A flurry of drones caught Rezu in a net, before he hit the ocean. They dropped him roughly on a shoreline, out of sight of any mortals. He had been played a fool, twice in the same day. He wasn’t even mad anymore. All of his rage had been stolen with that hit. Rezu shook his head and made his way back up to the keep.

The little dryad was waiting on top of the gate house. Mouse blocked any view from the mortals. She had a table set out with snacks as she calmly poured a cup of tea. As soon as Rezu appeared she said, “Hi Reese.”

“Long time no see, Klaus.” Rezu took a seat. Klaus had a strange power. He aged like normal and his body would ‘die’. But his Mecromail allowed him to implant into a woman using her eggs to grow a new body. It worked as slowly as it sounds. He would need some added sperm if he wanted a male body. He was secretive and liked to surprise the other mecromancers, especially Rezu, with each new body. But he usually waited until his powers had fully developed. This was quite young for him to show himself… well, she, was quite young to show herself.

“I got you good this time.” She giggled.

“It’s been a rough day. Four of us are down.”

“Sorry to hear that. I am glad it was you that showed up. I was worried it would be…” Klaus made gestures like Gessil’s curled horns.

“Gessil is dead.”

“Show me the body.” She snapped. “I won’t believe it until I see a body.”

“I haven’t seen it yet.”

“Then how do you know?”

“Lilithana verified it. But I had to come here first.”

“Take me to see the body.”

“We can go as soon as I am done here.”

Klaus slumped in her chair and sipped her tea angrily. “Do you promise?”

“Promise.” Rezu nodded then looked her in the eyes. “Did you know about the plot?”

She gave a flippant wave, “Yes, but I thought it was typical mortal nonsense.”

“I was in the carriage. So was the Eleventh.”

She trembled and almost dropped her cup. “I’m sorry. If I had known you were the target, I would have warned you. I promise.”

“Don’t worry. I believe you.” Rezu said. Gessil had probably been watching Gwenyr since she was installed. Then the same remnant she used for bait had showed up again. And Rezu had done his best to let everyone know about it. Every bad thing in this mission could be tied back to his own failures. He couldn’t have fucked it up worse if he had planned it. Cyan danced on his skin.

“Are you ok?”

Rezu chewed a couple cookies to give himself a minute to calm down then said, “Cinder and the Second are injured as well.”

She nodded. “That is three, you said four.”

Rezu scratched the back of his head. “Karimere, but that mess is unrelated to Gessil.”

“How was Karimere injured?”

He didn’t want to start down that trail of questions so he teased. “I’ll tell you when you’re older.”

She ignored the joke. “Are you trying to hide the fact that Shadowbane has returned?”

Rezu blinked. “Shadowbane…? What? The Second and Eleventh share that name.”

“I am talking about the original. Sarya was here.”

“Sarya died over a decade ago. I thought you knew. Jade looks just like her but her hair is green.”

“This was after the green one fought. And it was Sarya, or someone invented a shoulder mounted arclance.” Klaus spawned a tablet. It showed an image of a glowing yellow beam crossing at least a kilometer of terrain and ending near the fresh ruins of the temple. The source was in the tree line. There was not enough detail to see a person.

“I know nothing about this. Get me all the data you have. I will see what I can find out.”

“Sorry, I didn’t get any better images. I couldn’t risk giving away I was here. Cinder’s energy is the only one I recognized as friendly. And she was so pissed, I think I would have died if she looked at me.” Klaus shuddered.

“The battle is over. Our people are alive and hopefully they will recover. And as far as Sarya being back, keep this between us, for now.” Lilithana’s speedy arrival makes more sense if Sarya set some beacons.

Klaus stood and bowed. “As you command.”

Rezu had trained Klaus. Rezu was the one Klaus trusted to keep Mouse whenever Klaus was too young or old, to be a full Mecromancer. Klaus claimed Mouse got bored if someone didn’t carry him around and use him occasionally. Rezu didn’t understand how a golem could be bored but he would never complain about having a titan in his pocket. He wished he could have used Mouse on Gessil today. I could have flashstepped Gwenyr away from the temple and still been in the fight. Rezu shook his head. He needed to stop second guessing himself. He still had work to do and didn’t need the distraction.

“You like my new body? You never expected me to be a dryad did you.” Klaus grinned.

Rezu shook his head. “I didn’t even know you were reborn. What happened?”

“Karimere had me burn a wither outbreak. I got a little too enthusiastic. My old heart couldn’t take it. But my new mother is a kind. She is in the forest south-west of here. I would like you to meet her.”

“I have work to do first. Who are the heretics?”

“I can show you them if you can gather everyone in front of Mouse.”

“I was in the ambush and your little trick killed my mood. You should take care of the mortals.”

“I am nine. I don’t have the arcane for a long fight. But I can make them run so you can hunt them down.”

Rezu smiled and his cat ears twitched. “That sounds fun. Take care of the innocents for me.”

“I am still nine.”

“They just watched to fight a god, and win. Also, you have Mouse.”

She giggled “Oh, right.”

He took her arm and flashstepped them onto Mouse’s shoulder.

There was much shouting and commotion from the walls.

Rezu projected his voice. “To honor my word I will grant a reprieve to the defenders of Red Rock Keep who are still loyal. I will leave judgement to the little one here.”

Klaus’ small voice echoed throughout Red Rock Keep, “Everyone gather outside of the third gate. Anyone who hides in the keep will be killed. You have five minutes.”

A slow trickle of people came out the door, a small fraction.

“Four minutes left. The gods are angry today. Be quick and we may be merciful.” Klaus announced.

A few more skittishly came outside.

Rezu quietly said, “Who are the heretics?”

“The Lord, most of the nobles and his personal guard but I have a trick to find out exactly.” Klaus smiled.

“When did you learn to read minds?”

“It’s not mind reading exactly. It’s my dryad powers. Tree folk are quite interesting. Mother says people flesh is delightful to our tongues, I have been dying to try it, do you mind if I take the bodies with me? Mother would be so pleased.”

“Leave me the heads.” Rezu said.

“That is acceptable, but I want one of them live.”

“I get the Lord.”

“You can have him. The one I want is a royal guard. She likes making lame jokes about wood and bushes.”

Rezu laughed. “Well you are a shrubbery.”

Her face went cold. “Say that around mother and she will try to eat you too.”

“Duly noted.”

Klaus’ voiced filled the air. “Three minutes left.” She laughed. “Hurry up mortals, before I let Rezu Archinius loose on you.”

A stern female voice came from the crowd. “Who are you to tell us what to do?! Get down off that thing and fight someone for real you stump!”

Mouse’s hulking arm clanked as he pointed a massive finger at the crowd. Everyone scattered except one woman.

“Fool.” Rezu muttered to himself.

Klaus giggled. “Oh goodie. She’s still alive.” Klaus ran, jumped then slid down Mouse’s arm, off his finger and landed in front of the offender.

Rezu flashstepped to the ground, a few paces away from them.

“Did you come down here to protect her?” The woman snapped at him.

Rezu chuckled. “No. I wanted a better view of the festivities.”

She spit at him. “You got beat by a tree because you couldn’t control your own creation. What kind of god are you?”

He projected his voice. “I was defeated fairly by a worthy opponent. Isn’t that right, Klaus?”

“That’s right.” Klaus giggled.

“Klaus…” She almost choked on the word. “Klaus Mordgammler… the Face Stealer?!”

Klaus hopped her little toes. “You have heard of me.”

The woman prostrated herself as she prayed and begged for forgiveness.

Klaus’ tiny voice filled the keep. “I am Klaus Mordgammler. You have attacked my mentor. Anyone who wishes to survive will be in this circle in less than a minute.” She tapped her foot and large circle of magenta arcane appeared in front of Mouse.

There was a mad dash for the circle. A little boy fell. A soldier stopped and tried to protect the child but was knocked down in the process. Rezu flashstepped into the crowd grabbed the boy, then dropped him near Mouse’s feet. “Stay here. You will be safe.” He told him.

The dhonzel boy nodded.

Rezu turned back to the crowd. A trickle of people ran out the door or scrambling to their feet to reach the circle as Klaus counted the last ten seconds.

“Times up! Everyone hold very still.” The circle melted into a magenta glow as the ground was covered in thin arcane. Grass grew like vines wrapping around legs binding the mortals in place.

People screamed, a few panicked and attacked the vines only to be bound more.

There had to be near four hundred people here. Even with the mecromail helping, this was a powerful effect for such a small child. If everyone fought they would overwhelm her. But fear was a weapon Klaus used well.

Klaus glowed and was pushed a few meters up on a throne made of grass. Her voice was deeper, penetrating. “Answer my question mortals. Did you plot to kill the Queen and those with her today?”

One glowed magenta, then another, then more… soon about half of them were marked.

Klaus laughed. “Run heretics! Run for your lives!” The bindings on the glowing people released and they all raced into the third walls gatehouse.

“Nice effect.” Rezu said.

Klaus’ throne lowered and disappeared into the ground. “Really?” Klaus gasped. “I wasn’t sure I could do them all at once. This is good soil.”

“You will have to tell me more about it sometime.”

“Aren’t you going to chase them? That is why I let them go.”

“I will.” Rezu smiled. “I thought I would give them a bit to scatter.”

Klaus nodded then released the rest of the people to follow some golems back to the outer wall so they would be out of the way.

Only the prostrate woman remained, bound to the ground.

“So this is your new girlfriend that you plan to take home to mother?”

Klaus pounced on the woman snatching her arm from the binding. Ignoring the screaming and flailing, the little dryad took a bite out of the woman’s flesh.

Damn. That’s not something you see every day.

Klaus turned to him with a feral look in her eyes. Blood streaked her face and dress. “Mother was right. She is delicious.”

This was Klaus Mordgammler, God of a Thousand Faces. She loved pranks and golems. Every regeneration acted a bit different, but Klaus was always cold blooded. She handled disease-invader-swarm control problems, and anything else that could be solved with a generous application of fire. She would kill anyone the mission required. She killed plenty even when the mission didn’t.

Klaus would occasionally get out of hand. Karimere has gone so far as to ban Klaus from becoming certain species again. Red infernal is one of them. And before you ask, NO, Cinder was not involved. Cinder promised to strangle Klaus at birth when she suggested that idea.

Rezu had never seen Klaus eat a live person, but Klaus had never been a dryad before. Rezu would think twice before accepting a duel from a treefolk again.

Rezu said. “I will kill the heretics. You can take the bodies, but leave the heads for the mortals to clean up.”

“Yes. Yes.” Klaus nodded emphatically then went back to her meal.

Rezu ignored the screaming as he changed to his still bloody armor and spawned a pair of powered daggers. He closed his eyes took a deep breath and sent out a trace. The stones of the third wall and keep had been imbedded with fine wires so sending traces was quick and efficient.

Flash. He appeared behind a heretic. With a quick and practiced motion he slit their throat. He laughed and projected it for all to hear.

Flash. He did it again, and again. Rezu’s laugh echoed through the keep after each kill. Witnesses would scream and run. There was blood and horror filling Red Rock Keep tonight. He had half dead before the survivors got smart and started staying with their backs to walls.

Then the fun began. He turned all the lights on bright but he would dim each room to almost darkness just before he flashed into it.

Heretics screamed and flailed wildly before they bled and fell.

It had been a while since he had let go like this. Rezu’s heart pounded and he was sticky with sweat and blood as another body fell. With the traveling and fighting, he had pushed himself hard. But the work was almost done. He stopped in a dining hall and took a seat at the end of a long table. He sent a trace and flashstepped someone on to the middle of the long, empty, table.

“Look at me.” He said.

The soldier spun and held a sword out. Her armor rattled from her shaking. She was a susneran with short brown hair. She was stained in multiple blood splatters and a boot-print shaped bruise was on her cheek. Staring down an angry god, covered in blood and armor, had to be terrifying. But she stood firm and scanned the room for a way to escape.

“Drop the weapon.” Rezu spoke softly.

She swallowed hard. The sword clattered to the table.

He spawned a long, dark grey, hooded cloak with an arcane star emblazoned on the back of it. An arcane star is a twelve pointed star in a hexagram, each point of the star was a different color of the arcane spectrum, and a white gemstone pattern in the center. The cloak was folded so the arcane star was on top.

She stared at the cloak like it was going to attack her.

“Go bathe then put this on.”

“Kill me.” She whispered.

“No.”

 “I don’t want to be a Star.”

“Follow my orders tonight. I might kill you later.”

“Why?”

“I am giving you mercy. Someone has to tell what happened here.” Rezu spawned a drone with metal cat ears and cyan gemstones shaped like cat eyes. He sent it some instructions. It went and hovered over the woman’s shoulder.

Her eyes flicked back and forth between him and the drone.

“As long as you follow orders you will not be harmed tonight. My little friend will stay with you. Do what it says. I have more heretics to purge.” He flashstepped her to right beside him.

She let out a little yelp.

“You cannot escape. Follow my orders. Go bathe and put this on.” He held out the cloak.

She nodded, took the cloak and left.

Rezu checked with a trace. The remaining fifteen heretics were still holed up in the vault. They were barricaded and prepared. He could even feel a few wards.

He groaned to himself and flashstepped back outside. Rezu found a bloody Klaus using a healing unit on the unconscious woman’s many bite wounds. “I need Mouse. The Lord is holed up in the vault.”

Klaus waved at him dismissively. “Go ahead.”

“Mouse, get small.”

Mouse shrank to a ‘short’ three meters tall.

“No. Small. I need you to kill the heretics in the vault. I want the Lord’s head whole and try to not break the other’s heads, if possible. They have some defenses up, but I don’t know what exactly.”

“I get to play?” Mouse shrank to a meter tall but his voice still boomed like a giant.

“That’s right. Go play Mouse.”

“YAAAY!” Mouse took off running with his arms waving.

Klaus cleaned herself up with the healing unit. “Did you really need his help?”

“I probably could have handled it but I wasn’t going to risk someone out maneuvering me for a third time today. We can back up Mouse if he gets in trouble.”

Klaus laughed, “Back up Mouse,” and spawned a tablet. It showed a video feed from outside the vault aimed straight at the two meter tall, circular, metal door.

They watched as Mouse shoved his fingers into the door, clenched his fists and pulled the door, and most of the frame, out of the wall. A storm of fire, lightning, wind, ice and a mix of others came out the hole. It washed off Mouse like water as he shoved the door to one side.

Mouse jumped at the enemies and hit wards. They held him frozen in air… for a moment. Amber arcane surrounded Mouse. The wards sparked and shattered in a shower of angry arcane.

Magic and arcane arrows continued to come.

Mouse’s arcane power was called Null. Fire, cold, lightning and similar magic were basically useless against him. Cinder’s impact skill was dulled by at least half. Gessil could hit him with stone but even that had little effect on his thick armor. He had no magic based attacks. He fought with his incredible strength and mass. And something about how Klaus build him allowed him to fight the same in any size. Mouse had fought armies and massive twisted creatures that came out of the corrupted lands.

Mouse laughed at the mortals in the vault. A deep clattering laugh.

The heretics continued their frantic defense, to little effect.

Mouse spun at the waist while grabbing objects around him, mostly gold bricks from a pile near his feet. He let the bricks loose as fast as he grabbed them. The impacts sent bodies flying and caved in chests.

One person stood alive when he stopped.

Mouse moved in a blur and grabbed the Lord by the neck then dragged him away.

Klaus giggled as she put away the tablet.

A few minutes later Mouse came out of the third gatehouse, dragging the whining Lord.

“I wanted him dead.” Rezu groaned.

“I thought it might be worth interrogating him.” Klaus said.

Rezu took a deep breath, another mistake, “You handle the interrogation.”

“You are not yourself today.” Klaus shook her head. “I can’t believe I had to stop you from killing everyone here. Usually, it is you stopping me.”

“Then why did you stop me?” Rezu snapped.

“Replacing all the troops here would take a lot of resources. And… I thought you might want me to stop you.”

“Thanks.” Rezu sighed. “Finish collecting bodies. I’m going to get a wash.”