The man titled Jorhund grinned at Salem with a strange surge of confidence in his eyes. The wind whistled through the campsite as the sky darkened, clouds crossing overhead as the shadows revealed the tension in the air.

  “Well, Faughlt? Anything to say?”

  Salem finished the last few bites of rutabaga. “Thanks Pudge,” he said to a silent crowd, leaving the bowl on the ground.

  “Your Name?” said Salem.

  “Annos, but that’d be JorhundGa Annos to you now, Faughlt.”

  Salem frowned. “JorhundGa? Under whose authority?”

  Annos smiled and held up a dark purple piece of gnarled wood. Salem tensed up as Keldon slowly put his bowl down, his heart pounding against his chest.

  “No,” said Salem without turning around. Keldon froze.

  “You should be careful baring those fangs of yours pup, you might get burnt.”

  Was this Salem’s way of telling him to not interfere?

  But Annos didn’t seem to realize that Salem was speaking to Keldon as his face soured. “Fucking Peacekeepers, still thinking Idraver revolves around you,” he said. “Let me clue you in on a little secret Faughlt, change comes, and you’re being left behind.”

  He dropped the gnarled piece of wood into the ground and waved his left hand as a pale grey skill orb appeared.

  The gnarled wood sunk into the ground, creating a small fissure. Everyone except Annos and Salem took a step back as an ethereal smokey arm ripped itself out of the ground. Long hooked claws left deep gashes in the earth as the creature emerged with a ghastly screech. It was humanoid, tall, and lanky with glowing green eyes as it towered over Keldon and the others, standing a good five heads over Salem and dripping with black ichor. Salem kept a steely gaze, not breaking eye contact with Annos who maintained a cocky grin.

  Finally, Salem spoke. “I assume you’re aware of the consequences of your actions?” he said.

  “Hm? Oh, you mean about your father’s orders. I believe a good friend of yours believes he would take care of them if push came to shove.”

  “A good friend? The hell are yo-,” started Salem, but then something dawned on him, “That rat! He wouldn’t dare.”

  Annos dramatically pulled out a glistening ivory knife, carved from bone as he waved it around in the air as if he was toying with Salem. Salem’s face darkened.

  “No need for the scowl, Faughlt. Take it up with the chief once we’re back in Zolstice,” said Annos, turning to Mitch. “Pathmaker, with the authority as a representative of JorhundaGaT’aal Auschler, I command you to seize Salem Faughlt.”

  Keldon had a sinking feeling in his gut as Ernie and Pudge both turned to guidance from Mitch, who in kind, gave Salem a heavy look.

  “Is this true Salem?” asked Mitch.

  Salem gave Mitch a gentle smile.

  Mitch sighed. “Alright boys, let’s get to work,” said Mitch. An earthy-yellow orb materialized at Mitch’s fingertips as Ernie and Pudge summoned their own skill orbs respectively.

  “And grab the kid, the JorhundaGaT’aal might want to have a word with him,” said Annos.

  “Leave him out of this,” spat Salem.

  Annos snorted. “Definitely grab the kid.”

  “Sorry Keldon,” said Pudge.

  Thick icy chains shot out from Pudge’s hand as they wrapped around Keldon, and pulled him nearby Pudge. Salem shot Pudge an intense stare as he nodded back in reassurance. Keldon would be safe with him. Mitch and Ernie took up combative stances, slowly encircling Salem who kept a watchful eye on the ominous creature lingering in the field.

  “Sorry about this Salem, Pathmaker’s contract and all,” said Mitch. But then he lowered his voice to a whisper, “Don’t die on me.”

  “Same here pal, same here,” said Salem.

  Mitch slammed his fists together.

  The ground rumbled as the pieces of the earth slammed into Mitch, morphing into clay pauldrons and two giant titan arms that hovered near his body, mimicking his combative stance.

  “Final warning Faughlt, come peacefully,” said Annos. But despite his cautionary words, there was a wild look in his eyes that dared Salem to take a single step out of turn.

  “No thanks,” said Salem.

  But Mitch’s titan arms crushed the earth, interrupting Salem as he nimbly dodged out of the way. Annos leaped forward as Salem quickly whipped a short blade out of his cloak parrying the bone dagger and dealing a blow to Annos in the stomach, sending him launching into the air. Ernie activated a movement burst skill as he zipped into Salem’s face, sword drawn at the ready, but Salem was too quick. Salem grabbed Ernie by the wrist and hurled him into Annos who had just recovered and quickly summoned his skill orb again. The red needle appeared with a whir as Annos shoved Ernie off him.

  “Stop him!” screamed Annos. At his command, Ad’Temorre launched himself in a flurry of claws and smog.

  But it was too late.

  A tsunami of flame exploded from Salem’s body, as a white-hot flame scorched the entire field, forcing Ad’Temorre backward. Living flame armor covered his entire body as two flaming red horns sprouted from his head and the eight-foot-long searing blade announced its presence to the field. But if Ad’Temorre was capable of fear, it certainly didn’t show it.

  Salem knocked aside the creature’s long hooked claws, as he cut through Ad’Temorre again and again, with each cut, foul black oil poured out of its body. But each blow only spurred the creature to rush Salem with renewed fierceness. Mitch worked in tandem with Ad’Temorre to rush Salem down. He hurled boulders at Salem who crushed the boulders with his fist during the onslaught of attacks.

  Annos disappeared, as Ernie whittled away at his armor. Salem leaped back, tossing out a wall of flames. Mitch was forced back, but Ad’Temorre defied the flames, pursuing Salem through the wall. But it had bought Salem enough time to activate another skill.

  Three enormous sigils lit up the sky as a beam of light shone down on Ad’Temorre, suppressing the creature with a ghastly wail. But Salem wrinkled his nose. He whipped around and swung his sword in a wild arc. Annos suddenly appeared, dodging just underneath the blade’s arc as he did a backflip.

  Annos thrust out his arm

  A deep purple blade materialized in the air as Annos flipped it around expertly. He gave it a few weighty shakes. He pounced like lightning, disappearing and reappearing as he zipped around Salem.

  Up? Behind Salem? Damnit, Keldon couldn’t pin down Annos’ location, but Salem was steady.

  “Pathmaker!” screamed Annos. There was a rumble beneath his feet, as Salem leaped into the air. Clay pillars erupted from the ground, piercing Salem in the back of his legs.

  “*Arggh*” grunted Salem. Ernie burst from the shadows as Annos followed suit in a joint attack. But Salem stood his ground, defying the odds! He lashed out his sword, using the absurd length to command respect on the battlefield, forcing a dodge out of both Ernie and Annos. They retreated, buying time for Salem to free himself from the earthly prison. But from his blindspot, came an enormous fist slamming into Salem’s body as he coughed out a spurt of blood from his helm.

  “SALEM!” howled Keldon. He turned around “Pudge!! Please!! Let me go!”

  But Pudge wasn’t looking, as tears streaked down his face. He’d shut his eyes in pain, turning away from the scene of battle.

  “PUDGE PLEASE!” yelled Keldon. But Pudge wouldn’t listen, his hands trembled as he finally gave Keldon a look of sorrow.

  “B-bound by contract,” he said, his voice trembling.

  Fucking Dammit! Keldon turned back to the battle.

  “Good riddance, Peacekeeper Faughlt,” said Annos.

  Ominous darkness had shrouded the field. The three sigils had disappeared from the sky as Salem was bound within the clutches of Ad’Temorre who coiled around him like a python. Salem flailed wildly, but to no avail as the creature strangled him, holding him in place as Annos strode over. He smiled with a wicked grin, playfully flipping the ivory-bone knife in his hands. Mitch and Ernie stood to the side, bitterly looking away from the scene.

  “No.” Keldon thought. The overwhelming feeling of helplessness washed over him as he struggled to break the frozen chains. He couldn’t do it, he couldn’t handle seeing another friend die because of his powerlessness. He coul-… but amidst the darkness, a fiery clarity ignited in his gut and cleared his mind.

  Things were different now. He could make a difference.

  “This time, no hesitation,” thought Keldon. No deliberation needed, just move.

  Keldon turned to Pudge, “Shield yourself,” he said as steam poured from his body. Pudge gave Keldon a confused look, but then, seeing the rapidly melting chains, threw up a wall of ice between them.

  A chill bit Keldon in the chest as heat exploded from his muscles. He took a deep breath, rearing back his head as he felt a roar in his chest.

  “KARYX” howled Keldon. He burst free from the chains, rocketing like a living fireball towards Annos who turned in stunned surprise. Keldon barreled into his chest like a cannonball as Annos was sent flying. Pain surged from Keldon’s shoulders as the recoil nearly crippled him. Seizing the moment, Salem tore his hand free.

  Yellow light burst from Salem’s body, banishing the clutches of Ad’Temorre and forcing the creature into a retreat. Keldon turned away to shield his eyes, but the light blinded him. his vision blurred as he struggled to open his eyes. However, standing… no levitating in the middle of the field was Salem in a fiery god-like form. Blue and white flames bloomed behind him like wings, creating an air of majesty despite the feverish wounds that riddled his body.

  “You’re welcome,” said Keldon, taking up wildstance.

  “I’ll thank you when we make it out alive. For now, get ready,” said Salem, turning to a crazed recovered Annos.