Grandfather!
Althea's will came to the fore, and Thalia let her. She sped down immediately on the Errant Sword and landed several steps behind the man.
"Grandfa—"
Her words cut off abruptly and her eyes widened as she took in her grandfather… or what remained of him, at least.
A few paces ahead of her, a blackened, headless body, stiff at the joints from his skin that had been burned to charcoal, and shaky from the lack of any real muscles to drive his movements, stood on his feet.
How such a body was able to move without a head and the necessary functional body parts to spur basic movement was a miracle… a miracle that from the looks of it, was forged from the iron will of the soul that had inhabited the body.
Althea's eyes watered, and she staggered forward, whispering her grandfather's name over and over in disbelief and agony. Looking at what was left of him now sent a terrible shock rippling through her.
