The empty town stretched out before Liam like a ghost of what it should have been. His eyes widened as he stared at the silent streets and the rows of houses with doors hanging open or shutters flapping loosely in the breeze. Not a single soul moved. No voices, no footsteps, no smoke from chimneys. Just... nothing.
What the hell happened here? he thought, a cold feeling settling in his stomach. This place was supposed to be alive. People, shops, maybe even kids playing in the dirt. Instead it looked like everyone had packed up and left in a hurry, or worse, like they had never been here at all. He swallowed hard and glanced back at the girls.
"Co on," he said quietly. "Let’s go in and see what’s going on. Stay close."
Olivia and the others nodded, their faces tight with the sa unease he felt. They walked together into the town, boots crunching softly on the dry ground. Liam kept his hand near the hilt of his sword. Every step felt too loud in the silence. They passed empty market stalls, a broken cart tipped on its side, and houses with laundry still hanging on lines that had gone stiff and gray. But no people. Not one.
Liam pulled out the map from his bag and unfolded it. His finger traced the route they had followed. "This is supposed to be a town right here," he muttered. "It’s marked clear as day. A decent-sized one too." He looked up again, scanning the buildings around them. "Sothing’s seriously wrong."
They kept walking, moving slowly between the houses, checking doorways and windows. The air slled dusty and stale, like the place had been abandoned for weeks. Liam’s nerves were on edge. Every shadow made him tense. Then, from inside one of the nearby houses, he heard it—a faint scraping noise, like sothing dragging across the floor.
He froze. "Did you hear that?"
Before anyone could answer, sothing clamped around his ankle. Hard. Bones. Cold, dry bones tightening like a vise. Pain shot up his leg.
"Shit!" Liam snapped. "Girls, be alert!"
He yanked his leg up with all his strength and brought his other foot down hard, stomping on the skeletal hand. The grip broke with a dry crack. He kicked the bony fingers away and they skittered across the dirt. His heart was pounding now.
"What was that?" one of the girls asked, voice sharp.
Liam didn’t have ti to explain. All around them, the ground started to shift. Dirt and dust rose as hands pushed upward—skeletal hands, then arms, then whole bodies climbing out of the earth. Dozens of them. Maybe more. White bones glead in the sunlight, empty eye sockets staring straight at them.
Liam and the girls backed up quickly, shoulders bumping together.
"Check their levels," he said under his breath, already pulling up the information in his mind. Level 20. Each one was only level 20. That should have been easy. But there were so many. Way too many. They just kept coming, crawling out of the ground like weeds after rain.
"Back up," Liam ordered. "Follow . We need space."
He turned and started moving fast toward the center of the town, where he could see the stone fountain standing in a small square. The girls stayed right behind him, weapons ready. The skeletons shuffled after them, bones rattling with every step. The sound was eerie, like dry sticks knocking together.
They reached the fountain and stopped, breathing hard. Liam spun around. Olivia’s voice ca out tight. "Liam, this is bad. We’re surrounded."
He looked around and felt his stomach drop. She was right. Skeletons poured in from every street and alley, cutting off every way out. They ford a loose circle, slowly closing in. There had to be at least a hundred now, maybe more.
From between the ranks of skeletons, a woman stepped forward. She moved slowly, deliberately, her black robe hugging every curve of her body as she walked. A bone staff rested in her hand, topped with a dragon skull that seed to grin at them. Her eyes glowed a sickly yellow.
Liam’s mouth went dry. She looked dangerous. Really dangerous.
The woman stopped a short distance away and tilted her head, studying them with a small smile. "My na is Cassandra," she said, her voice smooth and confident. "The Bone Necromancer."
She lifted her staff slightly and pointed it straight at Liam. "And you... you fell right into my trap."
Liam’s grip tightened on his sword. He quickly checked her level, and his heart hamred in his chest. Level 70. Holy crap. That was way higher than anything they had faced before. His mind raced. They were in real trouble here.
Cassandra’s smile widened as she looked at the girls, then back at him. She smacked her lips slowly, like she was already tasting sothing good. "I’ve always wanted to taste the chosen one," she said, her voice dropping lower. "And for this special occasion, I will make sure to savor you thoroughly."
Liam ignored the creepy way she said it and kept scanning the circle of skeletons, looking for any gap, any weak spot they could break through. His thoughts were clear and practical: they couldn’t fight all of them at once. They needed a way out, or at least a better position.
"Oh, so you’re so kind of nymphomaniac or sothing?" he said, trying to keep his tone steady even though his pulse was racing.
Cassandra’s face twisted into an offended scowl. "No, but—"
—-
A/N:
I’m truly sorry for setting the private tiers for my novel at such a high cost recently. I know how disappointing and frustrating it must feel to see sothing you’ve been looking forward to suddenly beco inaccessible or feel unfairly priced, especially when you’ve supported my writing journey from the beginning. It was never my intention to make the experience exclusive in a way that alienates loyal readers like you, and I deeply regret any sense of exclusion or resentnt this has caused. The decision ca from a place of trying to balance the significant ti, effort, and resources I pour into crafting this story—researching intricate plots, developing complex characters, and ensuring every Chapter delivers the emotional depth and twists that make it worthwhile—but I realize now that I misjudged the pricing structure and didn’t communicate the changes thoughtfully enough in advance. Life has been incredibly demanding lately, with unexpected personal challenges piling up alongside the demands of writing full-ti, editing late into the night, and handling all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into producing quality Chapters on a consistent schedule. I got caught up in the pressure of making ends et while trying to deliver sothing special, and in that scramble, I raised the tiers without fully considering how it would impact my community of readers who have been so generous with their ti, feedback, and encouragent. That was shortsighted on my part, and I take full responsibility for it without any excuses. Your support ans the world to ; it’s what keeps motivated to push through writer’s block and refine scenes until they shine, and knowing that so of you might feel priced out right now breaks my heart. I want this novel to be sothing we enjoy together, a shared adventure rather than a gated experience, and I’ve already started reviewing the tier options to make aningful adjustnts. By next month, I commit to fixing the private tiers—lowering them to more accessible levels that reflect the value I hope to provide without straining anyone’s budget. I’ll also be more transparent moving forward, sharing updates on pricing changes well in advance and perhaps offering temporary discounts or bonus content for existing supporters as a way to make up for this misstep. In the anti, if there’s anything specific you’d like to see in the upcoming Chapters or any feedback on the story so far that could help improve, please don’t hesitate to reach out—I’m all ears and genuinely value your input. This novel is as much yours as it is mine, built on the foundation of readers who believe in the characters and the world we’re creating, and I refuse to let a pricing error undermine that connection. Thank you accessibilityfor your understanding and patience during this rough patch; it truly humbles to have such a dedicated audience. I promise to do better, to prioritize alongside quality, and to ensure that by the ti the next billing cycle rolls around, the tiers will feel fair and inviting once again. Let’s keep building this story together—I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful beyond words for your continued faith in .
I’m all ears and genuinely value your input. This novel is as much yours as it is mine, built on the foundation of readers who believe in the characters and the world we’re creating, and I refuse to let a pricing error undermine that connection
Sorry again
Very sorry
I would fix the Chapter later sorry for the problem.
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