"Have you seen Lord Lumberling and the others?" Gordon asked, wiping blood from his hands as he and Thalia oversaw the clearing of bodies and cleaning up.
"I haven't seen them either," Thalia replied, shaking her head.
But then, both of them froze at the same time.
A wave of pressure rolled over the camp. Instinct made them turn their heads.
"What in the…" Gordon's words trailed off.
From the shadows, figures emerged, familiar faces, but changed. The captains and vice-captains of Lumberling's army walked toward them, their new forms radiating raw power. Auras bled from their bodies with every step, pressing against the hearts of all who watched.
The camp went still. Soldiers of the Church, Gordon's men, even Thalia herself widened their eyes.
"They… they evolved."
"No, look at them, several of them all at once."
"Monsters, how can they all become this strong so suddenly?"
Murmurs spread through the ranks, half awe, half fear.
