Dagon hesitated before he answered. “Where are the Arelim or Sephiroth?”

Snorting with bitter amusement, Xev looked at Nick with a smirk that said he’d let him explain. Oh goody!

Nick was less than amused as he ran with the cue. “The last Sephiroth is imprisoned. I have no idea where. From what I’ve been told, I don’t want to know where, either, as it’s highly unpleasant. The Arelim are in the middle of a horrific civil war, and both sides hate my guts with a passion that burns brighter than a binary star system. Needless to say, we’re a little low on allies. I do have a few Dark-Hunters and two lunatics I can count on. Along with one awesome Charonte.”

Simi grinned.

Menyara sighed heavily. “He’s right. Rezar is missing. Verlyn captured. Our side has been losing ground for a long time now, which is another reason why we had to secure the Malachai and limit his powers any way we could. But that being said, I can summon Acheron and Savitar, as well as Thorn.”

Dagon cocked his head. “Thorn?”

“Leucious of the Brakadians,” Menyara explained. “He and his Hellchasers are still firmly against Noir and Azura. Though their numbers aren’t many, they’re as strong as ever, and they fight them every chance they get.”

Xev inclined his head to Menyara. “Summon them all and do it fast. We need every sword.”

No sooner had he spoken than a strange light permeated the room, washing it with a weird glow that came from outside.

Dread filled every pore of Nick’s body. “What is that?”

“Takiramon,” Dagon and Xev said in unison.

“And that would be what brand of Pokémon, Ash Ketchum? Should I fetch Pikachu’s ball and have at it? I choose you, Dagon!”

Rolling her eyes at Nick’s sarcasm that went over Xev’s and Dagon’s heads, Kody let go of Nick’s hand and summoned her Arelim battle armor and swords. “It’s the veil of mortal sleep.”

“The who … what?”

Kody checked her weapons. “Veil of mortal sleep. There aren’t many creatures strong enough to conjure it. It casts that red glow over the earth and puts the humans into a trance so that they are unaware of us.… Like your mother, they sleep, completely safe, and totally ignorant of what’s happening around them.” Kody jerked her chin toward the window. “See for yourself.”

Nick went to look, and sure enough. Everyone outside, who’d been walking around just a few minutes ago, was lying sprawled out on the sidewalks like corpses in open graves. It was creepy and chilling—not something anyone wanted to see outside of a zombie movie.