ã€ŠRevenant Hunter [Monster Hunter LitRPG]ã€‹


 Chapter 1: Revenant

    Davon listened to the sound of groaning wood and waves lapping over each other as he carried the final crate of goods off of his ship. With a grunt, he set the crate onto the dock and wiped the sweat from his brow.

    Compared to the rest of the crew, Davon was physically unimpressive, built more for endurance than strength. But the first mate had taken one look at Davon when he joined the crew and decided that this was the person to trust in carrying the last crates from the ship to the dock, and vice versa.

    ¡°Ever the hard worker! You ought to take a break.¡±

    Before Davon could let the sea breeze wick away his sweat, he suddenly got pulled behind the stack of crates he had just finished. Whirling around, he found himself face to face with Rand, his best friend.

    ¡°And what, get reprimanded by the first mate?¡± Davon retorted as he pressed his back against the crate-stack and slid down. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly the best way to advance in the crew.¡±

    ¡°Oh please, everything¡¯s unloaded already. Let¡¯s catch some shade before the captain decides we need to go back home,¡± Rand countered, leaning against the tallest section of cargo. ¡°Besides, it was a smooth trip, didn¡¯t even see the fins of the fish-men.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, at this point, the Revenants are basically on vacation,¡± Davon agreed, peeking behind the crates to look out over the crowd. Among the busy crew, he couldn¡¯t spot the two imposing Revenant soldiers.

    ¡°Heh. Wish we could take a vacation.¡± Rand shrugged in feigned exasperation. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to settle for the tavern again.¡±

    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t get thrown out for flirting with the barmaid,¡± Davon teased, nudging Rand with his elbow.

    ¡°Wh- how dare you, that only happened once!¡± Rand shot back, doing his best to sound insulted.

    Davon pressed his verbal offense, grinning smugly at his friend. ¡°Right, of course. I¡¯m sure Old Brun would have nothing to say about that,¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ fine,¡± Rand conceded. ¡°But Brun never liked me in the first place.¡± He crossed his arms and turned towards the sea.

    Davon turned his gaze towards the sea as well, enjoying the sight of waves lazily dancing on its surface. In a more serious tone, he asked, ¡°You think the captain will order an early shove off?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s likely. Wind¡¯s blowing westward. If it continues, it could cut days off the journey back.¡±

    Rand subconsciously started bouncing his leg. Davon glanced at his friend, noting his nervousness.

    ¡°And I take it, as per your superstitious tendencies, you don¡¯t like it?¡± Davon poked, returning his gaze to the sea.

    ¡°It¡¯s bad luck. I mean, think about what happened last time, that storm came out of nowhere.¡±

    Rand stepped away from the crates, motioning dramatically with his arms. Davon opened his mouth to respond, but something caught his attention in the water.

    Just barely in his periphery, Davon saw a dark shape moving through the water towards them. He pushed himself onto his feet to get a better look when the sound of bubbling water back near their boat interrupted him.

    Out of the corner of his eye, Davon saw a nightmarish creature breach the water and fly through the air, landing with a wet thud on the dock, causing the old planks to buckle under its weight. The creature was humanoid in shape, its limbs covered in scales, and it held a wicked looking javelin in its webbed hands. After a quick scan of the docks, it tilted its monstrous head towards the sea and let out a series of gurgling sounds, only rhythmically resembling language.

    Not even a second later, more bubbling disturbed the water around the ship.

    Rand reacted first.

    ¡°Ambush! AMBUSH!¡± he yelled, pulling Davon with him away from the crates. His shouts grabbed the attention of the crew, most of whom had already left the dock.

    Unfortunately, he also got the attention of the fish-man. The creature stopped its call and turned its terrifying gaze towards Rand, its beady eyes narrowing dangerously.

    Time seemed to slow as Davon watched the monster pull its arm back, readying its javelin. At nearly the same time, Davon reached for the short sword dangling from his hip. The usually light and agile weapon seemed to weigh as much as the ship¡¯s mast as it slowly slid from the scabbard.

    In a motion that made its disproportionately long arm almost look like a whip, the fish-man threw its javelin forward. With a terrifying whistle, the weapon streaked through the air and found purchase in its target without difficulty.

    Time sped back up as Rand¡¯s body hit the dock, the javelin sticking out of his throat.

    Davon barely registered the shouts of the gathering crew. His world shrank rapidly. All he could see was the still body of his dead friend, a stream of blood gushing from his mouth.

    At that moment, something shattered within Davon. Like a ship split in half, his heart sank into the depths, swept into the cold current of vengeance.

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    Davon blinked the shock away. His grip on his sword¡¯s hilt tightened with maddened desperation as he lifted his gaze to the monster, thoughts racing. Adrenaline flooded his system, and time slowed once again. He knew damn well that strength alone wouldn¡¯t be enough to survive this fight, so his mind turned to the environment.

    Eyes locked with the beast, Davon stumbled a few uneasy steps backwards, hoping to lure the fish-man closer. The monster roared at him. Then it leapt through the air directly onto Rand¡¯s body, wrapping its twisted fingers around the javelin.

    Now within arm¡¯s reach of his friend¡¯s murderer, Davon struggled to keep his rising fear in check. The fish-man was stronger than him, or any mortal for that matter. Only the Revenants could fight one of these monsters on equal footing. And Davon was no Revenant.

    To win, he¡¯d have to cheat.

    Time seemed to slow further as Davon aimed his sword away from the fish-man at a gap between the stacked crates. Every millisecond of steel grinding against wood felt like an agonizing eternity in Davon¡¯s mind. Thankfully, the monster¡¯s full attention was focused on prying its weapon from Rand¡¯s body. When the blade slid halfway between the crates, Davon placed the full weight of his desperation on its hilt, using it as a lever to tip over a stack of crates onto the fish-man.

    Just as the crates began to tip over, a crack formed on Davon¡¯s blade. Not enough to break it, but a warning of the mounting pressure. The sound, almost imperceptible, rang in his ears. The fish-man abandoned its javelin and turned around just in time to see Davon¡¯s gambit. Its first instinct wasn¡¯t one of preservation, but instead of trying to attack the human stupid enough to try such a stunt.

    Luck was on Davon¡¯s side. Right as the fish-man reached for him, the crates finally fell, crashing down with all the force of an angry god¡¯s punch. The sound of wood and pottery shattering rang out like divine thunder.

    Davon knew that the crates, heavy as they were, wouldn¡¯t be enough to kill a monster. But he hoped they would be enough to tip the odds of battle. His silent prayers were answered when the debris settled and he saw the monster struggling against the combined weight of the crates pinning one of its legs down.

    Without hesitation, Davon leapt forward and slashed at the monster. His first strike bounced off the monster¡¯s scaly forearms. His second was likewise ineffective as the monster dodged sideways. His third slash, accelerated by a flick of his wrists, got past the monster¡¯s guard and opened a gash on the monster¡¯s abdomen.

    And then it was a slaughter. Davon struck at the monster again, and again, and again, until he could see only gore beneath the debris. When the fish-man¡¯s arms dropped lifeless to the ground, Davon made one final stab down through the monster¡¯s heart and leaned on the hilt of his sword, gasping for breath.

    His triumph, however, rang hollow. As Davon stared down at the dead fish-man, he felt empty. The death of this creature wouldn¡¯t bring back Rand with all of his jokes or fill the hole in Davon¡¯s heart.

    Then, more bubbling in the water. Davon turned just in time to see another two fish-men land on the dock behind him. Frantically, he began tugging on the sword stuck in his fallen foe. He pulled with a strength born of fury, but the weapon refused to budge. Instead, the blade shattered.

    In his desperate state of mind, Davon paid it no mind. He simply raised the broken sword towards his enemy.

    The fish-men almost seemed to relax at the sight, letting out a series of noises which could only be described as gurgling laughs. Then one of them raised its javelin in a strikingly familiar manner. Davon readied himself, adrenaline mixing with rage and sheer will to survive.

    The monster let its weapon fly, and Davon reacted with two maneuvers at the same time. First, he pulled his weight to the side in an attempt to dodge, then he raised what remained of his sword to block. Neither attempt was fully successful.

    Pain overtook Davon¡¯s senses as the javelin pierced his left bicep. He fell to his knees, his broken blade clattering pathetically onto the dock beside him. More gurgling laughter filled the air, and Davon looked up just in time to see the second javelin pull back for a throw.

    Then, with a movement so fast that Davon couldn¡¯t track it in his dazed state, a fanged blade almost the size of a man ripped through the monster holding the javelin. Viscera erupted from the fish-man as its top half flew back into the sea it had come from.

    Wielding the blade with only one hand, a veritable giant of a man loomed over the carcass. Davon recognized him as Grant, one of the ship¡¯s Revenant guardians. Ignoring the half-corpse at his feet, Grant turned to the one remaining fish-man on the dock.

    With a terrified gurgle, the monster scrambled to run away, but Grant palmed the top of its head. Davon watched with satisfaction as the fish-man clawed helplessly at the Revenant¡¯s armored forearm. In an indignant motion, Grant stabbed his weapon into the ground and placed his other hand on the monster¡¯s shoulder. The sickening sound of tearing flesh filled the air as the Revenant pulled the monster¡¯s head off of its body.

    ¡°On your feet, boy.¡± Grant¡¯s hoarse voiced echoed in Davon¡¯s ears as the giant man lifted his great sword back up. With a grunt, Davon pushed himself up to his feet. ¡°Good. Stay close, there are more to mop up.¡±

    When they cleared the stacked crates, Davon bore witness to a slaughter which was still in progress. Bodies littered the ground, both human and fish-man, and blood covered every inch of ground not taken up by flesh.

    Amid the horror, a group of three fish-men were gathered around a tall, cloaked fighter in a wide-brimmed hat, holding a spear seemingly made from some monster¡¯s stinger. Davon recognized the figure as the other Revenant from the ship, Mia.

    Grant lifted his great sword, leaning the flat end of the blade on his shoulder, and strode lazily towards the monsters. He knew the fight was already over, but it would be a bad look not to help his companion. If he got there in time, anyway.

    The fish-men lifted their weapons in unison and tightened the encirclement around Mia. She stood perfectly still, taking note of each of them. Then, with a swift motion, she ran her hand over a rune carved into her spear. The rune flashed, and shadows enveloped Mia. Davon watched as the Revenant disappeared in broad daylight before reappearing behind one of the confused fish-men.

    Mia deftly plunged her spear into the back of the closest fish-man¡¯s skull and pulled it out in almost the same second. Carrying on her momentum, she spun on her heel and thrust her spear into the neck of the next monster. By that point, the final fish-man managed to recover its wits and threw its javelin at the Revenant. Mia countered by spinning her spear around, knocking the javelin away milliseconds before it struck her.

    Grant strolled up to the final fish-man and locked eyes with Mia. Grabbing his weapon with both hands, he brought it up off his shoulder and down onto the monster in one smooth movement, more crushing the fish-man than slicing through it.

    At last, silence settled over the docks. Davon could hear his heart beating between each labored breath. All other sounds faded as each beat became slower and slower. His vision, too, was getting dimmer. He could barely make out the features of the victorious Revenants, standing just a few feet away.

    Grant seemed to be saying something, but Davon couldn¡¯t understand the words. With one final effort, he tried to step closer to the Revenant.

    He felt himself falling as the world turned black.

 Chapter 2: Doctor

    A dull ache greeted Davon on his return to consciousness, pulsing persistently from his left arm and spreading through the rest of his body.

    He wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with this kind of pain. After all, he had spent many days on the ship badly hungover. Last night must have been another wild time in the tavern with Rand¡­ If the captain decided to call for shove off, today was going to be a long day. At least his head wasn¡¯t pounding like it usually did on mornings like these. That was something to be happy about.

    His eyes still closed, Davon groaned and reached instinctively for the water skin he kept on his bedside table. His fingers brushed against something cold and hard. By reflex, he tried to grab whatever this object was, but he only managed to push it farther away.

    Seconds later, the sound of shattering glass echoed in his ears, rapidly waking him up. Realizing what he¡¯d done, Davon immediately spiraled into panic. The last time he¡¯d smashed something like this, the first mate had him scrubbing the deck for three days without a break. But maybe, if he found a decent enough excuse, he could get out of it this time.

    Davon decided that assessing the damage would help in trying to formulate said excuse. He opened his eyes, but his sight was so blurry that he could barely even tell he was in a room. Gradually, as his eyes adjusted, he became aware that the window by his bed was open. Out of habit, he reached to close it.

    He froze as realization struck him. What he was reaching for wasn¡¯t the usual porthole, but a full-sized window.

    His vision cleared further, bringing the whole room into focus. A simple bed and bedside table, a cabinet, and a large empty shelf. What drew his attention in particular were the stone walls and polished wood floor. When had he ever stayed in a tavern like this? It looked far too expensive for a sailor like him.

    This made him even more focused on trying to remember how he¡¯d ended up here. As he racked his mind, Davon pushed himself up into a sitting position. The moment he leaned on his left arm, an ache intensified around his left bicep. Davon looked down at the source of pain and saw a clean, linen rag wrapped around his arm. Inspecting it for a moment, he noticed runes on the rag, glowing a gentle gold.

    It was then that the memories came flooding back.

    Davon buried his head in his hands as he recalled Rand¡¯s death, killing the fish-man, the javelin that almost took his life, being rescued by Grant, and the sudden plunge into blackness. He remembered the fury, the desperation, and the fear he had felt throughout the whole thing.

    When the assault of memories ended, Davon was left sitting in the unknown room, completely spent. He closed his eyes again and tried to wrap his head around his situation, but his mind felt numb.

    Then, out of nowhere, a cold determination gripped him. He would not lose himself in this sea of unfeeling. The dull ache in his body called to him, and he focused on it, using the pain as an anchor to the present moment.

    Returning his attention to his surroundings, Davon realized he could hear the sound of footsteps outside the room. He fixed his eyes on the door, waiting with quiet anticipation. Moments later, the door opened, revealing a robed and masked individual.

    ¡°Ah, what a pleasant surprise,¡± a muffled, masculine voice exclaimed from behind the mask. ¡°Even if it did come with broken glass.¡±

    Davon looked closer at the individual, noting the many bones with runes hanging from his neck by a thick black thread. Talismans. His mask was featureless, aside from two holes for eyes, and his robe was equally simple. Davon had never seen anyone in a getup like this, and he found himself worried for a moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have questions.¡± The man stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. ¡°However, before I answer any of them, please allow me to check on your arm.¡±

    Davon blinked in confusion, then nodded his head as calmly as he could manage. At the mention of ¡®questions¡¯, a storm of them had cluttered Davon¡¯s mind, making it difficult to decide which one to ask first. Some extra time to organize his thoughts was more than welcome.

    ¡°To spare you a few questions: you are in the Walden¡¯s Hold Revenant Guild, you were brought here by Grant, and you have been unconscious for three days,¡± the man explained while he carefully unwrapped the rag around Davon¡¯s bicep, revealing a faint scar underneath. ¡°Huh. Healed already? You have taken to the healing spell exceptionally well¡­¡±

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    The man seemed to fall into deep thought for a moment before focusing his attention back on Davon. Without warning, he tapped the scar, causing Davon to flinch and pull his arm away reflexively. ¡°Did that hurt?¡±

    Davon shook his head, confused.

    ¡°Hm. And while you¡¯re sitting still, do you feel any pain?¡±

    Davon nodded. ¡°A dull ache throughout my entire body. Uh, who are you?¡±

    ¡°Doctor Yurren.¡± Taking a step back, the man raised a hand to his chin. ¡°Interesting¡­ fully healed, but the side effects are still present. A sign of amazing aptitude, but not perfect¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry, Doctor, but what are you talking about?¡± Davon asked, deciding that a simple approach was the best way to answer all of the questions swirling around his head.

    ¡°Your aptitude for handling Reliquaries,¡± Yurren replied. ¡°I have never seen a patient take to one of my healing spells quite that fast before, and since they¡¯re cast through my Reliquary, aptitude plays a part in their effectiveness.¡±

    Davon was dumbstruck. He had an aptitude for Reliquaries? How had he never realized this?

    Then again, why would he have known? He couldn¡¯t think of a single situation in his life where such an aptitude would matter. After all, only Revenants could wield Reliquaries, and Davon was far from a Revenant. He was just an ordinary sailor.

    ¡°Anyway, the ache is a normal side effect of the accelerated healing process. It¡¯s a little annoying, but it won¡¯t stop you from functioning as usual,¡± Yurren said as he turned for the door. ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere. I¡¯ll find Grant. He¡¯ll want to hear about this.¡±

    Yurren stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him, leaving Davon utterly baffled. As silence filled the air, however, Davon¡¯s mind drifted to an entirely different subject. He thought of all the times he¡¯d spent laughing with Rand, toiling together under the hot sun to raise or lower the mast. In a single moment, the life he had built and cherished had been destroyed.

    But it wasn¡¯t all lost. If Davon had understood the doctor¡¯s words correctly, there was a hint of an opportunity waiting for him.

    The opportunity to become greater than the monsters that had shattered his life, and to bring retribution to them.

    The opportunity to become a Revenant.

    The more Davon thought about it, the more it made sense. Each spiraling thought was like another cold blast of vengeance, driving away the numbness in Davon¡¯s heart. The pain of losing his best friend and crew crept back, but he didn¡¯t allow it to bring him down. There would be time to mourn later.

    Right now, it was time to grasp any and every chance to strike back at those monsters.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you alive, boy.¡± Grant¡¯s booming voice startled Davon, who had barely heard the man¡¯s heavy gait approaching. ¡°Wasn¡¯t sure if you¡¯d make the journey.¡±

    He crossed his arms, staring at Davon so intently that the sailor dropped his eyes.

    ¡°The doctor said I had a high Reliquary aptitude,¡± Davon said, looking down at his hands.

    ¡°Yeah, he mentioned.¡±

    ¡°Think I could do it?¡±

    The question seemed to echo in the air. Davon raised his eyes to meet Grant¡¯s again, and the two men stared at each other in silence. Finally, Grant broke the stalemate with a sigh.

    ¡°Yes.¡± The old Revenant¡¯s tone was as serious as his expression. ¡°But it¡¯s not a decision you should make lightly.¡±

    ¡°Well, what else am I going to do, Grant? Can¡¯t go back to the ship, can I?¡± Davon snapped, his tone sharper than he intended it to be.

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Grant sighed again. ¡°But I can¡¯t let you make this decision without a fair warning.¡±

    Davon stared down the giant man with as much conviction as he could muster. ¡°What warning?¡±

    ¡°Being a Revenant doesn¡¯t come without drawbacks. Every time you die¡­ it takes a toll. Trust me, you¡¯ll never get used to drawing that last breath before death takes you.¡± Grant ran a hand across his neck subconsciously. ¡°Resurrection, even more so. It takes a lot to come back from the dead. Some Revenants can¡¯t handle it, and eventually snap.¡±

    Davon noticed a hint of sadness behind Grant¡¯s gaze as he spoke.

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen of you, Davon, you¡¯ve got what it takes. Not a lot of regular people stare down a monster and manage to kill it. Even fewer take a hit from one and live to tell the tale,¡± Grant admitted. ¡°So, if you¡¯re certain you¡¯re ready for this, I¡¯ll vouch for you with the guild.¡±

    Davon took a moment to think. Most stories of Revenants presented them as immortal slayers of monsters. They kept the dangers of the world outside the walls, and thus kept the everyday folk safe, all without the worry of permanent death. He¡¯d never considered that dying might have real consequence for Revenants. It was a sobering thought.

    Then a sudden image of Rand¡¯s laughing face flashed across his mind, and Davon steeled his gaze.

    ¡°Yeah. Yeah, I¡¯m certain.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Grant allowed himself a momentary smile before continuing. ¡°And you¡¯re in luck. We have another two candidates here in Walden¡¯s Hold, both from your home island. I¡¯m sure you three will get on like a house on fire.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Who are they?¡± Davon¡¯s curiosity won out, pushing aside other important questions.

    ¡°The first one¡¯s a boy from the Ulrich family, Kai. I think you¡¯re probably familiar with him,¡± Grant replied.

    Davon raised his eyebrows. While he didn¡¯t know Kai on a personal level, the man was often involved in the same tavern brawls as Rand.

    Grant went on, ¡°Doubt you¡¯d know the other, Lyla. An orphan with a particular talent for spell craft. Either way, you¡¯ll get to know them plenty well during training. For now, get some more rest. We start tomorrow.¡±

    Davon watched the old Revenant leave the room in silence. Once the door was closed, he allowed himself to fall back onto the bed.

    What happened on the docks still hadn¡¯t fully sunk in, and he was happy to let that be the case for a while longer. At least until he was trained and capable enough to bring vengeance down upon as many monsters as he could.

    For the moment, however, he decided to quiet those thoughts and listen to Grant¡¯s advice. As soon as he found a comfortable enough position, sleep came to claim his exhausted mind. He didn¡¯t even try to fight the comfort of this specific blackness.

 Chapter 3: Red Dawn

    Davon rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he stumbled through the Guild House hallways. Not even ten minutes ago, he had been woken up by Grant and told to find his way to the garden, guided only by the pale light of dawn. It wasn¡¯t a situation he was entirely unfamiliar with, as the first mate had always believed that waking up early was the ultimate sign of discipline.

    Looking around as he stepped into the garden, Davon spotted a man lounging on a bench and basking in the gentle morning light. Upon moving closer, Davon recognized the lounging man as Kai. His short black hair and cold blue eyes were accented by the many small scars on his face.

    ¡°Good morning, Kai. Been a while,¡± Davon rasped, his voice still not fully awake.

    ¡°Well, well, Davon.¡± Kai looked up from his seat to meet Davon¡¯s gaze with a cocky smirk. ¡°When Grant told me the third candidate was a familiar face, I never thought it would be you.¡±

    Davon stopped in front of Kai and placed his hands on his hips. ¡°Yeah, and why is that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t misunderstand, I don¡¯t mean it as an insult,¡± Kai assured him, leaning forward. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I never expected you of all people to be interested in becoming a Revenant. You were always one to try and talk things out rather than take a swing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ trust me, this wasn¡¯t my first choice,¡± Davon said somberly.

    Kai gave him a confused look. Davon was trying to figure out how to explain when the sound of approaching footsteps interrupted his thoughts.

    Turning his head towards the footsteps, Davon saw a petite woman, enveloped in a full-body cloak. Her soft features were framed by shoulder-length, platinum blonde hair, a wonderful contrast to her piercing green eyes. She seemed to be nervous, holding her head low and carrying herself as if trying to be invisible.

    ¡°Ah, Lyla. This is Davon, our final teammate.¡± Kai pointed towards Davon.

    The woman raised her head in response, peering at Davon with a keenly analytical gaze. Davon crossed his arms and stared back, but he failed to discern anything from Lyla¡¯s expression.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you before,¡± Lyla stated bluntly, maintaining her poker face. ¡°At the docks. You are part of the Night Runner¡¯s crew.¡±

    That caught Davon off guard. ¡°I was, yeah,¡± he replied, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. He wasn¡¯t fond of strangers knowing more about him than he did about them. ¡°If I may, how did you know?¡±

    ¡°I was a scribe, back in Port Perle,¡± Lyla replied, trying her best to avoid eye contact with Davon. ¡°The port master had me handle the ship manifests.¡±

    Before Davon could ask any more questions, Kai spoke up. ¡°Well, now that we¡¯re all here, we should head to training grounds. We¡¯re supposed to receive our Reliquaries today.¡±

    Kai set off towards his goal without another word. Davon followed in silence, Lyla close behind.

    A sense of foreboding struck Davon as they walked. The idea of getting a Reliquary felt almost surreal. Those were weapons reserved for the strong, and Davon was about to join their ranks.

    A few minutes later, Davon found himself in another open space within the Guild House. This time, however, instead of stepping into a beautiful garden, he set foot into a what could, charitably, be described as a dust pit with a few training dummies and targets spread throughout.

    Davon spotted Grant on the opposite side of the training ground. The old Revenant was leaning against the wall next to a set of double-doors, his eyes trained on the approaching party.

    ¡°Here you are then.¡± Grant raised his voice in mock ceremony. ¡°I won¡¯t keep you. Head on in, the Boneshapers are waiting.¡±

    The sense of foreboding grew in Davon¡¯s heart as he exchanged glances with his two fellow candidates. Then, hesitantly, the group moved towards the door. Intentionally falling a step or two behind, Davon allowed Kai to be the first to step through, scanning over the other man¡¯s shoulder at the room beyond.

    What Davon saw was an armory, filled to the brim with weapons crafted from the remains of slain monsters. Swords of all shapes and sizes, spears of various lengths, glaives and halberds, daggers, and crossbows lined every inch of the walls. And in the middle of the room, two figures in robes similar to those of Doctor Yurren stood behind a simple, spotless table. Their faces were covered by the same style of mask as Yurren, though the cords around their necks bore fewer talismans than the doctor wore.

    ¡°Welcome, candidates,¡± one of the figures said, and Davon couldn¡¯t quite discern whether the voice was feminine or masculine. ¡°Have a walk around the workshop. Inspect the weapons freely.¡±

    After a few seconds of stunned silence, Kai let out a chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s it? No ceremony, or¡­ guidance?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± the second figure replied, their voice almost identical to the first one. ¡°Just have a look and see which one¡­ calls to you.¡±

    Davon narrowed his eyes at the choice of words and took a moment to look the room over again. He knew, of course, that Reliquaries were the source of the Revenants¡¯ inhuman power. However, as far as he understood, that was the extent of the objects¡¯ significance. At the end of the day, Reliquaries were just weapons meant to carry enchantments.

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    And yet, the way the Boneshapers spoke made Davon think that there was something deeper to it.

    ¡°A reminder,¡± the first Boneshaper said, interrupting Davon¡¯s train of thought. ¡°Reliquaries are shaped and reshaped, again and again, over the course of a Revenant¡¯s service, but each Revenant only ever binds to one Reliquary. Think carefully before making your choice.¡±

    Davon was the first to move after a brief hesitation, heading directly for the nearest weapon rack. Kai followed him, while Lyla crossed to the opposite wall.

    Spurred on by the Boneshaper¡¯s words, Davon carefully inspected every weapon, one at a time, unsure what to expect. Each was a work of art. He eyed a long sword, carved from bone into a perfectly sharp edge. Hanging next to it was a mace which seemed to be made from a black, glass-like substance, polished to perfection. And then there was a spear made from the talon of some massive bird, whittled into a wicked-looking spiral. None of these weapons, however, particularly drew Davon¡¯s attention.

    While on the ship, Davon had learned some basic sword fighting and archery under Grant¡¯s guidance, and the old Revenant had shown particular interest in Davon¡¯s archery skills. It also meshed well with Davon¡¯s personality. He wasn¡¯t the type to use a spear or mace and win through brute force. He was more the type to use his environment to gather advantages toward victory.

    As if in answer to these thoughts, Davon felt a tug in his gut, drawing him towards a specific spot in the armory. Guided by this feeling, his eyes landed on a dark bow. The bow¡¯s limbs seemed to be shaped like scimitar blades and sharpened to match, connected in the middle by a leather-wrapped handle.

    Compelled, Davon grabbed the bow and lifted it. A strange sense of comfort washed over him instantly. The weapon¡¯s weight felt natural in his hands, almost like it was part of him.

    The bow had no bowstring attached. Two identical runes were carved into the base of both limbs, and there was a small mechanism attached to the center of the hilt. Curious, Davon started fidgeting with the mechanism. When he pressed and turned it, the two limbs of the bow detached from each other, leaving him with two blades.

    With a smirk, Davon reattached the blades and turned to face the Boneshapers.

    One glance at his teammates revealed they had just gone through a similar experience. Kai was holding a massive, fanged axe, while Lyla¡¯s fingers were wrapped tightly around a slender spear with a crystalline tip. Both recruits gazed at the Boneshapers with conviction in their eyes.

    ¡°The choices are made,¡± one of the Boneshapers said. ¡°We look forward to your return, that we may improve your weapons further. Now go, don¡¯t keep your mentor waiting.¡±

    With newfound purpose, Davon followed the other two out of the workshop. Grant was waiting for them, arms crossed and a smile on his face.

    ¡°Keep them close,¡± Grant said, pointing to the weapons in the party¡¯s hands. ¡°They¡¯ll begin to bind to you soon, if they haven¡¯t already. It¡¯ll feel weird, but don¡¯t fight it. At the end of it, you¡¯ll know your weapon as well as you know yourself.¡±

    The three new Revenants nodded.

    ¡°After the binding is done, you will also notice some physical changes. Your sense of pain will dull, and your metabolism will slow. You¡¯ll become stronger and faster than ordinary mortals. Eventually, your sight, hearing, and smell will grow sharper also.¡±

    As Grant spoke, Davon felt a chill crawling up his neck, the kind of creeping sensation someone gets when they think they¡¯re being followed. Instinctively, Davon looked over his shoulder, but couldn¡¯t find anything out of the ordinary.

    When Davon turned back towards Grant, he saw the old Revenant watching him with a smile.

    ¡°Yeah, the binding process doesn¡¯t feel good, does it?¡±

    He chuckled at Davon¡¯s nod, then continued his instructions.

    ¡°Now, your Reliquaries come with a basic enchantment in addition to the resurrection enchantment. This will be your first taste of real power. Once you get some quests under your belt, the Boneshapers will be more than happy to help you expand the arsenal of tricks your Reliquaries hold.¡±

    ¡°How do we know what these enchantments are?¡± Lyla piped up, her voice tinged with excitement.

    Grant scratched his chin awkwardly before responding. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ hard to explain. When the binding is done, you will know.¡±

    Shivers ran down Davon¡¯s spine as the cold reached the base of his skull. Yet, as the chill continued to climb up through his head, he felt no discomfort. In fact, the grasping cold faded almost immediately, leaving behind a sense of serenity. This strange peace soon vanished also, replaced by a deep understanding that seemed to surge through Davon¡¯s limbs, filling him with new vigor. Davon lifted his weapon again, taking a moment to appreciate the fact that it felt practically weightless.

    Without thinking, Davon reached for the space where the bowstring should be. Energy immediately crackled between his fingers, forming into both a bowstring and a projectile. Effortlessly, Davon tested the draw weight, pulling the bowstring back a few times before allowing it to fizzle out.

    Satisfied, Davon looked up to find Kai and Lyla watching him with a mix of confusion and curiosity.

    ¡°Well, it looks like you¡¯re ready to start your training, Davon,¡± Grant said, a hint of pride apparent in his voice. ¡°Now, we ju¡ª¡±

    Everyone stumbled as the ground shook violently. The quake lasted only a few moments, but it was enough to send waves of fear through Davon. He quickly looked around for any danger.

    The rising sun, which had been bathing the group in gentle golden rays, was now an ominous red. Davon watched in rising panic as the crimson hue spread over the entire horizon. Moments later, an earth-shattering roar echoed from somewhere in the distance.

    The trio exchanged nervous glances.

    ¡°Come with me,¡± Grant ordered, his voice harsh with concern. ¡°To the walls.¡±

    Following Grant, the trio ran down the Guild House halls, pushing past a few confused Revenants who were preparing to start the day. When they emerged into the city streets, Davon noted the nearby townsfolk were in varying states of confusion. Some gawked at the crimson sun. Others cried out and rushed into their homes. A few just went about their daily business, only giving the event a cursory glance.

    Yet, as he ran past, Davon heard the same words repeated over and over: Red Dawn.

    A fitting name, he thought, squinting up at the crimson sun peeking over the horizon.

    Grant led the group up onto the walls. Leaning against the battlements, the old Revenant fixed his gaze on the horizon. Davon struggled to catch his breath as he scanned the tree line. The forest¡¯s regular gloom was significantly more ominous when cast in a shade of crimson.

    Davon thought he spotted movement in the forest¡¯s shadows, but only for a second. Then, in his periphery, he caught it again: a humanoid form, with oddly disproportionate limbs, running through the trees.

    Tapping Grant on the arm, Davon pointed. ¡°There. Movement.¡±

    Grant stared at the spot Davon had indicated for a few moments. Then he stepped away from the battlements with a scowl.

    ¡°Stay here. If you see any more, or if they draw closer, come get me.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Lyla asked, her voice shrill with anxiety. ¡°What is that thing?¡±

    ¡°Looks like a scout. And if there¡¯s a scout, that means there¡¯s a larger force.¡± The old Revenant¡¯s scowl deepened into a grimace. ¡°I¡¯m going to alert the Guild and set up a patrol. If something¡¯s coming, we need to be ready.¡±

 Chapter 4: Griffin Hunt

    After the Red Dawn first reared its head, the three new Revenants spent most of their time patrolling the city walls. Every day, Davon split his focus between keeping an eye on the horizon and trying to get to know his teammates, with varying amounts of success.

    Kai was easy to get along with initially, but the longer they spent together, the more concerned Davon became. Had they met before the ambush on the docks, Davon would¡¯ve had no issues with the excitable hothead. Now, Davon found that Kai¡¯s boundless optimism and recklessness were getting on his nerves. Not a day went by without Kai expressing his wish to get out of the city and face whatever was happening head-on.

    Davon, meanwhile, wanted to approach the situation with more caution. His ideal strategy would be to scout the problem first, then devise a plan which would put their opponents in a disadvantageous position for the battle.

    He had managed to hold his tongue, mostly in an attempt to avoid unnecessary tension within the group. But he wasn¡¯t certain how many more monologues about ¡®honor in combat¡¯ he could handle before he stuck a fork into Kai¡¯s gut.

    Lyla, on the other hand, was a tough nut to crack. Even during patrols, she spent most of her time in silence, either reading or writing. Davon kept trying to sneak a glance at her books and failed every time.

    When she did take part in their conversations, Davon found her very easy to get along with. Much like Davon, she was more prone to caution and preferred to calculate her moves before taking action. She even found ways to improve on his strategies, forming a bridge between Davon¡¯s cutthroat approach to combat and Kai¡¯s heroics.

    On the third day, as the group finished their patrol of the city walls and made their way to the Revenant Guild¡¯s mess hall they were enjoying a rare moment of peace. The good mood persisted as they collected their food and sat at one of the long tables. Davon and Kai were swapping stories about their many bar fights, while Lyla was working on something in her book.

    Listening to Kai reminisce, Davon¡¯s eyes landed on the Guild¡¯s quest board, a massive stone panel adorned with various enchanted crystals. It had been empty ever since the Red Dawn started, much to Kai¡¯s dismay. Yet now, Davon noticed a dull glow coming from the quest board.

    Feeling the gentle tap of a knuckle against his shoulder, Davon turned to see Mia¡¯s imposing figure looming over him. The Revenant¡¯s usual wide-brimmed hat was nowhere to be seen. Instead, her face was framed by her long silver hair, almost like a veil.

    Ignoring the trio¡¯s surprise, Mia placed a piece of paper on the table and walked away. Davon shared a look of confusion with Kai, then grabbed the paper and read it out loud:

    ¡°Quest board is active again. The Guild wants all of us in the field. Don¡¯t get yourself killed. Good luck.¡±

    ¡°Such a vote of confidence,¡± Davon grumbled as he put the paper back onto the table. ¡°But I suppose we can finally get out th¡ª¡±

    Looking up, he saw that Kai was already rushing to the quest board.

    With a heavy sigh, Davon pushed himself to his feet and caught up to his brash companion, Lyla following close behind. As the trio approached the quest board, the stone slab suddenly lit up with a single quest marked ¡®Novice.¡¯ Davon¡¯s eyes narrowed suspiciously when he read the objective.

    ¡°Griffin hunt¡­ that doesn¡¯t seem very novice to me,¡± Lyla remarked, voicing Davon¡¯s thoughts. She was leaning against her spear, something Davon had noticed her doing when she was nervous.

    ¡°Nah, it may just be just a warm-up for Revenants!¡± Kai replied enthusiastically as he cracked his knuckles. ¡°Or¡­ well, that¡¯s what my brother used to tell me, at least.¡±

    Davon shook his head and reached out towards the quest board. As soon as he touched the stone, the words on it shifted:

    ¡°Tracking hex active. Good hunting.¡±

    The message vanished. Seconds later, Davon swayed as a sudden headache gripped him, blurring his vision. He doubled over, gasping against the pain.

    Then, as quickly as it had arrived, the headache subsided. Davon blinked to clear his vision, noting that Kai and Lyla had also grabbed their heads and were breathing hard.

    ¡°Well, that was uncomfortable,¡± he commented. Straightening up, he noticed a nagging feeling in the back of his head, pushing him towards a specific direction. ¡°Can you two feel that as well?¡±

    His companions nodded solemnly, Lyla leaning heavily on her spear.

    ¡°Then I suppose we have our target.¡± Davon raised a hand to touch the bow strapped to his back. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡ª

    A few hours later, the group found themselves deep in the forest surrounding Walden¡¯s Hold.

    Davon kept a keen eye on his teammates as they traveled, trying to gauge how they were feeling. It was easy to guess that Kai was excited for their first quest. The young man stayed in the lead the whole way, practically skipping ahead of Davon and Lyla. In contrast, Lyla was dragging her feet, using her spear almost as a walking stick. She had brought her books along, of course, but hadn¡¯t looked at them once.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Slowing his step to fall in with her, Davon put on his best attempt at a comforting tone. ¡°Nervous, Lyla?¡±

    The petite woman looked up at him and furrowed her brow. ¡°More like worried. We didn¡¯t receive any training before being sent on this quest.¡±

    Davon considered his next words carefully. ¡°I¡¯m certain they wouldn¡¯t send us to die needlessly. Although I admit some training would have been¡­ preferable, we just need to think this through and we¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to think about?¡± Kai scoffed. He turned to face his companions and continued walking backwards, spreading his arms wide. ¡°Just stick them with the pointy end and leave taking the hits to me!¡±

    Davon sighed in exasperation. He was tired of having this same old argument with Kai. ¡°This isn¡¯t a bar fight. Just running at the enemy isn¡¯t going to be enough. If you had any real training, Kai, you would understand the value of a plan.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking yourself in circles, D.¡±

    ¡°Oh really? Tell me, then: what will you do if the griffin flies out of your reach?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t let it. One good swing, and I¡¯ll take one of its wings off.¡±

    ¡°And if it¡¯s faster?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t be. We¡¯re Revenants!¡±

    ¡°Oh, for brine¡¯s sake¡­¡±

    Davon rubbed his temple as the frustration set in fully. It seemed like he couldn¡¯t say anything to sway the hotheaded fool, especially when all the sentences forming in his mind were full of the many colorful words he¡¯d learned from other sailors over the years.

    ¡°Alright, stop,¡± Lyla commanded, her voice uncharacteristically sharp. ¡°We can¡¯t hope to take on this beast if we¡¯re at each other¡¯s throats, especially without any training or experience.¡±

    She slammed the butt of her spear into the ground to emphasize her words, staring down each man in turn.

    ¡±Kai, confidence is good, but what you¡¯re suggesting is plain idiocy. And Davon, a plan is good, but you need to trust in us as well. You are thinking yourself in circles, trying to find a way to fight without relying on your teammates. Let¡¯s find some middle ground instead of arguing until the sun sets¡­ please.¡±

    Davon exchanged a look with Kai.

    ¡°She has a point,¡± Kai admitted, kicking his feet in annoyance.

    ¡°Look, Kai.¡± Davon fought to keep his tone level. ¡°We can do this in a way that plays to all of our strengths, but I need you to promise me you will be at least a little patient.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Kai agreed reluctantly. ¡°That¡¯s a promise. What¡¯s your idea?¡±

    ¡°First things first, we need to make sure it can¡¯t escape,¡± Davon replied. ¡°I suggest we start with a sneak attack. Track the griffin until it lands, surround it, then all move in at once. Aim for the wings first, of course. After that, it¡¯s on you to keep it busy, while Lyla and I strike at its sides.¡±

    Kai took a moment to think, then nodded. ¡°I¡¯d prefer to do it without the sneak attack, but alright. Let¡¯s track this beast do¡ª¡°

    The sound of heavy wingbeats cut off the rest of his sentence.

    Davon rushed for the nearest tree and placed his back against it, eyes locked on the tiny breaks in the canopy. He cursed silently at the sight of a massive shape flying overhead. Why hadn¡¯t they kept their voices down? Now the griffin was hunting them.

    Burying his panic, Davon looked around for his teammates. He breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted both of them under cover.

    But his relief was short-lived. The next instant, the griffin broke through the canopy and landed almost directly next to Kai. The beast clicked its beak fiercely as it looked around, its wings spread to their full impressive length.

    Davon¡¯s mind went into overdrive. He turned towards Lyla¡¯s hiding place, trying to think of ways to communicate without alerting the griffin.

    Then he heard Kai yell out in rage.

    Time slowed as adrenaline kicked in. Davon turned back towards the griffin just in time to see Kai¡¯s axe collide with its beak¡­ and bounce clean off. Before Davon could do anything, the griffin reared up on its hind legs with a terrible shriek, then brought both of its huge front claws down on Kai.

    At that moment, golden light erupted from Kai¡¯s position, illuminating the forest gloom in a dazzling display. When his eyes refocused, Davon saw the griffin had smashed its claws into a golden barrier emanating from Kai¡¯s axe. Kai was holding the weapon high in both hands, struggling against his enemy¡¯s claws.

    With no time to waste, Davon slung the bow from his back and drew its ethereal bowstring. The crackling of energy echoed through Davon¡¯s ears as he pulled the bowstring back, aiming at the bones in the griffin¡¯s left wing. Davon took a deep breath, steadying his aim, and let loose.

    He watched for what seemed like an eternity as the arrow flew towards the beast. Its aim was true. But then, at the final moment, the beast raised its wings in anger.

    The arrow made contact too low, sinking into the beast¡¯s flesh as the energy dissipated. Davon¡¯s heart sank. A successful hit, but not nearly enough to ground the griffin.

    Angered by the pain, the beast turned and locked eyes with Davon. Memories of facing down the fish-man on the docks echoed through Davon¡¯s mind. Only this time, there was no older Revenant to rely on for backup. He braced himself against the wave of terror that threatened to overwhelm him, woefully aware of his inexperience.

    Then, out of the corner of his eye, Davon spotted a flicker of flame approaching the griffin from the left. Lyla rushed the beast with a ferocity Davon didn¡¯t expect from the petite woman, her spear blazing with enchanted fire. The spear pierced the griffin¡¯s flank, and Davon promptly covered his ears to protect himself from the beast¡¯s bone-chilling shriek.

    The griffin swiped a claw at Lyla. She managed to raise her spear in time to prevent the blow from being lethal, but its force still sent her flying into the foliage.

    A desperate war cry followed as Kai brought his axe down hard on the griffin¡¯s backside, causing the beast to stumble. A second later, the griffin bucked its hind legs, cutting short the young man¡¯s shout of triumph. Davon watched as his second companion was sent crashing into a nearby patch of ferns.

    Stubborn defiance filled Davon¡¯s heart at the sight of his companions being thrown around by the foe. As the beast turned to stare him down once more, Davon unlatched the limbs of his bow and raised the twin swords in preparation.

    The beast reared up and leapt at Davon with terrifying speed. Adrenaline coursing through his veins, Davon dropped to the ground in a bid to make the griffin¡¯s leap overshoot him.

    His gambit was almost perfectly successful. Davon¡¯s heartbeat echoed as the beast narrowly flew over him, one of its claws grazing his shoulder. Quickly, he stabbed upward at the griffin¡¯s belly. It was an imperfect strike, but it was enough to send a streak of blood across the ground as the beast bounded away, shrieking in pain.

    Rolling to the side and pushing himself onto his feet, Davon caught a glimpse of the griffin beating its powerful wings. Then it took off, tearing through the treetops.

    Davon slumped to his knees, his mind reeling as adrenaline slowly ebbed.

    They had survived. They had even wounded their quarry.

    But it got away nonetheless.

 Chapter 5: Battle

    For a moment, Davon simply knelt there, breathing heavily. But at the sound of rustling foliage, he shot up with weapons raised, only to see Lyla stumbling through the forest towards him. She was using her spear as a walking stick and looked about as rough as Davon felt.

    The pair locked eyes for a moment, acknowledging each other¡¯s survival with a simple nod. Then Davon calmly reattached his bow, slung it over his back, and made his way towards where he¡¯d seen Kai get launched. A cold anger was building within him at the young man¡¯s rash decision to attack, but it wasn¡¯t reason enough to leave the fool for dead.

    Still, once they were reunited and slumped against a tree together, Davon couldn¡¯t help making his opinion clear.

    ¡°You¡¯re a damn fool, Kai.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re a coward,¡± Kai shot back, his voice deadpan.

    ¡°Stop it, both of you,¡± Lyla hissed. ¡°We still have a quest to finish, like it or not.¡±

    Davon chuckled wearily. ¡°In this state?¡±

    ¡°Yes, in this state,¡± Lyla replied, pushing herself up to her feet. ¡°We¡¯re wounded, but so is the damn griffin. I saw what you did to it.¡±

    ¡°A flesh wound, barely enough to slow it down.¡± Davon leaned forward, rubbing his temples. ¡°Maybe if we¡¯d had a few more moments to get into position¡­¡±

    ¡°What was I supposed to do? It was practically staring me down!¡± Kai snapped.

    ¡°Aim for the wings, like we agreed. Or anywhere other than the beak,¡± Lyla grumbled. ¡°What were you thinking, Kai? That¡¯s the toughest part of a griffin.¡±

    Kai opened his mouth, then closed it.

    Shaking her head, Lyla reached under her cloak. ¡°Now I¡¯ll admit, fire may not have been the best choice either. I think I just made the beast angrier. But I could have used some ranged support from Davon also.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯re all to blame, to some extent,¡± Davon admitted, too tired to put up a fight. ¡°But at least we¡¯re all still alive. We still have a chance to do this right. Even if we¡¯re in a bad way, we ¡ª¡±

    Davon¡¯s train of thought was interrupted by the sound of Lyla chanting in a language he didn¡¯t recognize. Looking up, he saw a pulse of warmth ripple out from her spear, bathing the trio in a warm glow. In seconds, all the wounds and scratches on Davon¡¯s body sealed. All that remained was a dull ache, similar to when he first woke up in the Guild House. Even the surrounding vegetation perked up in response to the spell.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned. That¡¯s helpful,¡± Kai exclaimed, bounding to his feet with a grin.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get used to it.¡± Lyla steadied herself against the tree, visibly winded. ¡°I can only do that once per day. It takes a lot out of me.¡±

    ¡°A useful tool, regardless. Where¡¯d you learn to do that?¡± Davon asked.

    Lyla scoffed. ¡°What did you think I¡¯ve been doing this whole time with my spell book? Or did you think it was a journal?¡±

    Davon decided to change the subject.

    ¡°Feels like the thing didn¡¯t go too far,¡± he stated, focusing on the nagging sensation of the tracking hex as he got to his feet. ¡°Maybe we can still wrap this up before sundown.¡±

    Raising his eyes to the canopy, Davon glimpsed the faint hints of a red tinted sky. He frowned. The Red Dawn had completely thrown off his ability to tell time.

    Shaking his head to clear both the sudden doubt and the lingering ache, he looked at his companions.

    ¡°This time, we strike together, or not at all. Agreed?¡±

    Both nodded. Satisfied for the moment, Davon turned towards the direction of the tracking hex.

    The trek continued in uneasy silence. No one wanted to run the risk of alerting their prey, or any other monster that might be lurking in the forest. They also seemed to have an unspoken agreement to avoid the argument that had led to their ambush.

    Davon knew this wouldn¡¯t be the last time they would argue about tactics, or have their plans fall apart, or face defeat at the hands of a powerful opponent. He could only try to learn from the experience, and hope the other two would as well. For the moment, he was content to accept the tentative truce.

    After another half-hour of trekking through the forest, a burst of red in the foliage caught Davon¡¯s attention. He raised his hand, signaling the others to stop, then approached to inspect further.

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    It was a fresh spray of blood, just enough to be from the griffin¡¯s wound. Looking further, it wasn¡¯t hard to find the trail of broken, bloodstained foliage, heading in the same direction the hex was pointing them.

    Davon dropped his voice to a whisper. ¡°We must be close. I doubt it would land if it wasn¡¯t preparing to rest.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we got lucky and it bled out?¡± Lyla suggested.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t count on it,¡± Davon replied. ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving for now and see what exactly we¡¯re dealing with.¡±

    Continuing further into the forest, the trio soon found themselves at the edge of a clearing. The ground rose gently on the opposite side. There, set in the rise of ground, Davon spotted a small cave.

    ¡°Looks like we found the nest,¡± he whispered, ducking down into the foliage. ¡°I have a plan. And Kai, I think you¡¯re going to like it.¡±

    Kai raised his eyebrows. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°I need you to draw the griffin out, while Lyla and I wait outside to ambush it.¡±

    This drew a furious glance from Lyla. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not just trying to get him killed?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Kai exclaimed, smiling broadly. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for a direct confrontation this entire time!¡±

    ¡°What?! No!¡± Lyla hissed, trying to keep her voice down. ¡°You got thrown around like a ragdoll last time! We both did! What makes you think this time will be any different?¡±

    Kai rolled his shoulders, smirking. ¡°Last time, I wasn¡¯t prepared.¡±

    With a sigh, Lyla turned towards Davon. ¡°You¡¯re using his overconfidence for your own gain.¡±

    Davon simply shrugged. She wasn¡¯t entirely wrong, but their options were slim. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to hear a better idea.¡±

    Lyla didn¡¯t respond, but she gazed at Davon with such fury, he thought she might be trying to disintegrate him.

    ¡°Look, Kai, I don¡¯t want you to take any unnecessary risks,¡± Davon clarified. ¡°Focus on defense, and let us whittle it down from the sides. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Kai nodded unconvincingly. Davon was almost certain the young hothead would try to finish off the griffin the first chance he got. A glance at Lyla showed she was thinking the same thing, but she just huffed and looked away.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get into position,¡± Davon whispered. ¡°Wait for my signal.¡±

    Creeping carefully through the foliage, Davon made his way around to the other side of the clearing. Once there, he waved towards his companions.

    The next instant, Kai stepped boldly into the clearing, axe held in both hands.

    Watching the young man, Davon had to admit that Lyla was right, perhaps even more right than she realized. Yes, he was using Kai¡¯s overconfidence to advance their plans, and no, he didn¡¯t particularly care if the man got hurt because of it. When all was said and done, even if Kai died in this combat, he would resurrect. He was a Revenant, after all.

    A cold decision, Davon realized, but cold and calculated decisions were the surest path to success. Or, at least, according to his new way of thinking.

    Ever since that day on the docks, when Rand was cut down in front of him, Davon had found himself slipping further and further into this new ¡®rational thinking.¡¯ His goal was simple: avenge Rand by cutting down as many monsters as possible. Every moment was an opportunity to move closer to his goal, or further away. Any risk of casualty had to be weighed against the potential reward.

    In this case, should things go wrong, Kai was an acceptable casualty. It was only rational.

    Davon readied his bow, quieting his thoughts as Kai reached the entrance of the cave.

    The young man peered inside the dark cave entrance, then quickly stumbled backwards. Davon caught a glimpse of surprise and fear on Kai¡¯s face. Finally, with another roll of his shoulders, Kai took a few cautious steps into the cave and disappeared from sight.

    Left in silence, Davon felt his nerves twisting with anticipation. He pulled the bowstring taut and aimed for the mouth of the cave, ready to take a shot at the first thing that moved. Well, the first thing that wasn¡¯t Kai.

    Thankfully, Davon didn¡¯t have to wait too long.

    A pained shriek erupted from inside the cave. But rather than fear, Davon¡¯s mind filled with excitement. He closed his eyes, briefly picturing Rand¡¯s face.

    Revenge.

    Opening his eyes, Davon saw Kai leap out of the cave. Adrenaline immediately shot through Davon¡¯s veins, warping his perception of time. He watched, almost in slow-motion, as Kai spun on his heel and slammed his axe into the ground. Just like before, a wave of golden light erupted from the axe, enveloping Kai in a barrier.

    Not half a second later, the griffin burst from the cave entrance with a shriek. Tearing through the air, the beast landed with its front paws on top of the barrier. A terrible cracking sound echoed through the clearing, and Davon could see a spiderweb of cracks forming in the golden light-shield around Kai.

    Then, Davon noticed an ugly scorched gash on the griffin¡¯s side.

    As luck would have it, Davon had a perfect shot at the wound left by Lyla¡¯s flaming spear in the previous battle. Davon smiled as he readjusted his aim and let an arrow loose. Still smiling, he watched the arrow fly towards the beast, finally striking its mark.

    The griffin roared. Caught off guard by the sudden surge of pain, it stumbled off of Kai¡¯s barrier.

    Then, with another ear-piercing shriek, the beast swiped a claw towards the barrier, slamming against the cracks it had already formed. A sound like shattering glass filled the air as the griffin¡¯s claw pierced the light-shield.

    Kai swung his axe in an upwards arc, effectively parrying the attack. Carrying on the momentum, Kai spun on his heel and brought his axe into another upwards swing, directly into the beast¡¯s face. Davon watched with satisfaction as the griffin reeled backwards.

    Suddenly, even as it stumbled, the beast swiped its claws manically in front of it. Kai raised his axe to block, preparing for the full force of a cornered griffin to be unleashed on him.

    As Davon nocked another arrow, an arc of electricity flashed from the other side of the clearing. Lyla struck the griffin dead-on. The next moment, Davon took his shot, aiming at the same open wound he had attacked previously. The griffin¡¯s shriek became a strangled croak as the second arrow found its mark.

    The foe stumbled clumsily away from Kai with all the desperation of a cornered, exhausted creature. Davon felt no pity. He allowed himself another grim smile of satisfaction as Kai raised his axe to deliver the final blow.

    With all his strength, Kai brought his axe down on the griffin¡¯s neck. The beast went limp, falling to the ground. In the same instant, the nagging sensation in the back of Davon¡¯s head finally dissipated, signaling the end of their hunt.

    The trio gathered around the fallen beast. But before Davon could congratulate them on their teamwork, a realization struck him. He sighed wearily.

    ¡°Now¡­ we have to bring it back to Walden¡¯s Hold.¡±

 Chapter 6: Upgrade

    With a combined heave, Kai and Davon let go of the dead griffin, allowing the body to flop down unceremoniously in front the Guild House¡¯s front gate.

    After three hours of dragging the damn thing through forest thickets and over small hills, Davon was completely exhausted. He sat on the griffin¡¯s backside to catch his breath, paying no attention to the weird looks they were attracting from the gate guards. Kai took a seat next to Davon, while Lyla remained standing, immersed in a book.

    The scent of sweat and blood mixed in Davon¡¯s nose, creating the perfect concoction of disgust to make his well-earned break unenjoyable. Davon tried to distract himself by tracking the local populace, keeping them in his peripheral vision. Most people, he noticed, stopped to have a look at the dead monster, and to gaze admiringly at the heroes who had felled it.

    Despite the ongoing stench, Davon felt a small smile creeping onto his face.

    ¡°Well, well, what do we have here?¡± boomed a familiar, gruff voice. ¡°You even managed to bring back the body. I¡¯m impressed.¡±

    Davon turned to see Grant strolling up to them.

    ¡°You were expecting us to fail, then?¡± he asked the old Revenant.

    ¡°Not expecting, no, but the odds weren¡¯t exactly in your favor.¡± Grant halted by the body, looking over the monster with a keenly assessing gaze. ¡°Ordinarily, before a hunt like this, you would¡¯ve gone through at least a week of training. Refining combat skills, building teamwork, getting used to your Reliquaries¡­ You can understand why the thought of your failure crossed my mind.¡±

    Davon couldn¡¯t help shuddering. None of them had realized how truly unprepared they were to face their first hunt.

    And yet, here they were, with their quarry in tow and all of their lives intact. Was their success the result of talent, or pure dumb luck?

    Probably both, he thought.

    ¡°Regardless, here you are,¡± Grant exclaimed, as if reading Davon¡¯s thoughts. He pointed to the dead griffin. ¡°Come, let¡¯s see what the Boneshapers can do with this beast. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take it. You¡¯ve carried the thing enough for one day.¡±

    Without complaint, Kai and Davon stood up and moved away from the body. Grant grabbed the griffin by one of its front legs and slung it over his back effortlessly. The trio fell in step with the old Revenant, following him into the Guild house.

    Before crossing the threshold, Davon looked at the sky, noting that the red hue was too dark for a normal sunset. He narrowed his eyes. Since the Red Dawn, he had almost become accustomed to the constant red tint the world was now bathed in during the day. Even so, this sunset made him nervous for reasons he couldn¡¯t quite name.

    A tap on the shoulder brought Davon back to reality. Turning towards the door, he saw Lyla staring at him expectantly.

    ¡°This is hardly the time for daydreaming, Davon.¡±

    Davon cleared his throat. Muttering an apology, he hurried to catch up with Grant and Kai.

    At first, the group made their way through the Guild House in silence. Then Lyla voiced the question uppermost in Davon¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°Any news about the Red Dawn, Grant?¡±

    ¡°Nothing concrete,¡± the old Revenant replied. ¡°Some reports of new monsters spotted in the wild, mostly attacking supply convoys. Quest board has been full of requests to track down and eliminate these bands. If you haven¡¯t thought about what you¡¯re doing next, I¡¯d recommend a look.¡±

    Before Davon could point out that they still hadn¡¯t received any training, Grant continued, ¡°There¡¯s also been some rumors of attacks on fringe cities. The news is unreliable, but from what I hear, the talk says mostly small groups, barely able to scratch at the walls.¡±

    These words sent a chill down Davon¡¯s spine. Attacking isolated supply convoys was one thing, but raids on cities? That was a whole other, and much more disturbing, matter.

    ¡°What about our forces?¡± Kai asked eagerly. ¡°Revenants, I mean.¡±

    Grant scratched his chin. ¡°Well, from the local teams, Mia is currently heading an expedition with the Green Trackers. Searching for any signs of these new monsters around Walden¡¯s Hold.¡±

    The Green Trackers. Davon was familiar with that name. They were a group of Revenant rangers, highly skilled in survival, tracking, and covering their own tracks. While Davon didn¡¯t have many personal interactions with the group, he knew they were responsible for getting shipments of goods moved between port cities and whichever mainland city needed them.

    ¡°The Stalwarts are doing what they do best: fortification,¡± Grant went on. ¡°They¡¯re helping maintain the walls around Walden¡¯s Hold, as well as supporting the garrison. Although¡­¡±

    He paused long enough to draw a curious glance from Kai. When the old Revenant continued, his voice was tinged with barely concealed worry.

    ¡°Their leader Franz left on a solo expedition two days before the Red Dawn started. He hasn¡¯t returned yet.¡±

    Davon didn¡¯t blame Grant for being worried. Franz Steel-Heart was a legendary Revenant. Even Davon knew the stories of his conquests over monsters. In fact, Davon couldn¡¯t name a single monster Franz hadn¡¯t triumphed over. The Steel-Heart had once eliminated an entire den of dragons, singlehandedly. If something out there related to the Red Dawn had actually bested Franz, then everyone in Walden¡¯s Hold and beyond had real reason to fear.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    His concern only deepened when Grant quickly changed the subject.

    ¡°And, of course, assortments of Revenant teams are spread throughout the territories. Doing odd jobs here and there, keeping the peace, the usual. As always, there are a few daredevils who seem to think they can solve the situation all on their own.¡±

    To Davon¡¯s surprise, Grant chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s even been some rumors that the Emperor¡¯s Hand has been mobilized. I¡¯ll believe it when I see it. Those lazy bastards have had it good for far too long.¡±

    The Emperor¡¯s Hand was a name that provoked awe in most people who knew anything about Revenants. They were an elite squad of three, based out of the capital city and hand-picked by the emperor himself to serve every one of his whims with total loyalty. Although this service mostly came down to guarding the emperor and his treasury, these Revenants had a fearsome reputation. If even they were getting involved, then the situation further into the mainland must have been truly dire.

    Davon¡¯s stomach twisted, all Grant¡¯s information only made him more uneasy. Several important and powerful factions were seemingly on the move, but next to no progress had been made towards resolving the main problem. It sounded like no one still had any clue about what the Red Dawn was, let alone how to stop it.

    On top of that, if cities were being attacked¡­

    ¡°Be honest, Grant.¡± His mind filling with visions of mysterious foes, Davon didn¡¯t even try to mask his anxiety. ¡°If Walden¡¯s Hold were to be attacked, what are our chances?¡±

    Grant sighed. ¡°Well, we have the Stalwarts, and sturdy walls. We have enough resources to last through an extended siege. But what we need are more Revenants.¡±

    Lyla raised her eyebrows. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°If the rumors are true, these new monsters are quite powerful,¡± Grant explained. ¡°The humans couldn¡¯t hold them back, and the local Stalwart force isn¡¯t big enough to hold off a siege on their own. So, we need more loose Revenants to gather here and patrol the walls. But the Guild¡¯s got them running errands constantly, trying to get to the bottom of the Red Dawn.¡±

    This wasn¡¯t the answer Davon was hoping for. As they continued through the maze of hallways, he felt his heart sinking lower and lower.

    He had become a Revenant to exact vengeance on monsters. He didn¡¯t want anyone else to experience the loss and terror he had encountered on the docks. But would he even be around to defend Walden¡¯s Hold if it were attacked? Or would he and his teammates be out in the wilderness, doing something completely unrelated while the city was being ravaged?

    ¡°Ah, but you shouldn¡¯t worry yourself with these things,¡± Grant exclaimed, putting on a jovial tone which did nothing to quiet Davon¡¯s fears. ¡°Not for today, at least. You just completed your first quest, and you should reap the rewards.¡±

    Davon had been so engrossed in the conversation that he didn¡¯t notice they had arrived at the Boneshapers¡¯ workshop. With movements so practiced they looked like second nature, Grant pushed open the doors to the workshop and slung the griffin carcass onto the table.

    The Boneshapers were ready. Though their faces were covered with those blank masks, Davon could hear the excitement in the pair¡¯s voices as they hovered over the body,

    ¡°Ah, what a wonderful specimen,¡± one said.

    The other nodded in agreement, then lifted his head to the trio. ¡°Not enough to directly strengthen your weapons, but we can work some more tools into your repertoire.¡±

    With surgical efficiency and eerie silence, the two Boneshapers dismantled the griffin¡¯s body in mere minutes, leaving behind only the bloodied bones, talons, and beak.

    ¡°Now, put your weapons on the table,¡± one of the Boneshapers urged.

    The party hesitated. Davon wondered if his companions, like himself, were taken aback by the sheer precision of butchery they had just witnessed.

    But the Boneshapers were waiting, motionless and expectant.

    After only a few moments, Davon¡¯s bow was on the table, between Kai¡¯s axe and Lyla¡¯s spear. Immediately taking positions on either side of the table, the Boneshapers began chanting in a language Davon didn¡¯t even recognize, let alone understand.

    A movement in the corner of Davon¡¯s eye caught his attention. The griffin¡¯s dismembered beak was shaking. Next to it, a bone rattled. Soon all the assorted griffin parts were trembling on the table, spurred on by the chanting. Then a glow enveloped the materials, bathing the workshop in gentle light. Davon felt a bit of the tension in his fingertips relax as the golden glow washed over him.

    Raising their voices higher, the robed figures continued chanting. In response, the materials on the table seemed to fold into themselves, leaving behind six globules of what Davon could only describe as liquid light.

    Finally, and ever so gently, the Boneshapers picked up Lyla¡¯s spear and carefully touched its tip to one of the globules. The globule burst into a dazzling array of sparks, which were instantly absorbed by the spear.

    After administering the same treatment to Kai¡¯s axe and Davon¡¯s bow, the Boneshapers stepped back, dusting themselves off.

    ¡°Your upgrades are completed. The details of each will be revealed to you, in time, by the weapon itself,¡± one of the the robed figures explained.

    ¡°We look forward to whatever you bring us next time,¡± the other agreed. ¡°Happy hunting.¡±

    Davon picked up his bow and inspected it closely. Right next to the runes he had first noticed on the weapon, there were now two additional markings. But these marks were simple squares, with no rune work whatsoever. He could only guess this was because the weapon hadn¡¯t yet decided to reveal what the exact upgrades were.

    Glancing over at his teammates, Davon saw they were both as confused as he was. He also sensed they shared his growing discomfort. It was unsettling to stand there in the mysterious workshop, the two Boneshapers staring at them silently with their expressionless masks. There was also no sign of Grant.

    The trio shared a look, silently deciding it was time to leave.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m beat,¡± Kai exclaimed as soon as the workshop doors were closed safely behind them. ¡°I¡¯m going to get some rest, and I¡¯d recommend you two do the same.¡±

    With a casual wave, Kai departed for his dorm room, leaving his teammates behind in the crimson sunset.

    ¡°Why do I get the feeling things are only going to get more complicated from here, for all of us?¡± Lyla mused as she looked over her spear. Davon noticed that, instead of any new markings along the spear tip, Lyla¡¯s Reliquary had gained a couple peculiar strings wrapped around the shaft. Hanging from each string was a small bone square.

    ¡°Because nothing is ever easy, right?¡± Davon replied, slinging his bow over his back. ¡°But that¡¯s a problem for tomorrow.¡±

    Davon and Lyla bid each other good night before heading in different directions within the Guild House. Davon found it peculiar how the building itself seemed so unimposing from the outside, and yet was a veritable labyrinth on the inside. Were all Revenant barracks designed similarly? Was there a tactical reason for this layout? If so, what was it?

    To his surprise, this thought train was interrupted by the memory of Kai¡¯s voice, echoing suddenly in his mind:

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking yourself in circles, D.¡±

    Davon shook his head, smiling in spite of himself.

    Maybe Kai is right, he thought. At the very least, he was right about one thing. We all need some rest.

    The weight of the day was settling deeper and deeper in Davon¡¯s limbs with every step, crashing into him fully when he reached his room and fell into bed. Despite the many thoughts whirling around in his brain, he found it difficult to resist the allure of sleep.

 Chapter 7: Unknown Foes

    Driven entirely by routine, Davon woke up at sunrise the following day. This routine, however, failed to comfort him like it usually did.

    It was hard to appreciate a new day¡¯s warmth when that new day included the crimson tint of the Red Dawn.

    Trying not to dwell on it, Davon made his way to the Guild¡¯s mess hall. Only a few people were gathered there so early in the morning. He had plenty of options for places to sit, but before he could choose, he felt himself being drawn towards the quest board.

    The stone slab on the wall displayed a long list of tasks for his perusal, which surprised Davon. Compared to the previous day¡¯s offer of only one quest, the array of choices was almost overwhelming. He found everything from simple tasks like tracking and killing monsters, to escorting merchants, to research expeditions into various¡­ interesting subjects.

    After scanning the list for several minutes, he found his eyes returning again and again to one specific quest. It was one he¡¯d dismissed at first, thinking it was yet another basic ¡®search and destroy¡¯ mission. And while, in essence, the quest was to search and destroy, the subject was undoubtedly intriguing.

    ¡®Unknown invasion forces¡¯: that was what this quest wanted dead. Equally intriguing, the quest was marked with an ¡®unknown¡¯ difficulty rating.

    Davon was so intent on these mysterious words that he didn¡¯t notice someone approaching until a voice sounded in his ear.

    ¡°Already busy, Davon?¡±

    Startled, Davon jumped and turned on his heel. His hand was halfway to his weapon before he recognized his spellbook-loving teammate.

    ¡°For brine¡¯s sake, Lyla, don¡¯t sneak up on me like that.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± A devilish grin spread across Lyla¡¯s face. ¡°Didn¡¯t realize you were a scaredy cat.¡±

    Davon scoffed, turning back towards the quest board. ¡°Yes, already busy. There are a lot of new quests. This one looks interesting.¡±

    He tapped his finger gently on the board. Lyla took a moment to look over the quest, her face swiftly returning to its customary neutral expression.

    ¡°Yes¡­ Yes, that does look interesting,¡± Lyla said.

    Davon contemplated accepting the quest right then and there. He doubted that Kai would have any qualms about it, seeing as the young man was more than keen to rush into danger at a moment¡¯s notice. But in the end, he decided to wait for the third member of their party to show up before making any decisions that would affect the whole group.

    However eager they all were to get out there, caution was always a better strategy.

    They lingered by the quest board, waiting for Kai. Lyla pulled out one of her books and was soon lost in its pages. Davon, meanwhile, was equally lost in thought.

    ¡®Unknown invasion forces¡¯¡­ what does that even mean?

    Before he could follow even one of the many thought-trails this question provoked, Lyla¡¯s voice sounded again in his ear.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious, Davon.¡±

    He just managed to stop himself from jumping again at her voice. Instead, he looked at her, raising his eyebrow.

    The petite blonde woman held her book open in one hand, leaning heavily on her spear. ¡°Grant mentioned some rumors about small-scale attacks on cities further inland, so I¡¯m curious¡­ how familiar are you with warfare strategies?¡±

    She locked eyes with Davon, scrutinizing him.

    ¡°Familiar enough to recognize probing attacks when I see them,¡± he replied.

    Lyla held his gaze one more moment before slowly nodding in agreement. ¡°Then we¡¯re on the same page.¡±

    Kai showed up a few minutes later, greeting his teammates with his usual optimism. It took an even shorter time for the bold young man to agree to the ¡®unknown invasion forces¡¯ quest. Flanked by his teammates, Davon reached out his hand and touched the quest board.

    It was time for the trio to set off once again.

    ¡ª

    Unlike their griffin hunt, this quest didn¡¯t come with the convenience of a tracking hex already on the target. Instead, the three new Revenants were given a general location and some vague ¡®Good hunting!¡¯ well-wishes.

    Thankfully, under Lyla¡¯s careful guidance, reading maps wasn¡¯t an issue. By midday, the team found themselves beside one of the many streams in the forests surrounding Walden¡¯s Hold.

    Davon kept his eyes peeled on the nearby foliage and other vegetation, looking for any sign of passage that wasn¡¯t an animal, but with no luck. It wasn¡¯t long before Kai recommended splitting up to cover a larger area. Unable to think of any better options, Davon and Lyla agreed.

    What followed was an agonizing hour of searching, each of them doing their best to inspect every single detail of their surroundings. By the end of hour two, Davon began to feel desperate. He was keeping his whole body poised, ready for sudden battle, and his muscles ached from the constant tension.

    Halfway through hour three, he called the group together.

    ¡°I have an idea, but I need you to trust me,¡± he said, scanning his teammates for their reactions.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°After using Kai as bait last time?¡± Lyla retorted. ¡°You want me to trust you?¡±

    Davon smiled weakly. ¡°Yes. But this time, it would be all three of us as the bait.¡±

    ¡°Hah, sounds like my kind of plan!¡± Kai put in enthusiastically, though his smile faded when Lyla shot him a furious look.

    ¡°Look, we¡¯re not exactly making much progress looking for these things the old-fashioned way,¡± Davon pointed out. ¡°So, we can try the same thing that provoked that griffin in the first place.¡±

    Both Lyla and Kai just looked at him in confusion.

    ¡°Think about it. If these ¡®unknown invasion forces¡¯ really are some sort of advance scouts, as the guild seems to suspect, then they will want to learn where their enemies are,¡± Davon explained. ¡°If we make a lot of noise, they might be compelled to come and look, just in case they find something. We hide until they show themselves. Then, we ambush them.¡±

    To Davon¡¯s surprise, Kai didn¡¯t object to the sneak-attack strategy. In fact, he was practically vibrating with excitement at the thought of an actual battle with ¡®unknown invasion forces.¡¯

    Lyla, on the other hand, took a few moments to consider.

    ¡°Well¡­ I suppose that makes sense,¡± she finally conceded. Then her expression brightened. ¡°As a matter of fact, I think I could help. Find some cover.¡±

    Davon and Kai didn¡¯t argue. Immediately, they ducked into the nearby foliage to hide.

    Once she was certain her teammates were hidden, Lyla raised her spear towards the sky and chanted a few words. Enchanted flames appeared along the weapon. With one sharp motion, Lyla thrust the spear upward. All the flames surged to the spear¡¯s tip and burst up into the sky, creating a makeshift flare.

    Then Lyla herself dashed for a nearby hiding spot, and the trio began to wait.

    A minute passed, then five, then ten.

    Just as Davon was beginning to consider leaving his hiding spot, he caught a foul smell. The mixed scent of rot and sulfur heralded the arrival of the targets long before Davon could see them.

    And when he finally did lay eyes on the enemy, Davon¡¯s heart grew cold with fear.

    One by one, five small humanoid entities emerged from the surrounding forest. Calling them ¡®humanoid¡¯ was probably too generous. Though the creatures¡¯ heads and torsos were covered in black armor, Davon could tell they were heavily disfigured. The tallest was roughly half Davon¡¯s height. Their exposed limbs were disproportionately long and twisted at odd angles. Every bit of skin he saw appeared to be burned.

    Quieting the anxious thoughts screaming for his attention, Davon tried to focus on the task at hand. He considered his options. There was no way of knowing whether his bow would be strong enough to pierce the armor, and he wasn¡¯t willing to test it. So, his only real targets were the monster¡¯s exposed limbs.

    Quietly as he could, Davon nocked an arrow and prepared for things to kick off.

    The creatures drew closer and closer. Anxiety crept back into Davon¡¯s mind. Why hadn¡¯t he arranged a signal with his teammates? Were Kai and Lyla ready? What if the creatures found one of them before the trio could attack?

    Then, even as he was preparing to launch into the ambush himself, Davon saw Kai crash through the foliage with his axe at the ready.

    Kai swung his axe in a low, sweeping motion, directly into the unprotected legs of one of the creatures. Davon watched as the axe effortlessly cut through the thing¡¯s flesh, severing both legs right from under it. Kai continued, using the momentum of his strike in an attempt to bring his axe down on the thing¡¯s chest, but he was interrupted when the rest of the creatures swarmed him with unnatural speed.

    Kai was tackled by four different creatures and brought onto the ground. Davon could no longer see Kai beneath the pile of bodies, only hear the man¡¯s grunts of pain. Davon raised his bow and aimed at the creature on the top of the pile. He couldn¡¯t get a clear shot at the unprotected limbs, so he aimed at the monster¡¯s torso and hoped it would be enough to do something at least.

    His perception of time slowing in the familiar rush of adrenaline, Davon watched his arrow fly¡­ and bounce off the armor. Thankfully, the blow still had enough force to push the creature off of the pile, but the monster remained unharmed.

    From somewhere on his left, Davon heard the crackle of electricity. The next instant, another creature was blasted off of the pile by Lyla. Davon readied his bow again, but before he could shoot, a sharp pain in his left thigh made him cry out. Looking down, he saw the creature he had knocked off the pile snarling at his feet. The monster must have crawled over. Still on the ground, it had dug its disfigured nails into Davon¡¯s thigh.

    Compelled by unnatural instinct, Davon unlatched his bow¡¯s mechanism and invoked one of the new runes. Immediately, his blades released a dull, amber glow, and he swung without hesitation at the creature clawing at his thigh. One blade, then the other, each blow taking a segment of the thing¡¯s arms. Davon continued to swing, again and again, until he was slicing into the creature¡¯s torso. His blades found no resistance, even against the armor.

    Before Davon was fully aware of his actions, all that remained of the creature was a pile of blood, flesh, and bone.

    The glow on his blades faded. As he stood there, panting and covered in gore, Davon felt knowledge course through him from his connection to the Reliquary. He knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to invoke that particular power again for a while, but it had saved his life.

    A sudden flash of golden light brought Davon back to the present moment. He looked over to see the familiar golden barrier wrapped around Kai, who was still lying on the ground. Two creatures were repeatedly smashing their limbs against the barrier.

    Realizing that Kai would be fine for a few moments, Davon turned his attention to Lyla ¡ª just in time to see a creature leap towards her.

    Once again, time slowed for Davon. An unpleasant flashback to that day at the docks flared across his mind.

    In one smooth motion, Davon reattached the limbs of his bow and nocked an arrow. As he aimed at the creature, still mid-leap, he spotted his opportunity: the monster¡¯s armpits weren¡¯t armored.

    That was when Davon made a calculated risk.

    With his bow raised and ready, he waited for the creature to tackle Lyla to the ground. Then, just as the thing raised its arm to strike, he let his arrow fly. An agonizing eternity passed for Davon as he watched the arrow race against the creature¡¯s arm, which was already in a downwards arc and headed directly for Lyla¡¯s head.

    The arrow won.

    The sound of tearing flesh filled Davon¡¯s ears as the arrow impacted the creature, throwing its arm off of its intended trajectory. A pit opened in Davon¡¯s stomach as the thing¡¯s arm still slammed downward, but it hit the ground instead and left a miniature crater.

    ¡°The armpit is unprotected!¡± Davon shouted towards Lyla, then watched as she brought her spear up directly into the creature¡¯s vulnerable part. It collapsed on top of her, limp and motionless.

    The sound of shattering glass drew Davon¡¯s gaze back towards Kai. The sight left Davon speechless. Covered in cuts and bruises, Kai stood before his foes like a feral beast, his face twisted in a grimace of pure rage.

    Then Davon spotted a new glowing rune on Kai¡¯s axe.

    In a movement almost too fast for Davon to follow, Kai both raised and dropped his axe down into one of the creatures, cutting the monster in half. The next instant, the final creature leapt at Kai, wrapping itself around the man¡¯s torso and dragging its claws across his back. In a show of brutality Davon had only seen once before, Kai simply grabbed his enemy by the top of its head with one arm, and the base of the neck with the other, and pulled. A fountain of gore showered Kai as the creature fell to the ground in pieces.

    For a moment, the two men just stared at each other, each covered in the blood of their foes.

    ¡°Well, that was a bit too close for comfort,¡± Davon finally stated, watching his teammate closely.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah, you could say that again.¡± Kai was breathing hard, his face still a mask of animalistic rage. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the young man¡¯s fury subsided. He grinned broadly at Davon. ¡°But we lived, right?¡±

    Lyla¡¯s muffled cry drew the attention of the two men, sending them rushing to her aid.

    ¡°Please help me, I¡¯m stuck under this damn thing!¡±

 Chapter 8: Patrol

    Passersby looked on in silence as the three young Revenants carried the remains of their foes through the city. Davon was struck by the difference in the citizens¡¯ expressions from the day before. Most of them had been impressed when the trio brought in the griffin. Now, though, every face he saw showed only shock or deep concern.

    It was a different story when the group entered the Revenants¡¯ Guild House. There, everyone was remarkably interested in the monsters¡¯ mangled bodies, reminding Davon that this was the first encounter with the invaders anyone in Walden¡¯s Hold had experienced. A sense of pride welled up in his heart, giving him strength to struggle forward through the maze of hallways.

    It had been a grueling journey. Though the creatures were all half Davon¡¯s size, the armor made their bodies heavy. The trio didn¡¯t complain, but Davon knew all three of them were glad to reach the workshop and lower the corpses onto the Boneshapers¡¯ table.

    ¡°These creatures are¡­ fascinating.¡±

    The two Boneshapers spoke in eerie unison as they circled the table. Taking up their positions on opposite sides, they raised their hands. Immediately, several of the talismans around each of their necks lit up.

    ¡°This is unprecedented,¡± said one.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± said the other. ¡°For such small creatures, the quality is on par with some of the¡­¡±

    The Boneshaper trailed off, then turned to the trio. ¡°These materials could be used to improve your weapons by several tiers.¡±

    Davon narrowed his eyes. He didn¡¯t know much about how Revenants advanced, but this seemed too convenient to be true. Sure, the fight had been difficult, but did it really merit a significant advancement?

    Kai scratched the back of his head, apparently sharing Davon¡¯s confusion. ¡°Is that¡­ normal?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the Boneshapers said, again in unison. Then one continued, ¡°Usually, Revenants are lucky to have their weapon advance half a tier after imbuement. At least this early in their career.¡±

    The other Boneshaper took up the thread. ¡°Your weapons are currently classified as tier zero, like all fresh Reliquaries. With these materials, we could upgrade them to tier three.¡±

    ¡°However¡­ these are new creatures. We have not seen anything like them before,¡± the first Boneshaper explained, turning their gaze towards the group. ¡°Would it be agreeable to give you equivalent materials, so we may use these bodies for research?¡±

    Davon shared a look with his teammates, getting a shrug from Kai and an exhausted nod from Lyla. Turning back to the Boneshapers, he nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­ that sounds fair.¡±

    ¡°Excellent. Please, wait here a moment.¡±

    With startling strength, the pair of Boneshapers lifted all five bodies. Then they carried their prize into a back room, closing the door behind them.

    The workshop was left in silence, only occasionally broken by birdsong coming from outside. Davon looked through the wide open doors, taking in the training grounds bathed in crimson light as his thoughts wandered.

    ¡°What do you think they are, really?¡± he wondered aloud, gaze still fixed on the red-tinted training ground.

    ¡°The Boneshapers?¡± Kai asked.

    ¡°No.¡± Davon pointed to the door through which the bodies had been carried. ¡°Those¡­ things we fought.¡±

    Kai leaned against the wall beside Davon. ¡°Does it matter?¡±

    ¡°Of course it does,¡± Lyla said firmly. ¡°The more we know about our enemies, the more effectively we can fight them.¡±

    ¡°I guess.¡± Kai sounded doubtful. ¡°But¡­ why overthink it? We just need to kill them before they can kill us. That¡¯s the main point, right?¡±

    Davon opened his mouth, but before he could speak, the Boneshapers emerged from the back room.

    ¡°Apologies for the wait,¡± one of the robed figures said as they approached. ¡°Please, place your weapons on the table.¡±

    The group carefully laid their weapons on the workshop table, and the Boneshapers immediately began arranging a collection of strange bones around them. Davon focused on their work, trying to discern any meaning in the placement of the bones, but the significance remained shrouded in mystery.

    With the bones arranged in a circle around the Reliquaries, the two Boneshapers nodded at each other, then began chanting. It sounded different from the chant that had accompanied the griffin parts, slower and somehow more weighty. Davon watched as the bones gradually disintegrated into a glowing dust. Slowly, the dust rose from the table and drifted onto the weapons, coating them completely. Moments later, the glowing dust seeped into the Reliquaries, and the chanting stopped.

    At a nod from the Boneshapers, Davon reached out and grabbed his bow, inspecting it closely. He noticed a new sharpness to the bow¡¯s limbs. Summoning the ethereal bowstring, he tested the draw weight. Whereas before, he could pull the string back effortlessly, now there was a noticeable pull against his hand.

    A smile crept onto his face as he thought about the increase in power this would bring. Maybe he could now pierce the armor the monsters were wearing.

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    ¡°Take these, as an added bonus.¡± The Boneshapers interrupted Davon¡¯s musings, placing three bags onto the table. ¡°They¡¯re enchanted to be massive on the inside. Very useful for bringing back materials.¡±

    The trio exchanged a look. Davon knew they were all thinking of how helpful these bags would have been only a few hours before¡­

    But they couldn¡¯t voice that to the Boneshapers, of course. Instead, they each grabbed one of the bags, thanked the mysterious robed figures, and left the workshop.

    ¡°Ah, there you are.¡±

    A familiar voice grabbed Davon¡¯s attention as soon as he stepped outside. Looking up, he saw Grant entering the training grounds.

    ¡°We have news from neighboring cities,¡± Grant went on, before Davon could even return the greeting. ¡°Patrols of strange creatures have been creeping closer and closer to their walls. So I want you outside, now. You¡¯ll be patrolling around our city walls until sunset. You spot anything, you kill it and bring it to the gate. The guards will handle the rest.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Stalwarts¡¯ job?¡± Lyla asked, exhaustion and annoyance plain in her voice.

    ¡°They don¡¯t care about anything beyond the city walls,¡± Grant scoffed. ¡°Your job is to keep the area around the walls clear. Now, get going.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, Grant turned to leave, his gruff tone leaving no room for argument.

    Davon shared his teammates¡¯ annoyance, but he pushed it down with well-practiced ease. This was one of the most useful skills he had picked up on the ship, one he¡¯d called upon quite often when dealing with the first mate¡¯s requests.

    Limiting his protests to a heavy sigh, Davon turned to his companions. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s get this done.¡±

    ¡ª

    Kai offered to take the lead during the patrol, and Davon was more than happy to let him. The party walked slowly through the forest outside the city, following the wall while keeping a solid distance from it, their senses alert for movement on either side.

    After an hour, Davon estimated they had walked a quarter of the city wall¡¯s total length. He also realized there were still five hours of patrol left until sunset. The boredom he¡¯d been fighting set in fully, and his mind began to wander. To his surprise, the old favorite dreams of warm meals and a comfortable bed kept giving way to thoughts of his Reliquary, and to the one remaining blank rune.

    Then a motion in his periphery cut all wonderings short.

    Stopping in his tracks, Davon peered through the forest gloom. The ominous red sunlight made the shadows among the trees much darker, and it took Davon¡¯s full focus to pierce through them. His efforts were rewarded when he glimpsed the shape of a humanoid weaving through the trees. After another moment of silent watching, he realized the shape was moving alongside Kai, stalking its way towards the group.

    ¡°Heads up,¡± Davon hissed as quietly as he could, drawing his teammates¡¯ attention. He tipped his head slightly towards the shape. ¡°Something in the woods.¡±

    Tension filled the air as the group readied their weapons. Repositioning themselves into a more tactically sound formation, Davon took a few steps back while Kai stepped forward. Lyla fell back even further, outside of Davon¡¯s vision.

    Kai turned towards Davon, his voice a grim whisper. ¡°Are you sure you saw something?¡±

    Davon nodded calmly, and Kai flashed him a grin.

    ¡°Alright. Watch my back, then.¡±

    Momentarily confused, Davon watched as Kai raised his axe and then slammed it down into the ground. A flash of golden light enveloped Kai, turning him into a beacon against the forest¡¯s gloom.

    It took a few seconds for Davon¡¯s eyes to adjust, but when he recovered, he saw figures in the forest struggling against the sudden burst of light.

    Five humanoids, wearing the same black armor as the creatures the group had fought earlier in the day. These creatures, however, were a lot closer to regular humanoids. They were all nearly as tall as Davon. Their limbs were the right proportions. Their armor was complete, covering them from head to toe. Davon spotted spears in their hands and swords hanging from their belts.

    Davon¡¯s mind quickly caught up, and he raised his bow. Making the most of the enemies¡¯ disorientation, he aimed at the closest creature and let an arrow fly. The spectral arrow found its mark in the monster¡¯s chest, collapsing the armor inward. Gasping, the creature tilted its armored head down to look at its chest, then crumbled into a heap.

    As one of them fell, the other four creatures seemed to shake off the surprise caused by Kai¡¯s gambit. Spears raised, they charged forward in unison, surrounding Kai with surprising speed. Two stood in front of the young Revenant, facing him, while the two behind him turned towards Davon.

    Davon found this move foolish. Smirking, he pulled back the ethereal string, summoning another arrow.

    Then understanding struck: if he missed, or if his foe dodged, he would instead strike Kai¡¯s barrier, possibly Kai himself if the arrow pierced it.

    Davon hesitated, calculating the risks. Then he let the arrow go slack. Training his eyes on his foes, he waited for his moment.

    Suddenly, the sound of wind picked up behind Davon. Before he could react, he felt the force of wind pass him by. It hurtled into one of the creatures between him and Kai and sent the monster stumbling to the side.

    Without thinking, Davon readjusted his aim and loosed the arrow. He watched the missile fly true, piercing the creature¡¯s skull with a sickening crack. The sound echoed in his head, followed closely by a loud thud.

    Almost simultaneously, the two creatures facing off with Kai suddenly stabbed towards him, one low and one high, only to be stopped by his barrier. Davon expected to hear the familiar sound of the barrier cracking, but no such noise reached his ears.

    Nonchalantly, Kai raised his axe and swung it horizontally at his opponents. The sound of splintering wood echoed through the surrounding woods. One of the creatures raised its weapon to parry, but he couldn¡¯t stop the vicious assault. Kai buried his axe into the first creature, cutting almost halfway through its torso.

    The two remaining enemies watched as their ally went limp, still stuck on Kai¡¯s axe, and decided to make a desperate attempt to break through Kai¡¯s defenses. As one, they stabbed their spears into either side of the barrier. This time, the barrier collapsed with the sound of breaking glass, but it was a useless endeavor. Kai pulled back his axe, blocking one of the attacks by using the body stuck on his weapon as a shield. With his other hand, he grabbed the spear aimed at his back.

    A sudden whizzing sound caught Davon¡¯s attention, and he turned just in time to see Lyla¡¯s spear flying through the air with unnatural speed. For an instant, Davon was convinced the spear was going to land in Kai¡¯s back. At the last moment, however, it arced as if carried by wind and circumvented Kai, hitting one of the two remaining enemies squarely in the head.

    The final foe, their spear still firmly held by Kai, let go of their weapon and ran for their life.

    Davon was almost insulted by the attempt. He savored the crackling of energy as he raised his bow, took aim, and fired. The arrow lit up the trees and foliage it passed in its flight, before burying itself in the back of the creature¡¯s skull.

    The thud of their final enemy hitting the ground echoed in triumph through Davon¡¯s ears, and he felt a potent wave of confidence building in his chest.

    Maybe all his doubts were unwarranted. Maybe, just maybe, there was no reason to worry.

    ¡°All done, and not a scratch on us,¡± Davon said, making no attempt to conceal the pride in his voice. ¡°Let¡¯s get these bodies to the gate.¡±

 Chapter 9: Encampment

    Morning light bathed the Guild¡¯s mess hall in shades of gold and dark, ominous red. But despite the menacing crimson tint, Davon enjoyed the moment of peace with his teammates.

    Only the three of them and a couple other teams were in the room, reminding him of his days on the ship. Even if his appetite was shrinking with each passing day, Davon still appreciated the chance to sit down with the ¡®crew¡¯ over a meal.

    As usual, Kai was the first to break the silence.

    ¡°Did either of you check the quest board yet?¡±

    ¡°No work before breakfast,¡± Davon retorted, pointing his fork at Kai. ¡°New rule. So no, I haven¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s something very interesting there today,¡± Kai exclaimed with a grin. ¡°Scouts came across an encampment. Guild wants it cleared.¡±

    Lyla¡¯s head snapped up, her gaze fixed on Kai. ¡°Encampment? How close to the city?¡±

    ¡°Three miles eastward, towards the hills.¡± Kai leaned forward, dropping his voice to a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s marked ¡®Intermediate.¡¯ How do you two feel about stepping out of ¡®Novice¡¯ quests?¡±

    Davon shared a look with Lyla. Confidence had been brewing in his heart since they decimated the creatures during their patrol the day before. Seeing his own eagerness reflected in the petite woman¡¯s piercing green eyes, he knew he was not alone.

    ¡°I reckon it¡¯s about time,¡± he said, returning Kai¡¯s grin.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Kai stood up as he clapped his hands together, drawing the attention of every other person in the room. ¡°Then let¡¯s gear up and get going!¡±

    ¡ª

    An hour later, the trio were deep into the forests east of Walden¡¯s Hold. The farther they got from the city, the denser the foliage and undergrowth became. Thinking back, Davon was amused at how much time he had spent trekking through forests since becoming a Revenant.

    All that talk of immortality and slaying monsters, he thought, picking his way around yet another patch of thorn bushes. The job description didn¡¯t say anything about endless nature walks.

    ¡°We should be close now,¡± Lyla muttered from the back of the group. ¡°If I¡¯m reading this map correctly, anyway¡­¡±

    For a fleeting moment, Davon felt anxious at the prospect of becoming lost in the forest. He¡¯d spent so long on a ship, he wasn¡¯t sure how to find his way on land.

    Thankfully, his worries were quickly buried as a familiar scent caught his attention: rot and sulfur. His companions both covered their noses, apparently noticing the smell.

    The trio looked at each other. Sharing an unspoken agreement, they slowed their advance, taking extra care to move silently through the forest.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Davon spotted a clearing ahead, with a glimpse of patchwork walls beyond the tree line.

    ¡°Hey, Lyla,¡± Davon whispered, looking over his shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve got something explosive in that spellbook?¡±

    Lyla shook her head. ¡°That kind of magic was kept under lock and key back home, and I haven¡¯t had the chance to search the Guild¡¯s library yet.¡±

    ¡°We could always approach it head-on,¡± Kai interjected, unable to hide his excitement. ¡°Or I can be a distraction again. Worked out well enough with the griffin.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s in there. Too risky.¡± Davon crept closer to the tree line, thinking hard. ¡°What about that wind spell? Any chance you could lift one of us?¡±

    ¡°I could theoretically launch one of us, but I can¡¯t guarantee how far,¡± Lyla replied, clutching at the book under her cloak.

    As they drew closer to the tree line, Davon noticed an entrance into the encampment. Within, he could see two of the larger creatures standing guard, both fully covered by the familiar black armor. Beyond the entrance, he saw a few tents, made from what seemed to be gray leather.

    Davon strained his ears, but he was too far away to hear anything other than vague noises from inside the encampment.

    ¡°Then I suppose we take it slow.¡± He gestured towards the guards. ¡°Take them out one by one¡­ or two by two.¡±

    ¡°Or we take the whole camp head-on,¡± Kai suggested again. ¡°The ones we fought yesterday weren¡¯t exactly tough.¡±

    ¡°Why not a compromise?¡± Lyla countered. ¡°We take out as many as we can before they notice us, then fight in the open.¡±

    After a moment of consideration, Kai nodded. ¡°Yeah. That works.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Lyla, you take the one on the left,¡± Davon commanded. ¡°I¡¯ll take the other.¡±

    He raised his bow, dropping his voice to a deadly whisper.

    ¡°Three¡­¡±

    Davon took careful aim, the soft crackle of energy filling his ears.

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    ¡°Two¡­¡±

    The world seemed to narrow as he pulled the string, leaving only his target in his vision.

    ¡°One!¡±

    The word came out a little louder than Davon intended as he let his arrow fly. With his focus fully on his target, he barely noticed Lyla¡¯s spear soar by him. The two projectiles struck the guards almost simultaneously. One body fell to the ground with a thud, while the other went limp, hanging by the tip of Lyla¡¯s spear.

    Lyla recalled her weapon with a peculiar twist of her hand, and Davon watched in mild amusement as the floating spear dragged the creature¡¯s body to them. The trio waited, listening for any signs of retaliation.

    One minute passed, then two, then five.

    Unchallenged, they crept slowly towards the encampment, finally reaching the entrance. Slowly, cautiously, Davon peered around the edge of the patchwork wall.

    The first thing he spotted was a massive fire pit at the center of the camp, surrounded by three tents. The tent flaps were open, each revealing a table and crates within. The tables were covered in papers, while the crates were all carefully sealed shut.

    Davon noted only three living creatures within the camp itself. They were all gathered around the fire pit and seemed to be trying to start a fire.

    Watching them, Davon noticed a brief flicker the corner of his eye, like there was movement at the edge of camp. But when he focused his attention on the spot, he saw nothing.

    You¡¯re getting paranoid, he chided himself. Now is not the time for nerves.

    Davon shared a look with his teammates, quickly making a series of gestures to relay his plan of attack, then raised his bow. In his periphery, he watched Kai raise three fingers, beginning the silent countdown. When the third finger lowered, Davon let his arrow fly at the same moment Lyla loosed her spear. Two of the creatures fell dead with little fanfare. The third, caught off-guard, spun around just in time to see Kai¡¯s axe coming down on his head.

    As the final body fell to the ground with a loud CLANK of armor, Davon didn¡¯t allow himself to relax. Bow raised, he stepped into the encampment, eyes scanning for any possible hiding spots. Once he was certain no more enemies were present, he lowered his guard and turned to his teammates.

    Kai had already set about dismembering the bodies and storing them in his enchanted material bag, while Lyla was examining a set of papers in one of the tents.

    ¡°Anything useful?¡± Davon asked, joining her.

    ¡°Maps.¡± Her eyes were glued to the papers. ¡°Covering everything from Walden¡¯s Hold to the capital. All the roads used for supply routes have been marked.¡±

    Anxiety crept back into Davon¡¯s mind. ¡°Supply routes¡­ we need to get this back to the Guild.¡±

    ¡°Agreed. Fully. Come, let¡¯s ch¡ª¡°

    Lyla was uninterrupted by a painfully familiar sound: arrows whizzing through the air.

    Davon ducked out of reflex, barely reacting in time. A sharp pain burst against the side of his head as he fell to his knees. He felt a warm liquid flowing down his cheek.

    Kai¡¯s cry of agony cut through Davon¡¯s shock. Looking up, Davon saw several arrows sticking out of Kai¡¯s back. Crimson rivulets marred the warrior¡¯s coat.

    Seemingly unbothered by this, Kai spun around, drawing Davon¡¯s eyes in the same direction.

    An imposing figure loomed at the camp¡¯s entrance. Standing a head taller than Kai, it was adorned in crimson-trimmed black armor. The helmet bore the visage of a screaming face with protruding fangs, and two long horns curled backwards from the forehead. In its hands, the figure held a long, slender blade, glistening in the crimson sunlight.

    Cold sweat covered Davon¡¯s forehead as he stood back up, eyes locked on the new enemy. The creature raised its free hand with an ominous chuckle. The air within the camp seemed to shimmer in response to the gesture.

    When the shimmer dissipated, Davon came to the realization that they were greatly outnumbered.

    Now that whatever magic had been hiding them was dispelled, Davon counted at least twenty more soldiers within the camp. Another dozen stood beside who Davon assumed was the leader.

    The anxiety he¡¯d been quieting in the back of his mind roared to life, gripping his heart with icy fear.

    Davon wasn¡¯t the first to act. With a thunderous roar, Kai raised his axe and swung at the nearest foe. Before his axe could make contact, however, the enemy leader dashed towards Kai and parried his blow effortlessly.

    Anger twisted Kai¡¯s face as he carried the axe into another attack, using the new momentum against the enemy leader. In an attempt to help, Davon raised his bow and quickly shot an arrow towards the same target. Even in his panicked state, Davon¡¯s aim was true.

    But his brief spark of hope was quickly extinguished when his arrow bounced harmlessly off the leader¡¯s armor. Kai¡¯s momentum was likewise cut short as the giant figure grabbed the blade of his axe, stopping his attack cold.

    ¡°Fool.¡±

    A deep, distorted voice echoed through the camp as the leader finally retaliated. Moving so fast that Davon could barely track it, the armor-clad figure kicked Kai¡¯s weapon out of his hands and simultaneously drove its own blade into the young Revenant¡¯s gut.

    Time slowed. Davon¡¯s world narrowed as his mind immediately returned to the docks. Lyla was screaming, but the sound was muffled by the fear rising to flood his senses.

    Fear turned into panic as his eyes darted from enemy to enemy. At least a dozen archers were raising their weapons towards him and Lyla.

    Something deep within Davon snapped, hardening his panic into a desperate will to survive.

    Riding the surge of adrenaline, Davon lifted his bow, and his mind instantly connected with it. A glow emanated from the blank rune as he pulled the string, and a silvery sound cut through the air as he let go.

    When the arrow reached its target, it splintered into a thousand sharp slivers, covering a group of archers before they could react.

    Scattershot, he thought, his lips twisting into the briefest of smiles. So that¡¯s what that rune does.

    A yelp of pain from Kai cut off Davon¡¯s satisfaction in his bow¡¯s new abilities. Turning, Davon saw the creatures¡¯ leader twisting its blade further into Kai¡¯s gut.

    Davon felt, more than saw, Lyla fly by him. Carried by a strong current of wind, she¡¯d launched herself at the leader, spear poised to strike. Her cape fluttering around her, Lyla collided with the creatures¡¯ leader. A loud scraping sound followed as her spear failed to pierce the armor.

    The creature looked down at the desperate youth. It let out a low chuckle, then struck her with a backhand, sending her to the ground as her weapon flew out of her grasp.

    Kai roared in anger, the blade in his gut not enough to stop him as he swung his arms with all of his might. His fists made contact with the creature¡¯s helmet again and again, sliding off helplessly each time.

    ¡°Die,¡± the creature said, disdain clear in its voice.

    It pulled the blade out of Kai, letting him fall onto his knees. Then, with one swift movement, it cut across the young man¡¯s neck. Despair gripped Davon¡¯s heart well and truly as he watched Kai¡¯s head roll off of his shoulders.

    Anguish shot through Davon¡¯s veins, freezing him in place. He watched, helpless, as Lyla tried to crawl towards her spear, only to be stopped by the terrifying creature planting its foot on her back. With another dry chuckle, the thing then slid its blade down and through Lyla¡¯s head, leaving her lifeless on the ground.

    Still, Davon couldn¡¯t move. He stared at the archers as they drew back their bows, aiming straight at him.

    How ironic, he thought, as one of the many arrows shot in his direction headed directly for one of his eyes.

 Chapter 10: Imbuement Chamber

    When he woke up, all Davon could remember was darkness. Quiet, cold, still, and never-ending. Then his lungs subconsciously drew breath again.

    That was when the pain started.

    Every breath burned as if he¡¯d inhaled embers. Davon tried to scream, but he couldn¡¯t open his mouth. He tried to move, to curl into a ball, but his limbs didn¡¯t listen. He couldn¡¯t even open his eyes. The only movement he could muster was a twitch of his fingers.

    Panic gripped him. He was trapped in his own body, inhaling pain with each breath, feeling every agonizing millisecond of it until¡­

    He heard his heart beat. A slow, drawn-out beat, echoing in his head. The movement felt as painful in his chest as the breath in his lungs. But with each anguished pump, the agony began to subside.

    The change was miniscule, at first. The pain seemed reluctant to leave. And as it faded, Davon found no answers to the questions bouncing around his frightened mind.

    How much time had passed while he was stuck inside his body? Where had he been before this? What horrors were awaiting him after?

    Finally, when the pain had faded to a dull ache that was all too familiar, Davon¡¯s eyes shot open.

    Regret immediately surged through him as his left eye erupted in a different kind of pain. He reached out instinctively to rub the pain away, but as soon as his finger made contact with the eyelid, another wave of agony flooded through his body. Gritting his teeth, Davon waited for this new tide of anguish to recede.

    But this time, when the pain faded, it left new clarity in its wake. Slowly, Davon¡¯s memories began shifting into place.

    Memories of his death.

    At first, he could only remember the moment directly before he died. The arrowhead drawing and closer to his head was the first image his dazed mind conjured into being. Soon, he remembered more and more, rapidly recovering his memory of the past few days, then further and further back.

    But there was something else. Layered in with pictures from his own life were flashes of strange imagery which he couldn¡¯t place. They were vague, almost dreamy, like memories of memories¡­

    With a shudder, Davon opened his eyes again.

    He was lying in a bed, in a room built in the same style as the Guild House. The familiarity put him at ease. Looking around, he saw there were two other beds in the room, both occupied. Relief washed over him as he recognized the beds¡¯ occupants as Kai and Lyla.

    Davon sat up, cautiously stretching his limbs. He felt sluggish, and each movement brought with it more of that familiar dull ache.

    Blinking hard, he tried to focus on inspecting his companions, relieved to find no immediate trace of their previous deaths. He frowned when he spotted their fingers twitching, realizing they were going through the same painful process he¡¯d just completed. Still, he was glad to know they were back with him.

    Under all these feelings, however, Davon was aware of something else. Like a shadow beneath the waves, doubt lingered in his heart. It was an unnatural weight, pressing on his chest in an attempt to keep him down, to drag him back to the blackness of death.

    He remembered Grant¡¯s warning, when he was first invited to become a Revenant.

    ¡®Every time you die¡­ it takes a toll. Resurrection, even more so.¡¯

    Davon thought he was beginning to understand.

    His pondering was cut short when Kai suddenly sat up in bed, face buried in his hands. The young man was breathing heavily, clearly in a panic.

    ¡°Kai?¡± Davon called out, his voice nearly unrecognizable. The word stung as he realized just how dry his throat was.

    Kai turned to look at Davon. His face was contorted with fear, but he calmed visibly as he quickly scanned the room.

    Finally, he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

    ¡°Well¡­ that was utterly harrowing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Davon agreed. ¡°Yeah it was.¡±

    Kai continued to breathe deeply, and Davon¡¯s eyes wandered to the bow leaning against his bed. His Reliquary was glowing ever so faintly. Feeling a tug in his gut, almost like the bow was calling to him, Davon reached for his weapon.

    As soon as he wrapped his fingers around the bow¡¯s handle, the weight on his chest lessened. He took a moment to inspect the runes on its side, noting that the final one had taken shape.

    Not a moment later, Lyla stirred in her bed, gently pushing herself up into a sitting position. She seemed to be having a different experience from her companions. More than anything, she looked drowsy, as if she¡¯d just woken from a dream rather than undergoing resurrection.

    ¡°Lyla!¡± Kai exclaimed.

    Lyla jumped, shocked out of her drowsiness. ¡°Oh. We¡¯re all here,¡± she noted, looking anxiously around the room. ¡°And so are our Reliquaries.¡±

    Davon watched as Lyla picked up her spear, placing it in her lap. Her expression grew calm as soon as the weapon was safely within her grasp.

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    Looking down at the bow in his hands, Davon savored his own growing sense of peace. He felt himself smiling as he ran his fingers gently along the bony surface of the weapon¡¯s limbs.

    Suddenly, the door to the room opened. A familiar masked figure stepped through, halting when he realized the trio was awake.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re finally up.¡± Doctor Yurren¡¯s keen gaze swept over the trio as he held the door open behind him. ¡°Took you long enough.¡±

    The group shared confused looks before Davon spoke up.

    ¡°What do you mean? How long were we¡­ gone?¡±

    ¡°Just shy of three weeks, boy,¡± the doctor replied. ¡°But you¡¯re awake now, and you seem to be fully recovered. Physically, anyway. So, please leave this room. Other patients have need of it.¡±

    With that, Doctor Yurren turned and left, before the bewildered Revenants could ask any more questions.

    Lyla and Kai looked at each other, then at Davon. As one, they shrugged. Then they gathered their weapons and left the room.

    One look around confirmed that they were back in Walden¡¯s Hold. In fact, they were in the Guild House. Leaving the infirmary, they soon found themselves in the garden where they had first met that bright summer day.

    Compared to that morning, the garden had lost some of its luster.

    The many assorted flowers were wilting. Their colors seemed muted, though Davon couldn¡¯t tell if that was simply because the crimson sunlight cast everything in the same dull shade of red. Then he turned his attention to the tree which was the centerpiece of the garden. Unease coiled through his stomach as Doctor Yurren¡¯s words finally sank in.

    That¡¯s why the plants look unhealthy.

    Looking at his teammates, he saw they were having the same realization.

    Autumn had arrived.

    ¡°That¡­ that can¡¯t be right.¡± Davon said, his mind fighting against the truth. ¡°Did our resurrection really take that long?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ the Revenants in my family did mention it could take some time.¡± Kai¡¯s voice was heavy with defeat. ¡°But I always thought they meant a day or two, not this¡­¡±

    Lyla remained silent for a while. When she did speak, her tone was determinedly even. ¡°Going forward, we need to think things through more carefully.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ each death will cost us much more than I initially thought,¡± Davon affirmed, thinking about all the time they had lost. ¡°We were foolish to assume the enemy couldn¡¯t use magic as well.¡±

    ¡°We were foolish to assume we would measure up to whatever was in that encampment.¡± Lyla searched through her cloak, letting out a sigh of relief when she found her book. ¡°It was overconfidence that killed us, more so than the monsters we faced.¡±

    Kai slammed his fist into the palm of his hand. ¡°We need to get stronger!¡±

    ¡°Even when we do, we can¡¯t allow ourselves to underestimate our enemies,¡± Davon retorted, staring down the young warrior.

    ¡°Sounds like you have learned a valuable lesson in death.¡±

    Grant¡¯s voice startled the trio. Turning, they saw the old Revenant standing at the entrance to the Guild House, arms crossed.

    ¡°And you¡¯re right,¡± he said gruffly. ¡°You need to grow stronger. I think it¡¯s about time I showed you how.¡±

    Grant turned to leave, gesturing for the group to follow him deeper into the Guild House.

    ¡°While we walk, there are things you should know,¡± Grant began, his tone unusually serious. ¡°One of the neighboring cities, Heinburg, has fallen.¡±

    The words fell on Davon¡¯s ears like hammers, sending a shudder down his spine as Grant continued:

    ¡°A week ago, a considerable force of Crimson Reavers laid siege to the city. Yes, the Guild finally decided on a name for these monsters. The siege lasted only three days.¡±

    ¡°Heinburg is gone?¡± Lyla asked, her voice hollow with shock.

    ¡°Presumably occupied. But¡­ no survivors ever made it out of the city.¡± Grant¡¯s broad shoulders sagged. ¡°We can only guess, but everyone who lived there is likely dead.¡±

    ¡°What of their Revenants?¡± Kai asked in bewilderment. ¡°Heinburg had a contingent of Stalwarts larger than the one here.¡±

    Grant¡¯s answer confirmed Davon¡¯s fears.

    ¡°Dead, the whole lot of them. They reformed here. We¡¯re waiting on their resurrections to get details out of them.¡±

    ¡°Please tell me the Stalwarts here are taking things more seriously now,¡± Lyla pleaded.

    ¡°They claim we¡¯ll be safe.¡± Grant shook his head in annoyance. ¡°They¡¯re convinced we won¡¯t be attacked because we¡¯re not further inland from Heinburg. They¡¯re treating this as a simple war, when we¡¯re dealing with otherworldly invaders.¡±

    ¡°Maybe when the rest of the Stalwarts resurrect, they can convince the local ones they¡¯re wrong,¡± Kai suggested.

    ¡°Aye, but enough about that for now. We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Grant stopped before a set of ornate stone doors. ¡°The Imbuement Chamber. Where your growth really begins.¡±

    The trio shot Grant questioning looks in unison, but Grant ignored them and pushed the doors open. Davon strained his eyes. He couldn¡¯t discern anything beyond the chamber¡¯s darkness.

    Stepping back, Grant indicated that the group should enter. They obeyed after a slight hesitation. As soon as they were inside, Grant closed the door behind them, leaving them completely in the dark.

    Anxiety gripped Davon as he continued to walk forwards, gently feeling around for¡­ well, anything. He tried calling out for his teammates, but his voice seemed to get absorbed into the darkness around him. Unpleasant memories of his resurrection surfaced in his mind. He gripped his bow, fighting off a sense of weight pushing down on his chest.

    Thankfully, these reminiscences were cut short when a voiced echoed all around him.

    ¡°Revenant found. Beginning assessment.¡± Without any visible source, the voice seemed to speak directly into Davon¡¯s mind. ¡°Rating physical capabilities: Strength three, Endurance five, Agility four. Rating magical capabilities: Resonance two, Aptitude eight.¡±

    Incredibly confused, Davon felt his mind racing. What did all these numbers even mean? And how did they compare to other Revenants?

    ¡°Results: Average Novice,¡± the voice stated. Davon felt somewhat insulted. ¡°Compatible materials detected within chamber. Commence Imbuement?¡±

    The sudden question sent Davon¡¯s mind scrambling for useful context. Imbuement was a good thing¡­ right? He remembered the Boneshapers using the term when they made his Reliquary stronger.

    ¡°Uh¡­ yes,¡± Davon sputtered.

    ¡°Commencing Imbuement.¡±

    A strange feeling washed over Davon as soon as the voice made its announcement. It was like a thousand pins and needles had suddenly been pushed into his skin all at once. Then they pushed deeper, into his bones. He expected pain, but never felt it.

    After a few awkward minutes of silence, the voice finally exclaimed: ¡°Imbuement complete. Capabilities improved: Endurance six, Agility eight, Resonance five, Aptitude twenty.¡±

    Davon was surprised to hear how much the process had seemed to strengthen him, even if it was only represented by numbers at this point. In particular, the jump in aptitude caught him off guard. He wasn¡¯t sure how much an increase of twelve points would do, but it sounded like a lot.

    And as if to answer his question, the voice spoke again: ¡°New results: Powerful Novice. Process complete, releasing Revenant.¡±

    Before he could process these words, Davon was startled by the sound of stone doors sliding open behind him, bathing him in light. Taking this as a sign that he should leave, he walked towards the open doorway and stepped outside, back into the hallway where his companions and Grant were waiting for him.

    ¡°You probably won¡¯t notice the difference immediately,¡± Grant said, smiling at the apparent confusion lingering on their faces. ¡°But trust me, out in the field, this will make quite the difference.¡±

    The trio shared a look. Davon saw his own strange mixture of apprehension and anticipation brewing in his teammates¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°Oh, and before you ask, no one knows who decided the Chamber should speak,¡± Grant added, a hint of irritation in his voice. ¡°And if you ever find out, do let me know. I¡¯d like a word.¡±

 Chapter 11: Convoy

    After the team¡¯s first resurrection and visit to the Imbuement Chamber, Davon thought they could use a low-stress mission to get back into the swing of things. To that end, he accepted a scouting run from the quest board. The only goal was to check on a rumored sighting of Crimson Reaver forces. Simple enough.

    Even so, as they prepared to set out in the eerie red light of early morning, Kai announced he was staying behind in Walden¡¯s Hold.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just blow your cover if you need to sneak,¡± he said, attempting a casual grin. ¡°I¡¯d better sit this one out.¡±

    The other two didn¡¯t argue. But the truth was painfully obvious to Davon, and he assumed Lyla had reached the same conclusion. Resurrection had hit Kai the hardest. All of his usual optimism was gone. He spent most of his time moping.

    Still, there wasn¡¯t much Davon or Lyla could do. They just said goodbye and set off into the forest, leaving Kai to wander back towards the barracks.

    Davon lifted his head as they walked. A gentle breeze caressed his face, bringing a familiar comfort with it. Even without the smell of brine, the morning air reminded him of simpler times.

    He cast a quick glance behind him to confirm that Lyla was still keeping up. Her face was twisted with concern, her eyes staring at the ground in front of her without seeing it. She had been more distracted than usual since their resurrection. She was even neglecting her normal habit of reading at any given opportunity.

    Slowing down until he was walking beside her, Davon broke the silence.

    ¡°How are you holding up?¡±

    Lyla turned to him, unable to hide the surprise on her face, then took a moment before replying.

    ¡°Better than it might seem. I¡¯m just¡­ concerned for Kai, among other things.¡±

    ¡°Kai will be fine. People like him don¡¯t stay down for long,¡± Davon said, trying to sound confident. Then he narrowed his eyes. ¡°But¡­ what other things?¡±

    Lyla¡¯s expression grew carefully blank.

    ¡°Before you woke up¡­ from the resurrection, I mean¡­¡± She stopped walking, then looked directly into Davon¡¯s eyes. ¡°Did you see anything?¡±

    The question caught Davon off guard. He paused to collect his thoughts, recalling the strange memories that had flashed through his mind moments before awakening.

    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± he replied slowly. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what exactly it was. Now that I think back, I can¡¯t even recall any details. It was more¡­ echoes of memories than anything solid.¡±

    Lyla nodded as she started walking again. ¡°Yes. I saw the same thing. Only¡­ I remember some of it.¡±

    Davon shot her an interested glance, waiting for more.

    ¡°Voices, writing, flashes of the night sky,¡± Lyla began, her voice shaking with uncertainty. ¡°I don¡¯t know what any of it meant. But it¡¯s been repeating in my mind since.¡±

    It was then that Davon caught the sound of wheels rolling down the road towards them.

    ¡°A mystery for later, I suppose,¡± he whispered, pointing ahead. ¡°We have company.¡±

    As they moved closer to the sound, a familiar smell reached out to envelop Davon, making his stomach churn.

    Rot and sulfur.

    ¡°Hide!¡± Davon growled as quietly as he could before dashing towards the nearby trees. It took Lyla only a second to catch up with him.

    Davon kept his eyes glued to the road, anxiety welling up in his gut. He could feel his heart beating faster and faster as the first Crimson Reaver walked into sight. It was a human-sized, fully armored soldier, just like the group the trio had fought while on patrol. Then another appeared, then another. A whole troop of the creatures came marching down the road, pulling on a myriad of chains connected to a massive cart.

    The cart was carrying a strange collection of materials. Some pieces seemed to be made of flesh. Others looked like bits of carapace held together with pieces of black metal.

    After a moment, Davon realized exactly what he was looking at.

    War machines.

    Ballistae, catapults, pieces of a trebuchet. He¡¯d seen them enough times at Port Perle to recognize them immediately.

    All at once, Davon remembered what Grant had told them about the city of Heinburg. The anxiety in Davon¡¯s mind exploded into panic. Every urge told him to turn and run, to get back to Walden¡¯s Hold and warn them of the incoming invasion.

    He took a deep breath, forcing those urges down. It wasn¡¯t enough to know the enemy was on the way. To help Walden¡¯s Hold, he needed to wait and learn as much as possible about the incoming force.

    So, he waited. He watched as dozens upon dozens of Crimson Reaver soldiers marched slowly past them. Davon thanked the skies above that this war procession was moving slowly. If the invasion force kept to their current pace, Davon and Lyla could take a shortcut through the forest and beat them to Walden¡¯s Hold by at least half a day.

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    Then a guttural shout echoed through the forest. The convoy halted. Reflexively, Davon ducked further under cover, almost crashing into Lyla. They both froze for a few terrified seconds. But as the sound of more voices rose from the convoy¡¯s direction, Davon swallowed his fear and peeked out again.

    Standing on the road beside the convoy was a massive figure in crimson-trimmed black armor. At first sight, Davon thought it was the leader who had killed him and his teammates at the enemy encampment. But this beast wore a different helmet, with three horns instead of two.

    The monster was barking something in a language Davon couldn¡¯t understand. As it spoke, more and more soldiers gathered around it, keeping a respectful distance.

    ¡°That must be their leader,¡± Lyla hissed, peeking out from behind Davon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Or one of them, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Helmet¡¯s different than the last one,¡± Davon replied, furrowing his brow. ¡°Chances are there¡¯s multiple of those beasts coming to the siege. Wonderful.¡±

    They were both silent for a moment, as if picturing a flood of the imposing figures swarming over Walden¡¯s Hold.

    When Lyla spoke, her voice was tight with fear.

    ¡°We should head back and warn the city.¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡± Davon shook his head. ¡°We need to get the full scope of their forces first.¡±

    The pair continued watching. Moments later, three Crimson Reavers stepped out from the group and drew close to the leader. While their armor was the same as the other soldiers wore, Davon noted these three had decorative capes around their shoulders.

    Silently, Davon directed Lyla¡¯s attention to the caped trio. In that same moment, the three Crimson Reavers saluted the leader and split off, shouting orders to the regular soldiers around them.

    As the convoy resumed its movement, Davon¡¯s nerves finally got to him. Surely they couldn¡¯t wait any longer. But just as he turned to Lyla to suggest they get moving, the end of the convoy finally rolled into view.

    Davon inhaled sharply at the sight.

    The final cart held a gigantic cage. Within it were two massive creatures covered partially in black armor. Each of them was roughly twelve feet tall, and as wide as three men standing beside each other. Their arms and legs were disproportionately small compared to their torsos, but every bit of ashen gray flesh Davon could see was nothing but muscle.

    To top off this intimidating image, helmets covered their faces completely. The only visible feature was a massive horn protruding from the middle of their heads.

    Davon looked at Lyla.

    ¡°Time to go?¡± she asked shakily.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Open the gates!¡± Davon shouted as the pair finally reached Walden¡¯s Hold.

    A guard peeked over the ramparts. After a brief exchange of shouts, the gates began to raise.

    Davon didn¡¯t wait for the gates to open fully. Instead, he slid under them as soon as he could fit through and ran up to the nearest guard.

    ¡°Who¡­ who is in charge of the Stalwarts?¡± Davon asked, doubling over and squeezing his words in between breaths.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid Knight Franz still isn¡¯t ¡ª¡°

    ¡°I know Franz isn¡¯t here, damn it! There¡¯s an army coming! We need to warn the Stalwarts!¡±

    The guard stumbled, as if driven backwards by the shock. Quickly recovering himself, he gestured for the pair to follow him.

    ¡°Alright. This way.¡±

    Davon¡¯s muscles were aching with exhaustion, but he still found it hard not to push forward as the guard led them towards the nearby barracks. Anxiety was racing like wildfire through his veins. He kept glancing towards the city walls, scanning the ramparts. There were only a few guards up there. None of them were Revenants.

    Cold sweat formed on his brow. How many Revenants were even in the city? How many were out on quests?

    Once they reached the barracks, the guard led them up a set of stairs and into a moderately sized room. A large table dominated the space, surrounded by chairs. At the opposite side of the room stood a heavily armored figure with its back turned to the door. From where he stood, Davon could only make out a blond ponytail and a blue shawl draped around the figure¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°Sir Meyer, some scouts here to see you,¡± the guard announced with a quick bow. Then he left the room, closing the door behind him.

    Meyer turned to face them. The red sunshine pouring through a single large window cast his handsome face in an ominous light as he stared at them intently. His piercing blue eyes seemed to bore directly into Davon¡¯s soul.

    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Grant¡¯s latest prot¨¦g¨¦s, lacking one member.¡± Meyer¡¯s voice dripped with condescension. ¡°What news do you bring?¡±

    His haughty tone immediately tugged at something deep within Davon, sending waves of anger through him. Davon grit his teeth. He hadn¡¯t experienced this strong of a reaction in a while. Before, it had been exclusive to the second mate, whenever the idiot was pretending he knew how to run a ship.

    Davon cleared his throat and managed to calm himself before speaking.

    ¡°Sir, we found a Crimson Reaver convoy headed for the city. They¡¯ll be here by sun fall.¡±

    Meyer sighed, clearly unimpressed. His gaze dropped to the map laid out on the table in front of him.

    ¡°By my count, there were at least two hundred soldiers,¡± Davon continued, swallowing down the bubbling anger in his gut. ¡°They had siege engines in tow, and cages containing some kind of massive beast.¡±

    ¡°Whatever they bring, it will break against our walls.¡± Meyer waved his hand dismissively. ¡°We are prepared.¡±

    ¡°With all due respect, sir, I disagree. I ¡ª¡°

    Davon was interrupted by the sound of Meyer¡¯s fist slamming down onto the table.

    ¡°You what?¡± Meyer growled. ¡°Do you even know what siege engines look like? And how dare you lecture me about beasts? Have you ever seen monsters, all the way back on that island you call home?¡±

    Fury overflowed in his chest. Davon barely held himself back from shouting at the acting commander of the Stalwarts.

    Somehow, he held his tongue. Picking a fight here wouldn¡¯t help.

    ¡°As. I. Said. They won¡¯t make it past the walls,¡± Meyer continued, straightening his posture. ¡°And remember: I won¡¯t have some islander tell me how to defend MY city.¡±

    The final sentence told Davon everything he needed to know. Wordlessly, he turned and walked out of the room, quickening his pace until he was out of the barracks. He heard light footsteps hurrying after him.

    ¡°Davon! Slow down!¡± Lyla¡¯s voice reached his ears, halting his step. He turned to look at her, reading the worry on her face. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    It took Davon a moment to pull his thoughts free from the torrent of rage in his head.

    ¡°The Stalwarts don¡¯t want to hear us out, so we should warn the Guild,¡± he finally ground out. ¡°We need to find Kai¡­ and Grant, or Mia.¡±

    Lyla nodded in agreement, falling in step beside Davon as he set off for the Guild House. ¡°Mia only shows up when she wants to be found. Kai is probably hanging around the mess¡­ and Grant is usually near the warehouse.¡±

    The pair picked up their pace, running down the city streets. Davon paid little attention to the curious glares they attracted. They had no time to be careful. Even a moment¡¯s delay could make all the difference.

    When they turned into the street which housed the Revenant¡¯s Guild, Davon immediately spotted Kai at the gates, chatting with one of the guards.

    ¡°Kai!¡± Davon called out, getting the warrior¡¯s attention. ¡°Where¡¯s Grant?¡±

    Kai looked the pair up and down as they approached, Lyla panting in an attempt to catch her breath.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Crimson Reaver army,¡± Davon explained, making no effort to hide the desperation in his tone. ¡°We need to find Grant. NOW.¡±

    Kai¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Okay, then. Follow me.¡±

 Chapter 12: Invasion

    Kai led the way down the many hallways of the Guild House, running as fast as he could and barely avoiding several collisions. The team shouted warnings at everyone they passed. Most people simply looked back at them in shock, but Davon couldn¡¯t stop long enough to explain further.

    They didn¡¯t have time.

    When the team finally burst through the doors of the Guild¡¯s warehouse, they saw five Revenants gathered inside. All five heads turned towards them, eyebrows raised and awaiting an explanation. Davon quickly scanned the group and ran up to the one figure he sought.

    ¡°Grant!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, boy?¡± Grant crossed his arms, his voice stern. ¡°Running through the Guild House like this¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s an army¡­ on its way,¡± Davon managed between gasps of air. ¡°Siege engines and all. They¡¯ll arrive any minute.¡±

    ¡°We tried to warn the Stalwarts,¡± Lyla added, already at his side. ¡°But Meyer just¡­ brushed us off.¡±

    ¡°Army?¡± Grant chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re not the only scouts we¡¯ve sent out, you know. No one came back with reports of an army.¡±

    ¡°What reason do we have to lie, Grant?¡± Davon demanded, frustration nearly choking him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but without ¡ª¡±

    Grant¡¯s retort was cut off by the unmistakable sound of war horns in the distance. Three harsh, discordant calls, the universal sign of impending danger.

    The room was silent for a moment as reality sank in. Then Grant turned to the other four Revenants around him.

    ¡°Jacob, to the bell tower. Sound it thrice,¡± he ordered. One of the Revenants nodded quickly before running off. ¡°The rest of you, to the walls.¡±

    A momentary relief washed over Davon¡¯s heart as the other Revenants hurried away. At the very least, they wouldn¡¯t be completely unprepared.

    Grant turned back to the trio. ¡°The three of you, head to the walls as well, but warn anyone you see along the way. Try to get as many civilians inside as you can.¡±

    With a quick nod, the group set off back along the way they had come, a renewed purpose guiding their step. As they rushed through the Guild House, they noticed the previously calm halls were now alive with activity.

    Both confusion and excitement were palpable in the air. Dozens of Revenants were gathering in the halls and heading out in groups of two or three. Davon even spotted several robed and masked figures, whom he had learned to recognize as the Guild¡¯s mages and healers, scrambling to get to the walls.

    The scale of preparation buzzing around them made Davon extremely nervous. There hadn¡¯t been time yet to process the severity of what was happening. Now, as the reality of the situation finally sank in, his felt the grip of fear¡¯s steely vice around his heart.

    He had accepted the idea of living with danger since he¡¯d first signed on as a sailor, but surviving a siege would be a whole other level.

    Before he could think more about the foreseeable future, the trio stepped outside, and Davon was dragged back to the present. The streets had already been cleared, the city¡¯s populace retreating into their homes. This emptiness left Davon even more unsettled than the grim activity within the Guild House.

    The vice around his heart tightened as the team ran towards the city gates.

    Then the war horns sounded again. Twice, quickly: the signal of immediate danger. Cursing beneath his breath, Davon sped up.

    The enemy was faster than he thought.

    Upon arriving at the gates, the group was ushered onto the ramparts by a guard captain. They were immediately split up and sent to cover different sections of the wall. As soon as he reached his post, Davon looked outward and gasped.

    The convoy he and Lyla had seen on the road must have been only one of many. Emerging from the forests surrounding Walden¡¯s Hold were hundreds of Crimson Reaver soldiers, each contingent dragging a cart of war supplies.

    ¡°Warriors, man the ballistae!¡± A familiar voice echoed along the ramparts. After a second, Davon recognized the speaker to be the acting leader of the Stalwarts, Sir Meyer. ¡°Archers, fire at will!¡±

    Reluctant as he was to listen to Meyer, Davon swallowed his pride and raised his bow. The sound of flying arrows buzzed in his ears as his fellow archers loosed their projectiles, but Davon waited. He fought against his nerves in order to find that perfect shot.

    It soon became clear, however, that his care was useless. The enemy ranks were too thick. They kept pushing through the forest like a grisly tide, barely slowed by the defenders¡¯ hail of arrows. Most projectiles simply bounced off of the Crimson Reavers¡¯ armor. Common weapons weren¡¯t strong enough, after all, and Walden Hold¡¯s common guards outnumbered the Revenants ten to one.

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    Waiting for perfection would cost Davon much more than pulling the bowstring back one more time.

    He settled instead for quantity over quality. He loosed an arrow, not waiting to see where it landed before he pulled another. No need to worry about missing. There were simply too many enemies for that to be a possibility.

    With each breath, Davon made another attack. Every inhale was the draw of a bowstring. Every exhale marked the flight of an arrow.

    But as the fifth row of Crimson Reavers emerged from the trees, the enemy deployed their barricades. All along the front line appeared seven-foot-tall slabs of what looked like carapace, wide enough to cover three soldiers a piece, with a tiny slit cut into the middle.

    Davon and the other archers did all they could to slow the deployment of these defenses, but the sea of enemies was simply too vast. It wasn¡¯t long before the barricades covered the front line of Crimson Reavers, leaving only small gaps here and there.

    The rain of arrows slowed. Davon took a moment to look at the siege defenses on the city¡¯s walls. Walden¡¯s Hold had several ballistae placed on top of towers, and small catapults on lower platforms. Davon could see projectiles loaded into the ballistae. He even spotted Kai turning one of them.

    Uneasy silence fell over the battlefield as each side waited for the other to make a move. Davon pulled back another arrow, preparing himself to attack as needed. The crackling of the ethereal bowstring only somewhat settled his nerves. Besides him, he could hear the other archers scuffling their boots anxiously.

    As the tension dragged on, Davon found himself wondering why the city¡¯s siege engines weren¡¯t firing. One well-placed blow from a catapult or ballista would be enough to break the Crimson Reavers¡¯ front line.

    What is Meyer doing? Davon thought, fighting down a wave of frustration. He must have some reason to keep the siege engines holding¡­

    Then a guttural shout broke the silence, echoing all around Davon and cutting off his musings. The cry was followed by a cacophony of roars from the enemy, so loud and bloodthirsty that it left Davon¡¯s ears ringing. He held his aim even as his hands started to tremble.

    Looking around, Davon could tell the soldiers around him were similarly shaken, but none of them had time to dwell on their fear. The enemy was already on the move again. From behind their barricades, groups of Crimson Reavers stepped out, pushing along some sort of contraption.

    At first glance, it looked like a wedge of barricades on wheels, with several free-floating barricades to cover the soldiers pushing it. On closer inspection, Davon saw that it was an armored cart¡­ with ladders inside. He cursed under his breath and prepared himself mentally for close quarters combat.

    Meyer¡¯s voice rang out from the ramparts.

    ¡°Engines, target their ladders!¡±

    Davon heard nearly a dozen siege engines firing simultaneously. He could barely track the nearest ballista bolt as it flew towards the cart. The bolt pierced the armored plating on the cart¡¯s side, making Davon¡¯s heart leap.

    His celebration was short-lived, however, as he realized the shot didn¡¯t destroy the cart. It didn¡¯t even slow the damn thing. Frustration welled up again within Davon as he aimed his bow at the cart, looking for any opening to shoot at the soldiers pushing it along.

    Then, out of the corner of his eye, Davon saw a massive rock flying towards the enemy lines. His fury had made him forget the catapults mounted on the ramparts.

    He watched as the rock flew about a foot over the cart, smashing into a line of barricades on the opposite side. The barricade crumpled like paper. Catching the opportunity, Davon held his breath and invoked the ¡®Scattershot¡¯ rune engraved on his Reliquary.

    Davon¡¯s perception of time slowed as he loosed his arrow. The missile flew straight towards the break in the enemy¡¯s defenses, splitting when it was about six feet away and covering the exposed ranks with deadly projectiles.

    A well-placed burst, Davon thought, watching gleefully as at least a dozen creatures dropped dead.

    But the tide of soldiers shifted to fill the gap, replacing the broken barricade in seconds. Davon¡¯s heart sank. What was the point of every kill he¡¯d made thus far? It was like trying to drain the ocean by taking one bucket at a time.

    Hopelessness gripped Davon, but only for a moment. He buried it with savage desperation.

    If he let those thoughts claim his mind, he was already as good as dead.

    Looking to the sides, Davon saw similar situations along the wall. More carts creeping closer to the walls, more boulders being flung towards them, more death and destruction. The worst part was the inconsistent impact of the defenses. He watched a cart get smashed to pieces further down the ramparts, then turned to see a poorly aimed boulder collide with a tree.

    How long had it been since the defenders actually had to use their siege engines?

    ¡°Archers! Heads down!¡±

    Meyer¡¯s voice rang out once again, directing Davon¡¯s attention to the battlefield. From the gaps between the trees and through barrier slits, he saw enemy archers taking aim. He had only a second to react, dropping to his knees behind the battlements.

    Screams and grunts of pain surrounded Davon. Something heavy fell onto his shoulders. Looking to his side, he saw the body of a soldier, an arrow protruding from his neck. Shuddering, Davon let the body slide off of his shoulder onto the rampart.

    A brief glance to either side showed Davon several other members of the common guard dead all around him. He didn¡¯t know how many soldiers were stationed in Walden¡¯s Hold, but he was certain the number was smaller than the enemy forces.

    The sound of crashing boulders echoed through the air once again, and Davon instinctively covered his head, still hiding behind the battlement. When he peeked out, he saw another ladder-cart smashed to pieces.

    A spark of hope ignited in him. If they could prevent the enemy from reaching the walls, then maybe, just maybe, they could hold them off. On the other hand, if the Crimson Reavers managed to successfully get onto the ramparts, their sheer numbers would guarantee victory.

    Another hail of arrows erupted from enemy lines, forcing Davon to duck back under cover. In that moment, Davon nervously tracked the noise of rolling wheels drawing closer and closer to the walls.

    ¡°Mages! Barriers up!¡± Meyer commanded.

    A soft hum filled the air as golden light covered the battlefield. Gathering his courage, Davon looked beyond his cover to see a massive shield of energy flare up between the wall and the enemy¡¯s siege engines.

    Uneasy silence reigned once again. The two sides of the conflict settled into a stalemate.

    Davon allowed himself a sigh of relief, but he knew this break in the combat was temporary. His conversations with Lyla had taught him that magic needed energy, and a lot of it. Meyer¡¯s order was a desperate measure.

    It could only give the defenders some time to prepare for the worst.

 Chapter 13: Siege Engines

    Raindrops fell onto the battlefield, breaking the stillness. Each gentle tap echoed soothingly in Davon¡¯s weary mind as he strained to hold his bow in position.

    ¡°Healers, tend to the wounded!¡± Meyer ordered, sending the defenders into a scramble.

    Davon took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He couldn¡¯t relax. This was just a stalemate, and it wouldn¡¯t last long.

    Blinking rain out of his eyes, Davon stared at the ranks of Crimson Reavers, unsure what he was looking for. A few moments later, the sound of heavy stomping drew his attention towards the back of their formation. His thoughts raced as he remembered the massive creatures he and Lyla had spotted at the rear of the convoy.

    Guttural shouts rang out from behind enemy lines, in a rhythm Davon thought to be a chant. The Crimson Reaver soldiers echoed a part of it, stomping their feet and slamming their weapons against their chests. Then they stepped around the barricades and began pushing forward.

    As the enemy surged closer, Davon''s eyes caught movement in the forest¡¯s gloom. Accompanied by the groan of falling trees, a line of the massive, single-horned creatures emerged into the open. Each one had chains wrapped around its arms. As the creatures pulled themselves forward, Davon realized they were connected to siege engines.

    A chill spread down Davon¡¯s spine.

    While the defenders were recovering from the initial assault, the enemy was taking the chance to move their forces into a more advantageous position.

    Davon scanned the array of siege weaponry they were towing. The chill worked its way up to his brain as he counted a dozen catapults.

    From his experience fighting alongside Kai, Davon knew that magical barriers could only take so much of a beating before being destroyed. He hoped, then, that the barrier surrounding the city could withstand a barrage of boulders.

    ¡°Ballistae! Take aim at their siege engines!¡± Meyer barked, prompting the defenders¡¯ own siege engines to move.

    Watching quietly as the Crimson Reavers loaded their catapults, Davon remembered the warning he and Lyla had tried to give Meyer. Would things have turned out any differently if the acting commander of the Stalwarts had listened? If the city had just those few minutes more to prepare?

    Anger bubbled up within his heart, but he cast those thoughts aside. He couldn¡¯t afford to be distracted.

    ¡°Brace!¡±

    A shout rang out from the walls as the enemy catapults fired their projectiles. Reflexively, Davon ducked and covered his head. The sound of cracking glass set all of his nerves on edge.

    The barrier was breaking. He grit his teeth in anticipation of the shattering that was sure to follow when the magical shield fell.

    But that shattering never came. Instead, another sound caught his attention: the steady rumble of hooves against earth.

    Curiosity won over fear. He raised his head, peeking over the battlements towards the main road leading into Walden¡¯s Hold.

    A surge of hope ran through Davon.

    Revenants, more than he could count at a glance, were charging down the road on horses. Green capes fluttered behind them, the sign of the Green Trackers.

    Walden¡¯s Hold did not have to stand alone.

    Turning his attention back to the Crimson Reavers, Davon watched their battle lines shrink as they repositioned half of their force to face the incoming reinforcements. They even abandoned their ladders, monstrous soldiers rushing to bolster the line of defense.

    Davon felt a broad smile spread over his face.

    Then he took aim, preparing himself for the moment the barrier went down. Reinvigorated, the archers around him followed suit.

    ¡°Infantry Revenants, to the gates!¡± Meyer shouted over the shrieks and roars of the Crimson Reavers. ¡°Prepare to charge!¡±

    The Crimson Reavers¡¯ war beasts shrugged off their chains, turning towards the newly arrived Revenants. In response, the riders split off into many small groups, each headed for one of the massive beasts.

    ¡°Barrier down, now! Archers, fire at will!¡± Meyer commanded.

    Not a second later, the golden barrier disintegrated, vanishing into thin air.

    Davon¡¯s ears were suddenly filled with the sound of whizzing arrows. He held his own bow steady. He was aiming for one of the war beasts, though he felt his frustration growing while the thing thrashed around.

    As the riders drew closer, Davon¡¯s nerves got the better of him. He invoked the Scattershot rune and let an arrow fly.

    The arrow glowed with an intense blue light that illuminated the ground beneath it as it flew. Davon watched it clear the lines of soldiers, smiling as it became apparent his attack would strike true. The arrow splintered a few feet before reaching its target, each projectile sinking into the giant war beast¡¯s hide.

    The creature roared in pain. Its thrashing redoubled as it blundered around, looking for the source of the missiles. Davon¡¯s heart swelled with delight at every moment of the monster¡¯s agony.

    ¡°Charge! Drive them back!¡± Meyer¡¯s order was followed closely by the war cries of fellow Revenants. Davon turned to watch as the warriors sallied out. He spotted Grant leading the charge, sword held high.

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    Raising his bow in anticipation of the clash, Davon noticed Crimson Reaver archers stepping out from behind the barricades. Adjusting his aim, he invoked the Scattershot rune again, loosing a shot towards the now exposed archers. His shot caught the attention of his enemies. A few of them reacted quickly enough to duck back under cover, but several were pierced by the fragmented missiles.

    Before Davon could savor this shot, a movement in his periphery made him turn. The archers had retaliated. A barrage of arrows was coming his way.

    A flash of his first death echoed through his mind as he ducked behind the battlement, a split second too slow. One of the arrows landed squarely in his shoulder. He cried out reflexively, but when he focused, he realized the pain wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as he¡¯d expected.

    The sound of horses whinnying in terror drew his attention. Davon poked his head above the battlements just in time to see the Green Trackers dismount their horses. The panicked beasts immediately turned and ran into the woods. For a moment, Davon was afraid this would cripple the reinforcements, but what followed was a spectacle.

    Davon stared, mouth agape, as each of the Green Trackers melted into shadow the instant their feet hit the ground. His eyes couldn¡¯t track the Revenants as they flashed between their targets. He would catch the gleam of a blade, the glow of a rune, or the brief image of a green cloak before dozens of Crimson Reavers fell dead.

    The display of prowess was almost overwhelming. Davon felt something deep within him start to shudder. Still, he couldn¡¯t look away.

    In seconds, the Green Trackers cut a swathe through the center of the Crimson Reaver battle lines, thinning them out. Roars of pain and fear echoed through the air, intensifying when Grant¡¯s force crashed into their enemies.

    As Grant and his warriors created a wedge in the battle lines, the Crimson Reavers moved to surround the Revenants. But then, as the mass of enemy soldiers swarmed, Green Trackers appeared to extend the Revenants¡¯ reach and outflank the monsters. Whenever an enemy slipped through the ranks, Davon and his fellow archers would remove the threat.

    As the tides of combat continued to shift, Davon gave up on trying to follow every detail of what was happening in the mass of bodies. Instead, he focused on his bow, settling into the archer¡¯s tempo.

    Inhale. Draw. Exhale. Loose.

    Monstrous shouting echoed over the mayhem. In response, the Crimson Reaver battle line moved backwards, reforming a shield wall beyond the ongoing clash.

    ¡°Engines, destroy their war machines!¡± Meyer commanded, throwing the defenders on the wall back into the action.

    In the confusion, the enemy had abandoned their siege equipment. While agreeing with Meyer left a sour taste in his mouth, Davon knew this was the perfect opportunity to destroy the Crimson Reavers¡¯ catapults and trebuchets.

    Steady bombardment from the ramparts only added to the ongoing chaos, and Davon found it hard to stay focused on the combat. He sank further into the archer¡¯s rhythm, releasing an arrow with each breath. Between shots, he watched boulder and after boulder smash into Crimson Reaver siege engines. With each shattered contraption, he allowed himself a moment of relief.

    Then Meyer¡¯s voice rose above the noise: ¡°Infantry, fall back and regroup! Archers, cover the retreat!¡±

    Davon barely registered the order, entirely committed to the tempo. As the Crimson Reaver battle line reformed, most of Davon¡¯s shots landed in shields or barricades, yet he didn¡¯t stop. When he spotted a break in the shield wall, he drew on his Reliquary again, attempting to invoke the Scattershot rune one more time. But instead of imbuing his next strike, he doubled over as his left arm lit up with pain.

    Pulled out of his battle focus, Davon looked down to see a web of blue light covering his arm. Seconds later, the pain faded as quickly as it had appeared, taking the strange light with it. Lyla¡¯s warning echoed through his head:

    All magic needs energy, and pulling too much can have disastrous consequences.

    Refocusing, Davon realized the battlefield was all but silent. The catapult bombardment from both sides had come to a close. He heard only the sound of boots against the ground, and the occasional crash of a siege boulder in the distance.

    Peeking out, Davon saw both sides of the conflict slowly backing off. The Crimson Reavers were hiding behind their shield wall, and the Revenants¡¯ retreat was covered by a golden barrier, projected by a Revenant Davon didn¡¯t recognize.

    With eyes peeled for enemy archers, Davon held his breath. He kept his bow high as both sides continued their retreat. Adrenaline coursed through his nerves, eased only slightly by the gentle tapping of raindrops against the rampart.

    When the gates slammed shut, Davon didn¡¯t drop his guard, expecting the enemy to have some trick planned. Yet the Crimson Reavers retreated behind their barricades, drawing all the way back to the tree line. Total silence claimed the battlefield.

    Still, Davon kept watching, for what felt like an eternity.

    It wasn¡¯t until he heard the war horn sound off a singular, steady blow that Davon allowed himself to relax. He slumped against the battlement, exhaustion sinking in after the extended combat. His body ached. He became painfully aware of the arrow stuck in his shoulder.

    Annoyed, he ripped the weapon out, wincing in pain. Blood mingled with rain as it trickled down his arm. He stared at the wound, wondering numbly what he should be doing with it.

    Suddenly, a figure in the same garb as Doctor Yurren knelt down beside Davon. Relief washed over him as the healer began tending to his wound.

    Struggling against the dull weariness seeping into his muscles, Davon looked around. He watched silently as a few other doctors helped the other soldiers on the ramparts. He saw other robed figures carrying away the bodies of fallen soldiers.

    A deep sadness overtook Davon, like a cold undercurrent pulling his heart deeper into the ocean. He watched the dead soldiers, regular soldiers, being carried away, and vowed to himself that he would claim revenge. No matter what it took, he would end this invasion, for the fallen who wouldn¡¯t get a second chance.

    For his fellow soldiers. For his fallen crew.

    For Rand.

    "All Revenants, to the barracks!¡± Meyer commanded, just as the doctor finished wrapping Davon¡¯s wound in runed bandages.

    With a heavy sigh, Davon pushed himself to his feet. Exhaustion dragged at his limbs as he stumbled down the ramparts and into the city streets.

    As soon as he made it to the bottom of the stairs, he spotted Kai, apparently waiting. The young Revenant was covered in red smears. Rivulets of blood and rain ran down his armor.

    ¡°I do hope that isn¡¯t your blood,¡± Davon called out.

    Kai shrugged, a half-smile stretching across his face. ¡°Most of it isn¡¯t. Glad to see you got through the fight.¡±

    The pair shared a nod before Davon asked, ¡°Have you seen Lyla anywhere?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡± Kai¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure where she was posted for the fight.¡±

    "I hope she wasn¡¯t caught by the archers,¡± Davon said, unable to keep anxiety from creeping into his voice.

    Almost immediately, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He whirled around, raising his bow, only to see Lyla looking up at him.

    ¡°Was that genuine concern I just heard?¡± Lyla asked playfully.

    Davon took a moment to let his heartbeat calm down. Then he looked her directly in the eye.

    ¡°Yes, it was. I¡¯d rather not have either of you dying. Again.¡±

    Lyla¡¯s playful grin vanished. She dropped her gaze. ¡°Oh, well¡­ that¡¯s fair.¡±

    ¡°I am also glad the two of you survived,¡± Kai announced, a little too loudly. ¡°Now, there¡¯s a siege going on. Shall we see what Meyer wants?¡±

    He looked more flustered than Davon had ever seen him. Kai had no trouble leaping into battle, but apparently, the slightest display of actual friendship made the young warrior nervous.

    Trying to hide a smile, Davon nodded.

    ¡°Yeah, that would be for the best. Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 14: Strike First

    Every Revenant in Walden¡¯s Hold was gathered in front of the guard barracks. Three figures stood at the center of the circle: Meyer, Grant, and a woman Davon recognized as Emma, leader of the local Green Trackers. He had known Emma for a long time. She was usually with the group of Trackers who escorted the Night Runner¡¯s shipments.

    Murmurs spread throughout the crowd of Revenants, drawing Davon¡¯s attention every which way. His mind was scattered between trying to organize his thoughts and attempting to listen to the words of his fellows. Still exhausted from the rush of combat, he failed to do either.

    ¡°Alright, quiet down.¡± Grant clapped his hands to get everyone¡¯s full attention. ¡°Listen up, if you want to survive what comes next.¡±

    ¡°We managed to destroy most of the Crimson Reavers¡¯ siege engines, but we can¡¯t rest yet,¡± Meyer declared, his voice rising imperiously over the crowd. ¡°We must not risk the enemy making another attempt at our walls. So, we strike first and break the siege.¡±

    Uneasy murmuring echoed through the circled Revenants, but was cut short by Grant.

    ¡°I know, it sounds too simple, but sometimes the simplest solution is the best. With the Green Trackers here, we have the numbers to put up a fight, even without our abilities.¡± Grant nodded towards Emma with a grin. ¡°I know most of you are drained after that final push, but our enemy is shaken. The time to strike is now.¡±

    ¡°The Stalwarts and all infantry Revenants will make a direct charge.¡± Meyer stood tall and proud, but Davon thought he detected a trace of uncertainty in the acting commander¡¯s voice. ¡°All spellcaster Revenants will join me in circling around the enemy¡¯s right flank, while Emma will lead the archers in circling around the left flank. With enough speed, we will thin their ranks significantly, hopefully pushing the enemy into a full rout.¡±

    Meyer finished his explanation by slamming a fist against his chest. ¡°Now, take a breather, but keep it short. We will begin the assault soon.¡±

    Davon exchanged troubled glances with his two companions. Their expressions made it clear that they shared Davon¡¯s doubts about Meyer.

    Once the crowd of Revenants dispersed, the trio found their own spot out of the rain to sit down. As soon as they were settled, Kai spoke up.

    ¡°This plan sounds¡­ shoddy, at best. At worst¡­ well, considering the numbers¡­¡±

    ¡°Suicidal?¡± Lyla asked pointedly.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ suicidal.¡± Kai shrugged with a nonchalance that seemed unsuited to the conversation. ¡°But I suppose it¡¯s better than waiting around for those brutes to attack.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, with the Trackers here, I¡¯d say we stand a chance,¡± Davon said. ¡°If they have any magic left to pull on, anyway.¡±

    The sound of rain tapping gently against the awning above them filled the silence that followed. Davon closed his eyes and steadied his breathing, savoring the quiet as his exhaustion slowly faded.

    He was pulled out of his short meditation only moments later when he heard pages rustling beside him. Looking over, he saw Lyla pull out a book and quill from somewhere beneath her cloak. She flipped through the book until she found an empty page. With a sigh, she placed her quill on it. To Davon¡¯s surprise, even without a source of ink, the quill left a mark on the page.

    Davon watched as Lyla filled the page with intricate drawings which made his mind spin. He recognized a few sections as runes, but his very basic knowledge of magic was not nearly enough to glean any meaning from the writings. However, it struck him as significant that Lyla hadn¡¯t tried to hide the book beneath her cloak before writing this time.

    A close-lipped smile crept onto his face. Maybe the intensely private woman had finally gotten more comfortable around him and Kai.

    Their moment of peace didn¡¯t last long.

    ¡°Gather round!¡± Grant¡¯s shout rang out from the barracks. ¡°It¡¯s time to move.¡±

    Within the next few minutes, the trio was split and sorted into different groups. Davon followed his fellow archers to the gate. Anxiety welled up inside him, more for Lyla and Kai than for himself.

    Before his fears could get the best of him, he thought back to all he had lost since that day on the docks. He focused on his desire for revenge, trying to force his anxiety to harden into grim resolve.

    The sound of Grant¡¯s gruff voice pulled him out of his inner spiraling.

    ¡°Remember your positions, follow your leaders, and you¡¯ll be fine,¡± Grant reassured the gathered Revenants. ¡°Let¡¯s move out.¡±

    Grant slammed his fist against the gate twice. The gates lurched, then began to open, ever so slowly. Davon settled into the rear of his group, holding his bow in a white-knuckle grip.

    The tension was palpable as the warband walked slowly out of the city, weapons raised and ready to fight. No response sounded from the Crimson Reaver forces, gathered only a few hundred feet away along the tree line. Their enemy hadn¡¯t realized what was happening yet, but Davon was filled with anticipation for the moment the clash began. His heartbeat sped up at the thought of facing an army of Crimson Reavers head-on, without the guaranteed safety of cover to hide behind.

    From the front of the group, Emma gestured for the archers to split off.

    Reflexively, Davon placed his hand against the ethereal bowstring, conjuring an arrow. He prodded the mental connection with his Reliquary, testing if his weapon was ready to invoke its runes again. He wasn¡¯t certain how he knew to do this. No one had trained him to communicate with his Reliquary. Even so, he found the act as natural as breathing.

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    Davon allowed himself a sigh of relief when the Scattershot rune connected with his mind and no pain followed. With renewed confidence, he marched alongside his fellow Revenants, ready to face what was to come.

    The rainfall grew heavier, pelting the tightly packed earth as the archers circled cautiously around the left side of the battlefield. The sound stirred an old fear within Davon. While light rain was calming to him, more intense downpours reminded him of the storms he had weathered on the Night Runner, fighting against nature¡¯s efforts to sink the ship.

    Davon¡¯s reminiscence was interrupted by a monstrous roar emanating from the forest. Slipping immediately into combat mode, Davon raised his bow and looked towards the source of the sound. He saw one of the Crimson Reavers¡¯ war beasts among the trees, its trunk-like arms raised as it gave another roar.

    ¡°Spread out! Find your marks!¡± Emma shouted, causing the group of archers to disperse into a loose formation.

    Davon fell into place and took aim. He wasted no time on hesitation. With the Scattershot rune still invoked, he took a confident shot at the beast. His shot was the first, clearing his comrades and flying true. For a moment, a rain of splinters banished the crimson gloom, scattering into the beast¡¯s belly and forcing it to stagger backwards.

    ¡°RUN THEM DOWN!¡± Grant¡¯s voice carried across the battlefield, followed closely by the war cries of the infantry Revenants.

    Seemingly caught unawares, the Crimson Reaver forces started pouring onto the battlefield in total disarray. Davon watched gleefully as the stumbling soldiers practically tripped over each other. Raising his bow, he synced his breathing with his weapon and slipped into a battle trance yet again.

    Each draw of the bowstring felt serene. The crackling of energy only fueled Davon¡¯s determination. Every arrow he loosed sent delight surging through him as blood sprayed from his target¡¯s wounds.

    Pausing briefly to glance at the rest of the battlefield, Davon watched Grant¡¯s forces crash into the disorganized enemy battle line. Even the war beast didn¡¯t give the Revenants pause. One by one, the monsters went down under a series of repeated blows.

    Flashes of various spells from the far flank caught Davon¡¯s gaze. In that moment, he discovered an appreciation for the beauty of destruction. He relished the sight of each Crimson Reaver soldier falling to the ground. Their death screams satisfied his need for revenge, if only by a little bit.

    Returning his focus to the battle in front of him, though, Davon realized there was no time to savor the death of his enemies. The Crimson Reavers were rallying as the initial shock wore off. They had managed to form some semblance of a shield wall, limiting the effectiveness of Davon¡¯s group.

    Annoyed, Davon pulled his bowstring taut, scanning the enemy shields for any weakness. Then a bright flash in his periphery drew his attention. He turned to see Emma, longbow raised, holding a glowing arrow against an ethereal bowstring.

    Energy gathered in Emma¡¯s weapon, illuminating the area around her with bright light. When she let her arrow fly, Davon was left momentarily blinded by the flash. An explosion like thunder sounded in his ears.

    Blinking away the pain in his eyes, Davon was shocked by the sight before him. There was a massive gap in the enemy¡¯s shield wall. A trail of fire spread from Emma¡¯s feet to the back of the monsters¡¯ battle line. Even as he looked, several Crimson Reavers fell to the ground, half-disintegrated.

    In all his time spent travelling alongside the woman in the past, Davon had never imagined she was capable of such devastation.

    With newfound respect, Davon redirected his attention to the Crimson Reavers and continued harassing them with a hail of arrows. Only seconds later, though, he paused again.

    Something strange was happening behind enemy lines.

    A group of Crimson Reavers, red cloth wrapped around their armor, had gathered in a circle behind the soldiers. Davon narrowed his eyes, but before he could make out more details, the red-robed Crimson Reavers simultaneously raised their hands.

    Anxiety crept into the back of Davon¡¯s mind as words began echoing in his thoughts. The whispering was low and guttural, in a language he didn¡¯t recognize, and it had no visible source.

    Suddenly gripped by fear, Davon scanned his surroundings, noting that other Revenants around him were doing the same.

    Crimson light flashed behind the enemy battle lines. From the midst of the red-robed Crimson Reavers, an orb of pure energy rose into the air. The whispers in Davon¡¯s mind intensified as this glowing red orb grew larger and larger.

    The orb grew into the size of a siege boulder. Its light intensified, casting the battlefield in a terrifying crimson. Davon felt panic take root in his gut. The whispering voices drowned out everything, even the faint echoes of shouting all around him. His thoughts turned to escape, but he couldn¡¯t move his feet.

    Suddenly, something yanked Davon by the arm. He turned to see one of the Revenant archers from his group, shaking Davon and screaming.

    ¡°Are you deaf?! Emma called for retreat! Go!¡±

    The Revenant¡¯s voice broke through the haze covering Davon¡¯s mind. He shook his head to clear the lingering whispers. Looking around, he saw other Revenants running back towards the city.

    Davon didn¡¯t even respond to his fellow Revenant. He just turned and ran, falling into a dead sprint towards the gates. From behind him, the light continued growing brighter.

    Like another Red Dawn, Davon thought, his panic rising again.

    Then the heat started. At first, it was only an uncomfortable warmth against his back, but it quickly became unbearable. Davon felt sweat forming on his skin. Only a moment later, he caught the scent of smoke.

    He looked over his shoulder just in time to see the battlefield go up in flames.

    Those Revenants unlucky enough to be close to the glowing, floating orb ignited almost immediately. The fire spread in a steadily growing radius around the orb, heedless of the pouring rain as it devoured everything in its path.

    Davon tore his gaze away and put on an extra burst of speed. He was almost at the gate, but he could feel himself boiling beneath his clothes.

    ¡°Open the gates!¡± Davon shouted between panicked breaths. ¡°OPEN THE DAMN GATES!¡±

    The stench of smoke and burning flesh reached Davon, combined with the terrified screams of those who couldn¡¯t escape the fire. His panic devolved further into utter desperation. Reaching the gates, he failed to stop in time and slammed full-force into them.

    As other Revenants reached the wall, the gates began to open with a lurch. Every second spent waiting was agony. The gates moved with terrifying slowness. More and more Revenants piled into the space, pushing through before the opening was truly wide enough to admit them.

    Davon ducked behind the city¡¯s wall as soon as he made it inside and sank down to the ground. The screams from beyond the wall slowly dissipated, taking Davon¡¯s panic with them. His breathing began to regulate.

    Then he thought of his companions, and a surge of terror rose up to choke him.

    ¡°Lyla? Kai?¡± Davon called out, his voice dripping with desperation. ¡°LYLA! KAI!¡±

    Pushing himself back onto his feet, Davon stumbled through the reeling crowd, looking for his companions.

    ¡°Davon, here!¡±

    Lyla¡¯s voice reached Davon¡¯s ears, sending a wave of relief through his exhausted mind. The relief vanished when he turned to see Lyla staggering towards him, dragging a heavily wounded Kai along the ground. Her words came out in a shriek.

    ¡°Help me!¡±

 Chapter 15: Stealth

    Davon nearly crashed into several other Revenants as he ran towards his companions. He managed to catch Kai just as the young man slipped from Lyla¡¯s grasp.

    ¡°Set him down gently.¡± Lyla struggled to speak between exhausted breaths. ¡°And try to get that armor off of him.¡±

    Following her instructions, Davon slowly put Kai on the ground. The young man seemed to be unconscious. Davon¡¯s keen eyes swept over Kai¡¯s wounds, shocked at the char marks that covered the warrior¡¯s body.

    ¡°How close was he to¡­ whatever that was?¡± Davon asked, trying to hide the worry in his voice.

    Lyla pulled out her book and started flipping through the pages frantically. ¡°He was on fire when I found him. If I¡¯d gotten there a second later, he¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it,¡± Davon demanded as he inspected Kai¡¯s armor. ¡°No time for ¡®what if¡¯s now.¡±

    Davon tugged gently at the leather straps connecting the plating of Kai¡¯s armor. Then, deciding speed was more important than preserving the armor, he grabbed his bow and used the bladed limbs to cut the straps instead.

    ¡°Okay¡­ here we go,¡± Lyla muttered, apparently having found the page she was looking for. ¡°Get that melted plating off of him. I¡¯d rather it didn¡¯t fuse into the flesh.¡±

    Davon grasped the edges of the metal plating and pulled. He felt a tug, as if he was pulling something along with the plate.

    ¡°Lyla¡­¡± Davon closed his eyes. ¡°Please tell me that isn¡¯t flesh.¡±

    ¡°Just a strap you missed,¡± she assured him. Pulling out a dagger, she made quick work of the remaining strap. ¡°Okay.¡±

    It took a few minutes for Davon to remove all of Kai¡¯s armor, tossing each piece into a heap next to them. When he was done, he noticed they¡¯d attracted the attention of a small crowd of other Revenants, all in varying states of injury.

    As soon as Kai¡¯s armor was off, Lyla stood up and started chanting. Davon recognized the incantation from their first mission together. A wave of warm energy pulsed out from Lyla when she finished her incantation, and Davon watched as Kai¡¯s wounds healed in seconds. The energy also washed over Davon, healing his own cuts, bruises, and blisters.

    But it didn¡¯t stop. The energy continued to ripple outward, enveloping most of the gathered Revenants. Davon noted a few of them, a mixture of Green Trackers and Stalwarts, inspected themselves in shock as their wounds healed.

    Surprised murmurs spread throughout the crowd, but Davon didn¡¯t try to pick out anything that was said. Instead, he focused on his unconscious teammate.

    Kai¡¯s eyes fluttered open, then squeezed shut. He raised a hand to his head with a groan.

    ¡°Where¡­?¡±

    ¡°Back in the city,¡± Lyla replied, sighing audibly with relief.

    Davon helped Kai up onto his feet. The warrior looked around, his eyes landing on the pile of warped metal beside them.

    ¡°Ah, right, had to dismantle your armor,¡± Davon explained. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Kai just shrugged. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m starting to think armor is overrated. Oh, and¡­ thank you.¡±

    The distant crackling of fire combined with the bright glow of the Crimson Reavers¡¯ magic cast the scene in a truly apocalyptic light as the commotion settled.

    ¡°That¡¯s some powerful healing for a novice, girl.¡± Grant¡¯s voice drew the group¡¯s attention. ¡°Your aptitude is impressive. I don¡¯t suppose you could do that again?¡±

    Davon inspected the old Revenant as he approached. Grant seemed unbothered by the cuts and burns all across his body, carrying himself as he normally would.

    Lyla shook her head. ¡°Not for at least a few hours, unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°Well, we have to wait anyway.¡± Grant sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not like we can charge into¡­ that.¡±

    ¡°How many did we lose?¡± Davon asked, his tone turning grim.

    The crowd shifted nervously. Grant glanced around, taking a moment to think carefully before he replied, ¡°About a quarter. We took out half of their forces, and nearly all of the big beasts, but it¡¯s not a trade I¡¯d make again.¡±

    At that moment, the bright light coming from beyond the walls vanished. The noise of roaring flames dissipated quickly, leaving only the sound of steadily falling rain.

    ¡°Well¡­ take our blessings as they come, I suppose,¡± Grant said gruffly. ¡°Everyone take a rest. We need to think up a new plan.¡±

    ¡°We already have one, Grant.¡± Emma¡¯s voice carried over the crowd, turning everyone¡¯s attention to her. ¡°We strike when night falls. Those of us familiar with stealth tactics go first, targeting those mages. When we¡¯re certain they¡¯re all dead, we¡¯ll send the rest a signal to charge.¡±

    Grant nodded, then clapped his hands to dismiss the crowd. ¡°Sounds good enough to me. Now, at ease, and rest.¡±

    The gathered Revenants murmured as they started to drift away, their mood a combination of approval and uncertainty. Davon looked to his companions. In silent agreement, the trio returned to the same spot they had been sitting in before the charge.

    ¡°Almost died twice in as many hours,¡± Davon observed, smiling as he spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t like this habit we¡¯re forming.¡±

    ¡°At least it¡¯s only almost,¡± Kai retorted. ¡°Thank you again.¡±

    Lyla wrapped her cloak around herself more tightly. ¡°Oh, no bother. But I really would prefer if you didn¡¯t do it again.¡±

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    The trio shared a chuckle, then relaxed into a comfortable silence. Davon strained his ears, listening for the sounds of fire, yet heard only the rain. Internally, he thanked the rain, knowing full well that the situation could be much worse if the fire had spread.

    Leaning into his seat as comfortably as he could, Davon settled in for the wait. He decided to close his eyes for just a moment.

    Then sleep claimed his exhausted mind.

    ¡ª

    Davon¡¯s rest was interrupted by someone shaking his shoulder. Briefly stuck between dream and reality, Davon pushed himself onto his feet, blinking rapidly and reaching for his bow.

    When his eyes focused, Davon saw Kai standing beside him, backlit by a nearby torch. Night had fallen. All around them, Revenants were getting ready to step through the gate.

    ¡°Is it time already?¡± Davon asked, glancing around for Lyla and failing to spot her. ¡°Where¡¯s Lyla?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s been helping with the wounded. Apparently, her healing capabilities are something special.¡± Kai turned towards the gate. ¡°Come on, Emma wants us with the stealthy team.¡±

    ¡°Worried about the sneaking part, Kai?¡± Davon asked, noting a thread of anxiety in the young man¡¯s tone.

    ¡°Like I told you before all this started, I¡¯m not a very good sneak,¡± Kai admitted. Then, suddenly, he gave Davon a wry smile. ¡°Strange to think that was this morning.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Yeah, feels like it¡¯s been a week.¡± Davon clapped Kai on the back. ¡°You¡¯ll do fine. Just watch where you step.¡±

    The pair joined the crowd of Revenants gathered around Grant, Emma, and Meyer at the front gate. The tension in the air was palpable. While Grant and Emma were carrying themselves with stoicism, Davon noticed Meyer looked visibly shaken.

    ¡°We¡¯re all here then? Good,¡± Grant said, keeping his voice calm. ¡°Those of you chosen to go with Emma, step forward.¡±

    Fifteen Revenants stepped towards the gate, including Davon and Kai. In his periphery, Davon saw Lyla split off from the crowd and sidle up to them. The trio exchanged brief nods as they gathered around Emma.

    ¡°Remember: look for the flare,¡± Emma called to Grant, apparently ignoring Meyer. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s head out.¡±

    The gates lurched into motion. As they opened, Davon beheld the aftermath of their previous assault, eerily illuminated by moonlight.

    Charred bodies dotted an ash-covered landscape. The tree line, previously only a few hundred feet from the walls, was now at least half a mile away. The sheer scale of destruction left Davon reeling.

    Then Davon¡¯s eyes landed on what could only be the Crimson Reavers¡¯ camp. Far enough to be out of siege engine reach, layers of carapace-like barricades were stacked on top of each other to create walls, with only one way in or out. A few soldiers patrolled the outside perimeter, carrying torches burning with distinctly crimson flame.

    ¡°Stay close to me,¡± Emma commanded quietly. She ran her fingers over a rune on her bow, causing it to light up. A moment later, unnatural chills ran down Davon¡¯s spine as everyone around him turned transparent. He looked down at his hands, realizing the magic had affected him as well.

    Between the ash padding their footsteps and this new near-invisibility, the Revenants continued their march forward with confidence. Even Kai¡¯s shoulders lost some of their tension.

    As they continued their approach, Davon couldn¡¯t help but look down at the charred bodies they passed. Both Revenants and Crimson Reavers lay dead and discarded, covered in a thin layer of ash. He resisted the urge to shudder.

    It¡¯s just more reason for revenge, he told himself firmly. More reason to make these monsters pay.

    When the group was roughly a hundred feet from the enemy camp, Emma halted and turned to them.

    ¡°Thanks to our scouts¡¯ efforts, we know the enemy mages gather in the large central tent,¡± she whispered. ¡°We will sneak in there, kill them, and fire off a flare to signal for the main force to attack. If we¡¯re spotted, just run for the tent. Kill those mages at any cost.¡±

    Davon felt his anxiety returning at these words. He found it strange that since the siege began, the Crimson Reaver with a three-horned helmet was nowhere to be found. Davon had assumed that figure to be a leader. If he was present here, then it would make sense for him to be inside the biggest tent.

    But Davon didn¡¯t have time to think about this much. The patrolling guards had completed a loop and were walking away from the camp¡¯s entrance.

    It was time to act.

    At Emma¡¯s command, the group scatted into formation and rushed for the camp. The two guards standing directly at the entrance fell dead, arrows sticking from their necks, before Davon could even notice who fired the shots.

    Once inside, Davon saw one massive tent in the middle, surrounded by several circles of smaller tents. Crimson Reaver soldiers were milling around the encampment, seemingly on patrol and still unaware of the intruders.

    Emma whispered commands as they proceeded. Splitting the group into small teams, she left them behind at strategic points to wait and take out any soldiers who might stumble too close to their escape path.

    When they reached the command tent, it was only Davon¡¯s team, Emma, and a Stalwart Revenant remaining.

    ¡°On my count.¡± Emma turned to the group. ¡°Three, two, one¡­ go!¡±

    Davon jumped into the tent, bow raised. The first thing he noticed was a table with nine figures gathered around it. There were eight of the decorated soldiers he recognized as mages, and one figure wearing a three-horned helmet.

    The next thing he noticed was that Emma¡¯s invisibility had worn off as soon as he entered the tent.

    Reflexively, Davon invoked his Scattershot rune and fired a shot while still mid-run, aimed loosely towards the nearest mage. He felt the familiar slowing of time as he watched the arrow fly, adrenaline rushing through his system.

    Just as the arrow split, the mage raised a hand, conjuring a red barrier fractions of a second before impact. The sound of shattering filled the air. A few splinters pierced the barrier and landed directly in the mage¡¯s chest, sending the robed figure backwards.

    The remaining mages recovered from their shock almost immediately. They stepped away from the table and formed a line between the Revenants and their leader. Moving as one, they drew the swords hanging from their hips and took an identical stance.

    Kai dashed past Davon with a roar, axe at the ready. In his periphery, Davon saw Lyla slam the butt of her spear into the ground, hand outstretched towards Kai. A rune lit up on her spear, and a half-second later, Kai¡¯s axe was wrapped in flames. Without breaking his stride, Kai brought the axe down onto the nearest enemy, crushing the weak attempt at a parry and bisecting the mage.

    From the far side of the table, the figure in the three-horned helmet growled something at the mages, then turned towards the other side of the tent.

    Only then did Davon notice that this tent had two entrances.

    A massive arrow flew by him from behind, spearing another of the mages. He turned just in time to see Emma pull her bowstring back for another shot.

    As the leader continued striding towards the other entrance, the remaining five mages readjusted into a circle around Kai, thrusting their weapons at him simultaneously. Kai raised his axe in response, conjuring a barrier to protect himself.

    Davon raised his bow, aiming for the head of one of the mages behind Kai. He let the arrow fly, and almost simultaneously, another shot from behind flew by him. Both of the mages behind Kai fell dead, hitting the ground with unceremonious clangs.

    In response, the final three dashed backwards and raised their hands in unison. A jet of crimson flame formed from each of their palms, gathering into a torrent of destruction.

    The next instant, Davon saw a rune light up on Kai¡¯s axe. A war cry echoed above the noise of fire as the crimson flames surged. Davon raised a hand to his face, shielding his eyes against the sudden burst.

    He could only guess what happened in that moment. He only knew that when he lowered his hand, he saw Kai facing only two mages. The young man held his axe in one hand and a head in the other.

    ¡°The leader is escaping!¡±

    Emma¡¯s cry directed Davon¡¯s attention to the back of the tent, where the Crimson Reaver leader had just vanished through the other entrance.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wrap up here! You three, chase him!¡± Emma commanded.

    Davon didn¡¯t need to glance at Kai or Lyla. He just took off running, knowing they were with him every step of the way.

 Chapter 16: The Captain

    Davon was the fastest runner in the group. He left Lyla and Kai slightly behind as he ran through the encampment, keeping his eyes locked on the fleeing three-horned helmet. Meanwhile, enemy soldiers were stirring all around him, roused from their tents by the sound of combat.

    Suddenly, three Crimson Reavers jumped into Davon¡¯s path and forced him to stop. Davon cursed beneath his breath. Then he split his bow into swords and prepared to fight, waiting for his foes to make the first move.

    The three soldiers lunged towards him from different directions, all swinging their weapons at once.

    Davon¡¯s perception of time slowed as he thought about his options. Taking a risk, he ducked to the left, just barely evading the combined attack. As a blade swung an inch from his face, he carried his momentum into a strike, driving a blade into the gut of the leftmost soldier. Davon carved through the creature with unusual ease, cutting it almost in half.

    As the first soldier fell to the ground, the other two readjusted around Davon, maintaining the flank. The two soldiers swung their weapons in symmetrical, upward arcs. Thinking quickly, Davon brought both of his blades down to parry one of the strikes, simultaneously dodging the same direction. His blades knocked one strike aside while his momentum carried him safely away from the other.

    Preparing himself to attack again, Davon turned on his heel just in time to see Kai crash into one of the Crimson Reavers. The young warrior moved so fast that Davon could barely track it. The next moment, the enemy soldier landed on the ground with a thud, stunned.

    The final standing Crimson Reaver wavered, stepping slowly away from Kai. Then, apparently deciding this fight wasn¡¯t worth it, the soldier turned and ran.

    Before Davon could react, a spear flew by him. The Crimson Reaver fell with the weapon impaled in its back. Turning, Davon saw Lyla recall her spear with a wave of the hand.

    ¡°Come on, we need to find that leader,¡± Davon demanded, whirling around in search of their quarry. He could no longer see the three-horned helmet, but he spotted a set of tracks in the thin layer of ash.

    Davon dropped into a sprint as he followed the tracks. Then a noise like thunder erupted from somewhere behind him. Startled, he glanced back over his shoulder.

    A beacon of light rose from inside the largest tent, briefly lighting up the night sky. Davon recognized the ability Emma had demonstrated in their previous battle.

    That must be the flare, he thought. She¡¯s signaling Grant and the rest to attack.

    Part of him wanted to stay and help. He didn¡¯t want to miss the chance to kill as many Crimson Reavers as possible. But then Emma¡¯s command echoed in his mind, and he forced himself to turn away.

    They had been given a task, and he would see it through to the end.

    With Kai and Lyla close behind, Davon continued following the tracks out of the encampment. The trail took them to the forest-covered road leading away from Walden¡¯s Hold. Then, suddenly, the tracks vanished.

    Stopping at the edge of the road, Lyla muttered something under her breath. Her spear burst into magical flames. With the help of Lyla¡¯s light, Davon looked for signs of their enemy, but failed to find any.

    ¡°Damn it, where now?¡± he muttered in frustration.

    ¡°Leave this to me.¡± Kai crouched near the place where the tracks stopped. After a few moments, he paused, peering at something on the ground. ¡°This way.¡±

    Curious, Davon asked, ¡°Where¡¯d you learn to track?¡±

    ¡°Family tradition,¡± Kai replied as the group set off again. ¡°A warrior needs to know how to find his prey, my father used to claim.¡±

    Now guided by Kai, the group continued down the road, eventually taking a turn into the forest.

    Every so often, Kai called a halt. He would take a few moments to inspect their surroundings. Then he would point out a piece of broken foliage, an unusual mark on a tree, or a footprint the other two had missed, and they would set off in that direction.

    Davon was thoroughly impressed by Kai¡¯s tracking abilities. He wondered briefly why the warrior hadn''t taken the lead in their previous missions, but decided this was not the time to ask.

    An hour into the chase, Kai froze.

    ¡°Tracks are getting closer and closer together,¡± he whispered, concern plastered on his face. ¡°It slowed down. We might be getting closer.¡±

    Davon recognized Kai¡¯s anxiety, as his own was bubbling beneath the surface. The last time they faced an enemy like this, they had found themselves completely outmatched and overpowered.

    But then, Davon thought to himself, last time, I wasn¡¯t capable of cutting a Crimson Reaver in half.

    He calmed his nerves, remembering the improvements he had gained within the Imbuement Chamber. The thought of testing his abilities against a powerful enemy didn¡¯t have to be fearful.

    In fact, it was exciting.

    They continued on for another half-hour before an all too familiar scent caught Davon¡¯s attention. The trio halted as one. Sharing a look of silent understanding, they readied their weapons. Then, Kai in the lead, they crept to the edge of a small clearing.

    Davon could see their target through the break in the trees. The Crimson Reaver leader was standing calmly in the center of the clearing, back turned to the group.

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    ¡°Does this feel like a trap to anyone else?¡± Davon whispered.

    Before either of his companions could answer, a guttural voice echoed from the clearing.

    ¡°Persistent. Good. Come, face me. I am eager to test myself against you.¡±

    The voice grated against Davon¡¯s ears, causing him to wince. The way the creature spoke was inhuman, more like a growl.

    How does it know our language? Davon thought, but he quickly remembered their first encounter with a similar Crimson Reaver. It had also spoken in the common tongue, although only a few words.

    Unsure how to proceed, the group held their positions. Lyla extinguished the flame on her spear with a whisper, leaving the moon as their only source of light.

    ¡°Still you hide?¡± the Crimson Reaver mocked. He turned towards the trio with hands outstretched, showing himself to be unarmed. ¡°Come! I¡¯ll allow you the first strike!¡±

    The waxing moon above them shone brightly into the clearing, allowing Davon to scrutinize the figure. He couldn¡¯t spot any weapons on the Crimson Reaver, but that only made him more nervous.

    ¡°Come! I hold no deceptions!¡± The figure took a few steps towards the group. ¡°My sergeants fell like chaff against your blades! I, Captain Aelius, challenge you to a fair fight!¡±

    ¡°What a showman,¡± Davon scoffed, his words dripping with contempt. ¡°We should spread out, surround ¡ª Kai?¡±

    Kai was getting to his feet, interrupting Davon¡¯s attempt at strategizing.

    ¡°He issued a fair challenge,¡± the young warrior stated. ¡°That¡¯s not something I can deny, as an Ulrich son.¡±

    ¡°What are you ¡ª Kai! That thing is a monstrous invader!¡± Davon snarled. ¡°What rules say you have to treat it with honor?!¡±

    Kai looked at Davon, eyes steely with determination. ¡°Whatever it is, or wherever it came from, it issued a warrior¡¯s challenge.¡±

    Lyla opened her mouth to speak, but Kai had already turned away and was striding into the clearing.

    ¡°Damn it, Kai!¡± Lyla hissed as she hurried after the young warrior. ¡°Come on, before he gets himself killed!¡±

    The trio stepped onto the clearing, prompting satisfied laughter from the Crimson Reaver.

    ¡°At last! Out in the open, and away from the cutthroat theater of war!¡± Aelius raised his hands in mock celebration. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this!¡±

    ¡°Enough talking,¡± Kai commanded. His voice was calm as he approached their foe. ¡°You wanted a fight? You''re getting one.¡±

    ¡°So eager!¡± Aelius made no attempt to conceal the glee in his voice. ¡°How I wish the general would allow me to do this more often!¡±

    Davon¡¯s ears perked up at the Crimson Reaver¡¯s words, questions floating to the surface of his thoughts.

    ¡°But very well!¡± Aelius concluded, lowering his arms into a fighting stance. ¡°Let us fight.¡±

    Before Davon could think of a way to coax more information out of Captain Aelius, Kai bellowed a war cry and ran at their foe. Using his forward momentum, Kai raised his axe above his head and brought it down in a wide arc.

    Aelius stepped to the side gracefully and dodged the attack. The earth shook with the force of Kai¡¯s blow, a small crater forming as evidence of his raw strength. Still, the Crimson Reaver didn¡¯t miss a beat. Aelius ran his armored fist into Kai¡¯s chest with two quick jabs, setting the Revenant off-balance.

    Davon dashed around to the captain¡¯s flank, calculating his aim as he ran. But by the time he found a clean shot and drew his bowstring, Aelius had already sent a swift and powerful kick into Kai¡¯s side. The young warrior stumbled directly between Aelius and Davon¡¯s raised bow.

    He¡¯s smart, Davon admitted to himself grudgingly. I¡¯ll need to be smarter.

    Davon dashed around again, trying to put Aelius directly between Kai and himself.

    While Davon was repositioning, he kept his eyes peeled on the ongoing fight. Enraged by the captain¡¯s assault, Kai brought his axe up suddenly in an attempt to strike Aelius with the blunt side. Aelius realized the Revenant¡¯s gambit just in time to jump backwards.

    Safely out of the way, the captain threw a haymaker, aimed at Kai¡¯s chin. But Kai had expected a follow-up. He invoked his barrier rune just in time to prevent the fist from reaching him. For just a moment, the clearing filled with golden light.

    Then the barrier shattered from the force of Aelius¡¯ blow.

    Finally in position, Davon raised his weapon and waited. The crackling of the arrow and bowstring sent waves of anticipation through him, but he needed the perfect shot. He wasn¡¯t looking for a chance to strike at the captain directly. This fight couldn¡¯t be won by a single decisive strike.

    Instead, Davon would be a distraction.

    On the far side of the clearing, Davon saw Lyla raise her spear and take aim. When she flung her weapon forward, carried by conjured wind, Davon let loose his own attack. Aelius, focused on the incoming spear, failed to notice the arrow flying towards him from behind.

    Davon¡¯s arrow struck Aelius¡¯ left leg, making the captain stagger. Unable to dodge, Aelius could only watch as the spear flew towards him and struck him in the chest. A vicious shriek echoed through the air as Aelius stumbled backwards.

    Roaring with fury, Aelius raised both of his arms. The crimson trim of his armor began glowing intensely. He then brought his fists down on Kai in a slam.

    A crimson shockwave rocked the earth, emanating from the point of impact. Kai had hunkered down and raised his axe, bracing for the blow, but he crumpled beneath the force of his foe¡¯s rage. For a moment, Aelius reveled in his victory, gloating as the young warrior squirmed in pain.

    Realizing the opportunity, Davon invoked the Scattershot rune and loosed his second arrow. Aelius didn¡¯t realize he was being attacked until a shower of arrow splinters struck his back. Davon saw the fragments sink into his foe¡¯s armor, followed by rivulets of blood.

    Yet Aelius seemed unbothered. His movements were casual as he ripped Lyla¡¯s spear out of his own chest and threw it towards Davon.

    Barely able to react, Davon rolled out of the way. He felt a rush of wind as the spear flew by. A moment later, he heard a tree fall behind him.

    Then the sound of thunder erupted over the clearing.

    Davon looked up. Lyla was standing tall, holding her spellbook in one hand while the other was outstretched towards Aelius. As Davon watched, a torrent of electricity flowed from Lyla¡¯s fingers and struck their enemy in the chest.

    Despite the constant flow of electricity, Aelius maintained his posture, walking slowly towards Lyla. He raised a hand and snapped his fingers. Davon noticed the air around Lyla turn crimson, and let out a sigh of relief when she jumped forwards. A second later, the ground where she had been standing exploded in crimson flame.

    Guttural laughter rose above the unfolding chaos.

    ¡°Is this all you have to offer?¡± Aelius mocked, hands outstretched once again. ¡°Is this really the best ¡ª¡±

    Aelius never got to finish his sentence. Davon watched in surprise as Kai suddenly reached out an arm and grabbed the arrogant Crimson Reaver by the ankle. With a roar, he pulled Aelius¡¯ leg from under him, forcing him to fall to the ground.

    The captain rolled onto his back as Kai loomed over him. A look of pure rage marred the young warrior¡¯s face as he raised his axe and brought it down with a shriek.

    Silence fell over the clearing.

    ¡°Your challenge has been met,¡± Kai announced almost ritualistically as he stumbled away, leaving his axe stuck in Aelius¡¯ body. ¡°And you have been found wanting.¡±

    Davon hurried over to his companion, but his eyes were glued to the twitching body pinned by the young warrior¡¯s axe.

    ¡°Well, what a surprise¡­¡± Aelius mumbled through a dry chuckle. ¡°Maybe the general will meet his match yet.¡±

    Then the captain¡¯s body went limp, leaving the trio to ponder his dying words.

    It was Lyla who broke the silence, looking uneasily in the direction Aelius had been running.

    ¡°He was heading towards Heinburg. Do you think that¡¯s where this general is?¡±

    ¡°A question for later.¡± Davon nudged Aelius¡¯ body with his foot. ¡°For now, let¡¯s enjoy our victory.¡±