The earth shaman raised her hands, and the ground trembled in response.
A deep rumble echoed through the clearing as the soil cracked and shifted.
Michael watched as the earth shaman focused, her magic sinking into the land.
A moment later, the ground caved inward, forming a massive pit.
The process wasn’t instant—it took time for the shaman to carefully displace the dirt, ensuring the hole was deep and wide enough to accommodate the sheer number of corpses.
The armored orcs stood by silently.
Michael took a moment to examine the hole.
It was at least ten feet deep and wide enough to fit the entire pile with room to spare.
Michael nodded in approval.
“Good,” he muttered.
Now came the next step.
He turned to the fire shaman. “Burn them.”
Without hesitation, the shaman raised her hands, and flames surged from her palms.
A wave of heat washed over the clearing as the fire leaped toward the pile of corpses.
The dry blood and clothing caught fire immediately, and within seconds, the entire pile was ablaze.
Thick, acrid smoke rose into the sky.
The stench of burning flesh filled the air, but Michael ignored it.
His undead didn’t react to the smell either.
They couldn’t.
He watched the fire for a moment, ensuring it burned hot enough to reduce the bodies to ash.
It wouldn’t be perfect—bones and charred remains would still be left behind—but it was better than letting the corpses rot.
Michael took one last glance at the flames before turning away.
*******
Lia leaned against the carriage, arms crossed, his eyes fixed on the path Michael had taken earlier.
Ace sat on the other side of the carriage, idly kicking at a small rock near his boot.
“How long do you think he’ll take?” he asked, her tone weary.
The driver let out a slow breath. “Depends. Bandits could’ve had traps, hidden allies. Or maybe he just—”
A sudden blur of movement cut him off.
Something—or someone—appeared in their line of sight.
It was fast. Inhumanly fast.
Ace’s breath hitched. “Did you see that?”
The driver, usually composed, gripped the reins tightly, his knuckles white. “What in the world…”
Liq didn’t answer.
His sharp gaze scanned the area, searching for any lingering trace of the movement.
Then his eyes locked onto something.
A missing body.
One of the bandits’ corpses had vanished.
He turned to Ace, his voice low. “Tell me you saw that.”
Ace nodded slowly. “I did.”
The driver exhaled sharply. “He just… took the body.”
Lia spoke immediately.
“Not he just took it. He moved like a damn phantom.”
They fell silent, each processing what they had witnessed.
Ace was the first to break the quiet. “That thing, no, that person—it was one of his guards.”
Lia turned to him sharply. “Obviously.”
Then no one spoke again.
Each wanting to just leave the damn area.
Like that they all watched as Michael undead came and left each time leaving with a corpse until it didn’t come again.
Something the three all felt was because of the lack of corpse.
With the corpses dealt with, Michael dismissed the shamans back into the Netherworld.
The armored orcs, however, remained.
He glanced at them, their hulking forms standing silently like statues, their armor gleaming under the midday sun.
Satisfied, he strode toward the carriage.
Lia, Ace, and the driver stiffened when they saw him approached, their gazes flickering over the blood splattered across his clothes.
They didn’t say anything, but their wariness was obvious.
Michael ignored their reactions. He climbed into the carriage, settling into his seat before giving the order.
“Return to the capital.”
The driver hesitated only for a second before snapping the reins.
For a while, no one spoke.
The rhythmic clatter of hooves and the creaking of the carriage filled the silence.
The journey continued with only a few stops here and there.
By the time they reached the capital, the sun was beginning to set.
The towering walls of the city loomed ahead, guards stationed at the gates. The line to enter was long, as expected.
Michael opened his eyes, stretching slightly.
He took a moment to observe the capital as they approached.
Compared to the wilderness, it was lively—people moving in and out.
As the carriage rolled forward, a guard stepped up, his eyes scanning them. “Purpose of visit?”
Without waiting for the guard to continue, Lia flashed the token Michael had given him.it,
The guard barely glanced at it before waving them through.
Once inside, the city unfolded before them—stone streets, several numerous buildings, and the unmistakable hum of civilization.
Michael exhaled, taking it all in.
He was back.
Now, it was time to plan his next move.
Michael tapped the side of the carriage as they rolled through the streets. “Find an inn,” he told the driver.
The man nodded, guiding the carriage through the crowded roads. Eventually, they pulled up in front of a modest but clean-looking establishment.
Michael stepped down first, stretching his legs. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a silver coin, tossing it to the driver. “Nice job. See you again.”
The driver caught the coin smoothly and nodded. “Safe travels.” With that, he turned the carriage around and drove off in a dash as if running, disappearing into the evening crowd.
Michael turned to Lia and Ace. “I’m going to bathe. You two go buy me some clothes.”
He didn’t allow the two to refute, not that they could and handed them a gold coin which made the two drool.
Before Lia and Ace could leave though, Michael held out a hand. “My token.”
Lia sighed but handed it back without complaint.
A part of him had wanted Michael to forget.
Even a fool could sense the usefulness of the token.
Michael took it, chased them off and strode inside the inn.
His entry caused a Ruckus due to his slightly bloody appearance but no one spoke.
After paying the inn owner, Michael strode towards his room under the owner’s lead.
Entering the room, he wasted no time and entered the bathroom.