Chapter 14

She spun just in time to see a skeleton swinging a rusted blade at her head. Ducking low, she drove her dagger into its ribcage, sending it crumbling to the ground.

But for every skeleton they destroyed, more rose from the earth.

"We can't keep this up," Liam growled, slashing through another wave of attackers.

The lich stepped forward, its hand glowing with sickly green energy. It pointed at Elena, and a bolt of necrotic energy shot toward her.

She dove to side, narrowly avoiding the attack. "Any brilliant ideas, wolf?"

Before Liam could respond, a blur of movement shot past them.

Stacy.

She moved with deadly precision, her curved blade flashing in the moonlight as she cut through the skeletons with ease. Her expression was one of cold focus, her movements fluid and deliberate.

"About time," Elena muttered slashing at another skeleton.

Stacy ignored her, her attention fixed on the lich. With a burst of speed, she closed the distance between them, her blade glowing with an otherworldly light.

The lich raised its hand to defend itself, but Stacy was faster. Her blade struck true, slicing through the creature's arm. The lich let out an ear-splitting wail, its body shuddering as green flames erupted from the wound.

"You picked the wrong night to come after us," Stacy said, her voice sharp.

With one final strike, Stacy drove her blade into its chest, shattering the glowing orb at its core. The lich collapsed into a pile of ash, its skeletal minions falling lifeless to the ground.

Elena and Liam stood frozen, breathing heavily as the dust settled.

Stacy turned to them, her expression grim. "That wasn't random."

"You think?" Elena snapped, wiping blood from her dagger.

"I know," Stacy said, stepping closer. "That lich was probably summoned by an exiled Legion, Nick. His gift was necromancy. And if other exiled legions are involved, then this is more serious than I thought."

Liam growled low, his golden eyes narrowing. "What do they want?"

"Even I don't know that," Stacy replied. "Which is why we need to move. Now."

"Where?" Liam asked.

"To the hunters' lair," Stacy said. "It's the only place we'll be safe while we figure out how to stop them." She turned to the car and examined it.

"Looks like we'll go by leg, lets move."

Without waiting for a response, Stacy turned and headed toward the woods. Elena and Liam exchanged a wary glance before following her into darkness.

***

The dark chamber was illuminated by the faint glow candles, their flickering flames casting jagged shadows across the stone walls. At the center of the room, Nick stood, his jaw clenched as he stared at the shattered remnants of the lich's summoning crystal.

His failure was etched into the air, the bitter taste of defeat hanging over him like a storm cloud.

He had sent the lich to deal with the hunter and her wolf companion, confident in its abilities to eliminate them. Yet here he was, staring at the remains of his fallen creation, the magic dissipating into nothingness.

"Fools," he muttered, pacing the length of the room. His cloak billowed behind him, its edges frayed from years of battles and exile. "They were supposed to weaken her and bring her to me."

Nick's pale hand trembled as he picked up one of the larger shards of the crystal. The green glow had faded, leaving behind a dull, lifeless stone.

A voice broke the silence, smooth and mocking. "Talking to yourself again, Nick? It's a bad habit."

Nick's head snapped up, his sharp eyes narrowing as a figure stepped out of the shadows.

The man was tall, with dark hair and an easy smirk that belied the dangerous aura he carried. Hid crimson cloak was immaculate, except the two strokes over the emblem of a Legion embroidered in gold across his chest, a stark contrast to Nick's tattered robes.

"Cain," Nick said, his voice flat. "You're late."

Cain chuckled, leaning against the wall with an air of casual indifference. "I wasn't aware we were on a schedule. But judging by your expression, I assume things didn't go as planned."

Nick's grip tightened on the shard, his knuckles whitening. "The lich failed. The hunter and her companions destroyed it."

Cain arched a brow. "Companions?"

"There was another hunter, probably a legion" Nick admitted reluctantly. "Powerful. She's not like the others."

Cain's smirked widened. "Ah, so that's what this is about. You're losing your edge, Nick. A recent Legion bested your prized creation? How embarrassing."

Nick's hand twitched, the urge to strike Cain almost overwhelming. But he knew better than to let his temper get better of him. Cain was as dangerous as he was infuriating.

"This isn't over," Nick said through gritted teeth. "The hunter is part of something bigger, something she doesn't even understand. If we control her, we can control the cycle.

Cain pushed off the wall, his smirk fading into something colder. "You're certain about this? The cycle isn't just a story to scare fledgling hunters who are necromancers?"

Nick turned toward a large intricately carved table covered in maps, tomes, glowing artifacts. At the center was a worn, leather-bound book, its pages filled with arcane symbols and cryptic text.

"She's caught in it," Nick said, flipping through the book. "I've seen it. Every death, every reset… she's tied to it and the wolf is too. If we can control them, we can use the cycle to our advantage. We could take over the Legions and create a new legacy."

Cain's eyes gleamed with interest as he stepped closer. "And if they refuse to cooperate?"

Nick slammed the book shut, his expression dark. "Then we destroy them and take the power for ourselves"

Cain chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. "I do love a good ultimatum. But you're forgetting one thing."

Nick frowned. "What?"

"The new head, Dexter. He's more than just a nuisance. He's a problem."

Nick's lips curled into a sneer. "He's nothing."

Cain shook his head, his smirk returning. "He's a legend even when he was a legion like us before we were exiled. And if he's protecting them, this won't be as simple as you think."

Nick's jaw tightened. He hated being questioned, especially by Cain. But he couldn't deny the truth in his words.

"Then we deal with them fast," Nick said his tone cold. "We won't tolerate interference."

Cain clapped him on the shoulder, his grin widening. "Now you're thinking like a true necromancer."

Nick didn't reply. His gaze was fixed on the map spread out before him, his mind already racing with plans. The hunter's lair was their next target. He'd summon an army of the dead if her had to.

This wasn't just about revenge. He wanted power to destroy the Hunters for good.

"A new order of Legions must be created" He said with a firm tone.