Luke
The desert wind cut through the silence as Luke led the group across the cracked earth. Behind him, Ace and Ice carried Thomas's unconscious body between them. Sophie trailed close, her steps uneven, her eyes hollow. She hadn't spoken much since Eve's death.
She finally broke the silence, voice trembling.
"I don't remember any of it happening… I just"
She stopped, tears streaking her dust-covered cheeks.
Luke didn't turn. He knew grief like that didn't need answers, just space.
They hiked toward the ruins of Sodom, the sun bleeding low on the horizon. Ace broke the quiet.
"How close are we?"
Luke checked the map etched into his memory.
"About four miles out."
Ace groaned.
"Damn. I hope this is worth it. Going back to Sodom's gonna be insane."
Ice nodded grimly.
"The place'll be crawling with demons. Sloth's holding the keys there, right?"
Luke replied,
"That's what Blaze said. And Blaze's been right every time."
Ace spat into the dust.
"Sloth's a prince. That makes this ten times worse."
Luke's tone sharpened.
"Exactly. Don't be careless."
Sophie wiped her face and asked quietly,
"Do you think HQ will still be there?"
Ice glanced at her.
"Yeah… I think so. But in what shape? No clue."
Ace muttered,
"I just hope we're in and out. No heroics."
Luke gave a dry laugh.
"Wouldn't that be nice."
Ice shook his head.
"Let's be real. We're gonna have to shed blood going in and coming out."
The group fell silent again, the weight of what lay ahead pressing down like the heat. Sodom wasn't just a destination it was a reckoning.By dawn, the jagged silhouette of Sodom rose before them broken walls, scorched towers, and the scent of ash still lingering in the air.
Luke raised a hand.
"Alright. Drop everything. Here's the plan."
He pointed toward the city.
"Me, Ice, and Sophie will head to the militia headquarters. We're looking for the Raven. Ace, you stay here and watch Thomas. We shouldn't be gone long. If anything happens blow this."
He handed Ace a small whistle.
Ace stared at it, unimpressed.
"You gotta be kidding me. A whistle, Luke? No special technique? No enchanted dagger? Nothing?"
Luke grinned.
"You've got your swords. That's all you need. You're a pro with steel."
Ace smirked, rolling the whistle between his fingers.
"You know I am."
He leaned back against a tree, watching them disappear into the ruins.
"Man… I just want to go home."
They moved fast from rooftop to rooftop, shadows slicing through the early light. Ice led the way, his instincts razor-sharp.
"This way. We're close."
Suddenly, the ground beneath them cracked open. A massive demon snake erupted from the earth, its scales glistening like obsidian, jaws wide enough to swallow a horse.
Ice barely dodged the strike.
"Split and surround!" Luke shouted.
They scattered, flanking the beast.
"Ice, get your chain ready!" Luke called.
Ice uncoiled the weapon, a thick chain with a spearhead forged from cursed silver.
"Sophie, cover me!"
The snake lunged at Luke, its body whipping like a living whip. Sophie fired a volley of arrows, each one striking true, forcing the beast to twist and recoil.
Luke didn't hesitate. He sprinted up the snake's coiling body, boots pounding against scale.
"Ice NOW!" he roared mid-air.
Ice hurled the spearhead. It pierced the snake's throat just as its jaws opened to devour Luke. Ice yanked the chain, wrenching the head back.
Luke came down like a meteor, blade flashing.
SHHHHNK!
The snake's head dropped clean from its body.
Luke landed hard, dust rising around him.
"Good job."
Ice didn't smile. He pointed behind them.
"Looks like it ain't over."
From the cracked earth, more serpents began to rise five, maybe six, each larger than the last. The ground trembled beneath their weight.
Sophie gets another arrow ready.
Luke tightened his grip.
Ice spun his chain.
The city wasn't just haunted. It was alive and it was hungry.