The two men clashed in a desperate attempt at survival.
Walter Winson the murderous mob hitman from Earth now Deaths champion with direct orders to kill the Demon Lord under any means necessary. AKA (Hugo Lennox)
Vagrius Van Vebronte Former royal guard of the kingdom of Grayhaven now bandit leader and member of the demi human hate crime group "The one True Vessel."
Walters gray eyes locked onto Vagriuses pale colourless scar eyes.
Vagrius brought the relic sword Vitae Mors
Two slimes scurried away slowly.
Walters body moved on instinct, the gift of superhuman prowess death had granted proving useful once more,.
His movement was a blur he had moved to the right, his movement was followed with a swing of the shovel he used, aimed it directly at Vagrius's head.
Vagrius anticipated the movement and grinned a hideous predatory grin, he brought the sword down and
CLANK
Vagrius had blocked the shovel with a fast and precise movement as he pivoted to the left.
CRACK
Walters shovel shaft had been crack by the relic blade.
This didn't stop Walter as he lunged delivering a sharp punch and muttered the words
"Cinerus."
The punch connected with great force and speed, it was tinged with a blackish smokey flame.
Vagrius's brows furrowed a bit as the punch connected with his jaw causing a blackened rot to appear on the lower half of his jaw and causing him to stagger a bit.
"You are fiesty, a very strange encounter to find in the woods aren't you lad?." Vagrius responded with a cold chuckle."
"Throughout all my years hunting, stealing, robbing, capturing these filthy beasts and even raiding villages." His pale colourless eyes narrowed as his looked down towards Walter, his 7 foot frame portraying him as monstrous.
"You are just weird, no weird can't even describe you, lad, you're just strange." His grinned faded slightly.
Walter circled him, Vagrius circled Walter in an opposite direction, the two men were in a trial of combat.
Walters gray eyes never left Vagrius's form.
"What do you mean?" Walter/ Hugo's internal:
A similar dark demonic voice was heard once more in Walters mind.
"Say the words Reveal."
Walters face scrunched up. Walters internal/ Hugo's :
Suddenly seemingly out of thin air, appeared a black status window with purple text.
[Character Status]
[Name: Walter Winson]
[True Name: Hugo Lennox]
[Title: Death’s Champion]
[Race: Human (Otherworlder)]
[Level: 12]
[HP: 220/240]
[MP: 290/360]
[Stats]
[Strength: 38]
[Agility: 32]
[Vitality: 24]
[Mana: 36]
[Intelligence: 18]
[Perception: 22]
[Physical]
- Enhanced Physicality
- Cineris (Black Flame) – Rot + Hallucinations
[Cheat Skill]
- Undead Summoning (Necrotic)
→ Requires soul fragments to unlock new types (collected passively from kills)
→ Current unlocked:
? Zombies: Reanimated corpses with decayed flesh. Slow, relentless, obey basic commands, can wield simple weapons.
MP Cost: 8 per zombie
Summon Method: Near fresh corpse — mutter “Rise in death’s shroud”
? Skeletons: Bone-only constructs. Faster, lighter, no pain, smarter than zombies — follow complex orders, use basic tactics, coordinate attacks.
MP Cost: 10 per skeleton
Summon Method: Near bones — mutter “Bones, heed the veil”
? Shadow Wisp Leeches: Tiny worm-like shadows that swarm in masses. G-Rank individually (weak, small damage there stings hurt a lot though). In swarms (10+) they overwhelm, latch on, and drain life force rapidly.
MP Cost: 1 per 10 leeches
Summon Method: Anywhere — mutter “Leeches, swarm and feast”
Current Count: 250 (max swarm size: 1000)
- Grimoire Manifest
Undead Hierarchy – Progress]
* G-Rank: (0/750) | F-Rank: (0/300) | E-Rank: (1/150)
* D-Rank: (0/100) | C-Rank: (1/50) | B-Rank: (0/15)
* A-Rank: (0/10) [Locked] | S-Rank: (0/3) [Locked]
* SS-Rank: (0/2) [Locked] | SSS-Rank: (0/2) [Locked]
[Soul Fragment Progress]
[Soul Fragments: 300 / 600]
→ 600 required to rank up hierarchy (unlocks higher ranks, new unit types, increased capacity)
→ Fragments gained passively from kills; bonus from ritualistic kills
[Effects]
- Relic Drain (Minor) – Strength & Agility -3~5
- Necrotic Mana Debt: 0 / 200
→ 150+ attracts Reapers
Perfect timing, a much better knowledge of my abilities have been provided.
Vagrius watched Walter, his brow furrowed. "What are you smirking at?, has the realisation at your impending doom being completely unavoidable caused you to lose your sanity?"
Vagrius's demeanor suddenly changed, he coughed. He spat out a red crimson glob of blood into his hand.
"What did you do?" Vagrius now demanded, his tone shifted from the one cocky, mocking tone that the supremacist held to an aggravated tone, as his face began to turn a sickly black.
Walter Winson smirked slightly, his scarred lip glowing under the pale moonlight as he lunged forward in a blur delivering two more punches into Vagriuses stomach causing a loud
CRACK
Walter felt the connection of the black smokey punch that was laced with a violet black flame, how vagrius's ribs felt against his knuckles. It was a strange sensation.
A sensation that brought both nostalgia and foreign feelings.
Negative feelings...Bad memories...
It reminded him of the time when Hugo was 15 , wearing a faded black hoodie, the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and over a plain gray t shirt, and worn-out jeans.
It reminded him of the time his grandpa had been given direct orders by Mr Miller to "make an example of out a traitor" in the family that got caused a robbery to go horribly wrong.
There body squirmed helplessly, the man was strung by his wrists from a ceiling beam,toes barely scraping the cracked concrete of the basement Hugo was in, the victim's body was in tattered ripped brown rags, blood dripped from his split lip and forehead a gag was wrapped around his head and in his mouth muffling the squeals he so desperately attempted to convey.
Hugos cheeks were hollow, his gray eyes dead and hollow, his hair jet black. He stood under the dim light of his basement, motionless like a robot waiting for further instructions.
His grandfather, Vittorio "Vito" Lennox, a man standing at six feet tall even in his late sixties, still thick with muscle from decades of illegal labour and constant movement.
He wore a stained white tank top under an open, threadbare plaid flannel shirt, the sleeves were rolled to the biceps, the fabric was a dark old colour with blood spots barely visible but still noticeable to those with the sharpest of eyes. The last noticeable feature was his grey hair that hung in greasy strands over a scarred forehead.
He grinned at Hugo, his yellow teeth flashed like old ivory.
Vitos head shifted in the direction of the supposed victim.
He took a long drag from his cigar and exhaled smoke into the victims face, causing them to choke slightly on the fumes and tears to run down there terrified puffy brown eyes.
Vito spoke, a loud raspy voice Hugo had grown accustomed too over the years.
"Well, hello there Mr Winson." Vito's words were dragged out dry, exaggerated as if this were just another game.
Walter the man hanging from the ceiling squealed into the gag.
"Because of you and those reckless actions of yours," Vito's movements were calm and carefree as he moved toward a red table, on it lay a metal pipe next to various tools Hugo assumed at the time were for grandpa's interrogation.
"Mr Miller has given me the..." Vito paused as if in thought of how to phrase it. "Green light to make an example out of you." Vito chuckled a sinister chuckle. "He said I can have as much fun as possible."
Hugo stood there in the middle of the interaction, awkwarded out.
"Boy!" Vito said in a gruff tone, as he handed Hugo the metal pipe.
Vitos grin widened.
"Hit him." Vito glanced at Hugo then at the wide eyed Walter.
He grabbed Hugo by the shoulder and pushed in toward Walter.
Hugo stumbled a bit discomforted.
"Why?, hes barely even alive?" Hugo looked at Vito with a hint of fear at the thought of what he was being told to do.
"Don't question me, youngin, do as your told, this is good character building." Vito shouted at Hugo his eyes bulging with an eager bloodthirsty glee.
"Alright, alright, calm it down." Hugo rolled his eyes his irritation only grew alongside his nervousness. "keep it down the neighbours might hear us grandpa."
"This basement is sound proof, dickhead." Vito shook his head and did a tsk tsk tsk.
Hugo raised the metal pipe, his eyes met Walters, his heart pounded in his chest, his grip was sweaty as he clenched the pipe shakily.
Thoughts of guilt flooded him, on that very day, Hugo remembered the hesitation that followed when about to take a life in cold blood.
Couldn't he stop here? Wasn't it enough? Did he have to follow through? Where did he draw the line?
Walter pleaded and begged silently his muffled screams growing louder into the gag. "Mffff, Mfffff, Nomfff."
Vito made an unpleasantly mocking sound that was a cruel imitation of Walters pleas. "MFFF, mffffffff, Hugo quick deal with him before he actually shits himself."
This was the first moment that would change Hugo for good.
Hugo clenched the pipe mustering up whatever little courage and fear he had.
He let out a cry and down it came, aimed toward Walters skull.
CRACK
Then there was silence that followed.
Walter rushed forward his hands raised as he deliver two punches laced ina black, violet flame aimed at Vagrius's torse.
Vagrius dodged the first, then weaved the second before retaliating with a quick stab to Walters neck, Walters instincts caught in time as he tried to dodge the blow instead hitting his shoulder.
STAB
Walter groaned heavily as he moved back with immense speed, hoping to get some distance.
Vagrius's sadistic grin faded as he felt something wrong, his body... specifically the stomach began to turn a sickly black.
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Walter mimicked Vagrius's grin and saw this as an opportunity for a quick and finishing blow.
He ran forward with blinding speed hoping to take Vagrius out with a single punch aimed at Vagirus's neck hoping to crush the jugular vein.
Vagrius gagged a bit . The moment of pain he felt was only for a mere moment before he swung his sword in a wide arc, Walter taken aback by Vagrius's tenacity tried to dodge.
He was too slow.
The relic Vita Mors
In a mere instant Vagrius's black spots had disappeared, his tanned skin looked as clean as before.
His brown leather coat over his mail coat flexed.
Walter groaned loudly:
Vagrius lifted his large leg up, his boot pointed Walter and delivered a powerful kick sending Walter flying a few meters into a tree.
"This is for my group." Vagrius growled with rage.
Walter crashed his back smashing into the tree, he stood up.
Ren watching the whole scene growled as he jumped high towards Vagriuses back clawing aggressively desperate to hit a vital.
Vagrius his instincts as sharp as ever sensed the impending danger and dodged the vicious attack and delivered a sharp
SLASH
Ren's amber eyes widened, his fox ears on edge as his instincts as feline as a fox, as sharp as a big cat granted him the miracle of dodging the attack only by a slither.
Ren's leap shifted in to a roll as he dodged another wide slash of the sword. He flowed straight into a backflip, then a backward cartwheel, until he landed light onto his feet.
Vagrius gave an impressed whistle. "So you're a beast that's agile and can move at haste speed?, An impressive display and yet...such a shame, you would've been such a valuable asset to our cause."
Vagrius made his way slowly to Ren and Walter, the sword dragging into the ground causing a loud, unpleasant screeching noise.
His eyes were fixed on the two who opposed him. They were in his way of enlightenment. They were a sin upon the world. A sin to his Goddess, a sin to his very ideology.
The silver haired war crime mage and the beast were both a visual disrespect to his very cause.
Vagrius charged this time, his movement venous and filled with merciless murderous intent, his arms were raised as he held Vita Mors
Vagrius scrunched his nose, his face contorted into that off disgust. "Not only are you a beast defender but your a." Vagrius's eyes bulged with rage. "A war crime mage?"
Walters eyed Rens amused gaze with an awkward one.
"It didn't really take a genius to discover that one out did it?" Walter scoffed. "And what if I am? You gonna report me to your higher ups?"
Ren turned to look up at Walter his amber eyes narrowing into a face of irritation. "Yeah he probably will if we don't kill him quickly, you idiot."
Walter raised his right hand the grimoire upward, the pages flickered to his storage:
Undead Hierarchy – Progress]
* G-Rank: (0/750) | F-Rank: (0/300) | E-Rank: (0/150)
* D-Rank: (0/100) | C-Rank: (2/50) | B-Rank: (0/15)
* A-Rank: (0/10) [Locked] | S-Rank: (0/3) [Locked]
* SS-Rank: (0/2) [Locked] | SSS-Rank: (0/2) [Locked]
Walter/ Hugo:Walter looked around before turning around and running in the direction of various bandit corpses.
Vagrius noticed what Walter was attempting to do. "Stay here and fight coward, how disgraceful can you be to defend a beast and rely on one for combat?"
Walter ignored him as he ran toward a bunch of corpses, mostly men in mail shirts, steel plates of armour, all wearing brown/black and dark coloured pants. Each either held a sword,spear some even held crossbows, there were 10 in total.
Vagrius rushed toward Walter with blinding speed, Vita Mors pointed forward like a spear ready to impale Walter. He grinned manically and shouted at the top of his lungs like a madman, it seemed as the fight dragged on Vagrius seemed to get more and more aggressive and deranged. Walter wondered if this was just his personality being unravelled or perhaps another reason.
Ren not wanting to left out, leaped into action delivering a sharp slash directly aimed at Vagrius's neck.
Vagrius dodged and moved into a spin, Vita Mors was swung in the direction of Ren as a counter causing there to be a strong breeze in the air.
Rens fox eyes perked up as he barely managed to duck, but before he could retaliate, Vagrius deliver a sharp hook that connected with the jaws of Ren, Ren was sent flying 3 meters into the air.
CRACK
Ren gained conscious once more and landed lightly on his feet, blood trickled from his mouth, he spat out a tooth, his amber eyes were now bloodshot with rage, somehow he looked more feral than he previously appeared.
Vagrius smirked, a nasty one, flashing his pearly white teeth, his colourless eyes scanned Ren, bald head sweating a bit due to the fatigue beginning to settle in. "Durable, most beasts your age would have been out due to fatigue, surrender and I promise to slice only your neck open." Vagrius's grin widened further to an unsettling display.
Walter on the other hand was staring at the grimoire. His eyes were glued to the contents.
SUMMON OPTIONS:
ZOMBIFIED SPINE BEAR.
ZOMBIFIED ORC
Recite the passage to summon desire units.
Once among the living, now among the fallen, rise once more to stand among the once familiar.
Walter cleared his chest, and his voice came out, slightly more confident than before, the pronunciation may have been a bit off but it sufficed.
"Once among the living, now among the fallen, rise once more to stand among the once familiar."
Suddenly a swirl of black violet smoke shot out of the ancient grimoire.
It split into two black swirls of smoke before landing in front of Walter facing Vagrius.
On the left swirl of smoke there came the zombified spine bear, its red decayed fur was patchy, it was missing an eye, its spikes on its backs were chipped, its tongue hung out its mouth, it stood tall, over 8 feet.
On the right swirl there arose the zombified orc, it was a tall muscular decayed green figure than looked more like an oversized goblin then those portrayed in the various manga Walter read back on Earth.
Its eyes were dead, its body had a chunk of meat missing from its side.
Both undead turned toward Vagrius in perfect unison, hunger evident in their dead eyes.
Vagrius stared on in absolute disgust and a slightly nervous, his body weight shifted as he shouted in a tone that emanated disgust and malice.
"You think because you have two corpses on your side you can beat me? You are truly arrogant."
Vagrius ran forward toward Walter this time, Vita mors in hand, Ren tried to intervene by leaping high into the air and trying to land a kick.
Vagrius anticipated this. "Enough with your acrobatics, foolish beast." He managed to grab his ankle and lift Ren by the ankle dangling him like a caught fox and raised his sword to plunge it into Rens chest.
Rens amber eyes widened as he squirmed to no avail, he tried to swipe at Vagrius, it was pointless.
Vagrius swung him like a ragdoll his arm whipping around in a brutal arc and mercilessly hurled him toward a nearby pine.
Ren’s body slammed into the trunk back-first.
CRACK
The impact rang out like a gunshot. Bark exploded outward. Ren crumpled to the ground in a heap, gasping, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. One of his ribs had definitely cracked — maybe more. His body slid down the trunk before he collapsed onto the pine needles.
Ren pushed himself up slowly, claws digging into the dirt. His amber eyes were now bloodshot with rage — somehow looking more feral than before.
Just then in a flash Walter rushed forward and delivered a sharp punch laced with a black violet flame.
Vagrius leaned back, dodging Walters punch by a hair. Something felt wrong however, vagrious wondered why would Walter do such a predictable attack? This was in opposition to the previous attacks done that were intended to wipe him in one go.
Suddenly to vagrius's absolute horror the zombified red spine bear ran at raw speed and lunged its claws swiping his back, it tore through the leather coat and the mail, causing blood to drip and gouging deep furrows across his back. His red blood sprayed in thick ropes.
Vagrius roared in pain and fury, he staggered forward as the bear's weight crashed into him, pinning one arm against his side. The quills along the beast's spine jabbed into his shoulder, black ichor mixed with vagrius's blood.
Vagrius snarled and swung Vitae Mors
The bears lifeless eyes didn't even flinch.
Vagrius didn't have time to even react before he could twist free, the zombified orc barreled in from the right.
The orc's decayed green bulk moved with terrifying momentum and speed. It raised its massive cleaver high overhead, the rusted edge glinted in the firelight and brought it down in a wild, unrestrained chop aimed at Vagrius's collarbone.
Vagrius pivoted at the last second, barely avoiding the cleaver. The bladed edge bit into the earth instead, sending up a shower of dirt and pine needles. The orc's brutal attack didn't stop there. It yanked the weapon free with a wet
SCHLORP
and swung again a horizontal line this time, a brutal haymaker aimed at vagrius's ribs.
This time vagrius was ready he blocked with the flat of Vitae Mors.
CLANG
the impact rang out like a hammer on an anvil.
The force drove vagrius back two steps, boots skidding in the dirt. His arms shook massively from the orc's brute strength.
Vagrius may have faltered but the undead did not tire. Neither did they flinch nor feel pain.
They swung,clawed and attacked again and again each blow mild, relentless, forcing Vagrius to parry desperately.
The spine bear took advantage of the opening despite lacking common sense. It lunged forward with dangerous velocity, its jaws wide open and then clamped down on Vagrius's left forearm. Its sharp teeth sank into leather and mail. The beast mindlessly shook its head violently and a wet tearing sound as flesh ripped.
Vagrius screamed a raw, animalistic sound, a sound Walter had grown accustomed to in his previous life.
Vagrius despite the mans immense pain retaliated and drove Vitae Mors into the bear's neck. the crimson vein flared...but nothing happened. No life to steal. The bear kept biting, quills scraping against Vagrius's face.
Walter watched for half a heartbeat.
Then he swooped in.
He sprinted forward, black--violet flames surging around both fists like they were gauntlets.
Walter leaped with superhuman strength propelling him upwards and then came down with both hands aimed at Vagriuses exposed mauled back, with a meaty
THUD
The black flames let out a loud sizzling sound and sank into the wounds like acid. Almost instantly rot occured, Vagrius's flesh blackened in patterns, his skin peeled away in wet strips.
Vagrius's a man with a giant stature arched in agony.
Walter didn't stop there he pivoted and drove his left fist upward into vagrius's ribs another
CRACK
more black rot spread like an infection, the flames were hotter, even Walter himself could feel it, the violet black light illuminating the tears in Vagrius's coat.
The bandit leader staggered, coughing blood.
Walter grabbed Vagrius by the collar with one flaming black hand and yanked him forward. With the other, he delivered a brutal uppercut to the jaw
Teeth came flying out, blood sprayed in a wide arc.
Vagrius's knees buckled
Walter shoved him away, realising him.
vagrius's still disorientated dropped to one knee. Vitae Mors trembling in his grip.
"What gave you done? I'm rotting, what sorcery has occurred? Boy answer me w-why? Vagrius questioned his tone now weak, hoarse and slightly desperate a sharp contrast to the once mocking tone he previously held.
Walter's gray eyes stared at him as he circled him, observing Vagrius's shaky, drunken movements.
He observed Vagrius's large blackened rotting muscular form he watched as black rot spread from his back to his hands to his neck, he watched as Vagrius's eyes went from a colourless colour to blackened.
Then Vagrius mustered up the voice, his tone shaky and weak, he looked up at Walter's calm gaze, a cold, murderous gaze. "Filthy war crime mage." Vagrius muttered as he vomited out a splooge of crimson blood and stared at Walters boots.
"War crime mage." Walter tested the words. "Barnaby mentioned something about that, that title doesn't sound to likable in this world." Walter grinned mockingly at Vagrius.
Vagrius's eyes bulged with bitterness and rage. "Don't you look down on me, I knew you were dishonorable, but I didn't anticipate it to be to this extent." His breathing was heavy and ruff as sweat poured fromn his bald head.
"Walter simply tilted his head watching as the rot peeled off layers of his forehead, Vagrius gasped in anger and pain.
"You're a disgrace to the human race, no your very existence is a disgrace." Vagrius's breaths grew shallow as the life slowly faded from his eyes
"No, not yet." Walter grabbed Vagrius by the neck firmly, an iron grip. Vagrius's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you doing?
Walter/Hugo: Walter stared at Vagrius's nervous form now, he analysed how Vagrius trembled. How could someone of his brutal nature be reduced to such a pitiful state?
Walter/Hugo:
Walter raised his right hand again. the ancient grimoire pulsed beside him. Walter remembered a certain new skill he wasn't aware off, the leech related ability in his status window.
Walter remembered the summoning method and then he said it
"Leeches, swarm and feast."
A low wet hiss was heard
From the shadows of Walters feet, they strange shadow leech like creatures poured out, hundreds of them, tiny writhing black worms made of living smoke.
They were a dark tidal shore, skittering across the dirt like oil on water.
Vagrius took notice, his now blackened rotting face that initially appeared arrogant, prideful and dominant shattered into a face of pure horror and disgust.
The creatures latched onto Vagrius, it started off small the first few climb his boots, then some climbed his legs. Then his arms. then chest. Finally they burrowed into torn flesh, into open wounds, into the rot Walter had already burned into him. their bodies pulsed as they drained him of his stamina, mana, life force itself all siphoned away in greedy gulps.
Vagrius let out a blood curdling scream as he desperately and weakly scurried up, swinging Vitae Mors wilding like a madman, trying to cut them off.
Walter calmly stepped out of he way his gaze stuck to Vagrius with his widened gray eyes. Even he felt a bit shocked at the situation.
Despite the cruel situation. Walter made a fascinating observation that made his eyes narrow. Despite Vagrius's frantic wild swings of his seemingly enchanted sword the blade passed through the black leech like creatures harmlessly. In Fact they only seemed to multiply, as more crawled into his mouth, nose, his ears. his skin bubbled and blackened even further where they fed.
Walter stepped closer.
Vagrius now near lifeless collapsed onto his back sword clattering beside him. His arms flailed, clawing at the leeches, but they kept coming., His face once beaming with pride and battle scarred now a mask fo black rotten terror.
His facial flesh sloughed away in wet clumps. his colourless eyes rolled wildly.
Vagrius's tone switched to a desperate pleading one. "P-please.." Vagrius rasped, voice cracking. "Stop.. stop this..have some mercy."
Walter crouched beside him close enough to smell the rot and blood.
He tilted his head.
"Did you let the innocent demi-humans live when they begged?" he asked quietly. "You have no right to speak, you apart of a hate group you chained there children. Why beg for forgiveness when you sold them like they were nothing more than products? Did you show mercy then?
The rotting decayed red spine bear stood behind Walter lifelessly observing the situation. The zombified orc's cleaver rested, hanging from its hands as it hunched its back to stare at some red roses.
Vagrius's remaining eye widened. He attempted to speak only for blood to bubble out.
Walter's voice lowered watching the bandit ringleader before him be reduced to a subhuman state.
"Having fun?"
Vagrius reached forward with a trembling decayed hand
Walter remained stationary
He raised one fist covered in black flame and clenche
The leeches surged faster a black tide swallowing Vagrius whole like maggots feasting upon a corpse.
Walter brought his fist down.
CRUNCH
The sound echoed a wet brutal finally.
Vagrius’s body jerked once.
Then stilled.
The leeches continued feeding for a few seconds longer pulsing, swelling until nothing moved beneath them.
Walter exhaled slowly.
The flames around his fists flickered and faded.
Ren fox eyes flickered up, his amber eyes scanned Walter with surprise and shock as he stopped leaning against the dark tree, his ribs were still cracked but not to a great extent, blood still remained on his lip his focus however was more concentrated on the corpse.
“...Holy shit.”
Walter eyed Ren with a slightly annoyed look in his gray eyes.
"Yes Ren, holy shit indeed, wheres Lira, Kira and..." Walters eyes narrowed. "Where's Barnaby? I lost track of them whilst were dealing with this guy."
Ren wiped the blood from his lip, wincing as he straightened. His amber eyes flicked to the fire ring closing in — flames roaring higher, casting dancing shadows across the clearing.
“They’re back that way—” he gestured with a claw toward the burning treeline. “But the fire’s spreading fast. We need to move.”
Walter nodded, but a low rumble echoed from the darkness beyond the flames.
Something large stirred in the trees.
Something with a familiar scent.
Walters blood turned cold, for the very first time in this world.
