A day's travel away, atop the windswept hills, stood Alana and the Skull Lord.
"So… you remember the plan, Skull Lord?"
Half-lost in darkness, the creature emerged — no longer the wild, tangled mass of bone and rage it once was.
This was a rebuilt weapon. A deliberate monster.
Standing nearly thirty feet tall, its skeletal frame loomed with terrifying symmetry.
Three snarling skulls jutted from broad, plated shoulders, each lit with glowing blue eyes scanning in separate directions — watching, waiting.
Its primary arms — thick, jagged, and longer than any grown man — dragged against the ground with a grinding scrape.
Embedded into its ribcage, nestled at the sternum, curled another set of clawed limbs — bony and fast, snapping like insects on a predator's chest.
Just under its shoulder blades, a third set of backward-facing arms braced it whenever it stumbled, giving it the leverage to rise.
And from its lower back, pelvis-anchored limbs dragged behind like crude supports, keeping the creature upright so even when it fell it never stayed down.
Its spine was now bulky with a rune-etched down along it — unmistakably Zero's mark.
Gone were the random protrusions. Every piece now served a function.
Skull Lord moved like a siege engine — unnatural, twitching, yet brutally stable.
Flashback
"Mmm, so how do you suggest we take on 4,000 people with only 650 boneheads, hmm?"
Zero was on top of Skull Lord's back, tracing sigils into its spine.
"You're forgetting the most important factor!"
"What, the big pile of bones?"
"This bad boy!"
He gestured dramatically to Skull Lord. Alana floated closer, unimpressed.
"So, 650 boneheads… and a bigger bonehead?"
"Skull Lord, thank you!" he corrected her
"And why does he have so many arms? Especially there?" she asked, eyeing the odd pelvis ones.
"More arms never hurt anyone~!" Zero chirped, tracing another rune with his glowing hand.
"For the love of chaos…" She pinched the bridge of her invisible nose. "Just tell me the plan."
Zero grinned.
"We create pure panic and confusion. While the town reacts, Skull Lord throws in 150 skull minions."
"Throws what?!"
He snapped his fingers. A 10-foot-tall skull minion stomped into view — one head, broad body, long clawed arms like a smaller version of Skull Lord.
Alana stared, speechless.
*…This might work. But I'm not admitting it. * She thought unwillingly
"Then let's move. Skull Lord's ready."
Zero puts one soul into each head, as they entered the beast, it roared — all three heads crying out at once.
"SKULL LORD VERSION TWO!" Zero cheered.
Back to the present
"you get it?"
Skull lords two heads besides the main one start to clatter their teeth.
Skull lord then picks up three skull minions in each hand
"Wait already?" she is surprised as he acts quickly
Acting quickly, she turned and sent a wave of authority.
Bone walkers at the hill's base charged forward in eerie silence — a tide of skeletal soldiers.
Skull Lord twisted his torso, stepped back, and hurled the skull minions across the dark field. They soared through the air like massive boulders.
They crashed into the village, smashing roofs and sending rubble flying.
"Keep going, Skull Lord. Don't stop the barrage. Join us when you're done." Alana shouts as she follows the tide of skeletal soldiers.
Two figures stood on a wooden balcony, gazing at the night sky.
A woman with flowing white hair, her silver eyes gleaming in the moonlight, held tightly to the arm of the man beside her.
"It's beautiful tonight, Fygeld," she said softly.
Fygeld was a Elf, tall, lean, with greased black hair and a trimmed beard — turned to her.
"You're right. But I'd rather look into your eyes."
He took her hands, gazing into them with warmth.
She blushed. "You're hopeless."
She turned and led him inside, tossing a sultry glance over her shoulder as she leapt onto the bed.
Fygeld smiled and followed her, his fingers brushing through her hair.
"Fygeld," she whispered, eyes searching his face.
"Please… let's settle down. Have a home. A family."
He paused. Sadness crept into his features. He pulled away and sat up on the side of the bed, feet touching the floor.
"…Fygeld?" she asked again.
"Not yet, Serene."
"Not yet, Fygeld? Really? You've been saying that for three years!?"
He stood up and walked to the balcony, staring out into the night, lost in thought.
"I still want to explore, Serene," he murmured. "There's more out there. The world's bigger than just one place."
She got up too, her voice steady but emotional.
"Don't get me wrong, Fygeld, I love exploring… but we've seen everything. Every region in Viscura. Where else is left?"
She walked to him, took his hand. Fygeld glanced back at her.
"…Maybe we leave Viscura," he said with a hopeful smile. "Go to Sorenersis. Or Oreme! Imagine the markets, the beautiful places—"
Serene stepped back. Her expression went quiet.
"You know why we can't leave Viscura anymore," she said.
Fygeld fell silent.
Then she continued, her voice sharp but fragile.
"But even after all that… then what, Fygeld?"
He was speechless.
"When will it end? Fygeld, it's been three years of running. From what? Me? Our future? A chance at being happy?"
His heart dropped.
She started to tear up. "Y-you even promised me that we would…"
"I'm sorr—" he began, stepping toward her.
Her voice cracked. "What changed, Fygeld?"
"No, no—nothing did, Serene, I—!"
"Why are you never content with anything!?" she shouted, trembling now. "I gave you everything! The money, the status, your noble title back after your family lost it—everything. And still… is that not enough?"
She stormed toward the drawer, flinging it open.
"Serene, no! I—"
"No, Fygeld!"
Her voice shook with rage. "Am I not enough for you? Are you not satisfied with me?!"
She started throwing things around the room — books, ornaments, anything she could grab.
"You're everything I ever wanted, it's just—!"
She hurled a vase. It shattered near his head.
"JUST WHAT, FYGELD?!"
She stood there, trembling. The room fell quiet.
Then, her voice dropped low.
"…I'll give you one choice."
She pulled on her coat, boots, and belt with steady hands.
"It's me… or your greed. What do you choose?"
She didn't wait for an answer. She slammed the door behind her.
Fygeld leaned against the balcony rail, staring into the endless dark.
"…What have I done?" he whispered, clutching his head.
Then, in the far distance, a shape was flying toward him. Fast.
"…What is that?"
He stumbled back inside as a massive skull minion slammed into the balcony, ripping it apart in an explosion of splinters and stone.
He ducked low, coughing through the debris, and looked down at the bottom as the creature began uncoiling itself — massive claws ripping through the floorboards.
Then, with a horrifying screech, it swung its arm, smashing straight through the wall.
And above it all, Fygeld saw the sky raining bone.
Alana hovered above the town. The gate was shut — thick iron, 25 feet high, reinforced with three meters of solid steel.
"Damn, that wall's sturdy. Bone walkers can't breach it."
But inside the town — chaos.
Lights flickered. People screamed. Already a dozen skull minions had smashed their way in. Buildings bashed. Structures crumbled.
"The fool was right," she said. "Everyone's in too much disarray"
More minions crashed down, some through roofs, others carving trenches through streets.
Alana raised her hand — three skull minions obeyed and rushed to the gate. They began pounding it with wild, frenzied strength.
"It'll take time," she muttered. "But it's good enough for now."
She smiled grimly.
The raid had begun.