Webb's a dead guy with no memory of his life, and that's how he likes it. He'd sworn he'd protect After, the city of the dead, from monsters, but the monsters have all been killed off. Now he has only one thing left to do: go through the Gate and fi...
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I spat out sand and sat up, squinting through the pouring rain. I ripped the arrow out of my chest as the red glow of unsheathed blades surrounded me.
"Who the hell is this guy?" one of the bounty hunters asked as she pointed one of her short swords at where I kneeled.
Another hunter shoved his way through the ranks. The red light of his curved blade gleamed maliciously on the lenses of his mask as he said, "Collateral damage."
I rose with my sword raised, ready to meet him.
Then a dagger whizzed through the air and impaled the man right between his eyes. The ghost fell into the soaked sand with a splash. Another body moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with me.
"Ryder?" I exclaimed at the growling man beside me. "Where's Jacob?"
"Cross has got him." He twirled his remaining blade in a hand as the bounty hunters encircled us. "Look alive, blondie."
The two of us pressed our backs to each other. Our sneering enemies advanced on us. I couldn't barely see them through the rain streaming down my face. Everyone was stained black. There was a sudden flash of red in the dark, and I blocked a blow with my sword.
Shouts and jeers drowned out the sound of the downpour. I dodged blow after blow and retaliated with swings whenever I spotted an opening.
But my movements were hesitant.
I could never land a hit.
My body heated again. A fury filled my veins like fire. I was trying to save Aluki, and these assholes were in my way! I yelled through my clenched throat and ignored the shivers racking my body. Fueled by rage, I left Ryder's side and hacked into my enemies, hunters and monsters alike.
Then I froze.
One more ghost broke from the ranks in front of me. He carried a red toothy mace in his hands as he slowly approached me.
A paralyzing chill washed over me. I blinked.
No longer was I in the middle of the blood-soaked desert.
I was back in a decrepit hallway, standing alone as the beastly right hand of After charged for me. I took a single trembling breath to steady myself as I raised my sword. After's right hand raised his mace. I ducked beneath it as it swung and obliterated the wall where my head had been. I yelled and slashed my sword at him.
But I was too slow. Too weak.
The right hand dodged my blow and retaliated, kicking at me hard in the sternum and knocking the wind out of me. I fell to my knees in front of him. His silhouette filled the entire hall.
My sword fell from my grasp.
In the pale half-light of After's fractured sun, I watched my enemy smile down at me through my blurring vision. He raised his mace high above his head, throwing his full weight into his swing.
My vision went red. All I saw was a mace swinging for me. So I just shut my eyes.
This is okay, I told myself. As long as Vale and Skye could escape, this is okay.
There was a scream.
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