Jirjin Nightside waited on the roof of the Tired Boar, seated beside a large wooden box. Forty holes lined the front, each holding an arrow. This mechanism, lovingly referred to by Jirjin as Betsy, was a weapon he’d held onto since his pirate days: an automatic crossbow designed for crowd control.
“Heads up! Alex is coming!” Jirjin shouted. From his vantage point, he could see the crowd of corrupted townsfolk rushing toward them. Below, in the town of River Hallow, arrows were notched to bowstrings, swords were held firm, and final glances were exchanged. The evil approaching would show no mercy… and each defender knew they would have to return that kindness.
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Alex and Tyler appeared on the path, racing toward the gates. “Duck!” Alex shouted as they passed the first barricade. The structure wasn’t just a defense—it was the signal to prepare weapons.
Behind them surged a swarm of corrupted townsfolk.
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As the horde reached the barricade, Jirjin yelled, “Now!” and unleashed a storm of arrows from Betsy. The citizens of River Hallow joined in, loosing a volley of arrows that rained down on the corrupted. Bodies began to fall, littering the road that led to the town. Alex rode into River Hallow just as the corrupted reached the gates. There, they were met by waiting soldiers. Rhaine led the charge, clashing head-on with the enemy. At the same time, hidden troops emerged from behind the barricades and struck from the flanks, trapping the corrupted in a deadly pincer.
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Blood and gore lined the streets. In the midst of the chaos, Tyler took his opportunity—he leapt off the elk and rushed forward, killing the last of his own corrupted troops. Before long, the battle was over. It had been a long, brutal night—one that wouldn’t be forgotten anytime soon.
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“Rhaine, are you okay?” Alex asked as people began removing the bodies from the town.
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Rhaine shook her head. “No, not really,” she said, her eyes scanning the weary survivors. “The Harbinger is still out there. He could be one of us.”
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Alex nodded grimly. “I was thinking the same thing.” He glanced around. “I can’t find Samuel.”
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Rhaine gave a quiet sigh. Alex placed a hand on her shoulder briefly. “I’ll be back shortly,” he said. “I’m going to make a round.”
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She nodded, eyes still sweeping the surroundings for anything suspicious.
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Alex made his way to the Tired Boar. As he stepped inside, he looked around the dimly lit tavern.
“No, thank you. I’m not drinking—yet,” he said to one of the barmaids. He began checking the side rooms, opening each door one by one. “Has anyone come in since the fighting?” he called out.
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Silence.
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He opened the last door and found the room empty. Turning back toward the bar, something immediately felt off. The tavern had gone too quiet. When he returned to the main room, the two barmaids were no longer there, only one remained.
She was lying on the floor. Her neck was broken.
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Jirjin burst into the tavern. “What the hell happened here?” he shouted. “What’s going on, Alex?”
He moved behind the bar and pulled out the battle axe he kept hidden beneath it. “The hunt isn’t over,” Alex said, his eyes scanning the room. “I came in here looking for someone, and by the time I was done checking the back rooms, she was dead.” He paused. “That could’ve easily been me. Rhaine thinks the Harbinger is here, I agree.”
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Jirjin nodded solemnly. “The Harbinger could be anyone,” he said, resting his axe across his shoulders. “Even you. Tell me, Alex, what’s my middle name?”
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Alex smirked. “Jirjin Chartreuse Nightside.”
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Jirjin didn’t share the humor. “You damn well know it’s NOT Chartreuse,” he growled, then finally let out a rough laugh. “Alright, Brother.. your turn. Who’s our oldest sibling?”
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“Kain,” Alex said without hesitation, already moving toward the door.
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“Stay here,” he added. “I’ll report this to Rhaine. Be careful.” He gave Jirjin a wave and stepped back out into the night.
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Alex made his way back toward the front gates. Bodies were still being cleared. If nothing else happened tonight, they would deal with the remains in the morning. He didn’t say a word, just watched the townsfolk work, making sure nothing seemed off. Once satisfied, he turned and headed toward the merchant quarter. The armorers’ forges were still burning. No rest for them, there was too much to repair. Alex moved from one workshop to the next, checking each one carefully. Everything appeared normal. “Where the hell are you…” he muttered under his breath.
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Unbeknownst to him, he was being watched from the shadows. Tyler, now in the form of a rat dragging a small handkerchief, followed quietly. Once Alex was out of sight, the rat skittered into a corner and began to shift. Flesh and bone twisted until Tyler stood in the exact likeness of Alex.
Once the transformation was complete, he headed in the opposite direction. Striding toward the church, Tyler called out, “Does anyone know where I can find Rhaine?” A few members of the Church pointed him toward the Command Center. They exchanged puzzled looks, why would Alex need directions? But they shrugged it off, assuming it was the exhaustion from battle.
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The seat at the Command table was never comfortable, even more so now, Rhaine had returned in defeat. Not only that, they were chased like a hunter goes after game. They were able to withstand the attack, but the Harbinger still remained. Rhaine started to make a request for more Soldiers, she had to report the defeat. "Maybe they will send someone." She said, she meant someone better than her but couldn't put it to words. She had lost Orion, Lucas, and now her army is an shambles, between Silver Falls and River Hallow the amount of lives lost were unknown, but Rhaine knew it was too many. She is interupted by the command center door opening. It was just her in there, in the doorway was Alex. "Did you find anything?" Rhaine asked.
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"No, there was nothing good to drink." Alex said as he made his way in.
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Rhaine shook her head," Is drinking the only thing you ever think of?" She looked up from her letter writing, this was the last straw," I thought you were looking for the Harbinger, not the bottom of the damn bottle." Before her stood Alex, that damn annoying grin on his face. But, the candlelight caught something that wasn't Alex, a blue Handkerchief stuck out from his pocket. Alex's grin changed, it wasn't annoying, it was evil now. Rhaine knew two things at that moment, the Harbinger found her, and she was in great danger.
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Without a word, Alex lunged at her.
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Rhaine managed to shove him back and drew her sword in one smooth motion. “Back to hell with you!” she shouted, swinging hard.
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Tyler dodged, his smirk breaking the illusion of Alex. “So this is the mighty Commander of the Church’s dead army,” he taunted, parrying her strike and stepping in to block her escape. “I hope you liked what I did to Silver Falls—because I’m going to do the same to this place. Right after I kill you.”
He slammed his body into hers, sending her crashing into the table. It overturned with a loud crack as she stumbled to her feet.
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Rhaine gritted her teeth and brought her sword around again. Tyler met her with his own, the clash of steel ringing through the room.
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“Tell you what,” he said with a mocking grin, leaning in close. “I’ll make you a deal. Give me a kiss, and I’ll let you live.”
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Rhaine narrowed her eyes. “Kiss this.” She drove her fist into his face.
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Tyler’s head snapped back, but he held his ground. When he looked at her again, blood was trickling from the corner of his mouth—and he was smiling. “Child,” he said, his voice low and dangerous, “I can do far worse to you than make you an Usher.” He licked the blood from his lip. “I’m going to enjoy turning you into barely a survivor.”
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Rhaine narrowed her eyes and began a Protection Circle chant. Before Tyler could react, the spell ignited beneath him, launching him into the air and slamming him against the wall.
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Meanwhile, Alex was returning from his patrol. He reached for the doorknob to Rhaine’s office only for the door to explode outward as a duplicate of himself came crashing through it. The two Alexes tumbled across the ground in a violent heap.
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The commotion immediately drew attention. The real Alex scrambled to his feet, disoriented. As his vision cleared, he saw the other version of himself rising too. Then Rhaine stepped into view, and Alex instantly understood what was happening. Tyler pointed at him. “He’s the Harbinger!” he shouted.
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This was exactly the scenario they’d feared. “Rhaine, I’m the real one!” Alex called, pointing to himself.
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“Lies!” Tyler snarled and lunged, tackling Alex to the ground. The two wrestled viciously. In the chaos, a handkerchief slipped from Tyler’s pocket and landed on the floor unnoticed.
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“Separate them!” Rhaine commanded the nearby soldiers.
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Each Alex was restrained by guards, struggling against their grips. Rhaine stepped forward, her expression unreadable.
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“Before leaving for patrol,” she said, “the real Alex and I agreed on a password. A safeguard in case this ever happened.” She turned to each of them. “What is the password?”
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Alex remained calm he knew there was no way the Harbinger could know it. But as Rhaine looked to Tyler, a flicker of doubt crossed his face.
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Tyler hesitated. His eyes darted, searching for a lie that might pass. But nothing came. Frustrated, he growled through clenched teeth.
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Alex’s mouth fell open, stunned that his joke about Rhaine growling, which he once said should be the password, was now coming back to haunt him.
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Rhaine nodded and turned to him. “Okay, your turn.”
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Tyler looked confused but stayed silent, trying to play along.
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Alex was locked in a mental battle. Don’t call her a wench. Whatever you do, say it right… Meow, Rhaine. Meow. He clenched his fists, bracing himself.
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“Well?” Rhaine said, her sword half-drawn. “We’re waiting, Alex.”
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“Wench!… I mean Meow!” Alex blurted out, panicking. “I’m sorry! Don’t kill me! Meow, Rhaine, Meow!”
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Rhaine gave him a long, deadpan stare. She wasn’t going to kill him for being the Harbinger.. she was going to kill him for being an insufferable ass.
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“Kill him,” she snapped, pointing her sword at Tyler.
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The soldiers surged forward, struggling to restrain him. Tyler broke free, shoving one aside. He sprinted for the town gates, laughter trailing behind him.
At the threshold, he stopped and looked back. “I’ve never seen anything so sad… and yet so beautiful.”
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Rhaine and Alex appeared in the distance, charging toward him. Tyler raised an arm and pointed down the roadway. "Looks like the main event is here, boys and girls!” he shouted.
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Rhaine and Alex followed his gaze. And then they saw it. Marcus Obsidian, walking down the road, eyes dark, presence heavy with dread.
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“Come to Daddy!” Tyler screamed, grinning with wild delight.
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The Usher had found the Harbinger.
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Winterfawn’s words echoed in their minds: “River Hallow is in great danger.”
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Now they knew why.
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