For a second, it looked like the metal cage wouldn't be enough and the creature splashed against the iron rods before a claw formed and left hazy lines in the air.

The creature roared, a lion's maw that vibrated the air. But the maw bubbled and exploded, once more forming the amorphous blob of quivering, crimson slime that battered at the iron.

I stepped back. The blood was so thick and heavy that it felt like drowning as the scent of iron and copper crammed its way down my throat.

Again, the creature snapped, slamming a bulging tendril outside the cage. The tendril transformed into a double-beaked owl monstrosity that roared and spat hissing blood. The iron cage glowed with grey light, and the tendril snapped back into the prison. Bubbles popped and hissed without a drop escaping the bars.

Trap! Purge the Corrupted!

A pulse of agony erupted, and the creature's form stilled. Before my eyes, it elongated, the mass compacting as finer details appeared: a small nose, eyes, and thin strands separating into fine hair. Clothes formed where there weren't any before, and small, frail hands gripped the iron with desperation.

What the hell?

The child tried to push their arm outside the bars, but the iron glowed, and the limb was snapped backward, audibly breaking.

Why?

Another pulse came, and a snarl escaped my throat. The child opened its mouth, but a cloud of red mist leaked out. The teeth lost cohesion and bubbled before elongating into jagged triangles.

Within seconds, the triangles exploded, and the child's details faded away.

Corrupted, lies!

I exhaled, and the blood in the air turned sour. The creature maintained the child's form but was barely passable to anyone who wasn't half blind.

Snap!

Alice stalked forward her eyes crimson as her hands bristled with fur. I grabbed her shoulder and hauled her back, she resisted but my strength was enough to combat hers. She stumbled backward as I turned her away from the cage.

"Let go," she growled.

The creature screamed, drawing our attention. The head boiled and popped, the child disappearing into a fountain of red glue. A tendril lashed at the cage, and a single cut marred the bar before mana crashed through the center, splattering the monster across the bars. It wobbled and gathered enough material to create a marble that tried to rise off the ground.

"Done!" Veyesh shouted. "It kept interfering with the rune. How did we capture this thing?"

"We didn't," Devon said.

"Ahh." Veyesh grew quiet and tossed the giant paintbrush into a clay bucket sloshed with black liquid. "Do you need me for anything else?"

"No."

Veyesh nodded and walked toward the crowd. He narrowed his eyes at the sight of Alice and me before disappearing behind the wall of people. A pressure disappeared, like my sinuses had been cleared. I sniffed the air, finding the blood scent losing intensity by the second.

"I can breathe," Alice muttered.

Devon turned and glared from atop the pillar he stood on. He hopped down and approached, crossing his arms as he scanned the area.

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"Cain, Alice. Why are you here?" he asked.

"Visiting town," Alice replied.

Her voice was neutral, and her face was stony. My eyes narrowed, but I let it go. Her shift had reverted, and her eyes were once more icy blue.

"What she said. Better question, what is that, and what's happening around town?" I asked.

The creature roared, but it was muted, more like an insidious whisper than the air-shaking bass from before.

"A blood siren. A creature that mimics anything it absorbs," he said. "They're hard to detect unless starved. They revert to bestial tendencies when hungry. Blood is cursed and they enspells you with their voice."

"Why is it in town?"

Devon stared, his eyes bearing down on me before he looked to the side where the giant black rune was painted on a standing slab of iron.

"It's a catalyst."

Catalyst? Like alchemy?

"What does that rune mean?" Alice asked.

He returned to staring down at us. "To gather and condense. It'll draw in the corrupted mana."

"Why? Isn't that a massive risk to everyone here?"

"They have the protection runes. Unless they stray, they'll be unharmed."

What's going on? Why are you being so talkative?

"Devon?"

"Yes?"

I opened my mouth and then shut it. He smelled fine and looked healthy, and he continued to glare like Devon usually did.

"Is this for the Blood Harvest?" Alice asked, her voice still cool.

Devon walked away, and when we didn't follow him, he growled.

"Come." As we started walking, he stopped and shook his head. "Not you."

I turned to Kierra who nodded and backed off. "Meet you at the tea shop?"

Alice reached for her satchel and pulled something out before shoving it into Kierra's hands. Kierra looked down at a small pouch confused, but Alice had already walked away, following Devon.

"Sorry," I apologized. "See you when we're done."

She smiled and moved backward, disappearing into the crowd that had started congregating now that the hunters were leaving. None passed the painted line on the ground, but they leaned as close as possible.

I jogged and caught up, falling into step with Alice as Devon led us out of the square and into a house with the door wide open.

No.

It wasn't wide open. As we neared, I searched the doorway, but the door was missing. Instead, I saw the painted scrawl of runes lining the corners of the frame.

Devon entered, Alice followed. I stopped to inspect the runes, but I didn't recognize any of the lines.

The house was sparse, the living room bare, and the kitchen empty of appliances and tools. There was still a table and chairs, but that was it.

He sat in the chair next to the window. We sat opposite of him and he continued to stare outside, ignoring us.

What's going on?

His fingers started to drum, a slow staccato that dented the wood.

"You plan on participating," he stated.

Alice's face hardened. "I do."

"Even if I asked you not to? If Adeline asked?"

"Don't," she growled.

"You as well, Cain?"

I stared. "I get a choice?"

He stopped his drumming and faced me. "If I said yes?"

My eye twitched. Why?

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

"If you had the choice, would you participate?" he calmly asked. "That's the question."

I shattered the part of the table I was gripping. "Really? You're asking me this now? After everything?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

The mana inside my chest churned and exploded. It raged, with my emotions before the shadow sea rose up and sent a wave of ice through my flesh.

I shouldn't have gotten so angry. But to ask me that after everything? After the constant avoiding when it came to me asking for a break?

I stayed sitting but I bared my fangs as I gripped the table. "Why am I getting a choice?"

"Answer the question."

My mouth opened but I couldn't say the words I thought I wanted.

Memories flashed of Alice's face as she stared at the sky, desperately trying to protect us.

It haunted me.

I saw Devon get crushed underneath a pillar.

Another of a corpse launched by the giant that exploded on Alice.

Alice was participating. So was Devon. I couldn't sit back and hide. The beast inside its cage raged at the idea before my mana smothered the thoughts away with a jolt of ice.

"Yes," I snarled.

The word was bitter.

I hate this.

It was a dumb question; Astra wouldn't sit still, not her, Devon, or Alice. They all were involved. How could I hide?

Devon stood up. "Then you've made your choice. There's no running away now."

"What the hell does that mean? Can't you answer me for once?"

He reached behind his back, underneath his cloak, and slowly pulled a small crystal. It was obsidian mixed with swirling greys. A rainbow circle swirled inside, shifting through a rainbow of hues.

He stared for a while, my anger taking a backseat to my confusion. He gently cradled it and closed his eyes.

"Devon?" Alice asked.

With a growl, he spiked the crystal and stomped. The stone floor cracked and gave way as he lifted his boot and stared at the broken shards.

Mana, so heavy it weighed me down, rose into the air before slipping outside the building.

"Follow," he ordered as he headed for the door.

"Devon?" I asked.

"Follow, and shut up. He's waiting."