The RV skidded to a halt in the center of the lot, giving them a clear 360-degree field of fire. The gargoyles landed in a semi-circle around them, their claws clicking on the pavement. They began to advance slowly, their ruby eyes glowing with malevolent intent.

  "Looks like they're done playing," Nate said with a grim smile. He looked at Angie. "Ready for this?"

  She gave him a sharp, determined nod. "Let's finish it."

  As one, they chose their targets and squeezed their triggers. Two more gargoyles were eliminated in the space of a moment.

  Lindsay, unable to drive any further, opened the door of the Overlander and leaped out with her halberd in hand. Aura and Mika were right behind her, and Angie joined them a moment later. She had been using the heavy arbalest, which took longer to reload, whereas Nate was on the medium-sized one, which was faster.

  Night came in from the side and joined Mika in mauling the fifth gargoyle. Aura's ice encased one gargoyle's legs, immobilizing it for a perfect shot from Angie’s sling. While Lindsay handled the last one all on her own.

  Nate had the arbalest loaded and ready in case they needed help, but they were all fine in this case.

  Silence descended over the parking lot, broken only by the sound of their own ragged breaths.

  They retrieved their bolts and collected the bodies before climbing back into the Overlander to continue on their way. Night joined them inside this time and laid down in the aisle as the adrenaline slowly drained away, leaving a familiar exhaustion in its wake.

  "That was… unexpected," Lindsay said, finally breaking the silence as she turned the key and started the magitech engine.

  "I’d love to know why they were so far from their dungeon," Angie added.

  Nate looked at his friends, at the beasts who had become their family, and felt a quiet sense of rightness settle over him. The road had been long and dangerous, but walking it together had brought them all closer. That, he realized, made all the difference.

  This was his life now; he had fully accepted it and settled into it. He loved it and was doing his best to ensure he didn’t lose anyone this time around, while also enjoying life.

  ***

  They reached the outskirts of the banshee dimensional zone a little after lunchtime. The air grew cooler as the sky filled with clouds, and the trees took on a gnarled, ancient appearance. An old wrought-iron fence, half-swallowed by ivy, marked the entrance to a forgotten cemetery outside a crumbling home. This was where they needed to leave the road behind.

  Nate stored the Overlander in his storage and took in the dense thicket of trees and the clouds above that were promising rain soon. The dirt bikes would have been nice, but the trees were a little too close together for them, and he would rather not ride them in the rain.

  The three humans prepared their gear for the coming hike, namely their weapons, jackets, and the rain gear they would eventually need.

  "Ready for the final leg?" Nate asked, his gaze sweeping over everyone. Mika would be working with him and Night as scouts for the moment. They still needed to figure out what her official role was. Nate was used to acting as a scout and rogue for the group. However, now there were suddenly two more people who could fill those roles. He’d probably continue to act as a rogue as needed, but would let Night and Mika take over scout duties.

  "Let's go home," Lindsay said, her voice filled with a quiet longing that they all shared.

  They walked through the small cemetery; the tombstones were covered in roots, moss, and leaves. The forest behind it closed in around them as the branches rustled and the towering behemoths blocked their vision.

  Damp air moved between the trunks, cool and close enough to make Nate feel as if the forest itself watched them. He kept his feet low and steady, boots sinking into the soft earth that smelled of moss and old paper.

  Night moved farthest ahead, low and precise. Mika wound around the roots half a step behind him, more interested in tracks and scuttling things than the view. Angie had the map tucked into her sleeve, but hardly needed it; she walked with an easy confidence that spoke of the trust she had in her companions. Lindsay closed the rear, shoulders pulled back, scanning constantly for sudden movement.

  Aura walked a little off to Nate’s side. Even when she was quiet, Nate felt the weight of her attention flicking between him and Night; not the curiosity that he was used to, but a careful, measured gaze that was new. Her tails were tucked low, avoiding anything that they could get caught on.

  As they walked, Mika would warn them of any oncoming danger, giving them a chance to prepare for the eventual fight. Night was quiet, though they did hear his thoughts and images on occasion. As Aura had said, he had indeed learned to communicate with them in one night. However, that didn’t mean he could actually understand them yet. The way Aura managed it was through several different abilities that she hadn’t gotten a chance to teach Night. So while he could talk to them, he couldn’t understand what they were saying, and so he remained silent most of the time.

  “We’re getting close,” Aura’s voice echoed in their minds, pulling Nate from his thoughts. The kitsune had paused, one paw lifted, her nose twitching as she sampled the air.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Night and Mika drew close to the group, the need to scout vanishing as they neared their destination.

  They moved forward more slowly now, their senses on high alert. The trees began to thin, giving way to a clearing dominated by the skeletal remains of a pre-portal homestead. A collapsed farmhouse, its timbers blackened and rotted, slumped beside a stone chimney that stood like a lonely tombstone. A rusted pickup truck lay on its side, its metal skin peeled back to reveal a hollow, empty shell. It was here, amidst the decay, that they felt it—a profound sorrow that clung to the air, cold and heavy.

  “This is it,” Nate breathed, his eyes scanning the ruins. The air felt heavy, pressing in on him, and a low hum vibrated at the edge of his hearing. It wasn't a sound, but a feeling—a vibration of grief and rage that had soaked into the very earth.

  That was when the first wail struck them.

  It wasn't a sound that traveled through the air so much as it pierced directly into their minds. It bypassed their ears, their defenses, their very will, and sank its icy hooks into their deepest fears.

  Nate stumbled, his hand flying to his head as the world dissolved into a familiar gray, sterile hospital room. The same hospital room he had visited so many times in his past life. The rhythmic beep of a heart monitor was the only sound, a mocking tone counting down the seconds of a life lived in silent agony. He was alone, trapped in a failing body, the deaths of everyone he loved still fresh in his mind. His parents, Angie, Lindsay, Aura, and even Mika, they were all gone. The loneliness was a physical weight, crushing the air from his lungs. He was dying again, not from a fall, but from the slow, relentless decay of hope.

  Angie cried out, her eyes wide with a terror that wasn't of the forest. She was back in her family’s opulent study, the walls closing in. Jace McFadden stood before her, his smile a possessive, predatory thing. He wasn’t just a suitor; he was a cage, a gilded prison of expectation and duty. Her future was a path laid out by others, every step a betrayal of herself. He was back, and lying on the floor behind him in a pool of blood was Nate, while bound beside her was Lindsay. Her hands, which had been holding tight to her sling, felt useless, as though bound by invisible threads.

  Lindsay fell to one knee, the heavy halberd clattering against a stone. Her vision was a blur of motion, her own movements feeling sluggish and clumsy. She was back in the training pavilion, but this time, Anna and her siblings weren't the harsh but caring instructors she had always known; they were judges. Her parents stood behind them, their faces etched with disappointment. Every swing of her weapon was too slow, every parry too weak. She was failing them, failing Angie, failing Nate. The weight of their imagined disapproval was heavier than any monster.

  Only Aura and Night remained on their feet, though even they were affected. Aura’s fur bristled, her tails lashing as memories of the guardians who had betrayed her family. The flash of shadowy claws, the scent of blood, each one surged through her. Reminding her of a past better left forgotten.

  Night let out a low, guttural growl, his silver eyes blazing as the phantom pain of solitude, of being left behind by parents he barely remembered, gnawed at him.

  Mika, terrified, burrowed into Lindsay’s jacket, her small body trembling uncontrollably.

  “Nate!” Aura’s voice, sharp and laced with her own pain, cut through the illusion. “It’s a mental attack! Fight it!”

  His name, anchored by a strong telepathic message, acted as an anchor for his mind. Nate gasped, the hospital room shattering like glass. He was back in the clearing, rain soaking his jacket, the cold air a sharp sting against his skin. He saw Angie, her face pale and streaked with tears, and Lindsay, struggling to rise, her expression a mask of self-loathing.

  “Binding Ties!” He grunted, forcing the energy skill into action. His qi surged, and the world lit up with the familiar threads of connection. He ignored the bonds between his friends, between the trees, and the earth. The ties helped to momentarily ground his mind, bringing him back to reality long enough to fight the banshees. With the ties visible to his eyes, all he needed to do was find the source of the wail.

  And he found it.

  From the collapsed farmhouse, three ethereal forms had risen. They were vaguely humanoid, their bodies shimmering and distinct, their faces contorted in masks of eternal sorrow. They were the banshees. The skill highlighted the connection between each of the affected and the banshees.

  “The banshees!” Nate yelled, his voice raw. “They’ve appeared, use your special attack skills. Destroy them!”

  His words broke the spell. Angie’s head snapped up, her fearful, clouded eyes clearing with a flash of renewed determination. Lindsay, forcing herself to her feet, hefted her halberd, her jaw set.

  Another wail ripped through the air, but this time, they were ready. They braced themselves, focusing on the anger, the defiance, the will to protect each other. The illusions they had been lost in flickered, weaker now, unable to take root in minds that were actively fighting back. That was the key; if you were expecting the attack, then it was harder to be affected.

  “Aura, Night, keep them busy!” Nate commanded. He unslung his crossbow, his movements swift and sure. “Angie, Lindsay, with me!”

  The two beasts charged. Aura unleashed scythe-like blades of wind, utilizing her fourth tail to attack the banshees and disrupt their ethereal movements. Night became a blur of shadow, his claws passing harmlessly through their forms but leaving trails of disruptive, chaotic qi that made them flicker and dim.

  Nate took aim at the left-most banshee and activated ‘Point Break,’ qi flowing into the bolt. He squeezed the trigger. The bolt flew true, and the explosion triggered as it passed through the banshee. The banshee shrieked, this time in real pain, its form flickering violently before it dissolved into a wisp of smoke.

  One down.

  The remaining two banshees turned their full attention on him. Their wails intensified, focusing into a piercing shriek aimed directly at his mind. The hospital room tried to reform around him, but he ground his teeth, focusing on the image of his parents, of Angie and Lindsay, of Aura, and Mika. He wasn't alone anymore.

  “Angie, take the middle one!”

  Angie didn’t hesitate. Her sling was already a blur of motion. The piece of bone was already infused with qi from one of her family’s attack skills. She released the second string; the chunk of bone shot out with a vicious crack, going straight through the banshee, opening a hole inside it, and pulling pieces of it away as the monster dissipated. The second banshee let out a final, agonized cry and vanished.

  Only the last one remained. Lindsay charged toward it, her halberd raised. The last banshee abandoned its mental assault and let out a physical shriek, a wave of pure sonic force. Lindsay staggered, her ears ringing, but she didn’t stop. With a final, desperate roar of her own, she brought the glowing axe-head of her weapon down on the banshee, splitting the aethereal entity in two. She had also been given special energy attacks from her family.

  The third banshee faded away with a mournful sigh that seemed to be carried away on the wind.

  The clearing fell silent. The oppressive sorrow lifted, replaced by the simple, clean sound of rain dripping from the leaves.

  Thank you to all the people who have taken the time to rate the story and to my latest Patrons! I have other stories up on my Patreon, including my current WIPs. Which are now Created G.H.O.S.T. System(My Cyberpunk story), WetWorks2, plus The Restaurateur and His Daughter and DungeonFall. :)

  https://joshuakernbooks.com/