Laxin's jaw dropped, his voice cracking. "Oh, no. Nope. Nope. Not fair. That's cheating! We didn't get an army manual!"
The commander's crimson eyes burned brighter as its soldiers locked shields with flawless precision, the metallic slam echoing across the chamber.
Aria's throat went dry. These weren't the clumsy bone piles they'd been breaking before. This was organized. Disciplined. An army, even in death.
Fenric's cold voice cut through like a blade. "A leader turns chaos into strength. Show me if you can break his order."
The commander lifted its massive sword and pointed forward.
The phalanx surged.
Spears thrust in unison. Shields slammed forward as one wall of bone and iron.
Aria scrambled back, summoning skeletal warriors from the scattered bones around her, trying to form her own line. Her creations stumbled into place, shields rattling.
The clash was instant—and brutal.
