The Bone Hallows were silent, other than the occasional bottomless pit hidden beneath piles of bones. This place was not completely quiet. It had a thin noise that carried the groans of the dead and the sounds of bones being shot into the air by so unknown force before clattering back down in restless cascades.
There were also treasures to be found here, although they did not touch any they discovered.
The reason was simple. Seras did not want to risk provoking sothing they should not or stirring ancient curses buried beneath the skeletal wasteland.
Even Damon, who was greedy, did not risk it. He was sure if he did he would end up taking sothing cursed. Of that he was certain.
The way to the Bone Ridge was not difficult. They hid beneath the shadow of a giant femur bone while Rexagon’s occasional roars filled the open sky, the sound rolling across the wasteland like thunder.
Damon was slightly exhausted, especially after days without sleep, but the fourth class advancent made him a powerhouse. Sleep was inconsequential to him. It was just a habit he had developed since birth. With his current body his lifespan was easily above a thousand years old, and even without his skill he could remove his soul from his body, though he would not be that stupid.
If that was the case, why would he risk his more than thousand year lifespan and co to this cursed place?
He really wished he could live the good life. He could have a steady and peaceful existence with wealth and food, lots of food. He would never go hungry.
’Maybe I should run away. I could find a nice place and change my identity,’ he thought languidly to himself. It was a sweet thought. Doubtful if he could achieve it. Peace was an illusion in a world of war. In this world strength was everything.
One person could lay waste to an army. A dragon could level your town. A dungeon could spew monster hordes. A noble could snatch your wife and the gods did not care.
All this and so much more were reasons.
Damon felt the air change. Or rather, there was a large space about seven kiloters wide with absolutely no large bones covering the area above their heads, only small scattered fragnts littering the ground.
It was as if this area was the last stretch before sothing horrible.
Though that was not why Seras stopped. She stopped because their real trouble was the dragon flying above. If Rexagon saw them it would be a disaster.
She turned around and nodded slowly, her voice low and controlled.
"We are going to have to cross in smaller groups. I will go first and secure the entrance of the Bone Ridge. If there is anything there I will kill it, then signal for you to co. Break away into smaller groups and follow."
That was Seras’ order. Damon had a bad feeling about this.
He peeked upward to check on Rexagon and, disturbingly enough, the dragon was still there, a massive silhouette drifting across the dead sky.
Damon moved toward Seras, catching her wrist and pulling her aside.
"Wait. Wait. Do not be reckless. Let co with you first," he whispered.
Seras was taken aback. He really wanted to risk his life with her and test the unknown. She was about to be disappointed.
"If you go first nothing is going to happen and then everyone will go, but when it is my turn Rexagon will conveniently find . I am not taking that risk."
Seras gave him a deadpan expression. Her heart had fluttered at his initial words. Hearing the rest made it sink with quiet disappointnt.
She scoffed.
"You are coming, so make sure you cover the rear and stop being so paranoid."
Seras dashed forward, her figure blurring as she navigated the open stretch. The seven kiloter distance was short to soone of her power. It took a little less than three seconds even though she was not going full speed so she would not alert Rexagon.
The mont she reached the giant Bone Ridge the first thing she saw was an inscription carved into a massive skull embedded within the ridge. She did not read it. She did not have ti.
Sothing leapt from the shadows. Seras had already expected it. Her blade flashed, her tachi whispering through the air as she cut them down in precise, silent strikes.
She made sure to produce as little noise as possible. Sliding her tachi back into its sheath, she stepped to the edge of the ridge and waved them forward.
Damon saw the signal and glanced at Renata.
"You go first. Take Lana’s group with you."
Renata nodded, then paused, narrowing her eyes.
"Wait. Are you using to test the waters?"
Damon placed a hand dramatically over his chest.
"Renata, I care about you. I want you to be safe. That is why I am going out of my way to make sure you reach safety first and all I get is suspicion."
Her expression did not change.
"Ugh. Forget it. I will go."
Damon watched Renata gather Lana’s party and slip across the open stretch. Rexagon in the sky was no longer flying in their direction.
Even so Damon remained cautious. He turned to Wendy, who stood with a raven and a squirrel perched on her shoulders.
"Wendy, I leave this to you. Take three parties and cross."
She glared at him, his face far too close to hers.
"I am not dying childless."
Damon nodded solemnly, still holding his chest.
"I will make sure you leave sothing behind."
"Are you cursing to die?" she grumbled.
"No, goodness no. I need you to live. Good luck, Wendy."
"Caw caw, liar liar," the raven cawed from her shoulder.
Damon grabbed its neck.
"Shut up or I will cook you, croft."
The squirrel covered its mouth, holding back mocking squeals at the raven’s suffering. Damon glared at it and it imdiately straightened.
Wendy brushed his hand away and led her squads across. A minute later she reached the other side.
Next was Silas, who crossed successfully, then Kael, then several more squads until Damon was the only one left.
He peeked through the bones toward the sky. Damon wanted to be absolutely sure, so he waited another thirty minutes.
Then he moved. Well, as safe as one could be in a death zone.
He paused and muttered a small prayer.
"Goddess, it is . Please allow to cross without incident."
He pressed a hand to his chest, feeling his faint heartbeat.
"Deathless, allow your little brother to pass in peace. I promise not to take you for granted anymore."
With that he felt slightly convinced of his safety. His danger sense was fully active, waiting for the slightest disturbance.
Damon lted into shadow and slipped forward, keeping his focus locked on the ridge.
A small shadow glided across the wasteland until Damon reached the center. The mont he did, his danger sense exploded.
Before he could react a massive crash rocked the ground. Bones scattered violently into the air before raining back down.
Damon’s shadow lay half buried. Through it he realized he was trapped between two enormous claws.
Rexagon had landed.
Damon felt like fleeing. Goddess knew he almost tried. But the gap between the two sides, less than three kiloters, might as well have been the distance between heaven and hell.
This was Damon’s hell.
He stared toward heaven where safety waited. Seras crouched behind a rib, watching him with an apologetic expression.
He wanted to cry, but even a breath felt dangerous.
Rexagon had not landed because he saw Damon. His wings burned from constant flight and there was no resting place closer than this.
"Rarawgg," Rexagon yawned, heat spilling from his maw.
Damon remained silent in shadow form.
He knew it. He had warned Seras. Deathless was out to kill him. What cri had he committed other than being a deplorable human and committing a few cris here and there?
’I knew it. This is justice... justice for wiping out my village,’ he thought, mories of collateral casualties surfacing.
He paused.
’No. No. I cannot think that way.’
Rexagon slowly lowered his head to rest.
But as his nostrils flared he caught a wretched scent buried beneath decay.
His eyes glowed.
"I sll you," Rexagon’s voice echoed.
"The sll of death and treachery."
Damon did not move. Rexagon sniffed through the bone piles. If Damon were in human form he would already be dead. But how was a shadow being slled?
Rexagon’s claws swept outward, sending bones and Damon’s shadow flying.
Midair Damon expanded his perception and teleported, reappearing beside Seras’ blade as Rexagon raged behind them. Of course he did not forget to be Damon.
He left a ssage.
When the bones settled, one skull remained with a crude inscription carved into it.
The words read.
I am your father today and tomorrow.
Signed Damon.
"RAWWWWWWWW!" Rexagon roared into the heavens.
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