An ominous darkness had fallen over the land. Night was at hand, and all the creatures who take solace in the darkness had emerged from their hidden dens and taken to the night to feast and fill their bellies full of those weaker than them. Rigor Mortis was no exception. The Bone Doctor would die tonight, by any means necessary.

  Rigor and Alazandrae crested the top of the hill leading down into the Bone Doctor’s domain. Fireflies raced across the night sky, zipping around in strange patterns. Toads and frogs croaked in unison, joining the crickets and cicadas. Torchlight lit the town beyond, the Basilica looming in the short distance away.

  Alaz recalled the rumors she heard, “The ivory walls of the city, known to us as the Basilica des Bone. Every inch is made of the bones of those who have fallen to the Bone Doctor. His victims made into the very city itself to deter those who would stand against him. Or so the stories say.” Alaz looked over to Rigor, who’s gaze remained fixed on the city.

  A strange smell hung in the air, almost as if the air itself was tainted or rotten to the core. It drifted out from the city. Her face turned sour as she looked at the Basilica. Her eyes worked better at night than they did before, even better than in the sunlight. She blinked a few times to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating it, but she could see clear as day.

  And from what she saw, she knew the rumors to be true. The main gate itself opened, allowing a cart to emerge. A black hooded rider sat upon the cart, whipping his emaciated horses. The back was filled with crates of who knows what. Then Alaz realized she didn’t want to know. It was probably best left a secret.

  Her mother was somewhere in that city. The highest point in the Basilica was the main chapel. It was lit by torches and candles, giving off an eerie yellow glow. “That there is where the Bone Doctor will be, I know it. Mah mother is probably there too. Not sure what he is going to do to her, and the other women Copperhead sent this way, and I don’t want to find out either.” She rubbed her arm nervously, “I’ve heard many terrible things about the Bone Doctor. We need to be careful. He is more devilish than Copperhead, and far more powerful. Even rumors of his strange magics in this swamp had made it to our village up north.”

  A piercing howl ripped through the air, chilling her down to her bones, sending shivers across her body. Her body felt icy cold. Something strange was happening behind those walls, and that’s where they needed to be.

  “So, what’s the plan?” She crouched, looking for a way in. The city was built out over a swamp, large bone stilts held the city upright over the murky water and any ghastly inhabitants of the swamp below. They couldn’t get in that way. Her thoughts replayed the memory of the monster gator earlier in the day. If that was the type of beast up north, then what was waiting for them under the waters of the Basilica?

  Another shiver.

  “If we knock out the guard in the cart, we can return, with ya in the back, sneaking in through the main gate.” She watched as Two men stood guard outside the gate. “Two guards at the front, more behind I’d wager. They control the gatehouse from behind, not opening unless the men outside give the day’s entry code. That’s how I’d do it.” She bit her lip, formulating a plan in her head.

  She turned to Rigor, “What do ya think…” The Death Knight was gone. “Dammit,” She whispered, looking around for Rigor Mortis, but he was nowhere to be found. “I’m gonna kill this bastard.” She sighed, seeing a dark shape moving towards the gatehouse in the shadows, using its black armor to stick in the shadows.

  “Looks like the plan is decided. Kill the bad guys. Got it. Simple. Easy. Why didn’t ya think of that Alaz?” Alaz scoffed at herself as she stood and strode over to the gatehouse, sticking in the shadows as long as she could. She neared the gatehouse, hearing a strange chomping, clopping, or snapping. Her ears pinpointed the sound, and she wished her eyes didn’t work as well in the dark.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Upon the gate house, were dozens of people built into the bone structure, lashed together, cemented in, interwoven to form the wall that protected the Basilica. A few arms waved about, feebly trying to escape, while the heads of once humans gnashed their teeth about until they were broken chips scraping together. Dozens, all tied to the gatehouse, greeting anyone courageous, or foolish, enough to come this far into the Bone Doctor’s domain.

  It was foul. No wonder Rigor Mortis was on a mission to end this atrocity. She might have seen him kill some innocents before, back then she had her doubts, but now she knew that death was a release from this life, and some needed the relief more than others.

  Alazandrae stepped out, approaching the gates, “Hello!” She gave a short wave, keeping her other hand near her knife. “I’m here to see the Bone Doctor.”

  The two men in black hoods and robes brandished their poleaxes; rusty, bloody saws welded to the tops of their poles. They pointed them in her direction.

  One spoke up, “Who the hell are you, and why are you here? Speak up at once!” They began to move in different directions, circling her until they were on each side of her, inching in.

  Alaz pulled her knife from her sheath, pointing it directly over the gatehouse at the chapel, “Me? I’m here to get my revenge on that man, who destroyed my village, kidnapped my mother, and ruined the lives of so many more. I am here to kill him once and for all.” She stood defiantly, stern-faced, and unflinching. She was more worried than she let on. She just hoped Rigor was watching and ready to jump on her distraction, if not, she was in for a terrible time.

  The two guards looked at each other through the holes in their black hoods, silent for a moment, then broke out in laughter. Their chests heaved as they blared into the night, scaring away critters too close for comfort, until one of their laughter was cut short, turning into a shrill squeak.

  Rigor held one of the guards by the throat, squeezing as tight as he could. The man thrashed about trying to free himself. Rigor squeezed harder, until his gauntlets sunk into his flesh. He ripped out the man’s throat, blood gushed from his neck wound as he fell to the ground.

  The second guard lunged at Rigor, taking no time to process his comrade’s demise. These men were better trained than Copperhead’s lot, driven by more than greed and vice. They jumped at the chance to prove themselves to the master.

  Alaz shot forward, her instincts taking over. Something rushed over her body, something she couldn’t quite control, something strange. Her knife pierced forward, stabbing clean through the man’s neck.

  He stopped, dropping his poleaxe. His hands felt around his neck, touching the thin metal pierced through. Alaz slashed outwards, cutting out the front of his neck. Crimson ichor burst out into the night air. His eyes rolled about as his head toppled backwards, clinging on to his body with some strands of flesh and tendons. He gasped for air as he fell to the dirt, trying to place his head back on his shoulders.

  Alazandrae froze, still holding her knife out in the air. Her eyes couldn’t leave the blood that stained her knife and trickled down her hand. She took short bursts of breaths, trying to fight the pressure building up, realizing what had just happened.

  She had just killed a man.

  He laid still on the ground, blood pouring from his wound. She had brought death to the man. Her hands brought death to the world, just the same as Rigor did. Is this the way she wanted revenge? Was this her fate now? To kill even more? She didn’t know what was happening inside her. She was a peace-loving woman, who liked to garden and make potions, not a killer, but here she was, standing above a man she had just murdered.

  Rigor placed his hand on her shoulder. Her doubts faded away with a cool calm taking over. She looked up at him. His milky eyes met hers, and he nodded, reassuring her that it was okay. She felt at ease now.

  No. This man was someone who served the Bone Doctor. She took one look up at the gatehouse to reassure herself. The gnashing of those poor souls trapped here was enough to solidify her resolve. These were evil men, and evil men needed to be purged.

  She took a deep breath, relaxing her shoulders, as Rigor approached the gate. She looked at the dead man one last time. He was an enforcer of the Bone Doctor, after all. Death was the least she could give him. She carefully stepped around the blood puddle pooling on the ground and joined Rigor at the gate.

  The Death Knight rose his axe high and slammed in down on the middle of the gate, smashing through the bones and still living beings stuck within. The gate cracked down the middle. Rigor gave one strong kick and blasted the gates wide open.

  Several startled citizens and guards staggered back at the unexpected intrusion. Beyond them at the end of the bone street was the chapel of the Basilica des Bone, and their target was nestled inside.

  Rigor gripped his axe tight. He would soon do Necroth proud.