There were certain aspects of being an Adventurer, official or not, that one could never get used to. Corpses coming to life in a wild frenzy was one of them.

Hump sprung back in a desperate panic, barely avoiding the undead’s claws. The mud was wet, and his foot slipped beneath him, sending him tumbling onto his back. The impact knocked his staff from his hand. Cold, wet mud coated him. But it was the mud that saved him. The undead’s foot had sunk into the earth and prevented it from pursuing him. Frantically, he searched the ground for his staff with his hand.

The creature let loose another shriek, lunging at Hump again. Hump stared at it, wide eyed as it tried to pull free of the ground. It’s mouth bit at the air as if it couldn’t wait to taste him, bloody red saliva stained its lips and chin.

In a panic, Hump tossed the still smouldering bundle of herbs. It struck the creature square in the face and bounced off harmlessly.

For a moment, the creature stared at him, red eyes gleaming.

Bad idea! Hump thought. Its eyes darkened. Very bad idea!

Then it came for him, fast and hungry, clawing its way from the dirt with so much force that its foot came out broken and torn. Hump scampered back on all fours, fear and adrenaline driving him to move.

“Bonefiend!” Somebody shouted behind him.

Hump’s arm slipped out from underneath him and he slumped to the mud. It was on him before he could blink. Teeth, and blood, and rot. A smell so putrid he’d have gagged if not for death being mere moments away.

The tip of a dagger pierced out of its left eye socket. Blood oozed from the wound like rotten sludge, more brown than red. Hump stared at it, frozen in confused horror. The bonefiend writhed and gurgled, then toppled onto him. He caught it with his hands, keeping his head as far from it as he could as he tossed it to the ground beside him.

He lay there gasping, his heart beating like drums, so hard it was all he could hear. Above him, Celaine stared at the corpse with a frown. He looked at it, half expecting it to come at him again. It didn’t move. It was on its front, Celaine’s dagger still buried into the back of its skull.

“Are you okay?” she asked. She held out a hand, then pulled back as she noticed the blood that covered it. She didn’t hide her disgust well.

“Thank—” Hump stopped. Behind Celaine another corpse sprung to life, rising to its feet and racing toward her.

There was no time for finesse. Hump threw himself forward onto his stomach, grabbing his staff from the ground where he’d dropped it. Mud caked his front, but he barely noticed. His focus solely on the bonefiend. He aimed his staff at the creature, just as it collided with Celaine. Hump focused his will and shouted, “Blast!” A hum of magic burst from his body, rushing up his arms, through his hands and into his staff. Blue light exploded from it. The wind stirred around him, rustling his hair. Then the air boomed.

The bonefiend was blown backward by the blast. It hit the ground with the sound of crumpling bone and armour, rolling like a ragdoll. Koll, the northman, rode for it as it struggled to rise, and slammed his axe down into the creature’s head, smashing through bone and brain.

Around Hump, the others drew their weapons with a ring of steel and rasping leather sheaths, calling out orders and targets.

Bud was already at his side, sword in hand. He chanted a prayer under his breath as he approached one of the remaining bonefiends. The creature came at him in a wild charge. There was less blood on this one, and Hump could see the bones protruding from its body like spikes. They pierced through skin and armour.

Bud remained calm. He came to a stop before it, sword outstretched at his side, feet spread a shoulder width apart like a soldier performing a drill, still chanting his prayer. Then, just as the creature stepped into range, his blade erupted in blue flame. Cold, icy power radiated from it; even from a few paces away Hump could feel its bite. In a single, elegant sweep, Bud sliced its skull in half, a crust of ice formed over the wound as it fell apart. There was no blood, no splatter. It simply dropped, crumbling to the ground. The two parts of its face frozen in a final horrific snarl.

Bud surveyed the battlefield before returning his sword to its sheath. The flame died as it slotted inside. He hurried over to Hump, his armour chinking as he moved, and offered his hand. “You okay?”

“Just about,” Hump said, taking it gratefully. He was all but hauled to his feet.

Gerard had slain the final bonefiend and was issuing orders to his party of soldiers. They split up, securing high grounds around the hilltop and monitoring the nearby trees for any more threats. This close to a dungeon, there was no telling what the blood and cries of these fallen might bring.

Vamir was still atop his horse. He’d drawn no weapon, let alone moved. Instead, he stared at the corpses with a frown. Hump felt himself drawn to something as he watched him. A touch of magic around the man’s face, nearly undetectable if not for the faint touch of magical herbs that still coursed through Hump’s body. There was something there, he was certain of it. If he could just get closer, he could…

Vamir’s eyes fell on him. Hump couldn’t turn away. A sharp chill ran through him, colder even than Bud’s frostfire. He felt goosebumps on his skin. This man was dangerous.

“Thanks for your help,” Celaine said. Her words freed him from whatever had gripped him in place, snapping him from his thoughts. She’d stepped closer to him, looking grimly at the slender dagger, stained in undead gore, before pulling it free of the creature’s skull.

Hump cast one last glance at Vamir, but the tall man’s attention had already returned to the corpses. Turning back to Celaine, Hump smiled grimly. “I think I should be thanking you. I thought I was done for.”

Celaine waved a hand and shook her head. “If I didn’t take it out, your friend would have.” She nodded toward Bud. “He was off his horse before I’d even reacted.”

Hump grinned at his friend. “My knight in shining armour.”

Bud snorted. “About time you realise it. No more calling me Sir Rusty.”

“What would that make you?” Celaine asked, looking Hump up and down. “The Mud Wizard.”

Hump looked down at his clothes but beheld a bog resembling a human shape. He sighed and glanced at the sky. Why was everything always wet? “I hate rain. I hate rain so much.”

“There’s got to be a stream around here somewhere,” Bud said. “Don’t worry.”

“Bloody brilliant,” Hump grumbled. “My first day out of the rain and I’m still soaked to the bone. You believe the Wizards’ Law now?”

Bud shrugged. “Could be worse.”

“Oh yeah? How?”

“You could have been munched on by this thing,” Bud said.

Hump stared down at the bonefiend and frowned. He’d never seen one before. Undead were common in dungeons. Mostly the usual array of skeletons and zombies. Occasionally something scarier would come up like a lich, but not in the type of dungeons Hump would ever go to. Powerful undead were reserved for parties of Chosen; even the old man had never dared to mess with them.

“There’s no sign of anymore of them,” Gerard said. He was riding back from the hilltop nearby, where two of the other soldiers were keeping watch. “We should move away from here before anything else turns up.”

“Who put you in charge?” Koll growled. The Northman was taller than anyone else there, even Bud.

Gerard blinked at him. “It’s just a suggestion.”

“Relax, Koll,” Sanya growled. “He’s right. We shouldn’t stay here.”

Koll spat on the ground and gave Gerard a glare, then left toward the wood. Sanya nodded for Osaap to follow and he left without complaint.

“What’s his problem?” Gerard asked.

“None of your business,” Sanya said. She nodded toward the corpses. “You called them bonefiends. You’ve seen them before?”

“Once,” Gerard said. “There was a necromancer in Dunsfield a few years back. Half the town had disappeared in just a few nights. By the time anyone found his lair, most of them had been turned into these things.” He looked at Hump. “What do you make of them, Wizard?”

“There’s more death magic in them than your typical undead,” Hump said. “It would have had to be a pretty powerful necromancer. This is beyond most.”

“What’s so special about them?” Celaine asked. “They didn’t seem particularly strong.”

Hump knelt beside the bonefiend that had attacked him. He scrunched his nose, trying not to grow nauseated from the smell, and prayed to whatever god was listening that it wouldn’t jump up at him again.

“Based on how much magic is in them, I imagine they last longer,” Hump said. He held out a hand to Celaine. “Here, lend me your knife.”

“Can’t you use yours?” she asked.

“Yours is already covered in undead goop.”

She sighed but handed it to him anyway, bloodied hilt first. “What are you doing?”

“Investigating,” Hump said, cutting open the creature’s chest just above its heart. Inside, its heart had partially crystallised, and still shone with a faint purple glow. “It’s a partial heartstone. Something like this takes a lot of time and effort. And the way their bone structure has been manipulated is no easy feat either, even on corpses.”

He handed the knife back to Celaine.

She scrunched her nose. “Thanks…”

“You think we might be dealing with a necromancer?” Gerard asked.

“It couldn’t be,” Norwin cut in. “No undead have been seen at the dungeon. Just kobolds.”

“Well death magic like this doesn’t just manifest,” Hump said. “Something must have caused it. If not the dungeon, perhaps there’s something else roaming these mountains.”

“What do you think, Vamir?” Gerard asked.

“It’s been a while since these creatures were changed,” Vamir said. Hump searched the man for signs of magic once more but sensed nothing. “Death magic would keep them from rotting if the caster was nearby, and they would not have awoken so slowly. I suspect they are merely remnants.”

“Of what?” Hump asked. “Why would anything be out here if not for the dungeon?”

“Perhaps a necromancer has come to claim the dungeon core for themselves,” Bud suggested.

“Surely somebody would have noticed a necromancer clearing the dungeon alongside them,” Hump said. “Let alone with bonefiends at their side.”

“Either way, this is not the place to talk,” Gerard said. “I’ll gather my men. We need to be away from here quickly if we’re to find somewhere safe to camp tonight.” He looked at Sanya. “Are you in agreement?”

She nodded begrudgingly. “I’ll collect the boys.”

“We had best get mounted too,” Bud said.

Hump frowned. He looked at Celaine, searching her face for that strange shimmer he’d seen around Vamir, but he saw nothing. She had pretty eyes though, green and clear as a forest pool.

“What?” Celaine asked bluntly.

Hump smiled. “Nothing. I was wondering if you and Vamir were related. I thought he might be your dad.”

Now Celaine really laughed. “No he’s not, you mud-headed idiot!”

“Boyfriend then?” Hump asked.

“Gods no. What’s with the questions?” She nodded to Bud. “Is he your boyfriend?”

Hump flushed. “What? No, of course not.” He glanced at Bud who was shaking his head quickly. “I don’t swing that way. And he has a fiancée.”

Bud nodded quickly.

“Huh.” She looked between them both, then shrugged. A smug smile touched her lips. “Could have fooled me.”