The system message still hovered faintly in Kael's vision.
[Second Apostle has awakened]
Kael stood still at the bottom of the ravine, his eyes fixed ahead as the words slowly faded. The air felt different now, heavier than before, like something far away had shifted and the world had quietly reacted to it.
Silvar stood beside him in its new form, its silver coat catching the dim light. Its presence was sharper now, more controlled, and far more dangerous than before. The transformation had not made it wild—it had made it precise.
Kael glanced at it briefly, studying the new shape.
"…If you're going to follow me around," he said calmly, "you need a name."
Silvar didn't move, but its eyes stayed on him, steady and aware.
Kael looked over its body again, from the silver fur to the quiet strength in the way it stood.
"…Silvar," he said after a moment. "That works."
The wolf gave a low sound, not loud, but clear enough to carry meaning. It stepped closer, lowering its body slightly.
Kael understood.
He placed a hand against its side and pulled himself up in one smooth motion, settling onto its back. Silvar adjusted its stance to balance his weight, then lifted its head toward the open stretch of land ahead.
Kael's gaze turned north.
The faint pressure in his chest hadn't left.
If anything, it had grown clearer.
"…Let's move."
Silvar didn't hesitate.
The moment the words left Kael's mouth, it surged forward, its body cutting through the ravine with explosive speed. Stone cracked under its paws as it climbed, each leap carrying them higher until they burst out of the ravine and onto open ground.
The wind hit harder up there, rushing past them as Silvar accelerated across the broken land.
They were heading back.
Fast.
Inside the compound, the command room was filled with quiet voices.
Maps covered the large wooden table at the center, weighed down at the corners to keep them from shifting. Markings had been added over the past weeks, showing patrol routes, cleared areas, and zones that were still considered dangerous.
Jide stood at the head of the table, his arms resting lightly against the surface as he looked over the latest updates. Zara stood to his right, her eyes scanning the map with focused attention, while Uzo leaned against a nearby pillar with his arms crossed, listening but not saying much.
"The outer patrols have been stable for the past five days," one of the fighters said. "No major movement from the north since the last report."
Zara nodded slightly. "That doesn't mean it stays that way. We should still extend the scout range by at least half a kilometer."
Uzo let out a small breath through his nose. "You're just looking for more trouble at this point."
Before Zara could respond, the door slammed open.
A figure stumbled inside.
Everyone turned immediately.
The scout looked barely able to stand. His clothes were torn and covered in dirt, streaked with blood that had dried in uneven patches. His chest rose and fell rapidly, each breath sounding rough and unstable.
His eyes were wide.
Too wide.
"They are coming!!!" he shouted, his voice cracking as it echoed through the room. "All of them… they're coming!"
The room went completely silent.
Jide moved first, stepping forward quickly and catching the scout before he could collapse.
"Calm down," he said firmly. "Look at me and speak clearly. What did you see?"
The scout tried to steady himself, but his hands were shaking badly. His fingers tightened around Jide's arm as if letting go would make him fall apart.
"During our routine… we were at the northern side," he started, his voice uneven. "We saw movement in the trees, so we went closer to check…"
His breathing grew louder, almost choking his words.
"At first, there were only a few," he continued, his eyes unfocused as if he was seeing it again. "Just skeletons… walking slowly…"
He swallowed hard.
"Then more came. They just kept coming… from everywhere. Hundreds of them. We couldn't even count anymore…"
His voice broke, and tears began to form in his eyes.
"We turned back to report it," he said, his grip tightening, "but something came from above… it moved so fast…"
His breathing hitched.
"It took Matthew," he whispered, his voice shaking. "It grabbed him and flew up before we could react…"
The room stayed silent as he spoke, no one interrupting.
"I looked up," he continued, his words coming out faster now, "and I saw it tearing him apart… right there in the air… it wasn't fully alive… and it wasn't dead either…"
His body trembled harder.
"Philip and I ran," he said, his voice dropping. "We didn't stop… we just ran… but something came out from the trees…"
His hands shook violently now.
"It moved through the shadows… I tried to help him, I really tried!!!" he shouted, his voice breaking completely. "But he told me to run… he told me to leave him and go… so I ran…"
The last words came out weak, almost empty.
The room stayed still for a moment.
Then Uzo moved.
"Stay here," he said quickly, already heading for the door.
He didn't wait for a reply.
Uzo climbed the wall fast, taking the steps two at a time until he reached the top. The wind hit him immediately, carrying dust across the outer area beyond the compound.
A soldier at the watchtower pointed toward the horizon.
Uzo followed the direction.
At first, he saw nothing.
Then—
A small dot in the sky.
Moving.
Fast.
His eyes narrowed as he focused harder.
Below it, far in the distance, the ground wasn't still.
Dust was rising.
Not a little.
A lot.
Uzo's expression changed.
"…No," he muttered under his breath.
He turned immediately and ran back down.
The command room was already tense when he returned.
"They're not imagining it," Uzo said the moment he stepped inside. "Something's coming, and it's not small."
Jide didn't hesitate.
"Sound the alert," he ordered. "Get everyone ready."
The room erupted into movement.
Chairs shifted. Weapons were grabbed. Orders were passed quickly as people moved in different directions, their earlier calm replaced by urgency.
Zara turned toward Jide. "We don't know the full size yet."
"We don't need to," Jide replied. "If it's enough to break our scouts, it's enough to prepare for war."
Outside, the compound began to change.
Voices rose.
Footsteps filled the air.
Weapons were drawn.
The calm of the past weeks shattered completely.
Far to the north, the land had already fallen silent.
The ground stretched wide and broken, covered in movement that didn't belong to the living. Skeletons walked in uneven patterns, their hollow eyes glowing faintly as they moved forward without rest.
Among them were creatures that no longer looked fully human or beast. Some crawled across the ground with twisted limbs, while others staggered forward on broken legs that should not have been able to carry weight.
The air around them felt wrong.
Heavy.
Cold.
At the center of it all, four massive wolves moved in unison.
Their bodies were larger than anything natural, their forms twisted with unnatural growth. Thick chains wrapped around their bodies, dragging heavily against the ground as they pulled something behind them.
A throne.
Made entirely of bone.
On it sat a thin figure, its frame still and composed as it watched the path ahead.
Around the throne stood three figures, different from the rest. Their forms were more stable, more complete, and the way they moved carried purpose instead of mindless motion.
They walked like generals beside a king.
The army did not slow.
It did not stop.
It moved south.
And it was getting closer.