Kai’s thumb traced the silver ring through his glove. His crew had kept their eyes shut in Despair God’s presence. Spared the trauma of watching a man become paste. He clenched his jaw. Horror was becoming routine. It barely moved him.

  Was that what it meant to be a Demon? Did it matter?

  He refocused on practical matters.

  Despair God had given him a mystery attribute. A tool he couldn’t use without testing. But experimenting in live combat was a stupid way to die.

  His commitment to Despair God wasn’t a contract, but breaking deals with gods was unwise. Good thing his plans included ample despair.

  The crew straightened from their bows. Kai helped Merek up. The boy gagged at the sight of his hunter’s remains. He forced the bile down. His expression hardened. Kai patted his back.

  He’s growing up fast. Becoming a survivor.

  Levi stared at the burnt village with hungry eyes, drooling. Rusk tilted his head at the liquid prisoner.

  Alira glanced at the puddle of flesh, then toward Nivis Village. “All that, and you don’t know what she gave you?”

  Kai shrugged. “Pretty much.”

  She scoffed. “Better be worth it.”

  She had a point. The summoning had cost them time. Given Renzo time to prepare. The attribute had better be worth it.

  Renzo’s Marked weren’t a big issue. Knowing their Gifts meant they vaulted the first hurdle. But Renzo’s unknown Gift posed a problem. He had to strike fast. Kill Renzo before the bastard showed his hand.

  Alira and Rusk would be pissed they didn’t beat the Dusk formula out of him. But they could likely find the formula at the Serpent’s Dusk House.

  No other choice.

  Kai briefed his crew. Enemies. Gifts. Dangers. No one panicked. A good sign. Rusk was ambivalent. Levi focused on his next meal. Alira’s bloodlust hadn’t lessened.

  Merek didn’t want to stay behind.

  “B-but I wanna help,” he said.

  Kai shook his head. “You wanna kill the bastards who took your mother?”

  Merek’s gaze fell. He nodded.

  Kai gripped his shoulder. “You’re too weak. You could hardly kill that mundane soldier. You think you can face Marked?”

  Merek’s bottom lip protruded, but his rebellion faded. He’d seen the danger up close - almost died. Kai had taught him to know his limits. His shoulders slumped.

  Kai locked eyes with Butcher. The Dark Horse snorted. Stepped closer. He squeezed Merek’s shoulder. “You won’t be weak forever.”

  His hand left Merek’s shoulder and moved to Butcher.

  “Stay here with Butcher for now. He’ll protect you.”

  The Dark Horse snorted agreement. They were far enough from the village outskirts to stay safe from any fighting. Probably.

  Merek spoke as Kai turned to join the others. “Can you…look for my mother?”

  Kai turned back. No chance his mother still lived. She was ash by now.

  “I’ll try,” he lied.

  The crew readied their weapons. Alira conjured an ice blade. Rusk fiddled with his fabric pouch. Levi sank a hand into his cape, retrieving a long, red-bladed sword. That blade couldn’t have hung inside his cape without Kai noticing.

  In fact, Kai sensed nothing attached to the cape - an absence of space.

  He nodded at Levi. “Spatial storage?”

  Levi raised his chin, chest inflating. “You have discerning eyes.”

  They left the horses behind with Merek, walking toward the village. It was a short distance. Kai and Rusk had no experience fighting from horseback, and walking was stealthier. No point risking the horses’ lives.

  But there was little chance Renzo didn’t know they were coming.

  Levi’s movements were less sluggish since feeding on the prisoner. The Silas fight had taken its toll on Alira’s stamina. Rusk was as energetic as ever. Kai had enough soul essence for a fight, but not a prolonged battle. Though any fight would refuel him with blood.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “Be on guard,” Kai said.

  “Think they’re expecting us?” Alira asked.

  “I know they are,” he replied. “Renzo will have someone monitoring the outskirts. Expect a welcome party. Be ready.”

  Rusk nodded. “Understood, boss.”

  Levi sneered at him, then gazed at the village outskirts, licking his lips. “I hope the welcome party’s tasty.”

  Shadow howled in agreement.

  Kai shook his head. They were more concerned about their next meal than getting butchered in battle. Though greed was better than fear.

  Alira frowned. “How do you know Renzo’s tactics?”

  His eyes found hers. The excuse was easy. He could claim he’d predicted what any competent commander would do. But what was the point? She knew worse secrets.

  “Renzo raised me. Trained me from childhood.”

  Her gaze sharpened. “And now?”

  Fair question.

  “Don’t worry. He betrayed me - I’m gonna kill him.”

  She sighed. “No wonder you have trust issues.”

  Trust issues?

  He scoffed. “People lie. People scheme. Distrust is rational.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “We still need the Dusk formula first. Hold off on the revenge until we get it.”

  Who is she to advise delaying revenge? She’d change her tune if his name were Renzo Ashvale.

  He shrugged. “If the situation allows. Either way, we can get the formula on Earth if he dies.”

  She nodded. “Good enough.”

  Kai focused on his soul, summoning Silas. Dark mist spewed from his chest. The red-armoured wraith manifested, ready for orders.

  “Burn every plant,” Kai commanded.

  The wraith moved ahead, performing his duty as the natural enemy of all plant life. Their enemy had a Marked who controlled plants. Kai removed their ammunition.

  They approached the village outskirts without trouble. They walked along a cobblestone road. Dirt flanked either side. Silas continued scorching the ground ahead. No arrows greeted them.

  Kai’s thumb traced the silver ring through his glove. “It’s a trap.”

  “How can you tell?” Alira asked.

  “We got this far without a fight. Means they want us here.”

  “And the only good reason to want us here…” Alira’s eyes swept the area. “Is to wipe us out in one fell swoop.”

  He rolled his neck. “But they’ve underestimated us.”

  Alira raised her frozen sword, adopting a fighting stance.

  “Will the fun begin now?” Rusk asked.

  “Fun?” Kai replied. “Blood, battle, and death are moments away.”

  Rusk grinned. Levi licked his lips. Shadow mimicked him.

  They stood before a graveyard of burnt homes. The wooden structures were ash now. A scattering of stone foundations remained. The path to the heart of the village was empty. Too empty. The area was devoid of plant life. Burnt by the same flames that culled the villagers and their homes.

  Kai searched for threats. No scouts or waiting ambush. But his eyes were the worst tool for the job. He focused on his spatial senses. The surroundings told another story. Fifty bodies hid near the burnt homes.

  The invisible ambush wasn’t a surprise. Neither was the size of the opposing force. The surprise was their location. Underground. Buried in the dirt.

  “Lilith,” he said.

  The bodies had humanoid shapes. Probably not plants. But not impossible - he’d faced a tree-like humanoid abomination in the damnable forest. But plants exuded life. The bodies he sensed were unmistakably dead.

  Skeletons.

  Kai grimaced.

  How dare she?

  He glanced at Silas. The lone wraith in his pitiful undead army.

  Alira’s eyes darted around. “Where is she?”

  “Probably nearby. She’s outside my range,” Kai replied. “Her minions are here though.”

  Levi’s tongue traced his lips. “Where?”

  Kai pointed down. “Underground.”

  Levi frowned. “I hope that doesn’t affect the quality of the blood.”

  Kai sensed movement underground. Levi had forgotten, or hadn’t paid attention to the fact that Lilith commanded bloodless, fleshless skeletons. No point spoiling the surprise.

  “Can I start?” Rusk asked.

  Kai saw no reason to refuse his star henchman. “Go ahead. Nets on the ground should welcome them nicely.”

  Rusk nodded vigorously, retrieving multiple sheets of fabric from his pouch. The fabric vanished. Invisible threads spread before them, weaving a razor-sharp barrier above the dirt.

  A skeletal hand burst from the dirt, exploding into fragments. Its wrist followed. Then the skull. Then the rest. All shattered. It wasn’t the only one. As far as he could see, skeletons emerged from the dirt and splintered into pieces.

  Rusk’s smile expanded. His chest did the same.

  Kai didn’t celebrate yet. He studied the shattered bone fragments. They trembled, then levitated. Finally, the bone fragments rebuilt themselves into humanoid shapes.

  Threads that sliced through flesh and armour were a minor setback to undead skeletons. Rusk frowned. His fingers twitched. Threads cut. Skulls rolled. Torsos separated from limbs. Moments later, the bones levitated and reassembled.

  Rusk huffed.

  Kai smirked. “Having fun?”

  Rusk turned to him, frown deepening.

  “This is dreadful,” Levi said. He’d realised these bones couldn’t satiate his appetite.

  Kai suppressed a laugh. “Should I handle this one?”

  Perfect opportunity to demonstrate his dominion over death. He couldn’t allow this blasphemy to continue unpunished. He looked at Silas, then gestured towards the growing army of skeletons shambling toward them.

  “Cremate them,” he commanded.

  Silas’s expression stayed blank as he strode towards the shambling skeletons. His body became a walking flame as he approached the skinless ambushers. The attacking skeletons held no weapons and had little care for self-preservation. They rushed toward the walking flame like kindling to a torch.

  Silas welcomed them with fire. The skeletons fell in sequence. Blackened. Crumbled. Ash.

  Kai nodded. “Problem solved.”

  Rusk lowered his gaze. Levi rubbed his forehead. Alira kept her sword raised but loosened her fighting stance.

  “I guess you’re not as weak as before,” she said. “Or at least your little soldier isn’t.”

  Kai smirked at her. “How did your fight with my little soldier go earlier?”

  Alira turned away, silent.

  Kai looked down. Shadow sat beside him, waiting for orders. “Ready, boy?”

  Shadow tilted his head. Lilith was smart enough to remain apart from her atrocious bone army.

  “Let’s find the Queen of Bones.”

  Shadow dissolved into the ground, surging forward.

  “You guys keep an eye on things here,” he said. Silas would handle the shambling bones, but he didn’t want to leave his back exposed in enemy territory.

  Rusk nodded solemnly. Levi sighed.

  “Wait!” Alira said. “I’m coming with you.”

  Annoying. Kai could move faster alone and spend less soul essence doing it. But Alira was powerful. Useful. She wanted revenge on the attackers who massacred her people, but—

  Kai shrugged. “It’s a waste of essence.”

  Alira’s mouth hung open. Her eyes widened.

  He couldn’t hold back anymore. Laughter burst from him as he grabbed her shoulder and tore through space.

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