The rain falling all around them intensified as the ground beneath them began to shake. Looking through the hole in the watchtower’s side, he saw the puddles outside the gate dancing like there was a massive speaker buried in the ground.

  Thump. Thump. Thump.

  KRAAAATH!

  Between the trees, countless Ossari appeared. Each donned the same onyx robes, concealing all but the skulls and their swirling teal eyes. A haze of thanum rose from the trees behind them, spewed from chimneys atop lumbering machines that rotted the trees around them at noticeable speeds.

  Holy hell, Harvey panicked, doing his best to bring his breathing under control as the Necrolords' army came into view. Apparently, they’d succeeded in attracting what he hoped was the bulk of their force. At least he hoped it was, because if not, Earth might as well surrender now.

  Don’t think like that. Stick to the plan, he chastised himself. His heart was trying to beat its way out of his chest, but he restrained himself from detonating his charges and rocketing himself as far from the army as he could. Doing so now would barely affect a few dozen Ossari since none seemed willing to enter the clearing. Not out of fear, but to leave a landing zone for their general.

  Massive bone wings flapped, kicking up a whirlwind that sent dead leaves and soil whipping into the air as the bone dragon descended. A clattering growl bellowed from its mouth as it slammed into the ground, claws cutting deep gashes in the soil as ivory bones came to rest. Harvey could see no emotion on its face, but the way it languidly sprawled over the clearing proved it wasn’t phased by the sight of civilization. Even relaxed, its imposing aura bit at Harvey’s, forcing him to condense it tightly around himself out of fear that his dormant Stain would wake up.

  Sitting between two massive ivory spikes on the ridge of the dragon’s back was the general. He wore the same black armor inlaid with what he now recognized as refined undeath resonance crystals. His longsword was strapped to his waist, and his helmet was nowhere to be seen, replaced by an ornate crown of black, teal, and gold. An easy smile beamed from his face, like a man waiting to be reunited with an old friend instead of one preparing to kill a planet. His stark white hair cascaded effortlessly towards his shoulders, giving him the handsome surfer look Harvey had gotten accustomed to after a few years living in California.

  “People of Earth! I come in peace,” he shouted, swinging his leg over the saddle and sliding down the dragon’s neck.

  Harvey knew he was supposed to respond, but he couldn’t bring himself to reveal his place in the watchtower. The plan was to expose himself if it seemed like the general wanted to talk, but his body didn’t care about plans anymore.

  “Really? Then what’s the deal with the army standing behind you?” Julian asked, rushing up the stairs of the adjacent watchtower.

  “Just an incentive to make sure you consider my offer,” the general smiled. “A necessary evil, considering what happened to the others I sent to save this little town of yours.”

  “They didn’t seem too interested in saving anyone. Sarah, maybe, but the others insisted on killing us first,” Julian replied.

  “Ah, Sarah,” he reminisced. “One of my more devout followers. I named her after my daughter once I learned the original hadn’t survived the integration. How did she die?”

  “Crushed until her bones snapped,” Julian admitted.

  “A pity. I assume it was her brother who scared you off. He always questioned my story, but even he wouldn’t dare defy my power,” the general announced. “You see, before I became a Prophet, I was a pitiful human like you. Standing in an Outpost just like this one, waiting for the Necrolords to arrive.”

  “So, you’re what happens if we lose?” Julian asked.

  “Oh no, they are what happens when you lose,” he replied, pointing to the Ossari while putting a little extra emphasis on the when. “Your bodies will be destroyed, and your power condensed inside the bones within. Then, the Ossuaries will awaken them, implanting a new soul to replace your own.”

  “And we become part of your army?” Julian asked.

  “You? No. Your body? Yes,” he answered.

  “What happens to us?”

  “Who knows? My view of the afterlife is no clearer than yours, and you are free to gamble that whatever comes next is better than my offer if you wish.”

  “Which is what, exactly?”

  “Lay down your weapons and join the Necrolords willingly. Keep your soul, your memories, and your identity as you become a powerful revenant like me. You have tasted strength as a Veilstrider, but you can become so much greater if you only embrace undeath with open arms.”

  “Is that what you did?” Julian seethed. “Abandoned your planet to save yourself?”

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  Harvey panicked when he heard the antagonizing words. Julian was going off script. The prophet was giving them the perfect excuse to lure the army in, but that wouldn’t matter if they pissed him off.

  “Abandon? I saved my planet from the folly of insolent fools who believed they could resist undeath with only a few piddling levels and inconsequential skills. They got a taste of magic and believed themselves invincible, and without me, everyone would be gone instead of only the arrogant. I became unliving proof that surrender was the only way our home would survive under the System’s wrath, and was rewarded with the opportunity to do the same for your planet,” the Prophet shouted.

  Harvey peered over the side of the tower to see Julian’s body shudder with barely constrained rage. For some reason, seeing this Prophet was so revolting to him that all logic was fading away. Harvey could understand how Julian would hate a man preaching that giving up was better than trying at all, but he couldn’t afford to let his morals ruin their plan. Using all the adrenaline coursing through his veins, Harvey fought his better judgment and stood up before blurting out the first thing he could think of.

  “Wh-what do we need to do?” Harvey blurted.

  “If you want to save your friends, all you have to do is let the Graveweaver’s turn you. I am sure you’ve seen the same happening to the beasts surrounding your Outpost,” the Prophet explained, turning to face Harvey while the dragon stared daggers at Julian. “I won’t lie, the change is a painful process, but I can guarantee you will exit their embrace stronger than before.”

  “Do people ever die during the change?” Harvey asked.

  “Have no fear, my friend. I can sense the Stain of doubt in your aura, but the fact that you are strong enough to stand before me now proves you have the strength to stand beside me come dawn tomorrow,” he encouraged.

  He can sense my Stain? Does that mean he can sense the arc charges? Harvey worried. No, the arrays are all still inert. He's just reading my aura.

  “Ok, I’ll help you convince the others,” Harvey stuttered, still fighting against the adrenaline.

  “I only sense 3 of you. There is a beast full of life the Graveweaver’s will surely enjoy, but I can’t imagine you are all that is left of this Outpost, considering none of you seem like the type to butcher your own kind,” the prophet said.

  “I will join as well if it means my beast doesn’t have to die,” Hannah shouted from behind the wall.

  “My sweet girl,” the prophet smiled. “Both you and your companion will never taste death once thanum runs through your veins. What about you, brute?”

  “I…” Julian seethed. “I’ll do it.”

  “Perfect, we shall enter your settlement and begin immediately. Then, once you are revenants like me, we can begin to spread our message to the rest of the Veilstriders.”

  “Wait,” Harvey interrupted. “We hid the rest of our people in a mine under that mountain. We should go to them before starting the change so they can see we aren’t being forced to accept your offer.”

  “Even better!” the prophet cheered. “I am grateful that reason won today and no blood had to be shed. I know what it’s like standing in your shoes, and let me assure you that this decision is what’s best for you and your entire planet. The Necrolords seek only to grow their empire, and joining willingly empowers them and you more than stripping Earth down to its bones.”

  Harvey carefully picked his way down the ladder, trying to make sure his body language didn’t convey the panic within. He could probably play it off as fear of the conversion process, but the less reason he gave the prophet to question him, the better.

  Julian lumbered over to the gate, removed the heavy bars holding it closed, and swung it open. The prophet stood waiting to greet them, a huge smile on his face and hand outstretched like a salesman about to land the biggest deal of his career.

  “I’m Marcus, nice to officially meet you,” the prophet beamed.

  “Julian.”

  “Harvey,” he replied, shaking his hand. The revenant’s grip was firm, and Harvey felt him subtly pull himself closer as eyes with a teal iris matching the one embedded in his own undead flesh stared back at him.

  It all felt so… normal. Human. Like he was walking into a meeting back at Empire, where Marcus would try to sell him on a new software package.

  “Lead the way! I can see why you’d hide most of your people underground after seeing the strength of all the Ossari sent your way. We figured there was an outpost here once the bats stopped coming back. Sorry about any deaths our missionaries may have caused, by the way. We wanted to confirm the location before redirecting the whole army,” Marcus explained.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Julian scoffed. “They didn’t manage to kill anyone.”

  “Really? You must have quite the impressive group then,” Marcus smiled, seemingly uncaring about the two dozen Ossari the trio had killed over the last few days. “Once you’ve all become revenants, the other factions invading Earth won’t stand a chance.”

  “Other factions?” Harvey asked. He knew there were more trials like this happening thanks to the vision, but wanted to fish for information while he could.

  “Dozens of forces were given the opportunity to contest control of your planet. Some will be repelled, but any that succeed in their trials will appear on the planet where each will fight for sole control of Earth and all its people,” Marcus explained.

  “And you’re sure the Necrolords will win?” Harvey asked.

  “With your help, it’s almost guaranteed,” Marcus beamed. “Each faction can only bring so much power into the trial, and all are limited to ensure the natives have a chance of succeeding. I’m already at the peak of F Grade, but the System is suppressing me quite heavily. You, on the other hand, are free to grow as fast as you want and don’t count against the System’s limits. That’s why joining me is so important. Together, we’ll be able to ensure Earth is won by a group who will let its people live on in undeath instead of being eradicated by some bloodthirsty clan looking to gobble up all the planet’s treasures until all that’s left is a dusty rock flying through space.”

  The more Harvey listened, the more compelling Marcus’s offer seemed. Logically, he knew it would be nice to have an army of Ossari already familiar with the System to help them eradicate the myriad forces aiming to control Earth, but something deep inside him found the idea so revolting that he knew he’d never survive the transition. Harvey assumed Marcus was telling the truth when he said a revenant was something much stronger than a Veilstrider like him, but was lying about the survival rate of trying to become one.

  It took a special sort of sickness to sacrifice life for power.

  Harvey looked back, watching the army march into Veils End behind them as they strode towards his smithy. Underneath their feet, his aura sensed the countless candles representing arrays just waiting to be ignited. His trigger finger was itching, but he held himself back until they drew close to where his aura would no longer reach the farthest charges.

  “The tunnel is just through here,” Harvey explained, ducking into an alley leading to the yard.

  “Perfect!” Marcus beamed.