Cathedral of the Fifth Order.

It was late afternoon when Chloe, wearing her new robe with the hood up, arrived at the gates of the Cathedral of the Fifth Order. She squinted as she looked up at the building that was so blindingly white it hurt her eyes. It had four massive columns in front and stood tall above the rest of the buildings in the city.

This must have cost a fortune to build.

She paused in front of the building and looked up at a large statue of a priest holding a book above his head. A plaque below the statue read "Vanguard of the Faith."

Chloe stepped across the threshold of the cathedral door, bumped into an invisible wall, and fell back. She tried again, but each time the invisible field knocked her back.

Two elderly women dressed in long robes and hoods walked up the stairs. They bobbed their heads to Chloe in a greeting and then entered the cathedral without any difficulty.

"Wait," Chloe shouted, and one of the women turned around to face her.

"What is it, daughter?" asked the woman with a friendly smile.

Chloe shifted uncomfortably and turned her face away from the woman so that she would not see her scars. "I'm looking for a man."

The woman's eyebrows rose at this.

"A specific man," Chloe continued. "His name is Garrick."

The woman's smile faded. "Brother Garrick is not here at the moment. He left early this morning. Would you like to leave a message?"

Chloe shrugged. She really needed to speak to him face to face. "Can you tell him that Chloe wanted to speak to him urgently.”

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Chloe sat on the stairs and waited outside the cathedral, hoping Garrick would return, but after a while she gave up and started back home. Not my home, she corrected. Just a house in a graveyard that smells like blood and is infested with cockroaches.

Chloe kept to the back alleys and streets as much as possible. She'd eaten recently, but her hunger wasn't satisfied and the people on the streets smelt so damn good. She hoped that there would be a new body waiting for her when she got back.

If she ran out of food, she'd be forced to hunt rats. The city had no shortage of rats – Chloe could see them scurrying off when they heard her approach.

The scraping sound of leather upon stone was the only warning Chloe had that someone was following her. She turned around and saw a young, dark haired man around her age walking towards her. He had a large sword strapped to his back and a wide-brimmed hat.

She quickened her pace and adjusted the hood of her robe, but the man sped up and soon caught up to her.

He grabbed her shoulder and spun her to face him. "You are bold for a friend of the dark," he snarled.

She noticed he had the same open hand sigil on his leather armor that she'd seen on Garrick's vest.

"Wait!" she replied. "It’s not like that. I was just looking for someone."

He rested his hand on the pommel of his sword and said, "The only thing you will find is a swift return to your unholy maker."

Before Chloe could say another word, the boy unsheathed his great sword and swung it at her neck.

It would have decapitated her if the alley wasn't so narrow. The blade hit the wall behind him with a loud crack. And the young man grunted and stumbled forward in confusion.

Chloe darted behind him and caught the edge of his cloak. With a quick pull, she yanked the man forward and then hooked her foot around his ankle. She swung her arm up, but he caught her fist and pulled her off balance. They both fell to the ground, and he landed on top of her.

He drew a silver dagger and pressed the tip of the blade into her soft skin. The cold silver blade cut into the spot and her claws extended reflexively. If she could get one hand free, she could rip out his throat before he had time to end her.

"Step back from the zombie," said a cool voice behind them.

Chloe turned to face the newcomer. It was Garrick and his crossbow was leveled at her head.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" he asked.

She glared at him, "I came to warn you," she replied. "I had a vision I thought you should know about."

Garrick lowered the crossbow and then shouted at the young man, "Get up, Talasin. You and I will speak about this later."

The youth bowed to the Master and glowered at Chloe as he was bent over.

Garrick waved his hand, “Report this to the Archon, I'll take care of the girl.”

"But—"

"No buts, apprentice. That's an order."

Talasin bowed his head and shot another glance at Chloe before scrambling down the alleyway.

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When they were alone, Garrick spun on Chloe and said, "You failed to obey my instruction.”

“But—”

“I told you to wait in the graveyard. I said I would send for you at the right time.”

Frostbeak dropped from the sky and landed on Garrick’s shoulder.

"Wait! This was urgent!" Chloe shouted. "I had a vision. I saw a woman in red. She’s already killed two people that I know of. I saw her the first day I arrived and again in the vision."

“Whose brain did you devour, monster?”

“A dead girl, brought to me by Captain Flintlock.”

Garrick frowned, “I see. How did she die?"

"There were holes in her neck. The captain had her decapitated, so it was hard to tell, but I got a closer look.”

“I'm sure you did. What else did you notice?”

“The girl’s brain was… dry.”

“I didn't know zombies were so fussy.”

“It's not like that, I mean-her body was drained of blood.”

"A Hellion," Garrick breathed.

"Is that like a vampire?"

Garrick shrugged, "A Hellion is one of the weaker demons. They look just like humans, and they drink blood.”

“Yup, sounds like a vampire.”

“I don't know that word. But Hellions are not to be underestimated. They are faster, and more powerful than any human. It is said that the strongest of their kind can use a form of blood magic.”

"And you call that a weak demon?"

Garrick folded the arm mounted crossbow and pulled the sleeve of his cloak over it. "During the day," he said. "The weakest Hellion is a threat to three fully armed city watchmen. At night, with the element of surprise- one Hellion could take out a squad of guards without breaking a sweat."

"And you want to go after her now? While it's getting dark. Shouldn't we call the guards?"

"And put others at risk. No, the Fifth Order was created to deal with these creatures." He ran a hand through his dark hair and gazed at the sun setting over the city. "What else did you see in your vision?"

Chloe thought for a moment and the images came back to her as if they were called. "It happened inside a room. There were images on the wall, and I remember the bed covers were gray."

"Anything else?"

"I could see a tower through an open window."

“What color was the tower?” he asked.

Chloe shook her head, “I think they were white.”

“That's the clock tower. Could you see the face of the clock?”

She stared at him. “You expect me to remember the time during something like that?”

“Not the time,” said Garrick. “Did you see the clock face?”

“No, I don't think so. Just a white tower.”

Garrick nodded slowly, “The clock’s face can be seen from three sides, you must have seen the north facing side," he said. “I suspect it happened in Wynhead Lane if I had to guess.” He paused for a moment as if he were weighing all the possibilities. “What clothing was the victim wearing?”

Chloe stared down at her new robe.

“You’re wearing her clothes?” Garrick said with undisguised disgust in his voice.

“What, some maniac shot me with a crossbow and left a giant hole in my shirt.”

He shook his head and wrinkled his nose, “From the smell of that robe, I imagine the victim was a tanner's daughter or maybe a pig farmer.”

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It was a warm summer evening and the air was filled with the sounds of laughter and the dull clink of mugs as workers gathered at the tavern for a drink before heading home.

A few kids still played on the streets. As it grew darker, parents called their kids indoors and golden lamps came on one after another until the streets were bathed in warm light.

Chloe and Garrick walked silently past a crowd of drunken people gathered in front of a tavern.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Garrick asked.

Chloe laughed and said, "My father insisted that his daughters learn self-defense. Didn't think I'd ever need to use it, though."

"He was a soldier?"

"Ah, no. He's a software engineer."

Garrick's brows creased in a deep frown. "You say the oddest things, Chloe."

She smiled, "At least I don't point my crossbow at everything that moves."

He watched her from the corner of his eye as they continued walking and after a long time of silence he finally said, "I was trained to kill monsters on sight. By all rights, you should be dead right now."

Chloe looked away from him. "But you spared me. Is this Malice guy that big a threat?"

Garrick didn't answer right away. Instead, he watched the sky, as if searching for a sign.

When he spoke, his words sounded soft and almost reverent. “In the beginning there was Argus, the Shaper of all and Belladeon, the Mother of Light.”

Chloe nodded at this, even though she didn't know what he was talking about.

“They had three children,” Garrick continued. “The names of which were stricken from the holy scriptures. They are now known as the three Prime Evils-Torment, Chaos and the oldest of the three, Malice. Their dark rule lasted for a thousand years.”

“Why didn't their parents put a stop to them?”

“They did. The battle lasted for seven bloody years. In the end, Argus was killed and Belladeon was forced to seal her children in a world devoid of magic.”

The words disturbed Chloe. Three demons sealed in another world. That sounded too close to home for her liking.

“And Cassadin thinks that Malice is free now?”

Garrick looked away and fell silent, tangled in his own thoughts. Finally, he gazed at her and said, “For all our sake, let's hope he was wrong.”

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They reached the inn at Wynhead Lane. The sign above the door read, "The Pissing Pot". There was a single lantern hanging outside, and Chloe could make out shadows moving behind the glass windows.

From the street, she could see the back of the clock tower. It looked just the way it had in the vision.

"I think this is the place," she said.

Garrick nodded. He studied the night sky for a moment, and then he held his fingers to his lips and whistled a single note.

There was a soft tap on the roof as something landed, and a cool wind washed over them. Chloe looked up to see Frostbeak perched on the edge of the roof and pruning his blue feathers.

Garrick placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Hide your face. Follow me, and most importantly, don't say a word."

He slipped through the wooden inn’s door, and Chloe followed him inside.

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The room was dimly lit by a lone lantern hanging from the ceiling. Chloe couldn't help but notice the strange odors of sweat, alcohol and boiled mutton that drifted in the air.

Garrick stepped towards the bar and said, "A pint of mother's milk."

The bartender put down the mug he'd been cleaning and eyed Garrick warily. "I have a keg round back." He waved at a serving girl, and then he slung the rag over his shoulder and said to Garrick, "It's heavy, give us a hand bringing it around."

He left the bar, and Garrick and Chloe followed him into a back room.

It was dark in the room except for the blue glow of a small lamp that hung over a table.

Chloe's eyes scanned the room as the barkeep closed the door behind them. Apart from a rat scurrying along the wall, there was nothing else alive inside the room.

Garrick placed a gold coin on the table. The barkeep moved to retrieve the coin, but Garrick kept a finger firmly pressed down on it.

"A Hellion has been spotted in this area," said Garrick. "There have been two victims we know of in the last week, but no report has been sent to the Archon of the Fifth."

The barkeeper ran a hand through his beard. "Yeah, well, you know how it goes.”

Garrick’s lips thinned as he glared at the man, “No, tell me,” he said. “How does it go?”

The man whipped sweat from his brow and looked about nervously. “The inn's close to Cheapside,” he said quickly. “You heard about the zombie attack. These are dark times. You can't expect us to send word to the Archon every time some monster is spotted."

Garrick’s hand was a blur as he drew his dagger and stabbed into the table, a hair’s breadth from the barkeeper’s hand.

"These are innocent lives we are talking about!” he barked. “The inns in Astraeus have a covenant with the order. If you cannot fulfill your side of the bargain, I will find someone that can."

The barkeeper’s eyes widened in panic. "Fine. Now that you mention it. I have heard a rumor about a woman that was spotted in Lanray's Lane.”

“What woman?” asked Garrick.

“I don't know. It sounded like bullshit to me. I heard she disguises herself as a beggar asking for alms to feed her kids. When anyone gets too close." The man shrugged. "Well, you know how these rumors go."

"They are never seen again," said Chloe.

The man eyed her as if it was the first time he was seeing her, and then he nodded.

Garrick slid the coin across the table and said, "I don't care if it’s rumors or a drunk telling you his bad dreams. If it involves the Dark, I want a message sent to the order. Do you understand me?"

The man glared at Garrick, but finally he picked up the coin, stashed it into a pocket and nodded.

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Lanray's Lane was a narrow cobbled path that ran between old houses that seemed to be held together by mud and a heavy dose of luck.

As they got further down the lane, Chloe picked up a familiar coppery scent in the air.

"Blood," she said in a voice so low that only Garrick could hear.

"Where?"

Chloe sniffed the air. "This way."

As the scent grew stronger, Chloe’s pace sped up, her heart pounding as her feet thudded on the hard ground.

She found the source of the blood in a small alleyway. It was a few drops, something a normal person wouldn't have even noticed. Garrick dipped his finger in the blood.

"Still warm," he said. “They are close.”

He whistled and Frostbeak soared, circling them overhead, in an ever widening arc.

"Two women," he said as the bird relaid its information. He spun around and pointed. "This way."

He set off at a breakneck speed, with Chloe following on his heels. His stride was long, and he was unnaturally fast, but Chloe’s light and swift steps were able to keep up with him.

They rounded a corner and came upon a woman leaning against the wall. She was dressed in rags, her neck was covered in blood, and she was weeping.

"Please," she cried, "please help me. She took my baby. Please save my daughter!"

"Which way did she go?" Garrick barked.

The woman’s face was pale from shock, but she raised a trembling hand and pointed left down a side branching alleyway.

Garrick whistled for Frostbeak and gave chase.

Chloe knelt next to the woman and placed her hand on her back. She patted her on the head and said, “It's going to be ok. We’ll find your child, I promise.”

The girl held onto her, sobbing into her chest. It was then that Chloe realized something was wrong. She was holding a bleeding woman, and she felt no hunger. For some reason, she didn't find the woman’s scent very appetizing. She looked down at the girl's neck. The blood had dried, but there were no wounds there.

"You—" she began to say.

The woman smiled, showing sharp teeth, and then she twisted in Chloe's arms and wrapped her legs around Chloe, pushing her onto the ground with incredible force.

Chloe struggled to get free, but the thing was strong. It wrapped its hands around her throat in an attempt to cut off her air supply. It didn't matter, though, as Chloe didn't actually need to breathe.

"Clever little bitch," the demon hissed. "I’m going to enjoy killing you and your friend."

It fastened its jaws on Chloe’s neck and then quickly released her and let out a hiss of disgust, "Filthy bloodless creature."

Chloe snapped her head forward, headbutting the demon in the face. "Who the hell are you calling filthy?"

The Hellion stumbled backwards, and Chloe darted forwards. She tried to do the same move she’d done on Talasin, but the demon was too fast. It blocked her hands and punched Chloe in the stomach.

“An undead working with an Order whelp,” said the demon. “You disgust me!”

The Hellion wrapped its powerful arms around her neck and held her in a choke hold. She squeezed, but not to choke Chloe to death, she was trying to tear off her head.

Chloe clawed at the demon’s arms, but it wouldn't budge. She opened her mouth wide and bit the demon’s hand as hard as she could. Demon blood gushed into her mouth. It was bitter and tasted like rusty metal.

“You will die for that,” said the demon. “After I’ve killed you. I'll hunt down your whole family and torture every single one of them. I’ll be sure to let them know that you are the reason for their suffering.”

Chloe twisted around and raised her hands and grabbed hold of the demon's head. She forced its mouth open and slid her hand inside. The demon gagged and tried to bite her, but Chloe grabbed the demon's tongue and yanked.

The demon howled in pain as Chloe tossed the bloodied tongue onto the ground.

"Yooo thucking bwitch," the Hellion said. "I'm gonna—"

But before it could finish that sentence, a sword of pure ice pierced through its chest, the tip of the blade an inch from Chloe’s face.

Garrick stood over the demon as it gripped its chest in confusion. He placed his foot on the demon’s back and pulled out his sword and spun in one fluid motion and lopped the demon's head off.

He stood over Chloe, his blade dripping with the demon's blood. He rolled the demon over, sliced open her chest and cracked the rib cage open like he was trying to pry a nut out of a hard shell. He reached in and pulled out a green, blood covered gem.

Chloe was about to ask him about the gem when he turned to her and said, "That was the ugliest fight I've ever witnessed."

Chloe laughed, "My self-defense training didn't cover fighting demons."

She looked down at her robe that was now covered in demon blood. "Ah shit, my new clothes."

"Did you find the girl?" asked Chloe.

"She was already dead."

Chloe lowered her eyes, "I’m sorry."

Garrick frowned at her, "You're a strange monster, Chloe."

"People thought I was strange when I was human. It’s no wonder that I'd be strange as a zombie, too."

He shook his head, “Well, don't let me stop you.”

“What?” she asked.

“Eat the demon's brains.”

“Oh that.”

“That's why you are here.”

Chloe grimaced as she stared at the demon's head. “Can you turn around?”

Garrick frowned, “Why?”

“I'm not comfortable eating in front of people.”

“You’re a zombie, god dammit, just eat the damn thing's brains and be done with it.”

“Fine,” she said.

Chloe crouched low, picked up the blood soaked head. Her index finger nail extended to the length of a butcher's knife. She was getting good at controlling it now. She sliced the demon's skull open and cracked it on her knee like she was opening a coconut.

She blocked her nose and bit into the demon's brain. Even with her nose blocked, it tasted like sour milk and the memory of the demon's scream still echoed in the back of her mind.

"Ugh, gross," she said.

"Well?" asked Garrick.

"One moment please."

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[Hellion Devoured: Progress Towards Next Evolution: 92%]

[Hunger 46%]

[Memory Extractor activated]

The sour taste of demon brains still lingered in Chloe's mouth when the vision's came.

At first, she thought something was wrong. All she saw was darkness, and then something stirred, and a body fell at the demon's feet. The demon swung its head to face footsteps coming its way. Chloe saw the memory of herself running past the demon at an incredible speed.

That must be the moment I arrived in this world.

Moments later there was another set of footsteps, these moving slower and the silhouette of a lean figure stood at the end of the alleyway looking in. Something moved behind the figure and she screamed. Black tendrils shot out of the darkness and bound the girl's arms and legs and drew her back.

The Hellion backed away from the newcomers in fear, but just as she turned to flee, the light hit the newcomer's face, revealing all too familiar features.

“What is it?” Garrick asked as he bent over Chloe, his face icy and hard.

Chloe said nothing.

“Come on, say something, did you see Malice? Did the Hellion see him?”

Chloe just sat there as her world came crashing down. Being a zombie had dulled her senses and desensitized her to most things-things like gore, fighting, killing and fear, but there was no amount of desensitizing that could dull the pain she felt at that moment.

“I saw him,” Chloe muttered. “He was here… Malice was here, and he’s got my sister.”

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