Evelyn stretched her back as she climbed the final step. She looked up to the sky and was disappointed that the sun had already set. The battle had already ended. So many people had died.

And she had not been there.

How many people could she have saved? Even if she only used her Healing?

Evelyn understood that she had played a critical role in assisting the people evacuate through the trains and tunnels, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she could have done more.

Afterall, her stats alone put her among the top Adepts, even if her Skills and experience were only slightly above average. Surely she could have helped in the battle without being a hinderance?

She moved her arm across her chest, stretching the sore limb.

She shook her head as she did so, knowing that if she had been anywhere near the battle, her brother would have been distracted.

They had once been practically inseparable as children. But that was many years ago. Now, even after finding each to other again, they were practically strangers.

She recognized parts of him, as she hoped he recognized parts of her, but there was much that she didn't know. And much that frightened her.

Before, when she had merely though him as a distant friend of her parents', she had noticed certain characteristics, but had never put much thought behind them.

Now, she recognized how Alaster would rub the joint where his pinky finger connected to his palm with his thumb when in thought. He had done so ever since he cut that same spot deep enough to scar, had a healer not offered to help without charge.

She recognized how he would tilt his head to better listen to a sound instead of turning to face it if he was focused on something else.

Or even how the corner of his right eye would twitch if something he ate was too sweet or if something annoyed him.

All things she had noticed, but simply wrote off, never once thinking that they connected Lord Ashborn and her brother Alaster as the same person.

But there were other things she did not recognize.

How he never left his back to any door or window.

How his eyes danced across the room watching every movement.

How he always maintained distance between himself and other people.

Even how he was never alone. He always had one of his Minions or servants with him. Even the few times he was alone with her, she now realized that not even then had they been alone. Always, he had his Shadow Assassins nearby.

Then there were the things that frightened her.

The way he studied the way people moved with a dark glint in his eyes. Analyzing how he would kill them if he needed or wanted to.

The way he always kept one of his hands free and unobstructed, in case he needed to cast a spell, block a blade, or choke someone.

The way he looked at people like pawns. As if they did not have their own lives, their own goals, their own families.

Evelyn vividly remembered how one of the servants that had to clean up the mess left of Lord Halligon described the scene. How the story was that her brother had ripped open the man's chest while he still lived and left him there to die of shock and blood loss and terror.

When she had questioned the then Lord Ashborn, unknowing he was her brother, Alaster had not denied it, merely saying he had done what needed to be done.

Evelyn understood that the older brother that played in the forest with his friends while searching for a present for his little sister, did not exist anymore. Nor did the little sister that saw only the good in people.

They had both changed.

And while Evelyn had grown up surrounded in wealth and opportunity with people who cared for her, Alaster had none of that.

He had only skimmed over the major events, she knew that. But Catherine had been more descriptive of her Master's life, even then, she had skipped over parts.

While Evelyn spent her nights studying or playing with friends, Alaster had spent his hiding in the mud for hours, hoping a Monster would not find him.

While she practiced her Magic and learned about the world from a classroom surrounded by guards and protective Enchantments, her brother had been experiencing the horrors of the world alone.

Evelyn often wondered if the experience had not transformed her loving brother into a horror of his own.

So did he.

The sound of boots scraping against stone reached Evelyn, pulling her from her thoughts. She turned to see the rest of her friends leaving the large underground structure of the Train Station.

They all looked exhausted and hungry.

They had spent the day hauling boxes and other cargo onto the trains and ushering those able into the tunnels and warning them to stay clear of the tracks because the trains would not stop for them.

It had been constant chaos. A chaos that only escalated when the attack began and civilians started coming into the station with various injuries ranging from life threatening to scrapes.

The structure of the station was so stable, so deep, that none of them had any idea how the defense was going. Where they winning? Where they holding the walls? Had the walls already fallen?

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The lack of information had only amplified the stress.

Liam yawned as he spoke, "Anyone know where we can grab some grub?"

David only nodded, patting his stomach.

Illa sighed, "I think I would prefer to just sit somewhere. My feet are killing me."

"Wouldn't we just go to the Siphas Family Estate?" Harper asked.

Ulex placed his arm around Harper's shoulders, gently pulling her against him. She laid her head on his shoulders and sighed.

They were all looking to Evelyn for an answer. An answer she did not know. Going to the Siphas Estate was logical, but with the attack, she did not know if that was still the case. Was there some other place they should go? Should they just get in line at one of the field kitchens?

"Lets head to the Siphas Estate and figure it out from there." Evelyn finally said.

They all nodded and together they began walking.

The walk was quiet as they surveilled the damage that a single day of siege brought upon the once beautiful city. The still smoldering ruins of homes and businesses. The cracked and shattered roads. The patches of blood both dried and wet.

The quiet.

An oppressive quiet that smothered any sound.

The group walked around the ruins and rubble that crowded the street, looking on at the destroyed livelihoods with solemn expressions.

Undead worked to clear the streets while soldiers patrolled. Horse drawn carts occasionally rushed past with injured. Everyone moved out of the way, regardless of rank or responsibility. The laws of the injured superseded even that of the Nobility.

Evelyn wondered if she should head to one of the field hospitals, but her heavy eyelids and grumbling stomach reminded her that she would only be a hinderance if she did not take care of herself first.

After a short walk, the group of young adults finally reached the Siphas Estate. The gates still stood tall and strong, despite the large boulder that had crashed into the wall just six feet away, creating a breach. Guards wearing the colors of the Siphas Family stood at the gate and the breach.

The Guards noticed the group and opened the gate upon recognizing them.

The group silently walked through and headed towards the front doors as the Guards closed the gates behind them.

A single maid stood just inside, her uniform immaculately clean despite the chaos outside.

"Good evening, we have supper waiting for you in the dining room. Please follow me."

The maid led them to the same room they had breakfast in just this morning. It seemed like a lifetime ago. So much had changed.

The chef pushed a cart of steaming soup through the kitchen doors and quickly served a bowl for each person before leaving the cart and returning to the kitchen. Finally, the maid curtsied and left back through the main doors to the dining room, leaving the children alone.

Liam and David did not wait, they dived into the food with gusto, despite their exhaustion. David ignored the spoon and simply brought the bowl to his mouth, emptying it in mere moments. He was already at the pot of soup for seconds before some of the others had even grabbed their spoons.

They ate in silence, starving but also exhausted.

"Do we know what we are doing tomorrow?" Liam asked, finishing his first bowl while David began on his third.

Ulex swallowed, "Probably more of the same?"

Harper put down her spoon, "I don't think there are that many citizens remaining in the city. And the station will keep going throughout the night. By morning, there should only be a few, or maybe just some cargo."

Evelyn sighed, "No, I think the evacuation will take a bit longer, but I also don't think they will need us tomorrow. It was so chaotic because the battle had just begun. I think it will be much calmer tomorrow, even if the battle begins again."

"So we have no idea what we are doing?" Illa mumbled through half closed eyes.

"Not yet. We don't even know how the battle went."

"Not great, but not horribly." A new voice interrupted.

Everyone turned to face the source, seeing Alaster step out of a shadow.

"We held out against the Demons, eventually repelling them, but they will try again tomorrow."

"Where will we be assigned tomorrow?" Evelyn asked.

"With me."

The children whispered amongst each other, "Aren't you on the frontlines?"

"Yes, but you will not. I have a task I will need you all to see to while I am busy on the walls."

"What task?" Liam asked.

"You can all read and write correct?"

"Yes, well, except for David," Evelyn explained, "He can read, but he is useless with a pen unless he uses it to stab someone."

"Then he can be lookout. I assume you all heard about the two new Knights that follow me around?"

"We heard rumors about it. Something about being apprentices?" Liam shrugged.

"Not apprentices. They are actually Undead, similarly to Liches, they are not Undead I created or summoned. They have, however, sworn themselves to my service. I will explain why in greater detail later. However, they are not the only Natural Undead to do so. I know of approximately ten thousand who wish to swear themselves to me, with high probability of more.

They will be coming to Onigas gradually, as they can, but I will not be able to always be there to receive them. Not in person anyway. I have a statue I have imbued with my Mana Signature that they can swear to and it will work. However, just because they swear themselves to me, does not mean that I will know what they are capable of, nor be able to issue commands to them.

That is where you come in."

"How are they going to get past the Demons?"

"Tunnels. I can explain later. Just know that there is a massive network of tunnels deep below the continent that the Undead inhabit. With my permission, they opened one to the surface in an abandoned warehouse.

What I am asking of you all, is to be there to catalogue them and instruct them on where to go, only after they swear to the statue. I will have my personal Undead there to ensure it is done properly before they allow the Natives through to see any of you.

If any of the Natives do not swear to my statue before they see you, it is quite likely that they will attempt to kill you. My Undead will be there to make sure they do swear, and if one manages to slip through, I want David to dispatch it. You are all trained and will be surrounded by Undead bound to me, so I doubt there will be any danger.

But just in case, David, if any do become violent, you have my permission to destroy them and eat them if you wish."

David looked up from his sixth bowl and smiled.

"So you have taken us off crowd control and put us on paperwork duty?" Evelyn asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. Unfortunately, only a handful of my Undead know how to read and write, and the ones that do have more important tasks at the moment. However, they still need to be catalogued.

After they swear to the statue and a connection is formed between us, my Undead will allow the Native through to see one of you. There, they will explain their abilities to you. You will write down anything of importance about them, including any other notes. Notes such as increased hostility, or good forms. I don't really know. Just write down anything you think might be important or of note.

I have already cleared out a small area where you will send them after you have catalogued them. They will wait there until I can speak to them and give them their orders directly. So there should only be a single day of Natives in the courtyard."

"How many are you expecting each day?" Ulex asked, reaching for Harper's hand.

"I don't really know. I would not think more than a few dozen, maybe a hundred. Regardless of how many, I want you all to take your time interviewing each one."

Evelyn sighed, "When are we actually going to fight?"

Alaster stared at her, "When you need to. Right now there is no need and there are other duties you can handle. Should the Hospitals require help, you will be sent there. Should the armory require help, you will be sent there. This is a war. Fighting is only a small portion of the matter. Besides, while you are all capable, you are still weak."

Alaster's face turned hard, "Speaking bluntly, the moment I send you into battle, some of you will die. Before you voice your eagerness to fight again, I want you to look in the eyes of each one of your friends and calculate how many will turn cloudy and empty before you speak.

You are soldiers now, under my command, you have been given your orders. Eat, check your gear, and rest. I will come by tomorrow to take you to the warehouse."

Having said what he wanted, he vanished, leaving just a slightly darker space that casually moved over to one of the dark corners and disappeared.

Evelyn slumped in her seat, knowing her brother was right, but still feeling as if she was being protected while others died.

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