Distant horns echoed through the forest like a warning from the dead. Kane stood among the bodies of the fallen Church knights, his eyes glowing with that dangerous mix of purple and faint gold. The fragment inside him purred with satisfaction. “Prepare yourselves,” Kane said, his voice colder than he intended. “They won’t stop until we’re all ash.” Seraphine wiped sweat and blood from her face, shadows flickering weakly around her. She looked exhausted, one hand pressed to her stomach like it hurt. Nyra stood close to Kane, cleaning her daggers with a small smile. “Let them come, my lord. Your Bone Wraiths will tear them apart.” Vesper gripped her blade tighter. “We should set an ambush. No need to face them head-on again.”But Kane shook his head. A group of five injured Church knights had been captured during the last wave–they knelt in the dirt, hands bound with bone shackles. One of them, a young paladin barely older than Kane, looked up with terrified eyes. “Please… mercy. W

The ground rumbled harder, like something massive was tearing through the forest toward the newly claimed outpost. Kane stood on the manor balcony, golden flecks still dancing in his purple-black eyes. The power from conquering the noble house still buzzed in his veins, but so did the cold warning from the fragment.“What the hell is that?” Vesper asked, gripping her blade as she joined him.Thorne the raven shot into the air like a black arrow, circling once before diving back down. “Big ugly! Looks like another stitched freak—bigger than the last one. Malachar’s leftovers, I bet and it’s bringing friends. Ten minutes until party time!”Seraphine stepped out behind them, one hand on her stomach, looking pale but determined. “We just took this place. We can’t lose it already.”Nyra appeared smoothly at Kane’s side, her red eyes gleaming with excitement. “Let it come, my lord. Show them what the new king can do.”Kane nodded, feeling the pull of more power. “We fight. Bone Wraiths to

Seraphine slipped out of the manor through a side window while the others were busy repairing the damaged walls. Her stomach twisted painfully with every step, but she pushed through the discomfort. She couldn’t stay there any longer watching Kane slip away right in front of her.The night air was cold against her skin as she moved silently through the trees surrounding the outpost. Shadows wrapped around her like a protective cloak—her own power, familiar and comforting. For the first time in days, she felt like she could breathe."Just a short time," she told herself. "I need answers."She found a hidden clearing a short distance away and pressed her back against an old oak tree. Her hand rested on her belly, where the baby was reacting badly to Kane’s growing darkness. It felt like tiny storms clashing inside her.“Come on,” she whispered, sending a thin thread of shadow magic into the ground. “Old friends… if any of you are still listening.”Minutes passed. Then the shadows near

Far away, deep within a forgotten mountain fortress shrouded in eternal night, Malachar lounged on his throne of blackened bones. The air smelled of old blood and smoke. Golden eyes gleamed in the darkness as he reached through the fragment buried in the Tenth Kane’s chest. A cruel smile curved his lips. He felt everything—Kane’s growing power, the golden cracks spreading in his soul, and the shadow girl’s departure. Most importantly, he felt the fragile new life growing inside her. Nyra’s voice echoed through their blood connection, clear and devoted. “My King, the shadow girl has fled the outpost. She is alone and vulnerable. Kane is shaken. I have positioned myself as his closest confidante. He absorbed another fragment tonight. Corruption sits at 81%.” Malachar leaned forward, fingers drumming on a skull embedded in the throne’s armrest. “Excellent work, Nyra. You have always been my most loyal servant. The pregnancy… that hybrid child is the only real threat. If it is born ba

Seraphine's POV She moved quietly through the thick forest, her body feeling heavier with every step. She had been walking for three days since leaving Kane and the outpost. Her feet hurt, her back ached and her belly... it was starting to show now. She figured she was about three months pregnant. The baby was growing fast—too fast for a normal child. She found a small hidden cave near a stream and sat down with a tired groan. Her hands gently rubbed her stomach. “Hey little one,” she whispered softly. “It’s just you and me for now.” The baby kicked hard, like it was angry. Seraphine winced. The kicks were getting stronger every day, and they always felt worse whenever she thought about Kane using his dark powers. It was like the baby could sense the death magic inside its father and didn’t like it.“I know,” she said, breathing through the pain. “I miss him too but he’s changing. I can’t watch him become that monster.”She was hungry again. These days she had strange cravings. Y