"I was foolish to believe that peace was an option. That it could solve everything. In reality, I now know better. There is no noble way of saying it."

Through the snowfall, James could barely make out the longhouse. It seemed like the weather was getting worse by the second, with violent gusts of wind whipping against his cloak and flakes of ice hitting his face like miniature knives. It had gotten so bad that James had to put on his helmet to even traverse the blizzard.

"You see it?" Naomi asked right next to him, unbothered by snowfall.

"Yeah," James responded, putting in the effort not to outright scream over the winds. He felt more than a little nervous at the sight of their intended target. It looked almost abandoned, with the growing hills of snow that seemed to bury it bit by bit. There weren't even guards at its entrance.

'I don't like this,' Faust muttered deep within. 'You'd expect there to be a contingent of men guarding their leader.'

'Perhaps the blizzard got so bad that they're taking shelter,' James reasoned mentally. He looked at Naomi, who watched the distant building with an unreadable expression. James did the same, trying to see if there was anything off.

Instinctually, Faust's spirit flowed into his sight, empowering it. The snowy blizzard grew a bit easier to see through as a result, the world itself gaining an ethereal blue tint. At the same time, James was surprised to see that there were traces of magic around the longhouse. It came from no specific spell, but it still lingered around like a miasma of dark purple.

"Dark magic," Naomi said nearby. James nodded absentmindedly, a weight in his hand. He blinked and realized that he had unsheathed his longsword without thinking.

"Let's go about this carefully," James said as he stood up straighter. For some reason, his right eye was beginning to grow hotter. With a focus of his will, he turned off the enhanced sight. Naomi just nodded at his words as she took out a small dagger, a purple glyph burning on its flat face. She stabbed it into a nearby tree, which earned her a look from James.

"Insurance," she simply said before she crept ahead, her cloak whipping around angrily against the wind.

James followed behind, sword out as he approached the building, its large doors almost beckoning him.

The attack had come out of nowhere. Rolf barely had enough time to secure his cloak before the longships made their landings. Even through the violent blizzard, the shouts of men were audible. Rolf could see how men dressed in vivid red tabards rushed toward the town of Iree, cutting down the stunned guardsmen who had just noticed them.

By the time the rest of the attending guards noticed, the invaders were upon them. Rolf looked around in desperation, shivering but not from the cold. He soon found a young boy watching the unfolding battle ahead, eyes wide with fear. The sergeant hurried over to him, shouting.

"You! Boy!"

The kid flinched at that, snapping out of his stupor to look at Rolf. Rolf grabbed him by the shoulders, his grip tight like a vise.

"Round up the men now!" Rolf ordered, making sure he was being heard over the winds that whipped against his clothes like a banshee's call. The boy nodded at that, his mouth moving. He was mumbling his words, their sound lost in the blizzard's tempest.

"Get out of here!" Rolf growled, ignoring what he assumed was either protest or confirmation. He didn't really care at the moment. He shoved the impromptu messenger away, watching as the scrawny kid hurried off to do his job.

Rolf turned back to the battle at hand, which had devolved in the seconds he wasn't paying attention. Crimson red stained the white landscape, heaps of bodies already being buried by the rushing snowfall. Surprisingly, the blizzard that had hid the raiders had also given Rolf's men an advantage. With their spears and defensive positions, the guardsmen held strongly whilst the attacking force struggled to get through the violent weather.

Rolf reached to his side, his hand grabbing the pommel of his trusty side sword. He unsheathed the oiled blade, light frost breaking from the guard. Without even questioning himself, the sergeant rushed to help his men defend the small town, if only for a few precious moments until reinforcements came.

When the two Outlanders stepped into the longhouse, they were met with darkness and a chill that was unlike the frigid cold from the outside.

James immediately distrusted the situation, his hairs on end as he looked at Naomi. She gave him a similar look that seemed to indicate that she too, felt the odd change in ambience. There were no signs of life, the wall torches snuffed out and the air smelling like old dust.

'We could just back out…' James thought as he gestured to the door behind him. Naomi frowned, a conflicted look in her gaze. The same thought process seemed to pass over her single eye, her hand hovering over the doors that were the entrance to the great hall.

'But…'

Both of them made eye contact once more, their expressions souring to grimaces. Without a single word exchanged, the two Outlanders pressed forward. They stumbled through the dim building, their only sources of light being the cracks in the walls and doors. The deeper they ventured into the longhouse, the more the darkness started to overwhelm.

It got to the point where James channeled Faust into his gaze, his eyes flaring with a blue glow that illuminated his surroundings. Naomi gave him a look for that, but he brushed her off. Sneaking wasn't going to do them any good if he couldn't see a damn thing.

With the addition of some form of light, James could see that the interior was bare. Only banners hung from the walls, with unlit torches accompanying them. It all looked abandoned and gave James a sick feeling. For a moment, he thought that perhaps Lukas had led them to the wrong island.

"Something's not right," Naomi said.

"No shit," James muttered, his tone bordering on reproach. "It's abandoned."

"Nah, it ain't that," Naomi continued, her hand gesturing toward the floor. She knelt, her fingers rubbing against something. James raised an eyebrow at that, his gaze moving to the other Outlander. The glow in his eyes shifted, and he got a better look at what it was. A dark substance stained the floorboards alongside something else. It almost looked like…

James blinked as the stench reached him.

It permeated the air, replacing the old dust with something else foul. James had pinched his nose in disgust, his eyes watering a little at the suddenness of it all. He looked at Naomi, who raised her fingers. She had picked up something from the ground. A small stone, that glittered in the soft blue glow.

"Oh… Oh no," he whispered, realization hitting him as Naomi examined the strange crystal that looked like blue ice. Almost as if on cue, something began to whisper.

"I…I've never thought…"

James raised his head, focusing ahead. His body went tense as he watched someone beyond the glow of his flared gaze move slightly. Standing in the midst of the great hall, right next to the dead firepit, a gaunt man watched him.

Ivan looked worse now; his cheeks sunken in, and his eyes glazed with a glossiness that was reserved for the dead. James almost didn't recognize him had it not been for the Jarl's golden band that sat loosely around the pale man's skull.

"He was right…" Ivan murmured softly, his eyes widening at the sight of James. He shook slightly, his right hand scratching at his left. The sound of nails scraping dry skin filled the silent hall, the sickening noise growing louder as the Jarl stepped back. "He was right."

"Who was right?" James asked, despite himself. Naomi looked at him with confusion. There was an unasked question in her gaze. Was he talking about Eilif?

"God," Ivan answered after a deep breath, his voice sounding as if he was dying of thirst. "God told me. He said you would come. That you would kill me." He began to scratch furiously at his left hand, the dry sound of skin replaced with the wet rhythm of flesh being ripped. It grew more frantic as Ivan's voice rose. "I… I just wanted to live! I wanted to live! But he… It made me do things! Terrible things!"

James watched with silent horror as Ivan clawed at the skin of his arm, bits and chunks of what looked like frostbitten flesh falling to the floor.

"I never wanted to stab him," Ivan croaked, shuffling away as he cowered and whimpered. "But God told me that it'd make him stronger. Strong enough to perhaps save me. You must understand…"

He began to babble incoherently, which confused the hell out of James even. The younger Jarl took a tentative step forward, his longsword at the ready. He was already starting to get a terrible feeling about this situation.

Just as he contemplated killing the older man where he stood, something horrifying echoed within the hall. James froze, his blood running cold as a familiar sound stabbed at his ears like an icy knife.

Klik Klik Klik

James spun around in a rush, his eyes flaring with heat as he swung his longsword toward the darkness nearby. The sudden increase in light revealed something hulking in the shadows near the two Outlanders, its height towering over them both. The sword struck true, its sharp edge burying itself into the side of the creature that lurked beyond. It only went halfway through the flesh.

'Shi—'

Something struck James hard in the chest, his breastplate's runes flaring orange as he was sent back a whole three meters. He skidded on the wooden floorboard, his sword slipping from his grip. As he tried to comprehend what had just happened, Naomi moved. She sprang from her spot on the ground, her hands moving in a blur as she threw two knives at the hulking figure. They did absolutely nothing.

With a curse, Naomi backed away from a wide strike similar to the one that had taken down James. She skidded to a stop right next to the fallen Jarl, who had finally managed to get himself standing.

"Candlelight," Naomi whispered, her hand forming a basic rune. A small orb of pure light appeared right after, illuminating the hallway better than James' flared spirit. As a result, they both saw the thing that stood before them.

James had seen enough of the abomination to know what to expect. Yet he couldn't help but recoil a little at the sight of its latest victim. It had once been a man, or maybe three at that, its limbs and torso malformed beyond recognition. Half of its face was covered in crystals, the skin around it already turning black.

Teeth chattered wantingly, a black bloated tongue slithering behind gnashed teeth and pruned lips. The eyes of the creature stared at James with a hatred he didn't expect. He had seen the thing react with emotion before, but this seemed much more human.

'Unless the victim is still conscious?'

James could still remember Frederick, the first man who had been infected by the abomination's grasp. The man was still alive behind those crystals, fighting against the voices in an effort to break free. Was this person the same?

"I've been wanting this for so long…" the thing croaked, its tone akin to… glee? "Ever since that day… I've prayed that you've lived. That perhaps, you've survived. If only so I could inflict upon you what you did to me."

"What the hell are you talking about?" James asked, genuinely confused. This didn't sound like the creature he usually encountered. Something was clearly off.

'Then again, why am I concerning myself over what its state of mind is?' he thought.

'No, there's something wrong with it,' Faust suddenly butted in. 'The host, James. It's the host talking, not the thing that infects him.'

"What?" James muttered, confusion growing until he caught a glimpse of the thing's left hand. Even with the crystals and black skin, he could see that it had once been mangled before its transformation. What had once been the wrist was split open, an ugly wound that brought back a terrible memory within James.

'No…It can't be.'

The creature—no, Finn—tilted his head at James, purple lips pulling back into a disgusting grin. "I've come with my own power. One that will put an end to you!"

Without waiting for a response, Finn charged toward the two Outlanders, his mace-like hand raised for a strike. James stepped back, hand grabbing at his backup weapon. Before he could even draw it, Finn was already upon him, fast as a nightmare. One moment, James was looking at the falling mace. The next, he was on the ground again. He blinked.

Naomi had kicked him to the side of the wide hall, saving him in the brief moment. She gave him a curt nod, her hands bringing out a sheathed sword from beneath her cloak. James nodded back as he sprang to his feet. With a motion that was more instinctual than practiced, he pulled his short sword out of its scabbard.

"Carapace!" he cast his first buff, the warmth of the protection spell enveloping him in a flash. It stacked with the runes on his armor, brightening their glow to a neon blue. Naomi cast her own buffs as she unsheathed her weapon, a golden aura accompanying her as she rushed at the creature. James joined her, steel flashing as he prepared to strike.

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

Rolf found himself in the midst of what he could assume was the dredges of Hel itself. He remembered the stories of the underworld, ruled by the god of death himself. A frigid uninhabitable wasteland filled with the souls of the damned as they fought an endless, pointless war for salvation.

As the blizzard swept over the line of crashing bodies and dying men, Rolf wondered if he had passed on at some point that day. He wondered if he had unknowingly been sent to the depths of Helheim, forced to fight an eternal battle.

Those thoughts were swept away when the cold bite of steel found its mark on his belly, the pain reminding the exhausted man that he was, in fact, still alive.

With a grunt of effort, Rolf brought down his sword on the attacking raider, who couldn't back away in time. The blade made contact with the man, the edge striking against mail and steel. Rolf brought it down harder, not caring if the weapon didn't cut. The iron sword smashed against the raider's helmet, ringing metal and concussing the bastard. Rolf continued, adrenaline surging as he used the sword as a mace.

Even without castings, the sergeant's strikes were hard and fast. Eventually, his attacks did the other man in, forcing him to the ground that was starting to turn into a stained marsh of snow and blood. That itself soon turned into a death sentence for the attacker, for he was soon trampled by both friend and foe.

It was only once the immediate threat was gone that Rolf realized where the raider had struck him. He backed away quickly, free hand over the bleeding wound on his belly. He half-expected to feel the warm coils of his own guts spilling out but was relieved to find that the cut was shallow and barely got past the gambeson.

Rolf stole a glance at the surrounding battle that had grown in intensity and number. The reinforcements had arrived quickly, thanks to the boy. Still, if he survived this, Rolf would have the kid whipped for reacting so slowly. Seconds meant life and death in situations like this, and the sergeant would not allow for such hesitation.

For the moment, however, Rolf focused on the battle at hand. They were pushing back the invaders, if only slowly. Still, should the Hawk Clan's men stay strong, they'd win sooner or later.

Just as Rolf was counting his good fortune, something surged within the crowd of clashing men. Even through the violent snowstorm, he watched as men flew back from down the line, their bodies turning into unrecognizable heaps the moment they hit the snow. Yells and panicked screams began to pick up as the defenders were shoved back.

Rolf watched with dawning horror as an explosion rang out a few meters away, a wave of heat immediately evaporating the snowflakes in its vicinity. The lingering warmth was still there even after the blizzard resumed its violent song.

'Spellcasters,' was the thought that rang in his head.

"Men!" Rolf shouted, desperation in his voice. "Spread out and retreat! They have spellcasters! Men! To—"

Another Fireball struck the guardsmen, this time in the backlines. The stench of burnt flesh accompanied the overpowering scent of iron, the combination making Rolf's stomach turn. He turned back to where both forces were clashing. They were breaking already, the men retreating with fearful looks in their eyes. Rolf tried to rally them, but his voice was lost in the winds.

Eventually, he would find out that it wasn't the Fireballs that broke the men. Neither was the realization of a spellcaster amongst the invader's ranks. No, as Rolf watched his forces break, he could see the shambling forms of men emblazoned with the marks of Hawks. He first assumed them to be injured but was horrified when he noticed the purple necrotic energies that forced the corpses of his fellow men to fight against their own.

At that moment, Sergeant Rolf of the Hawk Clan's guardsmen was sure that the wound to his belly had sent him to the bottom layers of Helheim, where he was forced to witness the horrors of death.

He broke not even a second later.

James dodged another strike from Finn's mace-like hand, the crystals shimmering with the reflection of Naomi's Candlelight spell. He raised his sword, eyes burning with fury as he swung toward the abomination's head. Finn twisted unnaturally, his torso seemingly bending in an impossible way to avoid the strike. James faltered at that moment, confusion settling in him. It was all the deformed man needed.

With a swing from his other hand, Finn managed to backhand James. The attack itself didn't do much in terms of damage, but it was enough to send the Jarl stumbling. The abomination twisted back right after the attack, eyes glinting with feral hunger as he crept toward the stunned man like a nightmarish creature.

"Lash! Tether!" Naomi's voice echoed with the reverberation of magic, her hands gesturing toward Finn and the wall opposite of him. The abomination barely had time to react before his body was violently jerked away. Finn struck against the wooden wall, more confused rather than stunned.

Naomi stepped right next to James, sweat beading on her forehead as she watched the abomination. While she did her best to hide it, the young Jarl could see how her expression bordered on disturbed and fearful. It was clear that she had never faced anything like the abominations.

"Have an idea on how to kill it?" Naomi asked as she took her stance, the katana in her grip wavering ever so slightly.

"The head," James said as he stood up straight. "We have to destroy it and burn the corpse."

"Yeah, well, I've been tryin," Naomi muttered. "You think it'd be easy."

James didn't answer her right away. He only watched Finn, who struggled to break out of whatever binding Naomi had put on him. It would've been the perfect time to strike at the head had it not been for the fact that Finn was supernaturally adept at dodging any and all attempted attacks toward it.

Well, except for his torso and arms. That was fair game, apparently. However, James and Noami haven't managed to do much damage to them. The arms especially. They were covered in those hard crystals, making it impossible to cripple Finn. The torso was out of the question, as its flesh was as thick as vern wood, not counting the amalgamation of crystals that seemed to grow in number as time went on.

"Do you have any flame spells?" James whispered to the other Outlander, his left hand digging into his satchel.

"I have something that might work," Naomi admitted. "But it's dark magic."

"Whatever works," James said as he pulled out a small vial that had a blue ribbon tied around it. A courtesy from Emma. "Use it when he's not paying attention to you. I have a feeling he'll try to avoid it the best he could."

Before Naomi could respond to that, a loud snap echoed within the dim hall. Finn staggered forward, his ugly grin glinting with malice. James could swear he saw Naomi falter at the sudden break of her spell, a small dribble of blood coming from her nose. A look of shock passed over her expression then, a sight that made James more than a little nervous.

'I have a feeling that spell wasn't easy to break,' Faust said, worried.

'Yeah. Same,' James responded as he broke the plaster on his agility potion. He downed it quickly, just as Finn rushed ahead. Faust immediately forced James' body to dodge, saving him from a strike that would've caved in his skull. James found his footing quickly, his sword raising as he struck a counterattack. Immediately, Finn twisted his body in a way that no human could do. As such, the swing went wide, and James was left open once more.

"Instant Reflex!" James cast mid-feint, expecting the dodge. Right when the world went slow, and heat exploded from his body, the Agility potion kicked in. The world turned to a standstill as if James had simply clapped his hands and willed time itself to stop. With careful deliberation, James raised his boot, his muscles screaming with effort as he stomped on the abomination's foot. Or what used to be a foot.

It took an insanely long time to position himself, as even with the agility potion, Instant Reflex had its limits. Still, James managed to put himself at an advantage, his sword swinging back like a pendulum toward Finn's surprised face.

For a moment that passed like minutes—and was probably just a second—James pondered on stacking Power Strike with his swing. He dismissed the idea almost immediately, as even the heat from Instant Reflex, combined with the agility potion he drank, the young Jarl was already teetering on the edge of heatstroke.

The abomination tried to dodge it, his movements quick even with Instant Reflex. Still, James' gambit had paid off with a solid strike, the blade's edge burying into the right side of Finn's head just as the deformed man tried to move out of the way. Instant Reflex was turned off right after, the sound of a dull thunk echoing in the hall as James' strike rang true.

On instinct, James' arm formed a layer of frost over his left side, cooling him off from the effort. He breathed out a frosty breath as he stared down the now-dead abomination… which looked up at him with a bloodied grin. James' eyes widened as Finn's gaze met with him, the deformed man's eyes very much still alive.

"Oh fuck—"

His armor and Carapace flared with magical fever as the abomination's other foot struck him like a shotgun blast to the chest. The sudden strike threw the young Jarl back a few meters, his sword ripping out of the deformed skull in a spatter of dark blood. James rolled on the floorboards in a groan, his head swiveling. He felt as his enchantments tried to keep his organs from rupturing, the uncomfortable warmth threatening to make him vomit.

He looked up at where he was just a second ago, watching as Naomi rushed toward Finn with her sword.

"Power Strike!" she cast, her curved blade gaining a red hue as it sliced through the abomination's right arm. For a moment, as the weapon clashed against the crystals, James swore the young woman's weapon was going to break then and there. Yet instead of that, he watched as the katana's runes flared with an orange glow, its edge carving through the crystals like a pick through ice.

There was a sickening sound of bone and tendon ripping, the crystals that held them in place shattering from the aftershock of Naomi's Power Strike. Finn was shoved back by the attack, his malformed arm dropping to the ground, the elbow severed clean through. Naomi staggered in place, her breaths coming out in thick clouds of steam. It was clear that she had put her all into the attack.

Finn roared, his mace-like hand swinging back toward the young woman. James found himself hurrying forward, already unhitching his backup ax. Naomi barely managed to dodge the abomination's attack, her free hand producing a glowing dagger. She tried to throw it but failed when Finn's foot caught her stomach. Air rushed out of her at that moment, her eyes going blank and her body tumbling back.

James watched as Naomi was thrown back a meter or two, the glowing knife she held falling to the ground in a clatter. Finn rushed to finish her off, his only arm coming back for another swing. James was sure he was going to watch the young woman die in front of him. Instead, he watched as Naomi blinked out of existence, the wind rushing to where she once was.

Finn's mace struck nothing but the floorboards, his glowing eyes blinking in what was probably the most human expression he could muster. Confusion.

'The knife she stabbed into the tree outside,' James realized. Naomi had teleported herself back outside, saving her own life but leaving James behind. Finn didn't exactly seem to know what had happened, but he seemed to figure out that James was pretty much on his own.

'Well, shit.'

James gritted his teeth, his hand clenching his ax tightly. Both he and the abomination stared at each other at that moment, their glowing gazes locking onto each other. Finn was the first to move, his feet scraping against the floor as he tried to run on three limbs. James pressed on regardless, hand ax at the ready. Enhanced by the agility potion, he was fast enough to counter Finn's charge with a kick. His boot met with the crystalized bastard's face, throwing Finn back and stunning him for a second.

James took advantage of that second, his ax swinging down in a blur. It struck the blackened flesh of Finn's shoulder, sinking only an inch deep and doing jack-fucking-shit. James grimaced and pulled his ax back just in time to avoid Finn's wild counterattack. He stepped back again, dodging more swings from the abomination.

'Can't do anything with this ax,' James thought. He couldn't even use Power Strike with it, as the enhanced casting would surely break the thing in half. He looked over to where his sword lay, the blade just a few meters away from where he and Finn stood. If he could just get past him…

Faust's spirit flooded within for just a moment, forcing him to dodge another strike that nearly took his head off.

'Don't take your eyes off him!' Faust shouted.

James followed the spirit's advice, scrambling as he avoided a kick. He tried to get around Finn and reach for his sword. He failed as Finn came in with another downward swing of his macehand.

"Running won't save you!"

James cursed as he backed away, his breathing growing heavy with exertion. The potion was already beginning to wear off, its dosage low and potency mild. This fight was going to be over quick if they kept going at it like this.

'There's always a way,' Faust said to him. James ground his teeth, his eyes searching the surrounding area. His two swords had already been separated from him, both beyond his reach and behind the abomination that stood before him. All he had left was his handax and the dagger Naomi had failed to use.

'Wait…'

James looked at the small enchanted dagger, which glowed a soft purple. The glyph inscribed on its hilt was still glowing, and the magic was still very active. He swallowed hard, debating the chances. If this worked…

'New plan,' James thought, his gaze settling on the creature before him.

Finn watched him with hungry eyes, teeth audibly clicking as he waited for the Jarl to make a move. James gave him a confident smile despite his helmet obscuring his face. It was the thought that counted.

He rushed forward and raised his ax just like before. Finn didn't hurry like before, his deformed body tensing as he awaited James' attack. This time, however, James didn't even try. He slid on the ground, his left hand picking up the small dagger. With a smooth motion, he—

Finn was upon him before he even had a chance to enact his last-ditch plan. James didn't even have time to react before his chest was struck by the abomination's mace. His armor's runes crackled, half of them fizzling out. James gasped, his momentum coming to a dead stop. His lungs felt as if they had been squeezed dry, their air rushing out of his lips in a woosh.

Finn kicked him right after the mace strike, sending James to the wall nearby. The wood splintered from the sheer impact, earning James another wave of heat from his enchantments. He spat something foul inside his helmet, the sickening taste of fruit and iron filling his mouth.

"Weak," Finn said as he hobbled to James. "It almost makes me a little sad for you. You tried so hard, got so far, all to just die a meaningless death."

James coughed, his vision slowly returning as he looked up at the abominable creature. "I'm not gonna die. Not today."

"Oh really?" Finn asked, his gravelly voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Why's that?"

James' eyes grew a bright blue as he locked gazes with the creature above him. "Because I still have unfinished business with your pathetic excuse of a Jarl." He grabbed Finn's mace with his left hand, his fingers burning as they siphoned what they could. The abomination recoiled in surprise, the light within its eyes and crystals flickering in response.

James felt as Finn's memories and emotions flooded into his consciousness, alongside the power that dwelled within his deformed corpse. 'Life,' Malik had called it. The energies that held together one's soul. James drained it bit by bit, his strength and vigor returning in trickles. His breathing returned to normal, the runes on his armor flaring with newfound life.

Finn shuddered in response, his mace hand pulling away from James' hold. He stumbled, his eyes flickering with barely contained fear. "W-What are you—?"

"I'm not gonna let anyone stop me from what I have to do," James growled as he grabbed at his fallen ax and dagger. He slowly got up to his feet, his gaze never leaving Finn's own. The deformed man watched him, stunned. "Not Deimos. Not Ivan. And sure as hell not you."

James stared at the abomination, rage in his eyes. Without hesitation, he struck Finn with the ax, burying it in his right eye. The deformed man screamed in response, recoiling at the sudden attack.

"Because you're just another stone in my way," James said. He stepped forth and drove the enchanted dagger into the crystallized skull. "So fucking die already!"

He backed away almost immediately, dodging a wild swing.

"I'LL KILL YOU," Finn screamed, his voice coming out in a hoarse yet haunting voice. "I'LL KILL YOU! I WILL RIP YOUR GUTS OUT AND FEAST ON THEM UNTIL—"

Naomi blinked into existence right in front of Finn, her left hand grabbing onto the dagger that was buried into the creature's temple. She ripped it out in a smooth motion, speckling dark blood everywhere. Before Finn could even have time to react to the sudden appearance of the other Outlander, Naomi's sword rammed itself into his open maw.

"Eldritch Flame!"

Green flames burst alight around the katana's length, its sharp tip piercing through the abomination's skull like butter. It ran through fully, the guard meeting with his teeth in a sickening clack. James watched as Naomi swung upward, the blade slicing the head in half.

The burning corpse dropped to the floor in a heap. Naomi stood in Finn's place, panting as she dismissed the flaming enchantment from her sword. Both Outlanders shared a look. James said nothing, the heat within his eyes dying down slowly as he turned to watch the abomination's corpse burn to ash.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.