concentrated the full force of the spell into her legs and shot forward in an explosion of dirt and rocks. The fireball exploded behind her as she flew at the witch.


    Belgemine''s hands twisted again, forming the fire spell.


    At the very last moment, Chloe swung the scythe, and a small black wave arced out of the blade and sped across the ground.


    [Rift Bolt: Activated]


    The spell hit the witch in the chest, splitting her staff in two and teleporting her back a short distance away.


    Chloe landed and directed power into her left leg. She pushed off again, changing her direction.


    ¡°Die!¡± she yelled at the person that was keeping her from her meal.


    ¡°You created a dimensional rift,¡± said the witch as she fired another fireball at Chloe.


    Chloe ignored her words. She spun her scythe and a small black portal the size of her hand appeared before her.


    [Pocket Portal: Activated]


    The fireball entered the portal, and Chloe thrust the scythe downwards, creating a second portal at her feet. The fireball streamed out of the second portal, flying back at the witch who¡¯d cast it.


    The spell hit the witch square in the chest, knocking her to the ground.


    ¡°This ends now!¡± Chloe yelled as she spun in the air, her scythe arcing through the sky like a whirlwind.


    Blood sprayed and Owen yelped in fright.


    The blood spread across the ground in a torrent, running into the cracks and mingling with rain water.


    Chloe panted heavily, feeling the weight of what she had just done.


    The bandit''s cry ended in his throat as Chloe pulled her scythe free from his limp corpse. Her attack had separated the man¡¯s torso and neck from his waist and legs.


    The man twitched and writhed on the ground, gasping as his lungs filled with blood.


    The scythe pulsed in her hands, and her clothes dripped with warm blood. She wiped the blood off of her face and turned to face the witch.


    ¡°I can''t stand by and watch you torture this man,¡± Chloe said. ¡°Even murderers deserve a swift end.¡¯


    Belgemine stood up on shaky legs. "This test was not about mercy or justice, it was about you.¡± She dusted off her charred robes. ¡°The test is over.¡± Her eyes met Chloe¡¯s. ¡°It is done. You have passed."


    Chloe stared at the witch for a long moment. Then she looked down at the dead man. "All you wanted me to do was kill the man?"


    ¡°No,¡± Belgemine¡¯s voice sounded tired. ¡°I wanted you to think. To not be controlled by monster instincts or by human emotions. Even in the height of your hunger, you found it in you to show mercy.¡±


    "What would have happened if I had given in?" Chloe asked, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.


    "We would have killed you," said Owen as he sheathed his sword.


    "You could be a great asset in this coming war,¡± said the witch. ¡°But if chaos rules you, then your soul would be lost. The demon lord would possess you, and you would become just like Malice." She shook her head. ¡°We couldn''t let that happen.¡±


    Chloe released her hold on the scythe and the weapon vanished into thin air. She didn''t feel like she had passed. She felt hollow and exhausted. Her eyes locked on the dead man¡¯s.


    ¡°What happens now?¡± she asked, looking back up at the witch.


    ¡°Now,¡± said Belgemine. ¡°Now we go to war.¡±


    <hr>

 Chapter 30 - The Second Order

    <Talasin Ward>


    A lamp on the wall sconce flickered in the breeze of a half-opened window. The wind caressed Talasin''s skin, drawing him out of unconsciousness.


    His eyes blinked open and shadows danced across the room. He reached for his sword and felt nothing but bare skin and soft linen.  He was naked and his body was covered in bandages.


    His memories came flooding back. A skinwalker disguised as Raithen, standing over Garnet¡¯s bed with a sword in his hand.


    Talasin didn''t know if he had reached her in time or not. If he hadn''t, she would be dead now. And then there were the demons¡­ He had to warn the Order. He had to tell them about K''rith Vatali''s destruction.


    He tried to roll out of bed, but his head ached like someone had hammered on his skull all night long. He groaned and clutched his temples.


    A door opened, and a woman stepped inside, wearing a white hooded robe that hung loosely on her slender frame.


    She threw back her hood, revealing red hair that framed her face and fell past her shoulders. At that moment, to Talasin, she was the most beautiful sight in the world.


    ¡°Garnet?¡± his voice came out in croak. ¡°You''re alive.¡±


    She smiled, her green eyes twinkling. "You''re finally awake." She walked to his bed and leaned over to kiss his forehead.


    "What was that for?" he stammered.


    She laughed and ran her fingers through his hair. "I owe you my life," she said quietly.


    "You make it sound like a bad thing," he said as he sat up slowly. It took effort and his head still throbbed, but he forced himself upright.


    Garnet pulled a chair over and sat down next to him. "Time will tell," she said with a smile.


    He started to laugh, but the twinges from his ribs stopped him short


    "How are you feeling?" she asked. "You had me worried there for a second."


    He touched one of his many bandages and winced, "I feel like I could sleep for the rest of my life and still be tired."


    Garnet''s eyes lit up in a smile, and she said, "If you have the energy to be dramatic, then you are feeling better."


    He looked around the room. It was unfamiliar, with rows of empty beds and plain gray stone walls. There was only one window, high above the bed. The only other light came from the lantern in a small niche halfway up the wall.


    "Where are we?" he asked.


    Garnet shrugged and said, "We¡¯re at the Cathedral of the Second Order. They don''t have any healers here, but luckily for you, I know a thing or two about medicine."


    The Second Order was also known as the Order of Mercy, they were mostly made up of monks and nuns that spent their days helping the poor and running the local temples.


    Talasin frowned at her. "So you bandaged my wounds?"


    She nodded. "That and more. You''ve got a few broken ribs, torn muscles in your shoulder, and suffered a mild concussion."


    His face turned red as he realized that she had seen him naked and in the most vulnerable position. He tried to hide his embarrassment by asking another question. "Has the Archon been informed about the demon attack on K''rith Vatali?"


    "Yes, a delegation of high ranking Order have just left, heading to Astraeus. From there they will inform the other Orders and the four kingdoms."


    Talasin closed his eyes and sighed in relief. "We did it," he said with a smile. "I can finally rest."


    <hr>


    The cathedral bell tolled in the stillness of the night, waking Talasin up from fitful dreams.


    The wind howled outside, like a monster trying to claw its way into the cathedral. Talasin was just thinking that the windows would rattle out of their frames when he heard  heavy footsteps walking back and forth outside his window.


    "Come out and play, Order scum," a voice called from outside.


    Talasin rose, "Who the hell are you!" he yelled.


    The being laughed in response, the sound so deep and powerful that it cause the foundations of the building to tremble.


    The church bell continued to toll, the sound rolling through the cathedral and vibrating through his body.


    Talasin heard footsteps outside his door, he looked around for a weapon, but there was only a jug of water and a scroll of holy writ beside his bed.


    He clutched the jug and waited.


    The door burst open and a short man, with a bald pate and sharp features, entered the room. Garnet and two guardsmen followed close behind. They all looked alert and afraid.


    Talasin recognized Archon Uriz Dominus immediately. He¡¯d seen paintings of the man hanging in the cathedral of the Fifth Order.


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    The bald Archon, dressed in plain gray robes with the sigil of the Second Order emblazoned on its front, locked eyes with Talasin. "We¡¯re under attack," he said, his voice surprisingly calm.


    "What?" Talasin stammered. "But how, demons can''t enter here?"


    ¡°No time for that,¡± said the Archon. ¡°Our delegation was met on the road by a host of demons.¡± He shook his head in disgust. ¡°Their bodies were found an hour ago. We are gathering the villages inside the cathedral, but¡­¡±


    "What is it?" Talasin asked.


    "There are Sethi warriors with them," said Garnet. ¡°The temple¡¯s magic won''t keep them out.¡±


    "We have a horse waiting for you by the North gate," interrupted the Archon. "You will leave as soon as you are dressed."


    "Yes, sir," Talasin stammered. He realized he was still holding the clay jug, and he put it down on the bedside table and got out of bed.


    "What are your Orders, Archon?"


    "Wait!" shouted Garnet. "He¡¯s wounded and there are demons surrounding this building, you can''t send him out there."


    "Don''t, Garnet," said Talasin. "I am Fifth Order, this is my duty."


    Garnet pushed Talasin back into bed, and he fell back, wincing. "You can''t even dress yourself," she said. "You¡¯ll die before you even reach the village gates."


    "At least, I''ll die doing my job," Talasin interjected.


    "You are a fool, Talasin Ward," Garnet said, ¡°After all we¡¯ve been through, you¡¯d just throw your life away?¡±


    "Enough!" said the Archon. "Get dressed, it is time to leave." He turned to face Garnet, "If you lady Tarklos have so little faith in the man that saved your life, then you are welcome to join him."


    Garnet glared at the old man and then looked down at Talasin who was feebly trying to do up the buttons on his coat.


    "I will," she said fiercely.


    <hr>


    The church bell continued to ring out as Talasin and Garnet, wearing black robes and carrying silver swords and daggers, pushed through the thronging crowds that were huddled within the halls of the cathedral.


    They made their way to the eastern wing of the building, through the kitchen and then down a long flight of marble stairs that led into the larder.


    The air grew colder the further they traveled, and far above them, they could hear the sounds of men fighting.


    "The Sethi are attacking," Garnet said in a low voice.


    Talasin nodded and looked back up the staircase. "We should be helping," he growled. "Not fleeing like cowards."


    "I might not agree with the Archon¡¯s methods,¡± said Garnet, ¡°But I agree that our work is more important than this single battle.¡±


    She raised her oil lamp and cast light into the larder.


    Cured meats hung from hooks and shelves, and there were sacks of flour and barrels of fresh water. There were also pickles and jars full of olives, peaches and apricots.


    "This place is huge," said Talasin.


    He looked about at the vast room and spotted a garland of white leaves hanging on the far side of the larder. He crossed the room and pulled a leaf off the plant, crushed it in his hand and smelt it.


    "What is it?" Garnet asked as she stuffed a cured ham and a loaf of bread into her backpack.


    "Milkweed," said Talasin, "Cooks use it to keep away flies, but the Fifth Order uses it in minor restoration potions."


    "If you think we can use it, then bring some," said Garnet as she dropped a large water skin into the pack.


    She took a small pouch from a hook and opened it. A strong aroma filled the air. "It''s pepper," she whispered.


    "Pepper?" said Talasin in surprise.


    "Don''t tell me you don''t eat hot stuff?"


    "I stayed in K''rith Vatali for two weeks," said Talasin, "Everything in your city is smothered in spices."


    Garnet''s smile faltered at the name of her old city. "I thought there''d be some news," she said.


    "You should stay here," said Talasin. "If there are survivors, they will come here first."


    She shook her head, "I''m going with you. I am the high councilor''s daughter, my duty is to the people of Ivalice not to the Order."


    "But you can serve the people¡ª"


    "Don''t try and stop me, Talasin."


    He turned and met her eyes and saw the steely determination reflected in them. Truthfully, he was afraid to go alone, but he was more afraid of losing her.


    "I don''t want what happened to Wren and Raithen to happen¡ª" he began.


    Garnet raised a hand to stop him, "Please," she said. "I need to do this."


    Talasin shook his head, but he remained silent, he knew there was nothing he could do to change her mind.


    <hr>


    They found the small trapdoor the Archon had told them about under a large barrel of Alturan wine.


    Talasin bent to open the trapdoor and then winced in pain.


    Garnet nudged him out the way and opened the door, revealing an iron ladder that led into the sewers beneath the village.


    "I could have done it myself," he moaned.


    "I¡¯m sure you could, just like you could have dressed yourself, or you could have changed your own bandages."


    Talasin gritted his teeth, "Ok," he finally said, "But if you are coming with, you stay behind me at all times."


    "Of course," she said. "I don''t want you staring at my ass the whole journey."


    Talasin felt his face reddening.


    She looked up whilst descending the ladder and noticed his red face. She laughed. ¡°And I thought Order boys only had eyes for their goddess?¡±


    <hr>


    The sewers ran deep beneath the village and were home to all manner of local wildlife, which tended to be more aggressive than normal due to the lack of predators.


    It was mostly sewer rats and the odd spectral bat that they saw, but at one intersection, Talasin spotted what looked like a tiger-striped snapjaw.


    The giant man-eating turtle slipped into the water as soon as they drew near, and Talasin raised a hand to stop Garnet. They waited one long minute and when they were sure the monster was gone, they kept moving, making sure to keep one eye on the water.


    As they walked, Talasin thought about their conversation and realized that Garnet¡¯s teasing was her way of getting his mind off of the battle happening above. She knew he would be ashamed of running away from a fight, she was helping him, even if it was in an unusual way.


    She was a surprising individual, and for the first time ever Talasin wished that he had not made the oath to abstain from marriage and having a family.


    He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind.


    ¡°You ok there?¡± Garnet asked, coming up beside him.


    He shook his head, not wanting to talk about it, and kept walking.


    After a short silent march they reached a large wooden door, carved with a symbol of a stylized tree surrounded by a circle and three lines.


    "This should be the exit to the north wall," said Garnet.


    Talasin rested his hand on his sword and nodded, "We don''t know what we''ll find on the other side of that door. This is your last chance to turn back."


    She pressed her lips together in annoyance. ¡°Don''t start with that again,¡± she said firmly, "I''m doing this, no matter what comes, we¡¯ll face it together."


    She pushed open the door, and together they stepped into the night air.


    <hr>

 Chapter: 31 The Fall of Kadrak

    <Talasin Ward>


    Talasin and Garnet stepped out of the sewers and into a ghost town. The buildings were all empty, the streets deserted. A few lanterns hung over doorways, but most of them had burned out or been smashed in as the villages had fled to the cathedral.


    A cold breeze blew down the street and Talasin shivered, goosebumps rising on his skin. He wrapped his cloak tighter around himself.


    The pale moon light shone through broken windows and crumbling walls. It cast the town in shades of gray, making it seem even more lifeless than normal.


    "It''s peaceful," Talasin breathed.


    "Like a graveyard," Garnet agreed.


    There were no demons in sight, just the occasional rat scurrying away at their approach.


    "Where are they?" Talasin asked as he peered behind an abandoned lumber mill. "I don''t see anything."


    Garnet stared about her, then shrugged. "I''m just glad most of the village evacuated in time."


    Or maybe they were taken by the demons, to feed an army on the march.


    He didn''t speak his thoughts, there was no point in frightening Garnet. The truth was he didn''t believe her family had survived the fall of K''rith Vatali, but he knew that hope was a powerful motivator, he couldn''t take that from her.


    ¡°We need to keep moving,¡± he said, taking the lead. His body still ached but he forced the pain aside and kept moving.


    They walked through the town quickly, keeping to the shadows and looking for any sign of movement amongst the buildings.


    They came a few bodies littering an empty back alley, their bodies sprouting red feathered arrows.


    "Sethi," Talasin hissed.


    Garnet touched his arm reassuringly, "We should find the horses," she said, "We don''t have time to discover what''s going on."


    <hr>


    They reached the stable at the North gate and found two horses saddled and ready to go. One was a gray stallion, the other a brown mare.


    Talasin swore as he climbed onto the stallion, refusing Garnets help, and then he fasted the pack on the back of the horse.


    She shook her head, annoyed at his stubbornness, and then she hopped onto her own horse with a well practiced motion.


    "Which way?" asked Talasin as the horses stepped out of the stable and into the main road.


    Garnet pointed down the road towards the moon, "That''s east," she said. "Astraeus is south-east of Kadrak."


    "We''re not going to Astraeus anymore," he said.


    Garnet swung in her saddle to face him, "Why not? That''s where the Archon was sending the delegation?"


    Talasin glanced about, "Exactly, the demon''s will be watching that path. No, we are heading to Westwind."


    "The monastery?"


    "Exactly," said Talasin. "There''s something I need from the brothers."


    "That''s a two-day ride in the wrong direction."


    He gave her a hard look, "There''s something going on here, something we are missing. Right now, the best move we can make is the one they least expect."


    Garnet sighed, "Ok, so what''s at this monastery?"


    "A little brotherhood of monks," he said. "And the Tower of Mysteries."


    Garnet stared at him, "Are you crazy?" She asked. "You''re still an apprentice, there''s no way the brothers will let you into that tower."


    "Probably not," said Talasin. "But that''s not going to stop me from trying."


    He nudged his horse into motion and winced as it sped up to a canter.


    Eventually, I am going to come up against something I can''t run away from. When that happens, I want to be able to fight.


    "What if they try to kill you?" Garnet asked as she sped up her horse and came up beside him.


    "Then I am dead anyway," he said as he flicked the reins and sped up.


    <hr>


    It wasn''t until sunrise when they reached the crest of a low hill that Talasin stopped his horse and turned back to look down at the village of Kadrak that lay in the valley below them.


    From his vantage point, he could make out that the village was on fire. He looked back at Garnet, who sat silently staring at the flames.


    "What are you thinking?" she whispered.


    "This doesn''t feel right," he said quietly. "How do demons and Sethi travel through our lands unnoticed and unhindered."


    "You believe they had inside help?"


    He shrugged, "I don''t know what I believe anymore." He turned his face away from the burning village. "Let''s get moving then," he said, urging his horse down the slope.


    They traveled for sometime until Garnet eased onto her reigns. ¡°We should stop for the night,¡± she said as he lopped back to see why she¡¯d stopped.


    He looked back at the village far in the distance and then looked at the mountains up ahead. He knew they should keep going, but his body was aching, and he didn''t know how much more he could take.


    ¡°The horses need their rest,¡± Garnet said, slipping off the side of the horse and landing on her feet.


    Talasin knew she was actually offering him a chance to rest. The horses were still fresh, they could have gone for miles still.


    ¡°You''re right,¡± he said as he painfully dismounted.


    Garnet steadied him as he landed on his feet.


    They led the horses into a small copse of trees beside the road and set up camp.


    <hr>


    Talasin and Garnet sat close together, warming their hands around a small fire, while they watched the sky change color from red to purple.


    The wind was frigid, and their teeth chattered in their mouths. They didn''t speak much, preferring to listen to the sounds of nature, the chirping of birds and the rustling of wind through the leaves above.


    Now that the adrenaline had worn off, the pain in Talasin¡¯s body had tripled. He opened his backpack and handed a chunk of bread and a few slices of cured ham to Garnet. He cut himself a few slices and ate in silence.


    When he was finished eating, he set down a green speckled bird¡¯s egg he¡¯d found whilst searching for firewood and pulled out a small bunch of milkweed leaves. He held the leaves over the flames until they turned from white to a shimmering silver.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Garnet asked around a mouthful of bread.


    ¡°Making a weak potion of restoration.¡±


    ¡°I didn''t know you were an alchemist.¡±


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± he said.


    He called upon the goddess, and his aspect appeared before his eyes.


    [Aspect]


    [Name: Talasin Ward]


    [Race: Human]


    [Class: Apprentice Crimson Hunter of the Fifth Order]


    [Abilities]


    - [Alchemical Invocation] (Tier 1)


    - [Two-handed Sword Master] (Tier 1)


    ¡°I have the alchemical invocation skill,¡± he said as the aspect vanished once again. ¡°And the Order teaches all of us how to craft basic potions.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± said Garnet. ¡°What else don''t I know about you?¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    He smiled as he crushed the leaves in the palm of his hand and then added them to a water skin.


    Healing herbs blessed by the goddess.


    Next, he gathered the ash from the fire, from a slice of pork he¡¯d burnt to a crisp.


    The ash of something dead.


    Lastly, he cracked the bird¡¯s eggs into the water and gave the skin a shake.


    The spark of life.


    He muttered one of the few invocations he knew in a low voice, and a soft glow surrounded the water skin for a few seconds before returning to normal.


    The life force of the ingredients were broken down by the invocation and infused into the water, changing its color to a semi translucent pink.


    [Crude Restoration Potion: Crafting Successful]


    Talasin blinked at the message of the goddess and it vanished. He¡¯d never given the aspects much thought, it was just part of life in Ivalice, the same way that snow was white and fire was hot.


    ¡°I thought you had to boil the potion in a cauldron?¡± Garnet asked skeptically.


    Talasin sniffed the wine skin, pulled a face and took a sip. It tasted worse than it smelled.


    ¡°Some potions require being boiled, but as I said, I have the alchemical invocation ability, so I can bypass that step.¡±


    Garnet nodded, clearly looking impressed.


    ¡°Did it do anything?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It''s weak, it can''t close wounds or heal diseases, it¡¯s more of a painkiller if anything.¡±


    He took another sip of the potion and then handed it to Garnet.


    ¡°It will ease some of the pain in your¡­¡± he paused, thinking of a more delicate word to use. ¡°In your thighs,¡± he finally said.


    Garnet gave him an odd look and took the water skin from him. She sipped it and pulled a face, but a few seconds later a smile spread on her lips. ¡°Thanks, my ass has been killing me all day.¡±


    She handed the potion back to him and as he took it, he heard a sound that sent shivers down his spin. Far in the distance, a hound howled.


    The horses stamped and neighed in fear, and Talasin shot to his feet and grabbed their reigns to steady them.


    ¡°Wolves?¡± asked Garnet with a panicked look on her face.


    Talasin shook his head, ¡°Hounds.¡±


    He sat back down and pulled his sword closer, resting it on the blanket roll beside him.


    Garnet noticed the gesture and glanced around nervously. ¡°You think they¡¯re tracking us?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Maybe, but if they came from Kadrak then they¡¯ll be just as tired as we are. They sound far away, we should be safe tonight.¡± He glanced back down the hill. ¡°But we should break camp early, just in case.¡±


    Garnet nodded and stared into the fire, her features hard and etched in worry.


    <hr>


    Finally, as the last few rays of sun died, Garnet changed Talasin¡¯s bandages, and then they settled into their blankets and huddled close together, seeking the comfort of each other''s warmth.


    Talasin lay on his back, his ribs hurt too much to lie in any other position. He stared up at the night sky, watching the stars as they began to shine out clearly, painting the night sky with their cold light.


    In the distance he still heard the howling, but the hounds had come no closer.


    Garnet curled into him, resting her head on his shoulder and wrapping her arms around his waist.


    Talasin had never been this close to a girl, the Fifth Order forbade any sexual contact amongst its members.


    He wondered if Garnet knew just what her close contact was doing to him. He felt strange and intoxicated, he wasn''t sure he liked the feeling.


    He tried to ignore her soft skin pressed against his and all that was going on below his belt, instead his eyes focused on the stars in Teon''s anchor, he traced its outline with his finger, wondering how many others were like this one, shining bright, but unseen.


    "Look," said Garnet, touching his hand.


    Talasin followed her pointing finger and saw a blue bird sitting on a branch watching them, its long tail feathers trailing snowflakes that melted before they hit the ground.


    "An arctic swift," said Talasin. He felt a pang in his chest at seeing the bird, it reminded him of Garrick, the Master that he would never see again.


    Garnet held him closer as a cool wind washed over them, "You know you are far from home when you start to see the creatures you''ve only read about in stories."


    Talasin closed his eyes against the sudden pain in his heart, "Yes," he said quietly.


    Garnet leaned closer, "All things considered, I''m glad I came with you."


    She snuggled up beside him, pressing her body against his, her warmth seeping into him.


    He smiled, "Me too."


    <hr>


    As dawn broke, they continued their journey north, leaving Kadrak behind them. They rode for most of the morning without saying anything, lost in their own thoughts.


    Talasin kept a constant look out for the hounds, he was sure they were being tracked, but he saw no sign of them throughout the morning.


    By late afternoon a thick mist rolled in over the plains, they rode slower, carefully picking their way across the rough terrain. The hounds were still far in the distance and the horses were nervous and stumbled often.


    Just before sunset they reached the crest of a low hill and through the thick mist the tower of Westwind came into view. It stood alone on top of a small rise, overlooking the plains beyond and the forest that spread out in every direction.


    "It looks like a prison," said Garnet.


    She was right. The walls looked like a giant cage, made of stone blocks topped with spikes. In the center of the monastery was a white tower stretching high into the sky, its arched windows dark.


    Talasin had never seen a place so isolated, so removed from the world. It seemed to be cut off from everything, a fortress built to defy invasion and protect whatever secrets lay within.


    Talasin spurred his horse to a gallop and clenched his jaws as his ribs ached with every step of the giant horse.


    He wasn''t sure if the hounds were close, but now that their destination was in sight, he just wanted to get behind the safety of those imposing walls.


    It did not take long for them to reach the gates and when they arrived Talasin was sweat soaked and light-headed.


    The black, formidable gates were closed and locked, but there was no guard in sight.


    "How do we get in?" asked Garnet as she jumped off her horse and reached for the latch. She looked about nervously, as if she expected the hounds to attack at any moment.


    Talasin winced in pain as he dismounted and stepped up beside her.


    She looked at him with obvious concern on her face but said nothing.


    There was a creak and rustle from somewhere inside the walls, and a man appeared from behind the gate.


    "Welcome travelers," said the man.


    Talasin bowed his head in a sign of respect, "I am Talasin, apprentice of Master Garrick of the Fifth Order," he said. "My companion and I seek sanctuary and a warm meal."


    The man wiped his hands on his robe and extended one to Talasin. "We were not expecting visitors," he said as he shook Talasin''s hand and offered a warm smile to Garnet, "But come in, our fires are warm, and our hearts will be gladdened by the company."


    <hr>


    The two companions followed the monk passed the tower and into Westwind monastery. As they entered, the hallways echoed with the sound of laughter and singing.


    The monks welcomed them with a warmth that both surprised and eased Talasin.


    He spared no time in telling the monks all about their quest, the demon''s attack and the hounds that he feared were stalking them.


    Abbott Hess, the leader of the monastery, listened intently, his eyes wide and his hands clasped together. "This is all news to us," he said. "Our monastery is isolated from the rest of Ivalice, so news is slow to reach us. But we will set a guard around the building for the night, just to be safe."


    "Master Hess," said Talasin, "I am not here by accident. I have come to challenge the tower."


    Hess nodded and a few of the older monks muttered words of encouragement, "It is not for me to deny you," he said, "The tower chooses its own."


    Talasin bowed his head. He could feel Garnet watching him. He wanted to look at her, but he was afraid that the monks would see in his eyes the desire he felt for her.


    "It has been seven years since the last pilgrim has come here to bind an armament," said Hess.


    Garnet turned to the monk and gave him a curious look. "Why is that, master?" she asked.


    "Well, daughter," said the monk. "When a Master of the Order dies, if he has not passed his familiar onto a new bearer, then the spirit of the familiar is reborn. The familiars are reborn in the same spot each time."


    "And the tower is built over that spot," said Talasin.


    "Indeed," said brother Geb, "In fact the familiar is reborn in the sky, the tip of the tower reaches that point."


    "So with Master Garrick''s passing," said Talasin. "His armament should have been reborn in the tower?"


    Yes," said the monk, "An undetermined familiar appeared almost two months ago. We sent word to the Fifth Order, but no apprentice has come to claim it, until now."


    "Undetermined?" asked Garnet.


    "Oh yes," said Hess. "The familiar is but an embryo, its form is determined by its bearer''s need."


    The conversation was interrupted when a young boy carried in a large pot of stew and a stack of wooden serving bowls. He was a tall, skinny child with dirty blond hair tied back in a ponytail. His smile was genuine and warm, but his eyes lingered on Garnet''s chest a moment too long, which annoyed Talasin.


    Garnet blushed slightly and took a bowl, looking away from the boy as she began to eat.


    The boy went to refill the pot as Abbot Hess stood and approached Talasin.


    "Eat and rest," said the abbot, "In the morning we will see if the tower has chosen you."


    <hr>


    Talasin, Garnet, and six monks approached the tower at the crack of dawn. The sun had barely risen above the horizon, and the only sound was the chirp of birds and the distant baying of sheep.


    The tower stood silent and still. It looked like a giant pillar of salt. Its base rested on solid rock, and a single door lay in front of them.


    The monks stood around the tower, while Talasin placed his hand on the door and closed his eyes.


    A soft glow surrounded his hand, and suddenly a voice spoke into his mind. "Talasin Ward, son of Elodin, what do you seek?"


    "I seek the Ethereal Armament of my fallen master," said Talasin.


    A pause, and then the voice replied, "You seek power?"


    "I seek revenge," Talasin replied, he knew there was no point lying to the spirit, it knew his soul better than he did.


    Another silence, then, "If you choose to enter, it will lead you on a path where many will die by your side, and you will lose the one you love."


    My parents are dead, my sister killed by my own arrogance, and my master taken from me by a zombie.


    "I will pay any price," Talasin said without hesitation.


    There was another pause as Talasin waited. Then the voice spoke again, "Find me where the tower touches the sky, I am waiting."


    A cold wind blew against Talasin''s skin as the door swung open.


    He looked back at Garnet and the monks. She shot him a nervous look, and he smiled at her reassuringly.


    He looked back inside the tower and swallowed the lump in his throat. On the other side of the door lay a large, dimly lit room that seemed to stretch out forever before him. To the right, he could see stairs leading up.


    As he stepped inside, a hound howled close by. The hairs on his back stood on end as a shiver of panic ran down his spine.


    Just as the door swung shut he saw movement outside, and then he saw a figure on top of the wall, silhouetted by the light coming through the clouds.


    A second later, he was staring at the door as it slammed shut, locking Talasin inside the tower.


    Through the walls, he heard the shadow hounds exploding through the monastery¡¯s gates and Garnet''s scream of terror filling the air.


    <hr>

 Chapter 32 - Tower of Ascension

    <Talasin Ward>


    The last thing Talasin saw before the tower door slammed in his face was fear etched on Garnet''s face as a pack of shadow hounds burst through the monastery gates.


    ¡°Open up!¡± he yelled, pounding on the door and throwing his weight against it. ¡°Let me out!¡±


    The door remained magically sealed no matter how he tried, the handle wouldn''t budge.


    ¡°Garnet! Garnet!¡± His words trailed away as his anger gave way to despair, and his self-control slipped away from him.


    No, not like this, please goddess help me.


    He kicked the door and began shouting curses at the tower door and begging it to open, but no response came, save for the sound of shadow hounds howling and men fighting for their lives a hands'' breath away from him. He was so close to them, yet worlds apart.


    The door will only open when I reach the summit and retrieve the familiar, or die trying.


    He could only hope that Garnet would be alive when he returned. He turned around, he didn''t have time to waste. He drew his silver sword, ready to face whatever challenges the tower had in stall for him.


    <hr>


    At first glance, the first floor seemed empty. The room was dark and there were no windows. But as he drew nearer he saw a small table, two chairs, and an old brazier that filled most of the space. A single polished wooden staircase led up to the next floor.


    As he took a step forward, the tower shook. The table screeched across the floor and a chair crashed into the wall.


    What the hell is going on out there?


    Talasin wasted no time moving to the stairs. He took the steps three at a time, ignoring his unhealed wounds and bruised ribs.


    He continued climbing one staircase after another. It seemed like the tower went on forever. Each floor was similar, but with subtle differences. Some had furniture, some had beds, and there was even an old kitchen on one floor. It looked like the tower had once been the residence for people of the Order.


    He didn''t waste time thinking about it. His only goal was to get to the top as quickly as possible.


    He arrived on the next floor and was greeted by the putrid smell of rotten flesh.


    A decaying corpse was prostrated on the ground. It was a woman. Her skin was pale and stretched tight over her bones. Her hair was tangled and matted, her eyes wide open and staring past Talasin without seeing him.


    Her body looked like she¡¯d died a handful of days earlier, even though it had been seven years since another person had climbed the tower.


    There''s something strange going on in this tower.


    As he drew nearer, he saw the wounds in her side, deep cuts where a sword had sliced her open, leaving her to slowly bleed to death.


    She¡¯s been murdered.


    He''d expected the tower to throw challenges and riddles at him, but he had not expected this.


    Had the tower preserved her body as a warning. Maybe to tell him that he was not alone. Or maybe her body was left there to taunt him. To remind him that he could just as easily die here.


    He moved towards the corpse, knelt beside her, and placed his hand on her cold forehead. "May your soul find rest in light, sister," he whispered.


    ¡°I wish I could do more,¡± he muttered. ¡°But I have someone I need to save.¡±


    He stood up and as he did the tower shook again. He reached out and leaned against the wall to brace himself.


    ¡°What''s going on out there!¡±


    Finally, the shaking stopped and silence fell on the tower, the only sound the wind whistling around the tower walls.


    <hr>


    On the next floor, he found a pile of corpses. It looked like men and women had fought to the death. Their bodies were sprawled across each other, weapons still clutched in their hands.


    They were all frozen in the act of dying. But Talasin noticed a few things. All the corpses wore the same clothes as the woman on the previous floor. On one woman''s collar he saw the sigil of the Talamasca.


    They were all in here at the same time. But why?


    He left the scene behind and kept moving. As he walked, he saw things in the corner of his eye, and at times he swore he heard people whispering.


    He looked towards the next floor and saw a figure on the far side of the room moving about, obviously searching for something.


    "Hello!" he shouted, running over to the person.


    He arrived at the spot and pushed aside a broken table, the person was gone with no trace left behind.


    This is not good.


    He rounded the next corner and saw a woman running down the stairs, carrying something in her arms. As she descended the staircase, a man appeared, blocking the way, a blade held before him.


    She tried to run around the man, but he spun around and blocked her path, something about the man seemed so familiar to Talasin.


    It was in the way the man stood, the way he moved. Talasin had spent years studying this person¡¯s every move. The man turned around, and as he did so, Talasin found himself staring at a younger version of his master.


    "Master Garrick!" he shouted


    Garrick vanished and then immediately appeared again in front of Talasin. He brought his weapon down across Talasin''s throat, cutting through his neck bone and sending blood gushing onto the stone floor.


    Talasin fell back, gasping for breath, stunned and confused. He tried to scream, but no sound came out. His trembling hands rose up, and he looked down and saw that the blood was gone.


    He felt his neck, but there was no wound and there was no pain.


    He fell to his knees and something crunched beneath him. He shifted over and saw that he had landed on the dried bones of a woman, her head was separated from her body and a stain of dried blood surrounded her.


    ¡°Ghosts,¡± he muttered under his breath.


    No, not ghosts, fragments of memories trapped in their final moments of death.


    He stood up, and stepping back from the skeleton.


    ¡°But if these are memories,¡± he began to say, then stopped. He shook his head. ¡°No, Master Garrick wouldn''t kill a defenceless woman. There has to be something else going on.¡±


    <hr>


    He continued to see visions or memories as she climbed the stairs. Horrific scenes of betrayal and bloodshed, repeating over and over in an endless loop.


    He tried his best to ignore them and press on to his goal. But no matter which way he thought about it, his mind kept coming up with the same conclusion. Something tragic had happened here, and his master had been involved.


    An hour later, he reached the top of the tower. He was breathless and sweat soaked but relieved that his goal was finally insight. The tower had challenged him, but not as badly as he had expected.


    He looked around the top floor, looking for the ethereal armament. There was a large window on one side of the room, and through it the golden morning light shone brightly.


    A single statue of a young woman stood in the center, her hands were held high as she stared down at him with an expression of silent judgement.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Belladeon," he said. "Goddess, I come to claim my familiar."


    He was sure what he had expected. The goddess had never spoken to him. But a part of him thought that once he took this final step, there would be a word from her, a sign of her divine approval.


    But there was nothing, no sign that his words had even been heard.


    ¡°Goddess,¡± he repeated. ¡°I come to claim a weapon to defend our people.¡±


    The statue merely stared down at him, and then in the corner of his eye he saw movement. At first, it was just a flicker and then a tiny ball of black swirling energy appeared in the palms of the statue''s hand. I grew to about the size of a fist and it pulsed in the air like a black beating heart.


    He reached out to touch it, then froze.


    What''s wrong with it? Should it look and feel like this?


    The dark flashed brightly in response to his indecision. Electricity sparked across the room, smashing into the walls and floor with violent force.


    The walls trembled, and then the tiles in the floor began to crack.


    Oh, shit!


    The floor gave way and for a second, Talasin felt weightless. His hand shot out, grabbing hold of the ledge.


    He held on as his legs dangled helplessly. His ribs ached, but he held on tight. He looked down, but he saw no floor beneath him, just a black abyss waiting to swallow him whole.


    If I let go, what will happen? Will I become another ghost haunting this place?


    He tightened his grip and felt his stitches popping and unhealed wounds tearing open.


    The squirming mass of energy continued to expand, and the sound of a mighty wind rushed through the tower. Ghosts shrieked as the black familiar drew them in, pulling them into a vortex of darkness and chaos.


    A dark mist began to rise, gathering around the familiar. It changed form as the spirits were absorbed into it. It started as a giant black cloud, and then it sprouted arms.


    It swirled and pulsated, taking on the shape of a great horned beast with multiple animalistic heads. The horns curved in towards each other until they met, and the creature grew even larger.


    ¡°Is that you, my familiar?¡± he shouted. ¡°Your form has been corrupted by the souls that fed you.¡±


    In response, the creature opened its jaws and roared, sending a blast of black energy directly at Talasin.


    Talasin screamed as his adrenaline kicked in. He pulled himself up, ignoring the blood running out of his unhealed wounds.


    The blast of energy smashed into the wall, inches from where his head had just been. He rolled onto his back and breathed heavily.


    "Is this all you''ve got?¡± he shouted.


    He slowly got to his feet, ¡°You are my familiar, my weapon, I expect more from you.¡±


    The corrupted familiar swung its mighty arms, it hit him in the chest, flinging him through the air. He smashed into the wall and felt his unhealed ribs crack.


    "I''ll show you who''s the master," Talasin snarled as he rolled over and shoved himself to his feet.


    He ran forward, avoiding the giant holes in the floor. He drew his silver sword and ducked under another attack.


    He rolled and rammed the blade into the corrupted familiar¡¯s leg. The creature was still young, newly born. It had never felt pain before. It recoiled at the pain inflicted by the silver blade, transforming back into a swirling vapor.


    Talasin didn''t give it time to recover. He thrust his hand into the smoky creature¡¯s chest, wrapping his fingers around the familiar''s core.


    Searing pain shot through his hand, but he didn''t let go. He could smell his flesh burning, see his fingers turning black and his finger nails curling back in the most excruciatingly painful way possible.


    He saw visions of the spirits of the dead that had fueled the cores creation, he saw their dreams taken from them in the prime of their youth, they''d wanted to change the world to be part of the good. But they''d been killed too soon. They''d never had the chance to do anything, to live, to experience life.


    He saw them in his mind. They were apprentices once like him. They had come to the tower to receive the blessing of the goddess, but instead they had been forced to kill each other for it.


    Only one student could reach the top and claim the reborn familiar, the last time it had been his master.


    Talasin knew that the souls of the damned would be here for generations, igniting the flame that rebirthed the familiar. They were trapped in a lifeless husk, unable to rest until their souls were spent.


    Talasin closed his eyes, focused on his connection to the familiar.


    ¡°Goddess, shine your light into the dark,¡± he prayed. ¡°Set free the captives, purify the corruption.¡±


    With a powerful tug, he yanked the core out of the host body. There was a shriek of pain followed by a stillness.


    The silence filled the room until Talasin couldn''t stand it and then as if a coil had been released the dark electrical energy exploded out of the beast as the ghosts tore free of their prison.


    Bricks fell from the tower¡¯s walls and the stained-glass window shattered and shards of glass fell to the floor.


    Talasin lay on the floor, exhausted, his skin pale, and his breath short. His head was spinning, and he felt like he was going to be sick.


    ¡°Master,¡± a voice whispered in his mind.


    He reached out to the voice and in response, warmth spread up his arm and through his body. The pulsating core transformed into a gold amulet and clinked to the floor.


    [Undetermined Ethereal Armament Obtained]


    He sighed in relief as he picked it up and pressed it to his chest.


    The aspect of the goddess flooded his vision.


    [Fifth Order Apprentice ? Evolved To? Crimson Hunter]


    [Two-handed Sword Mastery Tier 1 ? Evolved To?  Tier 2]


    ¡°Light be damned,¡± he groaned. ¡°I¡¯m finally a Crimson Hunter.¡±


    And then he heard a sound, like pieces of wood being rubbed together. Something was moving.


    Talasin got to his feet, his silver sword poised and ready.


    He heard a soft tapping sound coming from the shattered window. He stood still, listening intently, trying to make sense of the sound.


    "What do you want?" he asked, his voice sounding loud in the empty tower.


    The tapping stopped.


    As he stepped closer to the window, the surrounding tower wall exploded inwards and dark hands, fingers nightmarishly long, shot through the hole.


    Talasin dodged them, jumping backwards, but three more hands appeared, clawing at his face, gripping his hair. He swung his blade wildly, cutting off fingers that squirmed on the ground.


    Another set of hands emerged through the window, grabbing at his legs. He cut through another finger, but the second hand grabbed his arm and squeezed. The sword dropped limply from his hands and fell out of the window.


    The demonic arms wrapped around him, crushing the breath out of his lungs.


    He struggled to reach for his dagger, but his arms were pinned to his side.


    He flailed against the arms, but they were too strong. The demon¡¯s arms tensed, and Talasin was yanked out through the hole in the wall and tossed into the air.


    As he fell, he saw a spider-like demon perched on the side of the tower, its many hands reaching out to him.


    ¡°Familiar, help me?¡± he yelled.


    <hr>


    Master Garrick had once said that the form an undetermined familiar takes is decided by the greatest need of its user.


    Talasin¡¯s need was simple. He was falling and at any moment he¡¯d hit the ground.


    He felt his link with his familiar. It was calling to him urgently, asking him to name it, to give it an identity.


    The name came to Talasin in an instant. ¡°Arkose!¡± he yelled. ¡°I need you.¡±


    Time crawled to a halt as light and shadow erupted out of the amulet. A two-handed sword appeared floating in front of him. One side of the sword was black as night, the other the gold of the rising sun.


    [Ethereal Armament: Void Blade]


    He felt Arkose telling him to surrender to the power, to let it take control.


    "Screw that!" he yelled. He¡¯d fought to become the master. "You surrender to me!"


    He looked down and saw the ground below and demons gathered waiting for him. The spider demon sprinted down the side of the tower, venom dripping from its fangs.


    Talasin raised his sword and felt the ebb and flow, the prod and pull of the familiar¡¯s power. He seized the magic, drawing it out of the sword, and commanded it to do his will.


    [Crush: Activated]


    Power radiated from the sword like an invisible hand pressing down. Talasin swung his sword down, bringing the full power of gravity crushing down on the shadow hounds below.


    The power snatched the spider demon out of the air, forcing it into the ground. The earth split in a deafening roar and the gathered demon¡¯s legs buckled and splintered, their bodies splattering blood across the floor and rocks crumbled into dust.


    They were dead, but if he didn''t act soon, he would meet the same grizzly fate.


    He felt Arkose shaping the power to his need. Talasin flipped the sword and harnessed the second side of the armaments magic.


    [Float: Activated]


    Golden light swirled around his legs and his body became weightless. He descended like a feather, drifting down and landing lightly on the tip of his toes.


    His sword swirled around him, the ethereal blade glowing and crackling with black and gold power.


    A lone hound that had been guarding the entrance to the monastery turned to face him. It snarled, showing rows of sharp teeth and yellow eyes.


    It moved slowly toward him, jaws open wide, ready to bite.


    Talasin raised his sword and as the shadow hound leapt at him, he spun and brought the blade down on the creature. His sword passed through the beast, splitting it in two and sinking deep into the ground.


    He heard a door open and frantic footsteps running towards him. He grabbed the pommel of the sword with two hands, trying to draw it out of the ground.


    Something slammed into him and arms wrapped around his body.


    A moment of panic threatened to overwhelm him, and then a sweet scent filled his nostrils and red hair wiped around his face.


    Garnet held him close, her breath warm against his neck.


    Talasin turned to face her. He saw the joy he felt at seeing her reflected in her own eyes. He took her into his arms and kissed her.


    She gasped in surprise, and he pulled back, unsure if he had gone too far.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have,¡± he said.


    Garnet pushed a stray stand of hair over her ear and smiled up at him.


    ¡°What took you so long,¡± she breathed.


    He wasn''t sure if she meant the tower or the kiss.


    She pressed her lips against his and her hands roamed over his back, pulling him close.


    Finally, she pulled back and smiled up at his beaming face,


    ¡°Is that a new sword? She asked, glancing over his shoulder. "Or are you just happy to see me?"


    He laughed, and she lifted herself up and kissed him again.


    <hr>

 Chapter: 33 The Dead Mans Drink

    <Chloe Porter>


    Chloe stepped through the white arches of Astraeus into the cobbled market square. It was a noisy city, people shouted over the roar of carts, horses and merchants.


    A memory not her own trickled into her mind. The city was celebrating Mabon, the autumn equinox. The day was celebrated by eating loads of spiced foods, waving red flags and making as much noise as possible to scare away evil spirits.


    Chloe gritted her teeth and the intrusive memory. She was still battling to get her head around the idea that she was having insights from the mind of her future self. It sounded like something out of a bad sci-fi movie.


    "God''s damn you!" someone shouted at her. "Get out of my way."


    Chloe turned towards the sound of the angry voice and stared at the bearded merchant in confusion.


    She¡¯d lived in the wild for so long that she found the city and all its movement and noise overwhelming.


    "Don''t just stand there with your mouth full of teeth and your elbow halfway up your arm," said the man. "Get out of the road."


    Chloe blinked at him and then realized that the crowd she was in had crossed the street, leaving her standing in the middle of the road, blocking three wagons.


    She waved apologetically and moved aside. The merchants spat on the ground next to her as he passed her by.


    <hr>


    She glanced down at the scroll Belgemine had given her and read it for the fifth time since entering Astraeus.


    She had been sent to meet a scholar named Sylvia Gremlock. The scholar¡¯s mother had been one of the witches that had died defending Chloe during Chaos¡¯ attack.


    Belgemine had described the woman as dark haired, in her early twenties, and that she wore round glasses and frequented the library.


    Chloe rounded the corner and headed down a road through the craftsman district.


    She passed a blacksmith who was standing outside his door watching a couple of apprentices working on a long sword.


    The apprentices paused their labor to look at her as she walked past. One apprentice whistled at her and the other laughed. The blacksmith grunted a command and they both started working again.


    Chloe''s face went red, and she increased her pace. She realized then just how odd she probably looked. She had a long unhealed wound stitched shut on her cheek, a pair of scarred and scuffed gray trousers, and she wore a long black cloak with plants growing out of its pockets.


    She adjusted the hood on her cloak to cover the wounds on her face and kept walking, not daring to look back at the blacksmith and his apprentices.


    Chloe was starting to feel uncomfortable. She wanted to be alone, she wasn''t used to crowds anymore and the sights, sounds and most of all the smells were making her head spin. She was hungry again, she''d eaten before leaving the witches'' hut, but that was two days ago.


    Everywhere people were busy, fetchers were carving arrows, tanners were boiling leather jerkins and carpenters were crafting large barricades.


    It looks like the city is preparing for war.


    <hr>


    After an hour of searching, she finally found the library. It  was one of the taller buildings in the city, it had a massive stone frontage and broad stairs leading up to the entrance.


    Chloe approached the doors and pushed against the wood. They swung open, revealing a foyer and a pair of armed soldiers wearing chain mail.


    "Sorry, mam," said a guard, "The library is closing now."


    Chloe looked at him in surprise. "But it''s not even evening yet. Please, I just need to talk to someone, her name''s Sylvia Gremlock."


    "No can do," said the soldier. "It''s the day of the festival, and my missus ain''t going to be happy if I''m late."


    Chloe stared at the man, she could smell the ale on his breath. He must have been drinking already, she thought.


    There''s nothing left to do but find some food and bed for the night.


    She pulled out the scroll once again and read the name of the inn Belgemine had suggested she use.


    "One last thing," Chloe said. "Do you know where I can find the Dead Man¡¯s Drink?"


    <hr>


    The guards had directed her to the docks. It was a busy area, the sun was setting, people were hurrying about, sailors called out orders to the porters. Men were loading barrels onto ships, and there was a constant stream of passengers coming and going.


    As she walked, the alleys became darker and quieter, gone were the bustling crowds and the noise of commerce.


    She passed an old woman wearing a short skirt and smoking a pipe. The old woman spread her legs in invitation when she saw Chloe.


    Chloe quickly looked away, trying not to make eye contact.


    From the corner of her eye, she saw sparks fly as the woman raked her pipe across the ground.


    Some men watched Chloe and as she passed they stopped talking. Once she would have been afraid in this same situation now she relished the chance to fight.


    She looked over her shoulder, half expecting to see the men following her, but nobody was there.


    Maybe it''s a good thing you don''t get into a fight, your job is to find the girl and keep a low profile.


    She sighed and kept walking. The alleyway grew narrower and cloth lines crisscrossed the alley above her head.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The wind shifted, and she caught the scent of sweat and ale. Somebody was still following her, whoever it was they were good. If it wasn''t for his smell, she wouldn''t have known they were there.


    Chloe took a turn and the alley opened out into a small square. A large building stood on the other side of the square. It was tall and narrow, there were no windows, just a single doorway with a sign that read, ''The Dead Man¡¯s Drink.''


    If things haven''t changed in the ten years since Belgemine has last been here, then there should be a portly woman named Nelly working here.


    She looked around one last time, hoping to catch a glimpse of her pursuer, but whoever it was, they were gone. It seemed like dinner would have to wait for later.


    <hr>


    Even with Chloe¡¯s heightened senses, it was still dark inside the Dead Man¡¯s Drink.


    The inn stretched far back, with round tables and cushioned seats scattered about. Each table was hidden in shadow, only lit by a single candle.


    The sound of women laughing came from a large table. Chloe looked and saw a group of women sitting around the table drinking colorful drinks and smoking large ornate pipes.


    Chloe hadn''t been in many inns in her life, but there was definitely something odd about this place.


    Usually inns were crude and basic as drunk patrons broke mugs and got into fights on a regular basis, but the Dead Man¡¯s Drink was different. There were lots of odd details everywhere. Wooden statues, paintings of people in lewd poses, strange trinkets hanging from the walls, and the floor was covered not with piss but with red carpets.


    There were also no men in sight, not one, which would have been strange if Chloe hadn''t known that the inn was run by a witch.


    Chloe¡¯s unwanted memories told there that there were no male witches in Ivalice. Men with the power either joined the Mages college, a warlock''s circle, or the Sixth Order.


    Being a magic practitioner with no guild affiliation was a sure way to die young, unless you were a necromancer, because nobody wanted to mess with those evil bastards.


    Chloe knew these things because her future self knew these things. It was odd, useful, but odd.


    Chloe looked up at a massive chandelier that hung above the bar, it was made of brass and polished so bright it hurt to look at.


    The woman behind the bar turned to Chloe. "What''ll it be?" she asked, leaning against the counter, her cheeks puffed out with a full set of rosy red lips.


    "Are you Nelly?" Chloe asked.


    The woman tapped impatiently on the counter, "Nelly was my ma, she died a few years back."


    Chloe frowned, already off to a bad start, "Oh, um."


    The barkeep sighed and tilted her head, her long curly hair fell over her shoulders as she studied Chloe, "What can I get you, lass?"


    "It''s a fine night for spirits," Chloe replied awkwardly


    The woman raised an eyebrow. "A bit young, ain''t ya?"


    That was the password Belegemine had given her, she wasn''t sure what else to say now.


    ¡°Look,¡± Chloe said, feeling anger creeping into her voice. ¡°I don''t have time for this shit, can you help me or not?¡±


    The woman placed an empty glass in front of Chloe and leaned closer, "Relax, I''m not judging you or anything. But I don''t handle that side of the business," She nodded at a table far back, where a single woman was sitting playing a game of cards by herself. ¡°Speak to my sister Freda, she can help you.¡±


    The barmaid poured a blue liquid into a glass. ¡°But if you are in my inn, then you need a drink in your hand.¡±


    She slid the glass in front of Chloe.


    Chloe took it and placed a silver coin onto the counter. Belgemine had given her a purse full of coins, so she didn''t bother waiting for change.


    As Chloe crossed the bar, she caught a glimpse of two women entangled with each other.


    Their hands gripped each other''s thighs while their tongues danced together. Chloe stared for a moment, and then she saw something that made her heart skip a beat.


    The older of the two women, a lady with skin like porcelain, raven black hair and lips as red as blood, looked up at her.


    The candle on their table flickered and the woman¡¯s red eyes shone in the light.


    Chloe tensed for a second.


    What is a hellion doing in this place? People should be running in terror, not sipping cocktails and laughing.


    The younger girl, blonde haired with rosy cheeks, reached up and pulled the woman¡¯s face towards her. The hellion smiled, her long pink tongue trailed the girls'' wrist. The girl shuddered, her breath coming quick.


    ¡°Do it,¡± the girl moaned in pleasure.


    The demon¡¯s tongue flashed out, its point sharp as a razor blade, slicing open the girls'' wrist.


    Chloe looked away as the intoxicating aroma of blood filled her senses.


    What the hell is this place?


    <hr>


    Freda was a tall, thin woman with long gray hair tied behind her head, she wore a purple dress, and her eyes were bright blue, sparkling like sapphires. Cards were laid on the table in front of her.


    She raised a hand to stop Chloe from speaking, and then she placed another card on the table. She sighed as she stared at the star shaped formation of cards. She drew a second card from the pile and placed it in the center of the star.


    "You are new here," Freda said, still looking down at her cards.


    Chloe sat down opposite her, "I heard you sell animal brains."


    For the first time, the woman looked at her. Her eyes narrowed as she took in the sight of Chloe, her gaze lingering on the demon¡¯s bane growing out of her pockets.


    "It''s rude to cut straight to business when we are still strangers," said Freda.


    Chloe adjusted her hood, hiding her face from the witch, "What do you want to know?"


    "Well," the woman said in a husky tone, "Let''s start with something simple, tell me your name, girl."


    A trickle of knowledge in the back of Chloe''s mind told her that a person''s name was a powerful weapon in the hands of a witch.


    She thought about lying, but that would be too suspicious.


    "My name is Chloe," she answered.


    Freda placed the cards down on the table, "So you''re a witch, Chloe. You don''t look like a witch, what coven do you belong to, maybe I''ve heard of it."


    "Glenhollow¡¯s coven," Chloe said in a matter of fact tone.


    Freda¡¯s eyes narrowed at that. ¡°Telling lies is not good for a little girls'' health. Do you want to try that again?¡±


    Chloe frowned, "Glenhollow¡¯s coven," she repeated.


    "Don''t lie to me, girl," Freda snapped.


    Chloe bit back her annoyance. ¡°I''m telling the truth, I''m part of Belgemine¡¯s coven.¡±


    The woman slammed her hand on the table, scattering cards onto the floor, ¡°I was raised by a high witch, taught the way since before you were a dirty thought in your father¡¯s mind.¡±


    Freda took a deep breath to calm herself, and said, "For decades, I begged Belgemine to train me, and time and time again, that arrogant bitch refused me. And you expect me to believe she let a little slip of a girl like you into her coven?¡±


    Chloe was beginning to grow angry, she didn''t need this shit. She was hungry and tired, and this woman was keeping her from her meal.


    ¡°I don''t give a damn what you believe, you tired old hag,¡± Chloe said in a cool voice.


    If the woman wanted proof, then proof she¡¯d get.


    [Oath of Pain: Activated]


    Pain and power in equal measures filled Chloe, and blue illusionary flames lapped across her skin. She gritted her teeth, trying her best not to show the agony she felt.


    The woman tried to back away from Chloe, but she was too slow. Chloe''s hand shot out and grabbed the woman''s arms and drew her in close.


    ¡°Are you going to give me what I need,¡± she hissed. ¡°Or am I going to have to pry it from your cold, lifeless hands.¡±


    Freda''s eyes widened in anger, "You arrogant bitch," the woman spat, she pulled her arms free. She rubbed her bruised wrist and stared at Chloe. "Brash and arrogant. Maybe you are Belgemine''s apprentice after all."


    <hr>

 Chapter: 34 Library In The Forest

    <Chloe Porter>


    Freda rubbed her sore wrists and looked up at Chloe, "So why would a young witch, newly arrived in our fair city, need a sack full of animal brains?"


    Chloe took a deep breath, "I''ve been commissioned to brew a batch of feral insight potions," she replied, trying her best to stick to the script Belgemine had given her.


    Freda seemed unconvinced, "Feral insight potions? It''s not yet hunting season, so who would commission a batch this time of year?¡±


    ¡°The miner¡¯s guild,¡± Chloe replied quickly. ¡°The silver mines in Shale valley have been infested by ratkin. The potions are needed to make sure none survive.¡±


    Freda snorted, ¡°Your words sound true enough, but your eyes betray you. But it is none of my business, but just so you know if you turn out to be some rogue necromancer, I''ll kill you myself."


    "Have you had problems with necromancers before?"


    Freda snorted, "A few years ago, a warlock named Bentley arrived in town. He opened a brothel serving a rather niche clientele. It turned out he was a necromancer digging up fresh bodies, reanimating them and putting them to work in his brothel."


    Chloe felt sick. She had heard the stories of how necromancers could raise the dead as slaves. But to think someone could be so twisted...


    Freda continued, "The Sixth Order was called in, the mages burnt the brothel to the ground, including everyone inside. Many witches lost their lives in the witch hunts that followed."


    "Now," Freda said, "If you''re thinking of raising an army of zombies like Bentley did, don''t. The Order might pretend to be all merciful and shit, but if you get on their bad side, they''ll string you up and leave you for the crows. They won''t stop there, though. They''ll track down your friends and family and hunt them down one by one till there''s no one left for them to torture."


    Chloe nodded, "I get it," she said.


    Freda smiled, "I''m glad we understand each other."


    <hr>


    Chloe sat on her bed, on the top floor of the Dead Man¡¯s Drink, stuffing her face and trying her best not to think about the soft brains that squished between her teeth.


    [Hunger 14%]


    She''d followed Belgemine''s example and boiled the brains first, it didn''t do much to disguise what she was eating, but it did keep the visions at bay.


    She was still hungry though, but she''d spent two gold on brains and if she bought more she''d draw the wrong kind of attention.


    She hopped off her bed and watered the plants growing in her coat pocket. The growth spells Belgemine had placed on the plants made them more resilient and less likely to be squashed if she sat on them, but they still needed the basics, sun, soil and water.


    Chloe stepped over to the window and sat on the ledge. She filled her pipe with dried demon''s bane and lit it.


    She puffed on her pipe while she watched a group of drunk women leaving the inn down below.


    She breathed out a cloud of silver smoke, it made her feel full, but only for a moment. She knew when she woke in the morning, everything would still be shit. She''d be stuck in this world, her sister would still be missing, and she''d be hungry and worst of all she¡¯d still be a bloody zombie.


    She sighed. "What am I doing here? Why do I have to save this scholar when I can''t even save myself?"


    She looked back towards the bed, there were no answers to these questions waiting for her.


    She took another puff of demon''s bane and continued smoking until she was too tired to stay awake anymore.


    <hr>


    Chloe''s eyes fluttered open, a hand was over her mouth and the tip of a silver knife was pressed to her throat.


    "Who are you?" A man asked, his voice low, raspy.


    Chloe tried to move, but the blade cut into her flesh.


    "Answer the question!" The man said, his grip tightened.


    Chloe''s mind was spinning; the last thing she remembered was sitting on her bed before falling asleep.


    "Chloe," she muttered.


    The man loosened his hold slightly, but kept the knife against her neck.


    "Chloe, I have a message for you. Your brother and sister are here in the city, they hunt the same target that you are after."


    Chloe struggled, trying to pull away from him, but he held onto her tightly. "What are you talking about?" she demanded.


    "That is what my master wished me to tell you," the man said.


    Chloe shook her head, this man had snuck into her room. She felt violated and pissed off.


    "I think you have the wrong person," Chloe said as she readied herself to attack.


    The man shrugged, "Chloe the undead, with silver hair and blue eyes," the man began ticking points off his fingers, "Who hunts demons and wears a golden amulet around her neck."


    Chloe could feel the silver blade burning into her neck, the pain helped her think clearer. If she moved, he''d had the knife through her throat before she could land a single blow.


    "One last thing, zombie girl. My master says that if you find the book, you''ll find the girl you seek."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    But before he could answer, clear, resounding footsteps echoed in the hallway. The footsteps stopped outside her door and a key turned in the lock.


    When Chloe looked back, the window was open and the man was gone.


    A sudden, unexplainable fear came over Chloe, she leapt out of bed and grabbed the doorknob and held it tight, leaning her body against the door, so nobody could get in.


    She heard the sound of the lock turning again, and somebody tried to push the door open. She held on tight, refusing to let go, the struggle continued for a few moments, and then she heard the footsteps leaving.


    Chloe breathed a sigh of relief, but she wasn''t foolish enough to believe that the intruder would not return.


    She opened the door and peeked outside, there was nobody else in sight, the hallway was empty.


    She locked the window, closed the curtains, and then pushed her bed against the door. The rest of the night she spent lying on the floor with her back against the bed and her feet pressed up against the opposite wall.


    A few hours later, the sun rose, and the birds started chirping outside her bedroom window.


    Chloe got up off the floor and stretched. She was still exhausted and sore, but she needed to find Sylvia today, or all of this would have been for nothing.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    <hr>


    Chloe climbed the steps into the library, she''d left her coat behind and was wearing her black leather pants, and red tank top.


    She quested outward with her mind and found Onyx scratching in the garden behind the library. The familiar sensed her attention and replied with a warm fuzzy feeling.


    When she entered the library, the guard she''d spoken to the day before approached, he looked hung over from the festival.


    "The girl you were looking for arrived an hour ago," the guard said, seeing her. "She''s in the basement near the stacks."


    Chloe followed the guard''s directions through the maze of tomes and scrolls housed in tall shelves of polished wood and down a set of stairs.


    Enchanted lights flickered in the basement, casting shadows on the walls and adding to the libraries sense of mystery and magic.


    Chloe''s nerd sense tingled as she paused by a bookshelf protected by a transparent, shimmering ward. She peered through the protective shell and saw ancient tomes bound in exotic leathers and illuminated with gold leaf and intricate artwork.


    She suspected they contained sacred religious manuscripts and works of magic and alchemy.


    What I¡¯d give to get my hands on some magic scrolls.


    She looked around and saw a library guard eyeing her over a stack of books.


    She quickly moved on. She entered a large adjacent room lined with tables surrounded by chairs where people sat in silence, hunched over their work.


    The tables were covered in pile of books, along with some other magical devices that Chloe didn''t recognize.


    "I''m looking for Sylvia Gremlock," Chloe said in a low tone, but her words sounded loud in the quiet room. "Is she here?"


    The scholars looked up at her with annoyed expressions. One of them raised his hand and pointed at a door.


    Chloe bowed her head in thanks, the man had already turned back to his notes, and hadn''t noticed the gesture.


    Chloe walked past the table and kept heading straight for the door. It opened before she reached it, and a man stepped out.


    He was dressed in dark robes and had his hood pulled up with only his eyes visible. He bumped into Chloe, and the smell of pond water filled her nostrils. The man cursed under his breath as he hurried out the room.


    There''s definitely something off about him.


    When she was sure he was gone, she stepped inside the small room. Pages of notes laid scattered across the table, many of the pages held strange symbols and drawings she couldn''t quite make out.


    She made her way to the table and saw a book lying upside down on the desk.


    Looks like I''m not the only one looking for Sylvia.


    Words she¡¯d heard a few hours early drifted through her mind,''Find the book, find the girl.''


    Chloe picked up the book and turned it right side up. It was old, the leather cover was cracked and torn, the pages were yellowed with age.


    She opened the book and as she did her amulet slipped out from under her shirt. A low humming sound permeated the air as the amulet began to vibrate.


    The pages in the book began to turn themselves, moving faster and faster. And then it stopped and fell open onto a page containing a detailed sketch of a strange symbol.


    Chloe lifted the amulet from around her neck and placed it in the center of the symbol. Immediately, the amulet began to glow, and then it began to pulse with a golden light.


    Chloe gripped the book tight as the light continued to expand, engulfing her and the entire room. She felt her feet lift off the ground. A powerful wind rushed all around her and her world turned white.


    <hr>


    The light faded and Chloe blinked. She was in a library, but not the one she''d just left.


    A colossal tree was situated in the middle of the library, and golden lights hovered around its boughs and branches.


    Wooden shelves placed like a dome around the tree stretched higher than her eye could see. Moss hung from books shelves and ivy grew in between the dusty volumes.


    In one corner, a large globe floated in the air, glowing with a soft green light, showing a map of a large part of the world.


    Where the hell am I?


    Beneath the tree, strange creatures lounged in squashy couches with books in their hands. Some were dressed in robes, some were covered in feathers, scales or fur.


    A horned, gray skinned monster was hunkered over a table, reading in silence.


    The golden lights drifted throughout the library, illuminating the shelves and the faces of those gathered within.


    "Hello," a voice spoke behind Chloe. "Are you lost?"


    Chloe spun around to face the speaker.


    A man stood before her, he wasn''t human. He looked like he was made out of bark and twigs and moss. His long green hair fell past his waist and tiny leaves grew behind his ears.


    His eyes flashed as he extended a hand.


    "I am Boreal, the librarian. Welcome."


    "Chloe," she replied quietly, taking his hand and shaking it gently.


    His grip was strong and firm, his hand was leathery with calluses on his palm.


    "Where am I?" she asked.


    A wide smile spread across the librarian¡¯s face, "A pocket dimension carved in space by the goddesses'' own hand. Within this library is every book ever written, dreamt about or imagined."


    Chloe stared up at him, her mind racing. "How is that even possible?"


    "Magic, dear Chloe. Magic."


    Boreal let go of her hand, and then his body began to glow a green light. Leaves spun in the wind and he disappeared.


    Make this quick, Chloe, before something stranger happens.


    <hr>


    She wandered between the shelves, looking down each aisle and walking up the stairs to the second floor, her eyes constantly scanning for Sylvia.


    Minutes passed, and then she saw a girl sitting in a corner with a will-o-wisp on her head and a pile of books all around her.


    Chloe approached, and the will-o-wisp danced around the girl''s head, flitting through the air before landing on her shoulder.


    The girl touched her round glasses with the tip of her finger and squinted up at Chloe, worry creasing her brow.


    The girl quickly looked around and then visibly relaxed when she saw Chloe was alone.


    "Are you the scholar?" Chloe asked and just as she spoke a sudden unexplainable recognition washed over her.


    She knew this girl, they were friends, they¡¯d fought and bled together on countless battlefields. She rubbed her eyes and the memories of her future self faded.


    The willowy young woman brushed dark hair out of her face, "I''m a lore master for the Order," the girl stuttered, "Are you the one that''s been following me?"


    "No,¡± Chloe said, and her voice sounded far off as if she were removed from her body. ¡°Belgemine sent me to talk to you. She knew¡­ she knew your mother, Moraine. They were part of the same-"


    "Coven," interrupted the girl. "Yes, yes, I know all about that. What trouble has my mother gotten herself into this time?"


    Chloe frowned. ¡°Moraine¡­¡± she hesitated. ¡°Your mother, she¡¯s dead.¡±


    Sylvia opened her mouth and then closed it again. Her eyes widened. Finally, she said, "Oh, no," in a weak small voice.


    "That can''t be,¡± she continued. ¡°The last time I saw my mother.¡± She adjusted her glassed. ¡°I warned her that she needed to stop dabbling in witchcraft, or I would be forced to tell the Order.¡± She sniffed loudly, and then she took off her glasses to wipe the tears out of her eyes, "How did it happen?"


    Chloe hesitated, not sure how to answer, ¡°Your mother along with the rest of her coven died saving me.¡±


    Sylvia shook her head, "Did she suffer?"


    Chloe had never been good at comforting people, and now that she was an undead, she found her emotions even more stunted than before. All she wanted to do was grab the girl and get the hell out of wherever she was.


    "It happened instantly, I''m really sorry."


    Sylvia wiped her face with the back of her sleeve, "I''m glad she didn''t suffer," she sniffed again, "Mother never liked pain."


    Chloe subtly adjusted her stance, shifting from one leg to the other, offering the girl a moment to regain her composure.


    "You said someone was following you,¡± she said, when she thought enough time had passed. ¡°Is that why you are here?¡±


    ¡°Aha,¡± said Sylvia. ¡°Someone has been tailing me all week.¡± She stood up, "At first I thought I was being paranoid, but this morning I saw him again. He came into the library, something was strange about him-"


    "A wrongness?" Chloe interjected.


    "Exactly! I had to get away, fortunately the Order lent me the Forest Gate for my research," She smiled nervously, "So when I saw the man in the library I disappeared into it."


    An odd croaking sound interrupted them.


    Chloe blinked and looked around, "Did you hear that?"


    Sylvia shrugged, "There are strange sounds in this old library, the tree sometimes creaks when the wind blows."


    Chloe nodded, "Is it the amulets that give us access to this dimension?"


    "It''s actually the goddess¡¯ blessing. The amulets are a part of her body,¡± said Sylvia. ¡°That''s why people don''t see her anymore. Her body was broken into fragments when she sealed her children away."


    "I guess that means you are studying the amulets?" said Chloe. ¡°Maybe that''s why you were being followed?¡±


    "What No, I''m an eschatologist, my work focuses on end time prophecies."


    Chloe stared at the young woman, "End of what?"


    "End of everything."


    The croaking sound came again, closer this time.


    Chloe turned, and her eyes widened as something, the size of a large dog, suddenly thudded onto the floor before the two women.


    In a heart-pounding moment, the demon toad''s tongue shot out, a sinister streak through the air, homing in on Chloe and Sylvia with terrifying accuracy.


    <hr>

 Chapter: 35 The Toad And the Librarian

    <Chloe Porter>


    The demon toad''s skin bristled with menacing spikes and spines, its elongated legs adorned with wicked barbs. Its eyes, unnaturally large and white, bore pupils as dark as the abyss itself.


    Chloe reached for her amulet, her stomach churning when she realized she''d left it in the other world.


    She took a step back, "Not good," she murmured, as the demon toad opened its jaws wide and its tongue flicked out straight at Sylvia''s head.


    Chloe felt a rush of adrenaline as her mind kicked into overdrive, she shot forward, throwing herself between Sylvia and the demon toad.


    She caught the creature''s tongue and felt strength flood into her.


    [Oath of Pain: Activated]


    With a shout, she hurled the toad directly at the wooden steps leading to the first floor.


    Its stubby arms waved wildly as it flew through the air and collided with the stairs, creating a burst of dust and splinters.


    Chloe didn''t give it a chance to recover. She darted forward, leaping through the air, her deadly claws extended as she came crashing down on the monster.


    The colossal toad screeched in pain as Chloe''s talons ripped through its flesh. It tried to pull away, but Chloe held on tight, snarling as she dug her claws deeper and deeper, tearing off toad limbs and chunks of the demon''s body.


    "That''s enough!" Sylvia yelled, her face drained of color, gripped by terror.


    Chloe let go of the monster, her knees wobbling as she stood up, "It tried to kill you."


    ¡°I might be easily replaceable,¡± Sylvia remarked, ¡°but those books you''ve torn apart and stained with blood are irreplaceable.¡±


    Chloe looked at the ruined demon toad, then turned to Sylvia, "You seriously need to sort out your priorities."


    Sylvia sighed, "Priorities! A single life has no value when compared to centuries of accumulated knowledge."


    Chloe shook her head, "I think what you meant to say is, thank you, Chloe, for saving my life."


    Sylvia rolled her eyes, "Thank you? Are you kidding me, you are the one that led that thing here."


    "What are you talking about?"


    "The amulet you used to reach this place, you left it on the book."


    Chloe shrugged, "Yes, so what else was I meant to do?"


    "Keep it around your neck. Stars girl, how did you plan to get back?"


    "I didn''t plan for this," Chloe said. ¡°It just kinda happened.¡±


    The toad croaked at Chloe''s feet, and she quickly stabbed it in the throat again. It twitched one last time, its eyes rolling back as it died.


    A green soul stone protruded from a gash in the demon''s chest. Just as Chloe bent down to pick it up, a message clouded her vision.


    [Toad Demon Killed - Progress Towards Next Evolution: 100%]


    [Armored Zombie Evolution paths:]


    -[Burning Dead] - [Master of Fire]


    -[Nightshade Zombie] - [Master of Poison and Venom]


    -[Undead Horror] - [Master of Death]


    Chloe blinked and shook her head, trying to focus on her surroundings, but the messages would not disappear.


    I need to choose one to get rid of this damned message.


    She read through the choices again.


    Everybody knows zombies and fire don''t mix. As for poison, I''d probably end up poisoning myself with that. If I have become a master of anything, it''s death.


    [Armored Zombie ? Evolved To? Undead Horror]


    Chloe looked up at Sylvia, the lore master seemed frozen in time. Just as Chloe opened her mouth to speak, her body began to tremble.


    The power of the goddess entered her and coursed through every fiber of her body. She was evolving and it hurt like hell. Her muscles tightened, her bones hardened. Her skin took on a light ash color, and her claws elongated and sharpened into deadly points.


    The changes that had happened to her body were small compared to what was going on in her mind.


    She could feel that she was more powerful than ever. Her mind was becoming more potent and her senses sharper, her reflexes faster.


    As she looked around, she saw things with a clarity she''d never had before, and she could smell Sylvia''s fear and hear the pounding of her heart and the sound of her breathing.


    [Choose an ability:]


    - [Corpse Explosion: Detonate a corpse, dealing explosive damage to everything in a 10ft radius]


    - [Abyssal Chains: Throw chains out of your wrists, binding enemies hit and pulling them to yourself]


    - [Leech Life: Drains life from a single target and healing you for the damage done]


    It looks like I chose a mage profession.


    She read through the options over and over, trying to imagine the ways she could use each ability.


    Corpse explosion is too situational. Oh shit, does a zombie count as a corpse? No, I think I¡¯ll pass on the jihad spell.


    Abyssal chains. The no damage Spider-Man spell. Sounds cool, but there were no skyscrapers to swing from in a medieval city.


    Leech Life would have been the best option except for one obvious problem.


    I¡¯ve played enough video games to know that healing a zombie actually deals damage to it instead.


    ¡°It feels like my decision is being forced on me,¡± she whispered as she made her choice.


    [Skill Acquired: Abyssal Chains]


    The messages disappeared, and Chloe''s gaze swung to the lore master.


    The girl blinked as time started up again. She frowned at Chloe, noticing the subtle changes that had happened.


    What will she do now?


    Chloe looked at Sylvia with her new eyes. She saw a woman, afraid but with a powerful aura surrounding her. A faint smokey image of a golden snake curled around the girl''s arm, and a black grimoire floated over her shoulder like an ever present shadow.


    The images and impressions faded. Sylvia was still staring at Chloe, her heart pounded in her chest and sweat dripped from her brow. She was scared of Chloe.


    In a future that will never be, this girl was my best friend, someone that I could lean on when the weight of the world became too much, but now when she looks at me all she sees is a monster.


    Sylvia''s lips quivered as she tried to speak, "You evolved before my eyes," she finally whispered.  ¡°But not into something human. Wh... what are you?¡±


    <hr>


    "You''re a zombie?" Sylvia stammered as the two girls crossed the library to the section that housed this world''s copy of the Forest Gate book.


    Chloe gave the smallest of nods, wearied by the girl''s never-ending stream of questions.


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Sylvia shook her head, her dark curls bouncing as she did so. "It''s incredible, a thinking zombie." she laughed. "You''re a living, breathing oxymoron."


    ¡°Aren''t you supposed to kill all undead on sight,¡± Chloe asked. ¡°Isn''t that part of the Talamasca''s code?¡±


    Sylvia frowned, "I''m a lore master in the Fourth Order," she fingered her amulet and let it drop again, "I know a few moves, but I''m no demon slayer. I leave that to the three martial Orders."


    "That''s good to know," said Chloe. ¡°I''d hate to rescue you only to have to kill you in the end.¡±


    Sylvia swallowed and laughed nervously.


    The two walked in silence for a few minutes, Sylvia constantly shooting glances at Chloe from the corner of her eye.


    Finally, Chloe turned to Sylvia and said, "Just spit it out, what is it?"


    The lore master bit her lip and stared at Chloe, "One thing I don''t understand."


    "Yeah?"


    "You said that Belgemine sent you to find me?"


    Chloe nodded.


    "Why?" asked Sylvia. "What does a witch and a sentient zombie want from me?"


    "You tell me," said Chloe. "You have demons hunting you. Why is that?"


    Sylvia¡¯s brow furrowed deep in thought, "I discovered a book of old prophecies," she said. "They were written by Theon Barathus, one of the founding fathers of the Order."


    "You think they want the prophecies?"


    Sylvia shook her head, ¡°Somebody broke into my home a week ago. The book was stolen.¡±


    ¡°And now they are here to silence you.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened in panic.


    <hr>


    They reached the great tree a few minutes later. There were no other scholars about, and the will-o-wisps were nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Something''s wrong,¡± Chloe breathed.


    There was an eerie silence and the air seemed charged, as if waiting for something to happen.


    Sylvia shuddered, "Where is everyone?"


    Chloe shook her head, "Just get the book and let''s get the hell out of here."


    A shadow moved in the corner of Chloe¡¯s eye. She grabbed Sylvia by the arm and dragged her behind the large tree.


    They both peered out from behind the trunk and watched as a toad demon emerged from an aisle of books.


    A towering figure wearing a dark robe strolled alongside the toad, resting an iron mace on his shoulder. He walked slowly, humming a tune as his eyes scanned the aisle and bookshelves.


    As soon as the demon stepped into the open ground, it raised its head, sniffing the air. It twisted its neck around to face their hiding spot.


    "I know you''re there," said the man. "Reaper can smell your fear."


    Chloe tensed, her enhanced vision picking up the man¡¯s aura and things hidden from mortal eyes.


    She didn''t notice the man''s hair color or even his skin tone, all she saw was what her new sight showed her.


    Things clung everywhere around the man. Things with silent glittering eyes and hungry expressions, some reptilian, some more like rats, some insectoid.


    All of them shuffled behind the man, as a dark aura spilled shadows across the ground, leaving a trial of inky footsteps in his wake.


    She closed her sight, shaking. There was too much information, it was disorientating.


    I need to learn how to control this ability before it drives me insane.


    Chloe lent closer and whispered into Sylvia''s ear, "Where''s the book?"


    Sylvia nodded her head at an ebony pedestal a short distance behind the robed man.


    Chloe looked at Sylvia, "Ok, we have no choice, we go straight through them."


    <hr>


    Chloe stepped out from behind the tree, her hands raised above her head. "What do you want, Faithless?"


    It was a term from memories of Chloe''s future self, a word used to describe those who left the path of light and chose to align themselves with the demons.


    The man''s gaze swung to Chloe and his face split in a grin, "Faithless. How banal. I am a servant of the true god and you undead monster, your place is at his side."


    Chloe stared at him, "I''d die before following Malice."


    The man''s lip curled in a sneer, "I can sense your power, it ripples from your flesh like lightning in the night, but your power won¡¯t save you. A monster has no home in the light, if you reject the shadow then you will be an enemy of all."


    He turned his attention back to Sylvia and took a long, slow breath through his nose, "As for you, foolish scholar. You poked your nose where it was not wanted, and for that you will die."


    His hand reached into his robe pocket, and drew out a vial of black liquid. He opened the stopper and smoke poured from the bottle. A single drop landed on the floor and burst into a cloud of smoke. There was a loud croak and a demon toad emerged from the smoke.


    Chloe launched herself forward, slamming into the toad''s midsection and knocking it to the ground.


    The Faithless emptied the rest of the liquid on the ground, and a pack of toads took up positions around him. Their eyes glowed red, and their mouths opened wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth.


    Chloe tore through the first demon, her new and improved claws slicing through it like butter.


    The second demon''s tongue lashed out at her and wrapped around her waist.


    She grabbed the tongue in both hands and bit through it, severing it from the toad.


    The demon made a strange gurgling sound, but Chloe had already pulled the toad closer. She stabbed it in the neck and flung its body at two demons. They smashed into each other with a wet thud and tumbled to the ground.


    The third demon tried to jump onto Chloe''s back, but her new body was far faster; she ducked, and the toad missed, falling to the ground.


    She slashed at it, cutting off the top half of its head and sending it rolling into a bookshelf, but there were too many. They kept pouring out from the black liquid which bubbled at the Faithless One''s feet.


    This is just like a game. Ignore the adds and focus on the summoner.


    [Abyssal Chains: Activated]


    A black chain burst out of her wrist and snaked through the air, wrapping around the man''s legs.


    The chain tightened, and the man yelled, "Kill her!"


    He thrashed about and knocked over several toads, but Chloe held firm, she swept the chain through the crowd of toads, scattering the demons.


    [Oath of Pain: Activated]


    Her body burst into blue flame, and she yanked on the chain, flinging the man towards her at incredible speed.


    Just as his body flew towards her, she redirected all of her power into her arm, she felt the muscles expand and intense pain pulsing in her fingertips.


    As the man reached her, Chloe punched him square in the chest with us much power as she could muster.


    Rib¡¯s broke with audible snaps. The Faithless howled in pain, his arms and legs shuddering. He fell to the floor, twitching and choking.


    Chloe stood above him, chain still coiled around his legs, she leaned down and picked the man up by the throat.


    [Oath of Pain: Deactivated]


    She looked at him dead in the eyes, "Where is your dark lord now," she whispered.


    The man spluttered something inaudible, and Chloe threw him to the side and turned to face a toad leaping at her.


    She fell backwards, catching the toad in midair, its claws raking her skin, slicing through her flesh.


    She grabbed the arms, keeping them away from her face, but the toad was relentless. Its mouth clamped over her neck and collar bone, its needle like teeth sinking deep.


    Chloe twisted her body and slammed its head against the stone floor, shattering the stone and cracking the toad¡¯s skull open.


    More toads leapt at her, they were fast, but she was faster. She rolled out of the way and tried to attack, but her arm had gone limp from the toad¡¯s poison.


    She got to her feet and launched herself forwards and twisting her body in midair to avoid the toads claws.


    She landed and kicked one of the toads hard in the stomach. It slid across the floor, leaving a trail of blood in its wake.


    She spun around, kicking another toad in the head. There were more toads than she could handle, they were closing in around her.


    From the corner of her eye she saw Sylvia surrounded by demon''s, her eyes were wide in fright. Her left hand gripped the amulet around her neck.


    The man stood up on shaky legs, his blood soaked hand stretched out and pointing at Sylvia. He was about to cast a spell and there was nothing Chloe could do about it.


    "Sylvia!" she shouted.


    Greenlight engulfed the girl, and wind burst out all around her, tossing toads in all directions.


    The light faded and Chloe saw a large grimoire, covered in golden symbols, hovering above Sylvia.


    Her ethereal armament.


    The Faithless released his spell and the air crackled as black lightning streaked straight at Sylvia¡¯s chest.


    The grimoire opened and Sylvia simply vanished.


    Chloe blinked in confusion, and then she saw Sylvia standing behind the man.


    The scholar gestured, and roots burst out around the Faithless¡¯ feet, growing thick and wrapping around him.


    He shouted as the vines bound his arms to his sides. Long thorns grew out of the vine and pressed into the man''s skin, drawing blood which fed the vines, making them stronger.


    Sylvia spoke a single word, and a bubble of water covered the man''s head. He thrashed about trying to break free, but the vine held him in place as he gasped for breath.


    The toads turned away from Chloe, all of them advancing on Sylvia as their master drowned in the bubble of water.


    Chloe got to her feet and ran.


    The man''s thrashing slowed, his face turned blue and his eyes bulged.


    The toads leapt at Sylvia, their claws reaching out to her, their tongues flicking out to tear her flesh.


    Chloe wasn''t going to make it in time, her paralyzed arm was slowing her down too much.


    The toad¡¯s landed on Sylvia, and she shrieked in pain as they clawed her.


    Chloe reached the girl and tore one toad off, but another already had its mouth clamped around the girls'' waste, drawing blood.


    There was a sudden silence. The toads froze, their heads all swinging to stare at the man.


    His arms dangled at his side. The bubble on his head was red, filled with his own blood. His head had imploded from the pressure. The vine released him, and he fell to the floor, dead.


    There was a croak followed by a series of loud popping sounds, as one toad after another burst into a puff of smoke and vanished.


    <hr>


    Sylvia groaned in pain, she released her armament, and the grimoire burst into fragments of light and disappeared.


    Chloe knelt by Sylvia, placing a hand on her blood soaked shoulder.


    "Not bad for a book nerd." Chloe said with a faint smile. "You okay?"


    "I''ll live," Sylvia replied feebly.


    "Good,¡± said Chloe. ¡°Let''s get the hell out of here. That fight has really given me an appetite."


    Sylvia looked at her and then her eyes widened, "What exactly do zombies eat?"


    <hr>