I wasn't in the mood for confrontation so I simply side-stepped and passed him.

A bonny hand grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. Without thinking about it I released my power and grabbed the large skeleton's wrist.

His bones were thick and had to have been from an Ogre, or Giantine. I was leaning towards the latter since it was more human-like in appearance.

Raziel grabbed his head with his free hand. “Get. Out. Of. My. Head. Bitc—”

“Kneel!” I commanded.

He shakily sank to his knees. The white light where the empty socks for his eyes were turned a dark purple.

Similarly colored runes along the giant sword strapped to his back lit up one by one.

“Stop!” Molly screamed. “He’s my friend.”

Only then did I notice all the Hexed were on the ground, including Molly. Undead Domination was much more powerful than Control Undead. I could sense Hexed across town and didn’t know if there weren’t any more of them or if my abilities radius had ended.

While I couldn’t sense anyone else's emotions I was able to see through their eyes and even the ones far away were on their knees. Holy bits, how many can I control?

The living people in the area watched us.

One guy yelled. “I just wanna sell some pies man!”

I wanted to laugh but my years of roleplaying experience saved me, allowing me to keep my emotions in check.

When I narrowed my skills field to around two meters. Raziel stopped shaking. The purple glow faded to pink and then back to white.

I rolled him, cool, I thought.

Raccoon climbed out from under Molly. It appears it’s stronger when the field is reduced.

What were you doing under her dress? I asked.

He glanced at her and back at me. I fell through her and she landed on me.

I squinted at him and then turned my attention to the monstrous skeleton kneeling in front of me.

There were a plethora of reasons why I'd abandoned Raziel, none of which were to harm him. I projected the memory of our escape to him, slowing the knowledge when the much stronger guards began closing the gap.

A spark of doubt crept into my mind. Was Kumo correct? Should I have fought the guards?

I’d never know.

After releasing Raziel and disabling my skill his eyes flickered and Molly got to her feet.

In the furthest reaches of my sight, I could see Hexed standing. It was like a wave rolling toward me.

Before I knew what had happened I found Molly clinging to my leg again.

Shit, I said.

I put a hand on her shoulder and focused. There had to be a way to remove this stupid affliction from her.

Something touched my shoulder. Several shamblers near me had their hands reaching toward me. I released my ability and backed them up. Then I felt something.

A golden aura around Molly appeared and coalesced where my hand had made contact with her. The light sunk into my hand and I pulled it away from her.

A notification popped up.

Molly Ann Smith the Third has been added to your Lieutenant list.

Molly's eyes brightened and she stepped back from me. “Okay, that’s weird.”

Did I disable the charm? I have a Lieutenant?

“What happened?” I asked.

Her head turned toward the crowd and she spread out her hands. Shamblers and other Hexed split as if they were liquid.

Her mouth dropped. “Is this what it feels like to control them?”

“Can you see through their eyes?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No, they just do what I want.”

“Can you control him?” I asked as I gestured at Raziel. He was still kneeling.

When I turned back to her, her hands swayed through the air as forty or so shamblers flapped their arms in the air.

“Molly?” I asked.

She shot into the air and giggled with glee. “Look, they are doing the Chicken Dance!”

I sighed.

“Okay big guy, you're coming with me,” I said while forcing him to stand and follow behind me.

Raccoon trotted alongside me. “Can you carry me?”

One of the shamblers scooped him up and placed him on my shoulder.

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“Oh, crap,” I said and snapped my fingers. A shambler sped through the rest of them and retrieved my clothing. If I had snapped a week ago my skin might have pulled off in the attempt.

When the shambler caught up with me I tapped my disguise. My cloak and mask reappeared in my inventory.

I didn't wear dresses often and was feeling a little underdressed. Despite that fact, I decided not to hide my appearance again. Perhaps I was having a minor power trip. It didn't matter, I needed to test the extent of my new ability.

Molly drifted above me making the shamblers do a series of weird maneuvers.

I'd done something similar when I first developed my skill but it took me a while to get used to controlling them. It was much harder using their combined vision. I'd played around with an insect simulator to get used to it. It paid off.

The most beneficial part about my new skill was the ability to clearly distinguish myself from the rest of the horde.

We strolled through the streets parting the Hexed as we went. I eventually arrived at my destination. The bank.

Molly stayed outside as I went in. No one was at the terminals so I quickly deposited my money and re-emerged.

Someone pushed one of us and we fell. I pulled in a contingent of Hexed to my side and focused on the downed shambler. A familiar man in plate mail stood above us.

I took control of the shamblers in that vicinity and we said, “Koffer, it took you long enough to show up.”

We helped the grounded shambler to their feet and waited.

“If it isn’t the zombie bitch that took my amulet,” he said as two of his fellow guards joined him.

He was being true to his word and continuing his role-playing.

I was elated.

We gathered together as a small horde in front of him and chorused, “You were obviously trying to get my attention. What do you want, human?”

The altercation between us was happening two or so blocks north from my body.

Koffer pulled out an honest-to-bits scroll made of parchment. “By the Authority of our blessed leader Lily Prichard, we the Enlightened, hereby banish all Hexed from the town of Chardance.”

The previous law was clear that we weren’t allowed inside but it was never enforced. Since there were no in-game systems to make it happen on its own, they needed to do it themselves. Needless to say, they were pretty lazy about enforcing it. Anyone who was in town couldn’t die which was a part of the Sanctuary granted by the township.

“Marshal Law will be enacted starting tomorrow morning. You have until then to disperse,” he said, rolled the paper up, and handed it to one of his men.

I didn’t know all of the intricacies of running a town but there was a chance that killing might be allowed under martial law. “And if we refuse to leave?”

Koffer placed a hand on the hilt of his sword and lifted it. Flames lept from the exposed blade. After a dramatic pause, he let go, extinguishing it.

As far as I knew the gray market benefited both factions. Were they willing to throw economic stability into chaos?

We let out a sickening set of gurgles and then smiled. I shared with every Hexed in the area just how happy this made me. “Oh, I look forward to the last part.”

If anything it was the first step to us reclaiming our territory.

Without the grey market, I wondered just how loyal the neutral races would stay to the Enlightend’s cause. The Hexed that hunted our kind with them would be affected as well.

There were so many unknowns. The one thing I was sure about was that this little paradise they had created was about to be flipped on its head.

Koffer took a step. “Come and say that to my face, coward.”

Without a word, I broke out into a run.

With me, I projected.

We slowly made our way to Koffer and his officers.

“I will strip your bones of flesh and feed it to my brethren!” I threatened.

Koffer crossed his arms. “I’d like to see you try.”

Ellen's words rang true proving I could run longer as a Wight. The hindrances of being a shambler seemed in my past. There had to be a tradeoff somewhere though so I'd have to be cautious.

Does it hurt when you die? Raccoon asked. His little hands clung to my bare arms.

You know it doesn’t, I replied.

Molly drifted into my vision. Where are we going?

Watch and see, I said while picking up speed.

The undead cleared a path for me and before I knew it Koffer was in sight.

Raziel was still behind me dutifully following so there was no chance of sneaking up on him.

Shit, Molly said.

Wait till you see what he just read to me, I said as we closed in on him.

Molly lowered herself and turned to me. What did he say? You seemed happy whatever it was.

Nothing good, Raccoon said and reached toward her.

She drifted closer to me and picked him up.

As we closed to talking distance Molly hung back. Guess it's just you and me, Koffer.

Molly and I are still in the group, and I'm always with you, Raccoon said.

I know, I said. It's a saying.

While walking forward I focused on bringing the rest of the undead with me. Raziel was still at my back. I'd spent way too much time alone in my head the last few days and I needed the company.

“You look different,” Koffer said.

I spread my arms out and did a small spin. My dress flared and made me feel like a little girl again. “You’re willing to lose all of this?”

The truth was, he had an extreme tactical advantage. With the new update coming next week to force us all to use bags instead of an infinite storage it was going to become a big problem. Who knew how the game was going to implement banks and guild storage?

“Your congregation of barely out-of-the-grave, babes are no match for our full army’s capabilities,” he boasted.

About then he noticed the slow-moving circle of undead push past the gathered crowd that already surrounded us. He backed up a step.

I lowered my head and glared at him. “It didn’t work out so well for you last time.” The rasp in my voice wasn’t there anymore and it sort of killed the effect for me.

“We have the numbers and you have nothing, skitter back to your Fields of whatever and stay there,” he spat.

His hand tightened on his sword when I took a step toward him. “And what are you going to do without our precious Mistbloom?”

“We figured out how to grow that on our own a long time ago,” he said.

I pointed to the ground. “Bullshit! You and I know it can only grow in Fields of Woe’s dense mists.”

He grinned.

“Your precious town will be mine in a week,” I said as I crossed my arms.

Their mages were their biggest advantage. Long-distance explosions could take out dozens of us before we even got close.

We had Skeletal Warlocks and Banshees but their magic was very different from mages.

Koffer laughed.

Suddenly I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned.

Before I could react I was hoisted in the air, Raziel’s hand around my neck. “You don’t speak for all of us, bitch.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Koffer put his hands behind his back. “Looks like you have your own problems to deal with. I’ll take my leave.”

I decreased my power’s radius again but Raziel only trembled and didn’t let go.

“I’ll. Kill you,” I squawked but it was so low Raziel was the only one who could hear.

Raziel pulled his giant sword from his back lifted me as far up as he could and said, “You won’t be killing anyone—”

Something grabbed my foot and pulled. Raziel drifted away from me as I was thrown across the street.

I hit the ground hard, and my vision swam as I tried to get my bearings.

***