The sight of death didn't scare Seth; he had seen it in its worst form only the night before.
The man from behind the counter put down his book and rushed over to the injured man, who was placed on a table near the entrance. Seth sat at the bar, watching.
The injured man was gashed with wounds all over his body, blood seeping through his dark attire. His arm was bent at an unnatural angle, obviously broken.
The barman looked him over unhurriedly, and the man who had brought in the injured man stood beside him and watched.
"He's dead, isn't he, Noah?" the man said. He was tall and dark-skinned with thick dreadlocks.
The barman, whose name seemed to be Noah, didn't need to think before answering.
"Yes, he's dead. Far beyond healing; he must be bleeding severely internally."
Healing? So he's some sort of healer.
"What happened to him?" Noah asked nonchalantly, just as Vorn entered through the door with two Lambs beside him.
He seemed slightly worn down, most likely involved in whatever battle had injured the smaller man.
"It's the Fangs," he announced. "They're acting strangely, orchestrating attacks on Lamb patrols throughout the city. This is unlike them; they should know we are too strong an enemy for them to face."
Seth remembered what Vorn had said about the Fangs earlier, claiming they were more focused on petty crimes rather than the pursuit of power.
What has led them to their change?
One of the women who arrived with Vorn began to speak, clearly addressing the remaining members of the Lambs who were in the lounge.
"From what I could tell, there was a new member among the Fangs. I believe he was the one orchestrating the attacks, considering he was part of the group that targeted our leader, Vorn. He seemed to stay away from the combat, allowing a handful of men to fight for him. However, once we killed the men, something I've never seen before happened."
The woman stopped speaking, allowing Vorn to continue for her. He looked at Seth as he spoke, his face serious.
"It's as Elara says. This man did something incredible. He raised his men from the dead."
Seth's heart dropped as he finally realized why Vorn had seemed to be addressing him particularly.
There's no way... Not this fast.
"I don't know how he's done it," Vorn continued, "but if what you told me this morning was true, I believe this is your brother, Abel. Taller than you, dark hair, handsome face... and a small scar on his nose bridge."
The description was confirmation. Seth had given him that scar when they were play-fighting as children. There was no doubt about it.
"It's him," Seth said coldly. "My brother has joined the Fangs."
Vorn rubbed his chin and nodded.
"Well, this is your chance to see him. Usually, I'd wait until you could use Blight, but we need all the members we can get right now. Our other forces were busy patrolling Penitent zones, so our numbers are low."
Ruth entered the room just as Vorn raised his voice to a commanding volume.
"Everyone, get yourselves ready and prepared for battle! Ruth, fetch Seth a six-gun and keep him close by your side. The rest of you, follow my lead!"
Abel. Will I really get to take your life so soon?
---
Ruth left and returned holding a revolver, otherwise known as a six-gun.
It was an onyx black color, like their attire, and it came with a holster that clipped to the inside of a jacket.
So that's why I couldn't tell that anybody was armed.
Afterward, all the remaining members in the base stepped out into the sewers, following Vorn's lead.
Seth was kept at the back, with Ruth and Noah, while Vorn and the others walked ahead.
In total, there were nine of them, all armed and ready, blending into the darkness of the shadows.
Their footsteps echoed through the tunnel, which was being lit by the orb-like ability used by the woman Vorn had called Elara.
Seth wondered if it was an ability that everyone could use, or only the strongest.
Finally, they reached a ladder that led to a drain cover. They slowly climbed, one by one, and Seth was finally met with the light of day.
They emerged in an alleyway, and it felt strange being back on the surface.
He heard birds chirping and the footsteps of horses pulling chariots through the city streets.
He also heard the noise of humans going about their days, which made him feel nervous.
My eyes... No... our eyes. We're going to stand out.
He wondered how they could possibly go out into the day with no covers over their eyes, their sacrifices on full display.
Bang!
A gunshot came from out of nowhere, the bullet crashing into the floor between them.
Instantly, the Lambs were on alert, and screams sounded from the nearby streets, as they ran away from the sound.
Seth looked around to see where the shot had come from, but couldn't find the source, the commotion didn't help him either.
"There!" Vorn shouted, pointing to the rooftop above them.
Seth looked up and saw a shadowy form jumping between buildings, followed by another, then another, and then many more.
They're above us!
The Lambs wasted no time, climbing the drainpipes that ran up the walls beside them, leading to the rooftop.
Seth followed, though Ruth went last so that she could keep an eye on him from behind.
It was an easy climb, a feat he wouldn't have been able to do before becoming Anointed.
Once atop the roof, he stopped and looked at the scene before him.
All nine members stood on the roof, bunched up, as they scouted the flat roofs of Rosebury.
Many men and women in light gray attire were jumping from roof to roof, seemingly trying to flee from the Lambs.
They were spaced out, all heading in different directions, jumping to different rooftops.
They were high up; one slip and fall would be fatal, at least to a regular human.
Vorn scouted the fleeing Fangs and let out a bellowing laugh as he cracked his knuckles.
"Looks like we've got ourselves a hunt, Lambs!"