The arrow reversed its trajectory and tore through the fog. The arrow flew straight toward the hunter with lethal velocity. Cedric widened his eyes and froze in place. He had zero time to draw a blade or dive out of the path of his own weapon.Jamie did not stop to evaluate the impossible reflex of the shadow. He thrust his left hand forward and tapped directly into his core. A condensed fire ball erupted from his palm. The fireball shot across the courtyard and collided with the arrow inches away from the hunter.The impact vaporized the arrow instantly. Hot ash rained down onto the dirt. Cedric stumbled backward and shielded his face from the sudden blast of heat. The local survivalist lowered his arms and stared at the young knight in absolute shock. He offered a quick silent nod of profound gratitude.Jamie ignored the praise and focused on the center of the courtyard. The knights was losing their desperate battle.The shadow clones swarmed the capital soldiers from every directio

A deafening roar ripped through the freezing air the moment the tempered steel pierced the creature. The sound resembled a violent crack of thunder tearing across the open sky.Bright red lightning returned to the void face of the demon and crackled with chaotic intensity. The massive network of shadow clones swarming Jamie reacted instantly to the distress of their core. The dark constructs latched off his rotating fire shield and dissolved into thick plumes of smoke. The gray fog swelled as the shadowy mass flowed rapidly backward and absorbed directly into the main beast.The demon consolidated its stolen energy and retaliated. The creature swung a solidified claw of dark matter straight at Jamie.Jamie planted his boots in the dirt and yanked his longsword free from the beast. He brought the flaming steel up and parried the incoming strike. The weapons collided with the force of a falling boulder. The parry saved his life but the impact overwhelmed his footing. The blow lifted Jam

The iron door slammed shut and sealed the freezing fog outside. The squad stood in the center of the stone house and stared at the dry solid floor. A masonry hearth dominated the back wall. Cedric had already stacked dry pine logs inside the firebox.Godric knelt and struck a flint against his hunting dagger. The sparks caught the dry kindling and a warm orange glow flooded the large room. The intense heat washed over their exhausted bodies and chased away the biting chill of the Abyss. Thick iron shutters secured the windows and provided an impenetrable barrier against the dark.Nobody cheered. The loss of Kian still hung heavy in their chests but the secure shelter offered them a real chance to survive the deployment. Camilla slumped against the stone wall and finally let her tired eyes close. The younger rookies unbuckled their defective silver breastplates and collapsed onto the scattered wool rugs.Cedric watched the soldiers settle into the corners of the room. He turned to Jami

Two thugs detached themselves from the angry mob and charged up the wooden steps of the hunter's porch. They raised their machetes to strike the first blow. Cedric shifted his weight and prepared to parry the incoming blades.A deafening crash echoed across the small courtyard before the hunter could swing his weapons. The door of the adjacent garrison slammed open and struck the exterior stone wall with immense force.Jamie stepped out into the freezing morning air. Emeric and Godric flanked him. The three capital soldiers wore their battered knight armor and their posture radiated absolute lethal calm. Jamie walked down the stone steps of the garrison and entered the courtyard."Stand down, Cedric," Jamie commanded. He did not look at the local hunter. He kept his eyes locked on the mob of survivalists standing in the gray ash.The two charging thugs froze in their tracks. The sudden appearance of the knights disrupted their aggressive momentum and they backed away from the porch. T

The squad slept through the pale dawn. The thick stone walls of the new garrison blocked the howling wind and muffled the grinding noise of the ruined basin. Jamie sat awake near the massive masonry hearth. He watched the glowing pine embers crackle and pop. The ambient heat worked into his sore muscles and eased the deep physical ache left by his rapid mana drain.Emeric snored softly from a pile of heavy wool rugs in the corner. Godric rested with his wooden bow clutched tightly against his chest. Camilla lay curled near the warm fire with her medical satchel resting beneath her head as a makeshift pillow. The young recruits looked battered and bruised. They had survived their first full day in Alabaster Street but the memory of Kian still cast a heavy shadow over the room. They needed the rest to process the trauma of losing a brother to the dark.Jamie stood up and stretched his stiff legs. He adjusted his leather belt and walked toward the heavy iron door. He needed to check the