The rickety and desiccated bodies were faster than their appearance would suggest. While some were “fresher” than others, the vast majority had only skin on their bones. And even then, Ayden wasn’t sure he could call it “skin”. Grotesque sounds escaped from their wide-open mouths as if they could not close it and were just waiting to find something to plug the gaping hole.

       Ayden avoided an attack on his back, fell to one knee, turned, and delivered a broad blow in front. He brought the weapon up and let the kinetic force take him away, only returning suddenly and finishing his strike by slicing another body in two. Five had succumbed under his single movement, but it was insufficient in the face of the growing numbers, and he narrowly stepped aside, dodging the bite of a third. In his rush, he brought the pommel of his two-handed sword down on the creature’s skull and shattered the bone with one blow. The glow in the empty globes disappeared as Ayden felt the bloodlust of his blade grow.

       And a bright sword plunged into the head of a monster, about to pounce on him, knocking it to the ground. The blade slipped away from the body and suddenly returned to its owner’s hands, and Ayden followed it with his gaze. Further ahead was the group of warriors he had seen in the city a few hours earlier. And seeing the shocked look that the young man posed on him, the redhead felt his lucky star move away from a little more...

       He must have been an awful person in a precedent life to go through all of this now.

~*~

       The kids were jumping. No. They were flying. They were flying. Their movements were so smooth, so light, as they jumped and twirled, that Ayden was going to break his neck, looking at them.

       “A-Hui, why did you help him?! He’s a demon!”

       “He’s fighting the ghouls! Why would demon fight ghouls?”

       The first of the youths to speak winced, but Ayden barely had time to respond because of the relentless waves of monsters falling on them. “Later for introductions, kids!”

       The giant cursed sword sliced several ghouls in two before Ayden leapt to strike his weapon down on two more, crushing them mercilessly to the ground. The more he killed, the more his two-handed sword glowed, at the same time as his eyes go red. He had never seen it absorb such energy, and he felt the metal in his palm heat furiously. The Cursed Blade was delighted. More than pleased. It revelled in this undead energy and urged him to take more, much more. A dangerous smirk curled his lips.

       “Watch out!”

       The bony fingers bit into his side, tearing at his shirt and skin before Ayden turned. The ghoul was too close for his weapon, with its fabulous reach, but the berserker didn’t need it; his hand closed over the creature’s skull, and in one motion, he crushed it to the ground in his grip. The two young men who had spoken stared at the wound with round eyes, and the first one seemed to come out of a trance.

       “Not a demon?! Not a DEMON?!”

       “A-Feng, behind you!”

       The so-called A-Feng leapt to avoid the treacherous attack, and A-Hui swirled around to skewer the ghoul. He released his sword from the body with a smooth movement and continued to fight after glancing at the redhead.

       Ayden had been right to wary of them: no matter how young they were, they were efficient and coordinated. Each of them knew each other, covered each other, and made sure no one got hurt as they gained ground. Their movements were unparalleled in fluidity, their flexibility that could make His Majesty’s best contortionists pale. As if the earth’s pull had no hold on them, looking at the way they leapt.

         A-Feng pointed to a figure amidst the monsters. “There! The spirit!”

       A-Hui and two others turned their heads, and Ayden followed the direction of their gaze. Among the few remaining ghouls stood a new body. While it appeared to be a better-preserved monster, the aura that emanated from it was different. It exuded such bloodlust and hatred that it took the warrior by storm. A chill ran through him.

       But before Ayden could take a step, several ghouls came at him as he saw four of the young fighters throw themselves forward, the last one leading the way. They surrounded the creature with incredible efficiency, and it could barely move as the boys planted their weapons on the ground.

       “Lock!” said the four in place.

       Ayden felt a wave of energy surge, and suddenly there was a furious crackling sound as a light shone on the ground. It linked the four swords together in a pattern and symbol that he could not grasp, forming a circle with the spirit at its centre. The creature screamed, unable to move, and it drew the ghouls’ attention, who rushed at the youth.

       The four young reciting words Ayden did not understand could not move. Their faces were tensed with effort as the redhead felt their energy converge relentlessly towards the array. The last of their comrades was trying to keep up with the ghouls, and Ayden continued to kill as many as he could, but after a while...

       The array broke when the spirit sent the so-called A-Feng flying further with his sword. The restraining spell disappeared, and the creature jumped on A-Feng, who was on the ground.

       “A-Feng!”

       A red flash split the air, and there was a sudden silence.

       Ayden now stood before A-Feng, skewering the spirit with his cursed weapon, a ferocious sneer twisting his lips as his garnet eyes stared at the abomination. His body gave off a heat that the youth behind him could feel.

       The redhead let off a low, throaty sound. “Not bad.”

       The spirit howled as the cursed blade mercilessly absorbed it until there was silence. And it was almost deafening as it was so abrupt.