"The Breaking of Bones"

Out in front of a daunting cathedral, five Sleepers had gathered. The one that stood out the most was Changing Star of the Immortal Flame Clan. Illustrious as always. The proud figure of Caster Han Li stood next to her, as the right hand man of the cohort, he gave off a solemn but confident air. The beautiful blind seer Cassia, who currently had a strange Awakened Echo (which was in the form of a rapier) on her waist. Kai, perhaps the most stunning man on the Forgotten Shore, and also a real world celebrity. And Gehrman, the first of two sellswords.

"Who the hell are you?" Gehrman asked as soon as he saw the beautiful man. He hadn't seen him around before, he definitely would have remembered someone who looked like that. Gehrman never fancied boys…but maybe a small part of him liked looking at this guy's symmetrical face. Then, he realized that gender was not the problem. This man was also a child! He couldn't be older than 20! 'This body is going to make me a criminal I swear,' Gehrman scrunched up his face. 

The pretty man seemed to take this as an intimidation tactic and he seemed to shift his weight backwards. "I'm…wait you don't know who I am?" the man asked in belated bewilderment.

"Oh know that I look at you closer, you're clearly Madoga the Magical Girl. The great slayer of evil and Princess of stars. How could I not have recognized such an esteemed figure! Oh I am so sorry my liege do forgive me!" Gehrman made a big show of making a bow. Internally though he was thinking: 'Wait, what is a Magical Girl? Was that from Dorian's memories? It must be.'

The others seemed even more confused now. The only one who seemed to get his sense of humor was Cassia, who stifled a small laugh. Clearly, she was the only one who got the reference.

"I'm Kai," the pretty man finally said. They shook hands, and then he shook his soft hair from side to side. "Two in two weeks, Have I really fallen off that much?"

"I wouldn't worry about it," Caster offered some comfort (though it seemed even more fake than usual). "Gehrman here is insane. I wouldn't take any of his words to heart."

Changing Star raised an eyebrow at this, the honorable Legacy didn't go around calling people names often. However, the target of this claim was totally unphased. 

"Indeed, I am insane. Though sometimes I am more insane than others. Right now I am 75% sane, and I usually hang around at this level. If you want to talk to me totally sane just let me know, I'll arrange it."

"...I see," was all Kai could say.

Before the conversation could delve any further, they were interrupted by another voice. "Night…uh…why are you here, buddy?" Sunless asked as he crept out of the darkness. Gehrman did not turn to face him. Instead he gave the boy a sidelong glance of neither acceptance or dismissal. 

Next to the Sunless was a Hunter Athena, the tall bronze woman. She seemed also surprised to see Kai, but she was even more shocked to see Gehrman. The warrior woman did a full on double take. She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it. 

Kai meanwhile was regaling Sunless with his reason for being here. It was a really stupid story and Gehrman didn't follow along much but he got the gist. 

Some idiots captured Kai for blackmail or something. Idiots got killed by Sunless for being idiots (nice). For some reason the castle blamed Hunter Athena (hence her hiding out in the Dark City with Sunless), but since Kai was actually involved in the real thing he felt that it was safer to go with them…safer to travel across the Forgotten Shore…Fucking brilliant this guy was. 

There also seemed to be some moral reasons. This, Gehrman could understand. He may have been new to caring about other people, but he understood it was a worthy thing to strive for. What he couldn't understand is why Athena of all people was being blamed. 'Seishan needs to work with her other lieutenants more, these guys are morons.'

What was more interesting was Sunless's involvement in this expedition. He was not actually a part of the Cohort anymore, and instead was acting as a mercenary. Gehrman internally applauded him for this too. The Shadow was growing to be a fine Hunter! His independence made Gehrman's old heart swell with pride. In any case, Sunless requested the death of a Fallen Devil. This was quite an ask, even Gehrman was not confident he could pull it off despite all of his new boons. But Changing Star easily agreed. 

Honestly, all of these kids were crazy. Gehrman was going to have to get used to their antics if this journey was as long as he thought it would be. 

They then turned to Gehrman and Caster. 

"So, what's your price?" Changing Star asked indifferently. 

"I came to an agreement with Caster already. He has his own little thing he will do for me. Besides that, I want the flesh and blood of any and all Fallen creatures we kill as well as the chance to nab any and all Corrupted corpses we may find in the Dark Sea. I don't need any Soul Shards though."

This seemed to be surprising to all of them. Sunless seemed extra shocked at the last line, and his eyes narrowed. Changing Star, even the face of impassivity only said "Okay."

She may have shared hair color with Maria, but they were nothing alike. This girl was honestly kind of a bore. She needed a crazy super twisted side like Caster to make her more interesting. He didn't voice these thoughts out loud though. 

That would be rude. 

…

And so their journey began. The seven of them worked their way southward down the Dark City. Gehrman knew this place like the back of his hand. However they were not relying on him. It turns out Sunless was a highly capable scout. 

His shadow could detach from him and travel a long distance. While separated, it still shared its senses with its master. In other words, unless the creatures could somehow harm or even identify the incorporeal shadow, they could easily navigate through the city. 

And so it went, the journey easy, and frankly a little boring. Gehrman slowly came off his Blood high, and was on edge with this whole situation. Something-though he couldn't say what-felt off. 

"...Something is following us," Cassia's voice easily traveled to all of them despite keeping it hushed.

Gehrman's eye twitched. Cassia was right, and he was ashamed he hadn't caught it sooner. As a Hunter, he knew everything there was to know about tracking, and yet he had failed to pick up on whoever was trailing them.

As it turned out, there was actually a good reason for that. The person following them was none other than the Executioner of the Bright Castle, Harus. Athena was the one who revealed this information, as well as a bunch of other morbid stories about the silent killer. Apparently he could take out a person, no matter their strength, and leave no trace behind. It was frightening, but Gehrman was more curious than anything. 

This Harus fellow was perhaps the most feared individual on the Forgotten Shore, besides the Bright Lord Gunlaug of course. If Changing Star truly wanted to end the current regime, Harus would need to go. 

Gehrman glanced at Sunless, and noticed tension on his face. This look was not fear exactly, more grim anticipation, and acceptance. However this was not the acceptance of death, but the opposite. Sunless seemed to be imagining himself fighting the dreaded executioner. 

Of course, Gehrman could have been reading too far into it. He was making up this story based on a single look after all. Yet he felt in his gut it was true. In this world, the concept of Fate was a real thing recognized by the Spell. And it would seem fate that the two pale men of death would meet on the battlefield. 

That meeting would not come today though. The cohort continued moving forward. Sunless had moved his shadow back to keep an eye of Harus's advance. Meanwhile the cohort approached and entered an abandoned light house. 

It was something Gehrman had long taken note of, but he never felt compelled to explore it for some reason. Today, he found out what gave him the bad feeling. Inside, there were tunnels, tunnels that lead to a steep drop, a steep drop that leads to the Catacombs. 

Gehrman made the drop easily, extending some blood to dig into the wall and slow his fall. The others made it down with a similar lack of effort. The drop might have killed a mundane human, but it was no match for these experienced Sleepers. 

Soon after they started their way forward again. It was at this time, after some prodding from Athena, that Sunless revealed a new trick. It was an Echo, and one Gehrman recognized. The Stone Saints had long been on Gehrman's "don't fuck with them" list. Their tough exterior aside, the skill they exhibited made them far more deadly than any Awakened Monster had any right to be. Even now when Gehrman had his Kirkhammer (which he got plenty of weird looks for already) he wouldn't want to fight that thing. 

This Echo was also noticeably different though, it appeared from the Sunless's shadow, and instead of being an exact copy, it seemed to have been dipped in darkness. It gave off an intimidating aura that made Gehrman smile. With this in his arsenal, Sunless had just become twice as much of a threat. Before he had been doubtful of his chances against Caster, but now he thought that Sunless had the edge. That was how big of an addition this creature was. 

Now their group had become eight. Nine if one counted the strange Echo in the form of a rapier that Cassia carried around…actually, that rapier was floating now. It seemed to be looking between Sunless and Gehrman in similar distaste. 

"Ah, please forgive Quiet Dancer. She is shy around strangers."

Gehrman raised a brow at Cassia's remark. Then he also tallied the total number of allies at nine. The rapier seemed to have a good amount of autonomy, which was more important right now than raw strength. 

The need for that came swiftly. Without warning, a pile of bones rose from the ground and a skeleton formed. 

Gehrman made the first move, lunging forward with the blade of the Kirkhammer, he swung it with terrifying speed and strength. The skeleton was easily cut in half, and fell apart. In fact, the ease at which its defeat was unsettling. Then, Gehrman realized why this whole situation felt so wrong. 

There was no Soul Shard in, or near the skeleton. 

Athena called out to them then. "Quick! We have to keep moving forward, they regenerate!"

Gehrman rapidly put the pieces together. This skeleton was not a Nightmare Creature. The lack of a Soul Shard was evidence enough of that. However, it was an Aspect of one, there was some abomination manipulating the bones. Gehrman couldn't sense anything nearby, and the number of skeletons kept rising. 

The cohort continued forward in formation. It took a lot for Gehrman to not strike out on his own and carve a warpath like he usually did. But Changing Star had been clear, so Gehrman would stay at his post like the dutiful employee he was. 

The Stone Saint Echo made things a lot easier, and Quiet Dancer (the strange rapier Echo) was also swiftly moving around and taking out many of the undead horde.

It was becoming obvious that this was going to be a battle of attrition. Fortunately, in terms of physicality Gehrrman was on par with Athena. And if he moved in the right way, he could conserve his stamina for when they eventually faced the creature controlling everything. 

During those minutes leading up to meeting the creature, Gehrman saw some interesting things. Sunless's shadow seemed to wrap around his blade, and it started to give off a more menacing aura. Apparently his shadow was more than just an incredible scout. 

At one point Changing Star became bright with incinerating Soul Flame. Gehrman had heard about it of course, but seeing it was still very impressive. There were no flaws in its destructive ability, and the skeletons turned to ash. Even so, this technique could not be used infinitely. It clearly took some kind of toll on the girl.

What was most surprising was a maneuver that Sunless pulled off. The group had come across a cavern, and the other side was only accessible via a shaky wooden bridge. Whoever built this thing needs to have their kneecaps bruised. I could build a better bridge in my sleep! In any case, they made it across. Sunless and his Echo, however, held the creatures back by himself. At his order, they cut off the bridge's support. As he fell into the darkness, he dismissed his Echo and threw a small kunai across the cavern, sticking it into the side of the stone and climbing up to reach the rest of the group. 

Gehrman offered a compliment, but Sunless waved him off, clearly exhausted. Without the Echo their formation was weaker. Gehrman already suffered some cuts. He summoned the [Portable Blood Imbiber] during the brief reprieve and stuck a vial in his leg. Immediately, the wounds closed and the familiar rush came to him. 

The rest of the group rested up, and they continued to the center chamber. Eventually, they did finally reach it. 

A yawning cavern of incredible size stretched out before them. Gehrman couldn't help but marvel at the picturesque scene. What was most daunting was the massive stone statue. One of its still attached arms had somehow pierced the chamber's ceiling. It had definitely happened a long time ago, but Gehrman recognized its use. There was no doubt, this arm could act as a ramp, one that could lead them to the surface. There was literally light at the end of the tunnel. 

Then, a creeping chill ran down Gehrman's spine. It was similar to what he felt when observing the Crimson Spire, but this was far more urgent. 

A mountain of bones sat near the statue. Its size was so large that Gehrman was having trouble comprehending it. He had to quickly come to terms with it though, as this mountain started to move. 

Gehrman had thought that he was in good enough shape to take down the creature puppeteering the skeletons.

He was wrong. 

For what loomed over the cohort was the Lord of The Dead. The Fallen Tyrant who ruled over the Catacombs.