The skeleton landed in the firelight with a violent crash, scattering ash and sparks into the air.
Its head snapped toward them.
And it screamed again.
"Raaaaaaaaaaaaar!"
Then it moved.
Not like something dead.
Like something starving.
It sprinted toward them in a jerking, unnatural blur, its long limbs snapping forward with sharp, cracking sounds, feet barely touching the ground.
"Thalia!" Mauris shouted.
She was already moving.
Her bow rose in one smooth motion.
Her fingers hooked the string.
She pulled.
The wood curved under tension.
The string stretched tight beside her cheek.
The arrow rested against her knuckle.
Her eye locked on its skull.
She released.
TWWWEEEEEK!
The string snapped forward with a sharp, vibrating cry, the sound slicing through the night like torn silk.
The arrow exploded from the bow.
It cut through the air with lethal precision.
Fssssssssshhh!
It spun slightly as it flew, its metal tip gleaming in the firelight, mist parting around it in thin spirals.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer...
CREEEEEK!
The skeleton twisted.
Its upper body rotated sideways with a horrific, grinding crack, ribs shifting, spine bending where no spine should bend.
The arrow passed through the space its skull had occupied a heartbeat ago.
It vanished into the darkness behind.
The skeleton twisted back.
Still running.
Still coming.
"Damn it!" Thalia hissed.
She had already loaded another arrow.
Pulled.
Aimed at its ribs.
Released.
TWEEEEEK!
The arrow screamed forward.
The skeleton twisted again.
This time the other direction.
The arrow missed its ribs by inches.
It didn't slow.
It didn't hesitate.
It only ran faster.
Thalia loaded again.
Her breathing sharper now.
She aimed at its legs.
Released.
TWEEEEEK!
The skeleton leaped.
Both feet left the ground.
The arrow passed beneath it.
It landed.
Closer.
Too close.
Thalia's eyes widened.
She loaded again.
Her fingers moving faster.
She aimed at its neck.
Released.
TWEEEEEK!
The skeleton's head snapped sideways with a violent crack.
The arrow flew past its jaw.
It was learning.
Dodging before the arrow even arrived.
Anticipating.
Hunting.
Thalia was fast and loading arrows in lightning speed. But the skeleton was faster...
Thalia stepped back.
Loaded again.
Aimed at its shoulder joint.
Released.
TWEEEEEK!
The skeleton twisted its torso and dipped low, its spine bending like a snake.
The arrow missed.
It was almost on them now.
Its empty eye sockets burned with that sick grey glow.
Its jaw hung open.
Screaming.
Running.
Unstoppable.
"IT'S TOO FAST!" Henry shouted.
Thalia reached for another arrow;
and realized her fingers were shaking.
Mauris stepped forward, planting his feet firmly into the earth.
His spear came down from his shoulder into a ready position, the tip angled toward the charging horror. His grip tightened, knuckles whitening, muscles in his forearm coiling like drawn rope.
Frauner did not move forward.
He watched.
Observed.
Calculated.
His eyes locked onto the creature's chest.
And he saw it.
A faint glow.
Buried between the cracked ribs.
Pulsing.
Weak.
But steady.
"Thalia!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.
"Look at its chest!"
She didn't answer.
Another arrow sat half-loaded in her trembling fingers.
"Look at the faint glowing structure in the center!" Frauner continued, raising his sword into a striking stance.
"I think that's the driving force. Aim for it!"
Thalia's breathing was uneven.
Her fingers shook harder.
The skeleton was closer now.
Closer than ever.
Leah saw it.
She stepped behind Thalia.
Gently;
She placed her hands over hers.
Warm.
Steady.
Grounding.
"You can do it," Leah whispered near her ear.
"You are one of the bravest souls I've ever met."
She adjusted Thalia's grip.
Guided her fingers.
Helped her anchor the arrow.
Helped her become still.
Thalia inhaled.
Slow.
Deep.
The shaking eased.
The fear didn't disappear.
But it obeyed.
Her eyes narrowed.
She found the glow.
Centered it.
Owned it.
She released.
TWEEEEEK!
The arrow tore forward.
Fast.
Precise.
Unforgiving.
The skeleton sprinted.
It saw it coming.
Its spine twisted.
CREEEEEEK!
Its ribs shifted.
Its torso turned;
but not enough.
The arrow struck.
Directly into the glowing core.
For one impossible heartbeat;
Nothing happened.
Then;
KRAAAAAAAAAAASHHHHHH!!!
A violent, explosive blast erupted from its chest.
Yellow light burst outward in jagged rays, like lightning trapped inside bone finally breaking free. The shockwave tore through the ribcage, splintering it apart.
The skeleton froze mid-step.
Its glow flickered wildly.
Then died.
Its bones cracked, separated, and collapsed, scattering across the forest floor in lifeless fragments, the last traces of yellow light fading into cold, empty darkness.
Henry's voice shattered the stillness.
"Yeeeeeeah!"
The word burst out of him before he could stop it.
Victory.
Relief.
Disbelief.
His chest rose and fell rapidly, his small hand still clutching the dagger.
For a moment, no one spoke.
They were all breathing hard.
Thalia's bow remained raised, her fingers still locked in the shape of release.
Frauner's sword stayed in front of him, though the enemy was now nothing more than scattered bone.
Mauris slowly straightened, his spear lowering just slightly.
The fire crackled.
The mist drifted.
The forest was silent.
Too silent.
They looked at each other.
Eyes searching.
Unspoken questions passing between them.
Is it over?
Was that the only one?
Then,
Creeeeeeeeeeek.
The sound crawled through the darkness.
Not from one direction.
From everywhere.
It was followed by another.
Creeeeeeak.
Then another.
Creeeek.
Dry.
Sharp.
Unnatural.
Like ancient wood bending.
Like bones remembering how to move.
Frauner's expression hardened.
Mauris lifted his spear again.
Thalia's fingers slowly reached for another arrow.
Henry's smile faded.
Then it came.
Thud.
A footstep.
Heavy.
Distant.
Then,
Thud. Thud. Thud.
More.
Many more.
From the mist.
From behind the trees.
From the darkness beyond the firelight.
The forest floor began to tremble faintly beneath their boots.
Leaves shifted.
Branches shook.
The sound grew louder.
Closer.
THUD. THUD. THUD. THUD.
Dozens.
Nooo !
Hundreds.
Footsteps.
Not running wildly.
Moving together.
In rhythm.
In hunger.
The mist ahead of them began to move.
Not drifting.
Parting.
Shapes formed inside it.
Tall.
Broken.
Walking.
Henry's voice came out as a whisper.
"…no…"
Frauner stepped back.
Toward them.
Toward the center.
"Circle," he ordered.
They obeyed instantly.
Mauris moved to his right.
Thalia to his left.
Leah stepped behind.
Henry stayed in the middle.
They formed a circle.
Backs to one another.
Weapons raised.
Facing every direction.
Facing the forest.
Facing the dark.
And the dark…
Was walking toward them.