Chapter 94: Survivors…?

Ezra and Kaelis pushed forward through the horde.

Their blades moved constantly.

Dark Ones rushed them from every direction, and steel answered every time. Bodies dropped into the grass as they advanced, cutting a narrow path through the mass of twisted figures.

Ezra’s sword struck again.

Another Dark One collapsed.

Then another.

Kaelis moved beside him just as quickly, his blade flashing through the air with practiced precision.

He didn’t hesitate.

Not even when the Dark Ones standing before him were the quieter ones.

The docile ones.

Kaelis cut them down the same as the others.

“If you have to kill them, kill them.”

Ezra glanced at him sharply.

Kaelis had clearly noticed.

Noticed the way Ezra was moving now.

The hesitation.

But how could he not hesitate?

Ezra looked ahead again, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword.

’All I see now are humans.’

They were still moving.

Still breathing.

Alive.

Alive humans who somehow weren’t human anymore.

But Ezra couldn’t unsee it now.

“They…” Ezra swung his blade and cut down another attacking Dark One before stepping away from one of the wandering figures. “…I didn’t notice it until you pointed it out.”

His voice came out quieter than he expected.

“They look more human.”

Ezra shifted his stance, deliberately moving past one of the docile Dark Ones. Instead, he raised his sword and charged at the ones rushing them.

The violent ones.

The ones with dark claws outstretched.

The ones that still attacked.

Kaelis watched him for half a second.

“I understand the sentiment,” Kaelis said.

His blade moved again.

One of the wandering Dark Ones collapsed at his feet.

“But there are too many of them.”

Another swing.

Another body fell.

“At some point, you will have to kill them.”

Kaelis’ voice remained steady.

“And if nothing else…”

His sword cut through another docile Dark One.

“Think of it as ending their suffering.”

Ezra’s jaw tightened.

He glanced toward Kaelis again.

And that was when he saw it.

The hesitation.

It was small.

Barely noticeable.

But it was there.

Regret flickered briefly in the prince’s eyes every time his blade cut down one of the quiet ones.

’Hypocrite.’ Kaelis was hesitating too.

That realization didn’t make Ezra feel better.

If anything, it made the weight in his chest worse.

Suddenly, Kaelis grabbed Ezra’s arm.

Ezra stiffened.

“Hey—”

Kaelis pulled him forward.

Hard.

Ezra stumbled a step before regaining his balance, his eyes widening in surprise.

“What—”

Kaelis pointed ahead. “Look.”

Ezra followed his gaze.

And froze.

Ahead of them, the land dipped slightly. A shallow body of water stretched across the field, its dark surface reflecting the dim sky.

And it was filled with them.

Dark Ones.

Dozens.

No.

Hundreds.

They moved slowly through the water, their blackened figures drifting between one another like shadows beneath the surface. Some stood half-submerged, their limbs hanging loosely. Others staggered forward in uneven steps, disturbing the water with quiet ripples.

None of them ran.

None of them attacked.

Ezra’s eyes widened.

His breath caught slightly in his throat.

“This is…” Kaelis began quietly. “A whole population of Dark Ones, Ezra.”

He paused, glancing at him briefly.

“I can see it in your face. You think it’s unfair that I’m scolding you. Maybe you think I’m a hypocrite.”

The words settled heavily between them.

Kaelis turned his gaze back to the water.

“But on any day you have to be cold blooded,” he said calmly, “today is that day.”

Ezra didn’t answer.

He just stared.

The water shifted slowly around the figures standing within it.

Some wandered aimlessly, their movements sluggish and confused.

Others twitched in strange, unnatural motions, as if their bodies no longer fully belonged to them.

But none of them attacked.

Not even when Ezra and Kaelis stood just a short distance away.

’Why are you showing me this?’

Ezra glanced at Kaelis again.

If Kaelis didn’t want him to hesitate…

Why point it out?

Why force Ezra to notice the difference?

Why make him understand what they were actually cutting down?

’What kind of lesson are you trying to teach me?’

Another thought followed immediately.

’Is this revenge for yesterday?’

Because that was what it felt like.

Like Kaelis was making him look.

Making him understand something painful on purpose.

Ezra looked back at the water.

At the figures slowly drifting through it.

Then a quieter thought surfaced in the back of his mind.

’He probably knew I would notice eventually.’

Ezra prided himself on being observant.

On seeing things other people overlooked.

Sooner or later, he would have realized the difference.

Maybe Kaelis knew that.

Maybe that was why he told him now.

So Ezra wouldn’t stand there confused in the middle of a battlefield.

’…Now that’s giving him way too much credit.’

Ezra almost scoffed to himself.

For all he knew, Kaelis could just be messing with him even now.

Even in the middle of this.

Even with hundreds of Dark Ones standing in front of them.

Either way, Ezra’s mind was a mess.

And the battle hadn’t even truly begun yet.

’Whatever. I need to focus on killing these creeps.’

Ezra forced his thoughts aside.

There wasn’t time to stand around thinking.

More Dark Ones were already rushing toward them.

Kaelis moved first.

His sword swept through the air and sliced cleanly through a creature’s neck before it could even reach them.

Ezra followed immediately, stepping forward and driving his blade through another that lunged straight for his chest.

The two of them pushed forward again.

Steel flashed.

Bodies fell.

The grass around them was already dark with blackened blood as they cut their way through the thinning horde.

Behind them, the thunder of hooves and shouting voices grew louder.

The frontline was catching up.

Ezra barely noticed.

His focus stayed ahead.

Another Dark One rushed them. Ezra cut it down without slowing. Kaelis struck the next one beside him, their movements falling into a natural rhythm as they advanced.

Then the terrain began to change.

The open field gave way to scattered houses.

Wooden fences.

Stone wells.

Broken carts left abandoned in the road.

A village.

Ezra slowed slightly as they stepped onto the dirt path that cut through the middle of it.

The doors of the houses hung open. Windows creaked softly in the wind. A few overturned barrels rolled lazily across the ground, nudged by the breeze.

Empty.

As far as Ezra knew, the villagers had already been evacuated. That was what he had heard, at least.

So there shouldn’t be anyone here.

Which meant they didn’t need to worry about civilians getting caught in the fighting.

Another Dark One stumbled out from between two houses.

Ezra cut it down without even thinking.

Then another.

’Okay… good pacing, Ezra.’ he thought dryly. ’Keep moving.’

They pushed deeper into the village.

Then Kaelis suddenly spoke.

“You will listen to me if you’re smart enough.”

Ezra frowned.

As if things weren’t already confusing enough.

He turned his head slightly.

Kaelis wasn’t looking at him.

His eyes were moving across the empty streets, scanning every corner of the village.

“And I know you’re smart enough.”

Ezra blinked.

’What the heck is he talking about now?’

The confusion was starting to pile up.

Kaelis had been acting strange since before the battle even started.

And now he was speaking like this?

“What are you talking about?” Ezra asked.

Kaelis cut down another Dark One that staggered out of an alleyway.

“You’ll know what to do after,” he said simply.

That didn’t help.

If anything, Ezra felt even more confused.

’What exactly am I supposed to understand?’

Kaelis suddenly turned his head.

Not toward Ezra.

Behind them.

Ezra followed his gaze.

Helios and Aurien were closing in with the rest of the knights. Their horses thundered across the field as the frontline squads cut through the remaining Dark Ones.

They were almost at the village now.

Kaelis raised his voice.

“I heard there were survivors hiding in this village!”

His shout carried clearly across the battlefield.

“Ezra and I will look for them!”

Helios looked up immediately.

Aurien slowed his horse slightly, turning toward them.

“You all clear the horde!”

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