You know what was weird? Even weirder than a pack of fish-faced horror monsters that had grown into some sort of gigantic lizard/fish hybrid, I mean?

There appeared to be a spirit riding the one in front. It was familiar, its body a strange off white color, a yellowish yolk in its center. I’d recognize that transcendent omelet anywhere. That was the egg spirit.

I also had a few questions.

Like why was it riding the kraell? Why did it come back? And why was it making all those strange shapes? That last one in particular was definitely a gesture I recognized –one I’d received far too many times from angry villagers. Was it really that bitter? I mean, all I did was trap it in a prison, bury it for days on end with no sense of whether I was going to return, and then marinade it in kraell baby juice—

Actually, you know what? I hear it now.

I never thought this day would come.

It seemed I’d found my first arch nemesis.

To be clear, I’s always suspected this would happen eventually. I mean, usually everything was just out to kill me, or eat me, or just emotionally abuse me like Fang – but it was more of a casual thing, you know? However, someday I knew I’d find the one.

That one creature that would go to the ends of the Five Rivers to kill me.

And, apparently, today was that day.

The fish monsters charged into the field, other villagers screaming and running, my feet carrying me in the opposite direction toward my sister where she was frozen in the middle of the field. One of the Kraell loomed large before Leandra and prepared to lunge, opening a mouth filled with a hundred spikes as long as my hand—

Only for my shirt to slap the creature in the face.

It was almost comical – attacking a solid ton of muscle and death with a wet shirt.

However, my clothing was still covered in shit and mucus, which the creature could no longer reach with its stubby, clawed arms. Its cloudy eyes wheeled, mature now but still almost useless while it wasn’t underwater. At best, they could make out rough shapes. And now its gills were covered in its own shit, blocking its sense of smell.

Although, that wouldn’t stop it for long—

Leandra’s hand was slowly drifting down to the knife at her waist, her eyes locked on those beasts, and droplets forming along her skin.

“What are you doing?” I shouted, grabbing her hand.

She blinked, turning, staring like she didn’t quite see me.

“This isn’t the time to fight. We need to run!”

She finally heard that, snapping herself out of her fugue, her eyes wide as she took in the kraell before us – the monster still trying to swipe at its face.

“What are… what are they looking at?” Leandra murmured.

It was my turn to hesitate. The other kraell were acting strangely. They had plenty of prey, but they had slowed their charge through the field as I neared, their gills huffing at the mist as they took huge, snuffling breaths. Then those half-blind, white eyes began to wheel slowly toward our location.

The kraell definitely weren’t an intelligent species. Their brains were quite small. Roughly the size of my fist. However, they had a strong instinctual compulsion to protect their brood. I know, ironic since they also eat each other. What can I tell you? Even animals can be hypocrites. There's probably a lesson in there somewhere. Anyway, with the egg, shit, and blood covering me, the kraell had identified me for what I was…

A baby murdering bastard.

Also, it probably didn’t help that the egg spirit was fucking pointing at me. Not physically of course. Instead, it held a few drops of my blood suspended in a ball of moisture – a ball it was now using as bait to draw the kraell toward me.

How did it get my blood, though? Perhaps the cuts on my arms when I dumped it out of its little glass cage? Damn it…

That would explain how the kraell managed to follow me.

My attention returned to Leandra – taking in the villagers fleeing behind her, only gradually beginning to regroup as the elders barked orders. Their spirits flashed, forming the earth up into thick barriers even as the adults began to find their weapons. More water callers were grouped up in the rear, slowly pulling away the wall of water like a sheet. Creating just enough room for the others to flee…

They weren’t ready. I needed to buy them time. I needed to protect Leandra.

And there was only one way. My hands were already pulling more cloth from my bag. Ripping it into long strips. Crouching and snatching a couple of those smooth stones around the goal and wrapping them with the cloth bands before tying them tight. It wasn’t much, but I’d have to make it work. It wasn’t like I had a lot of options.

After all, this was my fault, wasn’t it? Sort of?

Actually, you know what? I was blaming the egg spirit!

But that didn’t change the situation.

“What are you doing?” Leandra demanded.

There was no time to explain.

“Go!” I shoved at Leandra. “Get to the others.”

“What?” She hesitated as she saw me lift my knife, realization suddenly shining there – horror accompanying it in equal measure. “Nyx, no!”

But it was too late. I was already committed anyway.

The blade sliced across the back of my hand. Fresh red blood welled, thick and strong. The smell wafted up into the air, carried on the mist. The kraell were definitely looking in my direction now. All five of them. Giants made of scale and muscle and way, way too many teeth. Shouting would do me no good, wouldn’t draw their attention. But this would—

Ahh, actually it was working just a bit too well.

They surged forward with savage fury, thick muscle rippling and their claws kicking up dirt and grass as their stubby legs struck the ground.

Yet I was already running – away from the villagers toward the northern side of the clearing. Past those fucking rocks and makeshift goal posts. I didn’t bother to turn; to look to see if Leandra had listened to me. I couldn’t afford too. I was a little busy—

I felt the ground tremble at my back and I dove to the side, pivoting in the air and hurling one of my cloth-wrapped rocks. A kraell struck the earth where I’d just been standing, sending mud fountaining up into the sky, dirt and wet soon raining down around me. I hit the ground hard and rolled.

As I recovered, I noticed two of the kraell pull away from the others, chasing after the rock I’d thrown – the cloth stained with my blood. The one that dove for me also appeared stunned. It shook its massive head and broken teeth went flying like shrapnel.

I might not be able to kill them – or even harm them really – but I could distract them.

However, there were still two left…

And they were locked on my scent, barreling through the mist even as I heaved myself upright and started running again. I jumped and pivoted, hurling another rock. It struck the one on the left and the other suddenly jerked to the side as its gills huffed in the scent of fresh blood. It snapped, striking its brother and fresh blue blood sprayed. The kraell kept going, whipped into a frenzy by the taste of fresh meat. It tore into the other’s flesh, its mad eyes wheeling and the other fighting back, clawing its shoulders and back.

Then the Kraell repositioned and chomped harder with its powerful jaws – jaws lined with hundreds of needle-like teeth. They snapped down on its brother’s neck and it let out a choked gurgling sound, its movements slowing.

“This was an acceptable plan,” Fang remarked, only his eyes appearing nearby.

Of course, that cold blooded asshole was still here. Not for the first time, I wished I could steal his mist spirit. That ability to conceal his presence would be incredible.

“You could help, you know,” I muttered.

A snort. “Why would I? This is an excellent learning opportunity.”

“To learn what?”

“How to deal with your own mistakes.”

I let out a growl of frustration.

“Speaking of which, the wary hunter checks his back.”

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With those words, Fang disappeared once more.

I turned and saw the other three had given up on their bait and were barreling toward me again. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. I pushed off and started running again, putting the body of the other Kraell – its brother still feeding on his corpse – between me and the rest of the brood. That worked on one of them as it tripped over the body and started a fight with the other, who was now staking out its claim to a brand-new source of food.

Meanwhile, the others chasing me were roaring their rage.

Water condensed across their scales as they gave chase, pulling the mists from the air around them. Then that moisture shot forward in a beam. It struck the ground nearby with incredible pressure, sending the dirt spewing.

If I got hit by that—

The next one clipped my shoulder. Pain bloomed there, hot and fiery and my world twisted as the force of the blow and my momentum sent me into a spin. I hit the ground hard and slid, the mixture of mud and water making the ground slick. I blinked blearily, seeing that wall of roiling water coming close – far too close, actually!

I scrambled and kicked at the mud to avoid getting sucked inside. That would be a death sentence. Once my feet left the ground, I wouldn’t be able to easily escape its strange currents. I would likely drown suspended in that wall of water.

Not that my alternatives looked great—

The two krael were still coming for me. They jostled each other in their haste, whipped into a frenzy. I pulled another rock and heaved it to the side, but it did nothing. Because, of course, it didn’t. Blood covered my arms where the wounds had broken open again and crimson stained the waters pooling around me, saturating the area in my smell. One giant red target…

I could only look on. This was it. I had no other move left.

I was going to die here. Helplessly.

And yet… I felt strangely calm about it.

In that moment, I looked to the others. The villagers had fortified their position and had peeled back more of the wall of water. They were escaping. No one would bother to help me – to rescue the Hollow. What better purpose could my vessel serve than to protect their “holy” payload. At least, Leandra must be among them—

That thought was cutoff as a blur of motion swept under one of the Kraell like a splashing wave. Blue blood sprayed and it tripped, its face striking the mud as it slid forward – digging a long trench. Leandra appeared nearby, water glistening across her skin and holding plain hand axe drenched in blue blood. She immediately pitched over, breathing hard and dropping the axe, letting out a grunt of pain.

The other Kraell turned, sensing a new threat.

Its claws whipped back – only to pause as my last rock struck it in the side of the head. It wasn’t enough to hurt it, not even close. However, it bought Leandra a moment. Long enough for her to collect her nimbus again, her vessel already worn out from the games. She blurred away as it took a second swipe at her. Meanwhile, I tried to rise.

Shit, my leg hurt. I must have twisted it. Running was out.

“No… no, look at me!” I demanded as the creature pivoted, raising my bloody hand.

However, I could still buy Leandra time to retreat.

The beast pivoted, raising its claws, its muscles surging and rippling beneath those thick scales. I heard Leandra scream. I saw my death looming above me. Again.

Then the kraell’s head simply exploded, showering the area with sapphire blood.

I blinked. Blinked again. Yet it took me another moment to register what I was seeing. Elder Elias stood on its back. His body was covered in thick muscle, a function of working the forge with his son Jace. And in his hands was a massive two-handed hammer, flames coating the surface. They also licked at the kraell’s headless body…

The other along the ground began to lift itself. It looked like Leandra had severed two of its legs along one side, forcing it to crawl along the ground. Actually, it was mostly just spinning in a muddy circle. Just how hard had she hit it? The elder turned, raising a brow as he noticed its injury and sparing a glance at my sister. Then he raised his hammer once again. The kraell’s back gave a sharp crunch. Then it went still.

I heard a wet squelch to my side and turned to find the egg spirit standing there. It made another obscene gesture, let out a noise that sounded very much like a wet fart, and then danced off through the grasses.

What an asshole. Maybe this meant things were over?

It certainly seemed like we were even.

Behind Elder Elias, the other callers were finishing off the rest of the Brood – callers softening the earth and trapping them in the mud while Jace ended their lives one-by-one. Although, unlike his father, it took him a few hits to fell each creature – even pinned down as they were. It wasn’t exactly a noble victory, but it never was, was it?

Elder Elias looked down at me and our eyes met. I don’t know what I expected to see there, but was still surprised by the hate and disgust and rage in his gaze. His entire body was still coated in that fiery energy. All it would take him was one blow.

One blow to end my life.

“Thank you,” I murmured, bowing my head.

“I didn’t do it for you, Hollow.” The elder’s eyes flitted to my sister, where she lay nearby, covered in blue blood and nursing her shoulder.

Of course, he hadn’t. Saving my life wouldn’t be worth it.

He’d only fought because Leandra’s life was at stake.

Which never would have happened if I hadn’t snuck into that nest…

“It would have been better if they’d just finished you off,” Jace said calmly as he neared. He flicked his blade to rid it of the blue blood, flames shimmering across his skin. I hadn’t been lying before. With his spirit, I was no match for him. And he knew it.

“Perhaps I should finish what they started…”

The blade came to rest at my neck. However, I refused to move.

I just stared at the ground. If this was the cost of Leandra’s life, then so be it. I hadn’t thanked Elder Elias for myself.

“Enough,” a new voice spoke up.

The blade swept away as Elder Gracen appeared, floating on a cloud of air, his creaky limbs too frail to hold his weight any longer. He had taken in Leandra and I when we were little – although, I suspected he was still hoping I’d lure a spirit at that point. Either way, air spirits were rare in the reaches and few had traveled as far beyond Anchon’s mists as Elder Gracen, which had always lent his words extra weight. Not that this made him beloved by everyone, of course – especially given his choice of house guests.

For example, Elder Elias and Elder Gracen took to each other like oil to water.

“This is no time for such nonsense,” Elder Gracen continued. “Our priority is the safety of the villagers. We should focus on escorting them home and send a hunting party to secure the woods. There may be more kraell.”

“Perhaps the Hollow could tell us,” Jace said, noting the stink now clinging to the tip of his blade. More still stained my own clothes. “He certainly smells like kraell shit.”

“I also noticed they were unusually focused on him,” Elder Elias added gruffly, his hammer landing in the dirt beside me with a heavy thud.

My brow furrowed. Had they not see the egg spirit? Had I been the only one that caught that? Not that this seemed like the best time to bring that up.

“Because he cut his hand,” Leandra protested, speaking up in my defense. She was still cradling her arm. That attack she’d made on the Kraell looked like it must have dislocated her shoulder…

Okay, yeah, I was feeling pretty guilty now.

“There were plenty of injuries,” Elder Elias noted, waving at the throng of villagers that had collected south of the field. “Yet they chased none of the others.”

Even Leandra didn’t have an answer for that one.

And suddenly they were all looking at me.

Shit. This was it. The end of the line.

I didn’t have any jokes or tricks to get out of this one…

“I hunted a kraell nest and stole some eggs. I thought I lost them but they caught my scent. They must have followed me here. I don’t have their exact number.”

I also left out the egg spirit. The fact that I’d pissed off a spirit enough that it gathered a lynch mob of kraell and chased me across the marshes wasn’t exactly a winning argument. They’d probably string me up just for that.

“You put the entire village in danger—” Elder Elias snapped.

Only to be interrupted as my stomach growled. Damn thing almost sounded like another kraell… Yet it bought me a few seconds as Elder Elias tried to manage his fury and Jace looked on with an incredulous scowl.

“You shouldn’t punish Nyx. He lured the creatures away and bought everyone else time to escape,” Leandra pleaded into that sudden silence. “If I hadn’t gone back—"

“A risk created by his own actions,” Elder Elias retorted. “His vessel’s life would be a small price to pay for yours or anyone else in the village.”

Leandra glared back, her hands balling into fists.

Elder Gracen coughed, his hand landing on Leandra’s shoulder. A squeeze was enough to stop her in her tracks. “However, she is right about one thing. No one was harmed. A surprising outcome against five kraell. In fact, Nyx technically killed one, did he not?”

Jace frowned at that and Elder Elias simply went still.

Elder Gracen waved at a corpse in the distance, the body eaten by its own brother. Huh, the old man was right… sort of.

“That would make him quite useful, would it not?” the elder pressed. Elder Elias was wavering, he just needed another push. “Or should we address why Nyx felt he needed to attempt something so desperate to eat? Such bias does not serve the village’s interests. A good tool requires care, which I’m sure someone with your experience would appreciate.”

Ha! That last one was sharper than one of Elder Elias’ own blades.

Wait… but did that make me the village tool? Huh. Mixed victory there.

However, the blacksmith was never going to admit to any fault here – how his hate of the “Hollow” might have indirectly created this problem.

Fortunately, there was another way out of this sort of predicament. It wasn’t technically one of The Rules, but I’d given it a sort of honorary status.

Honorary Rule Number 4: If someone accuses you of breaking one of the rules, deflect, deflect, deflect! Yep, we need to keep that river of hypocritical kraell shit flowing smoothly…

“You’re right. There are other priorities right now,” Elder Elias replied finally.

“But, father—”

“Enough, this isn’t the time,” Elder Elias interrupted Jace. There were others watching right now. “Lead the hunting party. Ensure the marshes are clear. Go.”

Jace looked like he wanted to disagree, but he just spared me one last cold stare before pivoting on his heel, sword on his shoulder. He gave a wave to some of the other callers, collecting them into a group before heading into the marshes.

Elder Elias also took that as his signal to leave. He didn’t even bother to look at me. Why would he? Again, I was a rock, remember. I like that way better than “tool.” Not that either were great options. I just heaved out a sigh.

“Can you make it back to the village?” That was Elder Gracen again.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” I muttered, heaving myself upright. Sure, my leg hurt like hell and so did my shoulder, but they would heal quickly. What I couldn’t stand was that look in his eyes. The mixture of pity and compassion and… disappointment.

“Let me help—” Leandra began, but was cut short.

“Oh, no you don’t,” her friend Celeste barked at her, vines restraining her limbs. “I need to see to your wounds and then we’re going to have Elder Gracen float you home.”

“But I’m fine…” Leandra trailed off, teetering in place.

She definitely wasn’t fine. She’d used far too much nimbus.

Celeste caught her before she could fall, and, at a gesture from Elder Gracen, a stiff wind blew through the glade and collected beneath Leandra, forming another cloud of air that held her safely suspended.

“Be safe on your journey back,” Elder Gracen said over his shoulder as he floated after the pair. “And since you’re fine… don’t forget to bring back the supplies with you.”

I hesitated. Wait, what?

My eyes roamed the field. Blankets, baskets, and equipment thrown haphazardly across the grass. More than a few had been stomped into the mud by the kraell’s oversized feet. That was going to take a while…

I turned back but Elder Gracen had already floated off. No doubt, this was my penance. It was true that if the village had just fed me my fair share, none of this would have been necessary. But that was still just an excuse. The Five Rivers was an unfair place, which didn’t change the fact that I’d fucked up. Badly. I’d done the unthinkable.

I’d put Leandra at risk.

“Well, at least this day can’t get any worse,” I muttered to myself.

At that moment, twin yellow eyes popped up beside me, followed by a wide, toothy grin. “Really? Then would this be a bad time to remind you of our bet?”

My brow wrinkled in confusion. “But the victory condition was—”

“When Leandra wins. Yet the game appears to be over. And if there is no game, there can be no winner,” Fang hissed back.

I just stared. Then…

“Damn it,” I muttered, Fang’s laughter drifting across the ruined field as he vanished again – this time for good. Leaving me alone in that ruined field.

Are you getting it yet? Is the point sinking in?

I told you, I’m not paranoid. The universe just hates me.

And we’re just getting started…