He roared and turned. The next sight made him freeze.

The Bone Horrors shambled out of the darkness. No longer individual mice, but dozens upon dozens of them, pulled together into a terror. Ser Dalius whirled. From his side as well. Cara stood there as the undead approached. Seeking her.

“What—how—?”

For the first time in her life, Cara froze in panic. She had survived being held up at knifepoint, stage panic, automobile accidents—so much. But not this. This—this wasn’t from Earth. It wasn’t bad luck, or an accident. Something you could react to, solve, or just endure.

This was a monster. And you could only do one thing. But Cara—stared up at a towering face made of mice bones. She thought it smiled at her.

“Miss Cara Sullivan. I swore to protect you. I cannot fight them and guard you.”

Ser Dalius’ voice was very calm. No—not calm. Cara turned to him and saw the whites of the ghost-knight’s eyes. He was afraid. For her. But he was a warrior. He looked around as the Bone Horrors slowly advanced.

“What do I do? Can you lift me—’

He reached for her. Grabbed her. Cara screamed. Her flesh froze as Ser Dalius’ fingers froze her. She screamed, from pain and at him.

“Let go!”

“I have to take you to safety! I must—”

The [Knight] cursed and let go. He charged left as one of the Bone Horrors, faster than the others, shot forwards. The sword cleaved down one, then two, then three. They couldn’t hurt him, though they tried.

But Cara—her skin was in the early stages of frostbite from that touch alone! She couldn’t be carried.

“I have to lift you! Miss Cara! I will grab one arm! Choose one in five seconds!”

Dalius roared. He spun, laying about him with his blade. Cara stared at him.

“Think, Sid. Think…”

She looked around. She had to do something. She had to—

Improvise. Her eyes alighted on something. Cara gasped.

“Dalius! Help me!”

He turned. Cara was heaving at the lid of a coffin. The ghost’s eyes widened.

“You can’t—”

“Don’t argue! Hurry!”

The Bone Horrors were joining together. Ser Dalius cut one down at Cara’s back. He hesitated, then reached and pushed with one arm.

“Noelictus forgive us—”

The lid slid aside. Cara saw a figure inside. She froze. An emaciated form stared up at her. It could have been male or female. Time had turned the skin to leather. Sunken sockets, yellowed teeth—

“I—”

She regretted her decision. She couldn’t do that. Ser Dalius stared down as well. Then he swore.

“By the Hundred Houses of Terandria.”

Cara turned. And she saw one final shape rising higher, higher, into the darkness. Towering above the tiny coffins. So vast and huge—

“Dalius. What is that?”

The ghost was calm as he gazed up at the thing made of countless generations of mice.