Horizon felt his body move before his mind could react, his hands lifting as if guided by the voice itself. Dark energy crackled around him, swirling in a vortex of shadow.
The fallen corpses of the Nix dragonkin and Amberskins around him began to stir, their bodies twitching to life.
Slowly, the undead rose from the ground, eyes glowing with the same eerie light that once shone in the dragon's hollow gaze.
The Amberskins gasped in terror, stepping back, their weapons trembling in their hands. The Nix Dragon was already too much, now the undead had joined in too.
However, to their surprise, the undead didn't turn on the Amberskins. Instead, they charged toward the Nix dragon, their movements relentless and unnatural.
The dragon roared in fury, attempting to crush the rising tide of corpses, but the undead swarmed it, biting, clawing, and tearing at its decaying flesh.
The Nix dragon thrashed wildly, trying to shake them off, but the sheer weight of the undead pulled it down.
Horizon was still caught in the strange trance, and watched as the undead overwhelmed the dragon, their numbers suffocating it.
With a final, earth-shaking roar, the Nix dragon succumbed to their attacks. Its colossal form shattered into a cascade of dark ash, swirling in a tumultuous storm of dust and malevolent energy.
As the last of the beast dissolved into nothingness, the very air sizzled with the remnants of its power before fading into an eerie silence.
The battlefield fell silent, save for the low, deathly whispers that still echoed in Horizon's ears. He blinked, feeling the control over the undead slip from his grasp, the strange magic dissipating as quickly as it had come, and the undead crumbled to dusts.
Witnessing the destruction of its ally, the other Nix Dragon took flight and vanished into the darkening sky.
The remaining Amberskins erupted into cheers, their voices rising in relief. Horizon and the survivors finally found a moment of peace when the Nix dragonkin retreated.
Von appeared beside Horizon in a blink, his face drained of color. "What just happened?" His eyes flickered between the departing dragon and the fading dust, struggling to grasp what had happened.
Horizon shook his head, his expression troubled. "I don't know . . . but it wasn't me."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
Horizon remained silent, his mind racing as he replayed the events. He had felt a dark command surge through him, urging the undead to rise — or perhaps something else had seized control of his body and forced the command.
But who could wield such power? The name that haunted his thoughts was Nixis.
Could it be her? But why would she aid him against her own creations? What could her motives be? Or was it truly Nixis, or something far more insidious?
Questions swirled in Horizon's mind, each one more troubling than the last. He was left grappling with an unsettling uncertainty, unable to grasp the full scope of what had just transpired.
The whispering voice had vanished, but its icy presence lingered, a chilling shadow clinging to the edges of Horizon's senses.
A deeper darkness seemed to have embedded itself within him, leaving a haunting feeling that something was still at play.
"Are you okay?" Von asked, snapping Horizon from his thoughts.
"Y-yeah," Horizon muttered, though his voice lacked conviction.
"You look pale," Von pressed.
"Idiot. Who wouldn't be after facing a Nix Dragon?" Cappy scoffed, picking its dead feathers.
"Cappy's right. It's a miracle you're even standing, and the dragon just flew off like that," Von added, shaking his head in disbelief.
Horizon simply nodded, still feeling disoriented.
"Anyway, let's head inside before those creatures come back. At least inside the mound, we're safe," Von suggested.
While the Amberskins tended to their wounded and regrouped near the Husks, the party found themselves with a rare opportunity to rest. The numerous Amberskin sentries kept watch, ensuring they could sleep without fear of an ambush.
"These mounds . . . they seem important to the Amberskins," Horizon noted, eyeing the mysterious structures.
Von nodded and explained, "The mounds are actually part of a massive structure buried beneath the rock — something ancient, maybe millennia old. The tunnels leading here weren't meant as hidden passageways but were part of an old mining effort, trying to reach whatever lies beneath the Husks."
Horizon raised an eyebrow. "And what lies under the Husks?"
"I don't know. Maybe we should ask Rysamora or Vodgo. But after what happened back there, I doubt they'll be eager to share."
"Do you really think they'll answer us?" Horizon asked, frowning. "They left us behind, clearly intending to abandon us."
Von's jaw tightened. "I'll try talking to Vodgo."
With Horizon following close behind, Von approached Vodgo, who was sitting at the edge of the camp, his face etched with weariness.
"Vodgo, what's going on here?" Von asked, his voice low but firm. "What's buried under the Husks?"
Vodgo sighed, his expression guarded. "That secret was never meant for outsiders. I can't tell you."
"Outsider?" Von repeated, his face darkening. "I've been with this tribe for four years. I've fought for you, defended the tribe, fetched supplies. I earned my place here! And now, suddenly, I'm an outsider? What's happening, Vodgo? You're not like this."
Vodgo opened his mouth to respond but was overtaken by a violent coughing fit, his body trembling under the strain.
Tulemo quickly stepped in between them. "He needs rest."
"Is he okay?" Horizon asked, noticing how Vodgo's condition seemed to be rapidly worsening. "His illness . . . is it because of the medicine Linji injected earlier?"
Tulemo's expression darkened, anger flashing in his eyes. "You dare question the loyalty of an Amberskin? Linji has been by Vodgo's side since he was a child. He would never do anything to harm him."
"I didn't mean—" Horizon began, but Von's hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Let's go, Horizon," Von said quietly.
Horizon cast one last glance at Vodgo, who was still coughing violently, before he turned to follow Von.
Something wasn't right, and he knew it — but for now, they had no choice but to leave it alone.