CHAPTER 79: AMBUSH

’This is insane,’ Jack thought for the hundredth time since agreeing to Sera’s escort proposal. ’Traveling to commune with a god, guided by religious fanatics, protected by a woman who finds creative ways to describe disemboweling people during training sessions.’

[Analysis: Your survival probability has increased by 347% with Lady Nightshade’s participation. However, psychological trauma probability has increased by 892%.]

’That’s... not particularly reassuring.’

"KNOCK!"

"KNOCK!"

"KNOCK!"

The sharp rap of knuckles against his chamber door interrupted Jack’s internal spiral of doubt. When he opened it, Sera stood in the doorway like a predatory shadow given human form.

She’d traded her usual black leather training armor for traveling gear that somehow managed to look both practical and menacing. Dark leather pants hugged her lithe frame, while a fitted tunic of midnight blue emphasized her curves.

"Ready for our little adventure?" Sera’s voice carried that familiar purr of barely contained violence, her green eyes dancing with anticipation that made Jack’s skin crawl. "I do love spiritual journeys."

"How so?" Jack asked warily, though something in her expression suggested he didn’t really want to know the answer.

"The wilderness has such fascinating ways of revealing people’s true nature. Bandits, wild beasts, religious fanatics with questionable motives... so many opportunities for personal growth."

’Personal growth,’ Jack thought grimly. ’Is that what we’re calling potential bloodbaths now?’

"THUMP!"

"RUSTLE!"

"CLINK!"

The sounds of final preparations filled the air as Jack secured his pack and checked his equipment one last time. His father’s parting words still echoed in his mind: ’Trust Sera’s judgment in matters of survival, but remember that her methods can be... excessive.’

Excessive. That had been the duke’s diplomatic way of saying that Sera Nightshade had a reputation for solving problems with extreme prejudice.

The journey to the gate passed in relative silence, their footsteps echoing off cobblestones still damp with evening dew.

The subtle sounds of the city settling into sleep told everyone the night was ending: the distant laughter from taverns, the creak of settling timber and the whispered conversations of late-night lovers.

"HOOT!"

"HOOT!"

An owl’s call drifted across the evening air, somehow managing to sound ominous in the context of their clandestine departure.

Corvin shifted restlessly on Jack’s shoulder.

The crossroads materialized out of the evening shadows like something from a fever dream. Ancient stones formed a rough circle around a weathered altar dedicated to forgotten gods.

Brother Matthias, Sister Elena, and Brother Thomas waited beside the shrine with the patient stillness of true believers. Their white robes fluttered in the evening breeze like shrouds, making them appear almost ghostlike in the uncertain light.

"Divine Avatar," Brother Matthias said, his voice carrying across the shrine with reverent satisfaction. "You honor us with your presence. The cosmos itself celebrates this moment of destiny fulfilled."

His gaze shifted to Sera, and Jack noticed the subtle way the cultist’s posture changed. Not fear, exactly, but the kind of wariness that experienced predators showed when recognizing an apex threat.

"Lady Nightshade," the brother continued with considerably more caution. "Your reputation precedes you. How... unexpected to find you escorting our prophesied savior."

Sera’s grin widened at the obvious discomfort her presence caused, her green eyes reflecting the torchlight like polished emeralds. "Oh, I do love exceeding expectations. It keeps life interesting."

She moved closer to the cultists with that predatory grace that made seasoned warriors reach for their weapons. "I trust you gentlemen and lady have no objection to additional security? The wilderness can be dangerous for travelers."

"Of course not," Brother Matthias replied quickly, though his tone suggested he was beginning to question the wisdom of this entire enterprise. "The more protection for our Divine Avatar, the better."

"EXCELLENT!" Sera’s voice cracked like a whip, filled with anticipation that made the very air seem to thicken with menace. "I do hope we encounter some of that danger you’re so worried about. It’s been far too long since I’ve had proper exercise."

’Exercise,’ Jack thought with growing unease. ’She calls, combat exercise. What the hell have I gotten myself into?’

---

"WHOOSH!"

The evening wind picked up, rustling through the forest canopy with sounds like whispered secrets.

Jack noticed that Sera had grown increasingly quiet as the day progressed, her predatory gaze scanning their surroundings.

"Something troubling you?" Jack asked his escort during a brief rest stop, noting the subtle tension in her posture.

Sera’s grin was sharp as a blade’s edge, all teeth and promised violence. "Oh, quite the opposite. I’m simply anticipating. The wilderness has such interesting ways of testing travelers."

Her green eyes glittered with something that might have been hunger. "Bandits, you see, are drawn to easy targets like moths to flame. And religious pilgrims with noble escorts make such tempting prey."

’She’s looking forward to being attacked,’ Jack realized with a growing alarm. ’This woman is genuinely hoping we encounter dangerous criminals.’

–

The second day loomed gray and overcast, with thick clouds that turned the morning light pale and sickly. Their path led through increasingly rugged terrain as they left the maintained roads behind for ancient trails that wound between towering stone formations.

"DRIP!"

"DROP!"

"PATTER!"

A light rain began to fall, creating a steady percussion against the forest canopy that masked other sounds. Jack noticed that Sera had grown even more alert, her movements taking on the fluid readiness of a predator sensing approaching prey.

"The Ruins of Divine Convergence lie just beyond that ridge," Brother Matthias said, pointing toward a distant hill crowned with ancient stones. "By tomorrow evening, you’ll be able to commune directly with your patron deity."

"And receive the answers you seek about your true nature," Sister Elena added with radiant anticipation. "The cosmic forces that shaped your destiny will finally be revealed."

Jack nodded absently, his attention focused on Sera’s increasingly predatory behavior. The woman moved like a hunting cat, her every step calculated and her gaze constantly scanning their surroundings for signs of threat or opportunity.

’She knows something’s coming,’ Jack thought uneasily.

It was perhaps noon when the attack finally came.

"TWANG!"

"WHISTLE!"

"THUD!"

The crossbow bolt slammed into the tree trunk beside Brother Thomas’s head with enough force to bury the steel point three inches deep in ancient bark. The cultist stumbled backward with a startled cry, his face going white with terror as splinters exploded from the tree.

"BANDITS!" Brother Matthias shouted, his voice cracking with panic as more projectiles whistled through the air around them. "Take cover! Protect the Divine Avatar!"

But Jack’s attention was entirely focused on Sera’s transformation.

The change was immediate and absolute. One moment she’d been walking with casual alertness, the next she’d exploded into motion with inhuman speed and grace. Her hand moved to her back in a fluid gesture that seemed almost ceremonial in its precision.

"SCHIIIIING!"

The sound of steel being drawn from its sheath was like a cathedral bell tolling for the dead. Sera’s weapon materialized in her grip with a whisper of deadly metal, and Jack felt his breath catch at what he was seeing.

It wasn’t a sword or dagger as he’d expected. Instead, Sera wielded a war scythe of impossible elegance and menace.

The curved blade gleamed like captured moonlight, its edge sharp enough to split shadows while intricate runes crawled along its surface like living things.

The weapon’s shaft was as long as she was tall, crafted from what looked like polished red stone. A material Jack hadn’t seen before. Where her hands gripped the handle, tendrils of dark energy began to writhe like smoke given substance.

"ROAAAAR!"

The battle cry that erupted from Sera’s throat was nothing human. It was the sound of hunting predators, of ancient violence given voice, of death itself expressing joy at the prospect of fresh prey.

Her entire demeanor had shifted from calculated menace to something far more primal and terrifying. Her green eyes blazed with an inner fire that spoke of pleasure found in violence, while her grin widened to reveal teeth that definitely looked sharper than they should be.

"Oh, my sweet darling," Sera cooed to her weapon, her voice taking on a tone of intimate affection that made Jack’s skin crawl. "Look what lovely presents have come to play with us."

She stroked the scythe’s handle with fingertips that trembled with barely contained excitement, speaking to the weapon as if it were a beloved pet rather than an instrument of death.

"Shall we show them how we dance, my dear? Shall we paint the forest floor with pretty crimson flowers?"

"CRASH!"

"SNAP!"

"THUD!"