At the center of the carnage stood Renji, his jaw hanging at an unnatural angle as he worked it back into place with a sickening crack. His eyes gleamed with dark, unsettling hunger, and as he extended an abnormally long, forked tongue, he licked the blood from his face and fingers, savoring every drop.
“Delicious,” he moaned. “I feel so much better now.”
Beside him, another man gripped a young Hollow-born by the hair. The boy, probably barely old enough to compete, struggled in the man's grasp. His Ember Reach medallion was soaked in blood, and his face was twisted in terror.
“Take him with the others,” Renji commanded. “He seems healthy enough. He may even survive the procedure.”
“Renji?” Bran gasped, the sound catching in his throat.
Taren and Rynna quickly yanked him down behind a nearby boulder, their bodies pressed to the ground as they struggled to contain their panic.
“What in the elemental fuck was that?” Taren panted. “Was he…was he eating them?”
Air sawed ragged through their lungs as the reality of what they had just witnessed sank in.
“Oh hello, Ember Reach friends!” Renji’s voice called out, a sickening cheerfulness in his tone. “I’m so glad you caught me. Again.”
“Shit!” Rynna pressed her back hard against the boulder.Was he the snake? A shape-shifter?She hadn’t thought there were shape-shifters like that in this world.
“What do we do?” Taren whispered, crowding in beside her.
“Do you want me to deal with these ones?” the voice of the man beside Renji asked, cold and casual.
“No, no, Skarn.” The monster, or whatever it was, exhaled with mock patience. “I think I deserve a little fun after all that work, don’t you think?”
“Whatever you say, Kaelith,” the other man snorted. “I’ll get the patients wrapped up and prepared for transport. But don’t play too long. The proctors are already looking for us.”
Rynna’s blood ran cold, even as a familiar shiver slithered up her spine.Kaelith. That name again. It was the same person who had supplied the Veilroot formula in Fallowmere. She clenched her fists tightly, her nails biting into her palms.This is the guy responsible for Fenn’s suffering that day.
“Kaelith?” Taren’s frown deepened. “The Ember Reach traitor?”
“And the guy who gave the drugs to the rogues in Fallowmere,” Bran finished, standing abruptly. “If anyone needs an ass-kicking, it’s this guy.”
“He’s Vessel level, ancient, and one of the legendary Demons, you fool.” Taren hissed as he stood. “You’re going to get us all killed.”
Bran grinned and held up one half of his locator, a twin to the one Rynna had left on the body by the canyon. “We just have to keep him distracted long enough for the Proctors to get here. Plus, you know Guide Fenn will come running with two of our trackers broken. He likes to pretend he doesn’t care, but he’s really just a mother hen.”
Rynna exchanged a glance with Taren, and she saw the realization dawn in his eyes.
“Not an idiot! We should be able to last at least a few minutes.” Taren grinned, raising his fist for Bran to bump. “I have a few more questions for the snake, anyway.”
And together, they stepped out from behind the boulder to face the monster head-on.
Just keep them alive long enough for Fenn to get here, she reminded herself, tightening her grip on her blades.
Kaelith barely acknowledged their presence, idly picking at his fingers. Only after a long pause did he glance up. “All ready, then?”
Before he could say anything else, Rynna darted forward, her twin short swords extended out before her. She aimed low, slashing at Kaelith’s midsection, but the man countered with a gust of wind, throwing her off-balance as he sidestepped, his movements almost leisurely. While she tried to recover, a massive snake shot from his sleeve, hissing and snapping at her head, forcing her to duck and roll to the side, its fangs clamping down on empty air.
Taren followed her, hurling a pair of blades directly at the enemy’s chest, but he flicked his wrist, and another gust of wind knocked the blades away. Taren didn’t stop, though. He immediately conjured his own element, a sharp wind shear that sliced toward Kaelith’s legs, driving him away from Rynna.
Bran charged in next, his fists glowing with the weak, erratic pulse of the earth element as he slammed into the man. The ground shook beneath his feet, cracks spidering out from the impact point, but Kaelith merely raised an eyebrow, swatting Bran aside with a slap to the head that sent him crashing into a nearby boulder.
“Not terrible. You all move better than most Novices.” His lips curled into a pout. “Shame your training ends here.” His gaze found Taren as a cruel smile spread across his face. “Soon enough, you'll be able to ask your parents why they died directly.”
“Screw you, asshole!” Taren leaped forward, slashing the air with his knives, summoning a powerful wind shear that barreled toward Kaelith. But Kaelith moved, his body stretching unnaturally as he dodged the attack, raising an arm. Another snake flew toward Taren, this one thicker, darker, and more menacing. It coiled tightly around the boy’s torso before sinking its fangs into his neck.
“Taren!” Rynna shouted, rushing forward, but Kaelith intercepted her with a swipe of his hand, sending her skidding back with another blast of wind.
