Fer stepped into a large, dimly lit room. It resembled a cave but was clearly unnatural, the stones of its walls cut into squares. Johnny walked beside her. In front of them, Ran stood within a ring of bodies. Each of the dead was dressed in strange, black armour. Sword wounds punctured each of them: thin, clean cuts like little mouths dribbling blood.
“Only four,” said Ran. “I expected more.” He wiped his blade clean on one of the bodies. He wasn"t even out of breath.
“More will come now,” said Johnny. “Count on it. They aren"t gonna mess around.”
“Are these creatures magical, then?” asked Fer. “Would they have summoned their comrades before they died?” Under their armour they looked like normal people. Nearest to her, the lower face of a woman was visible beneath her helmet, her lip b
