Chapter 140: [140] Territory of the Dead
Xavier’s hand moved instinctively toward his dagger as the figure’s head completed its turn. The grinding sound of ice against bone echoed across the square like breaking glass. Those empty sockets held his gaze with an intelligence that made his skin crawl—this wasn’t some mindless beast driven by hunger or territorial instinct. This thing was thinking.
"Nobody move," he whispered, though his voice carried further than intended in the dead air. "Back behind the nearest wagon. Slowly."
The caravan retreated, boots crunching softly on the ice-slicked cobblestones. Xavier kept his eyes locked on the figure while Smoke sidled toward the frozen market stall that would provide the most cover. The horse’s muscles trembled beneath the saddle, ready to bolt at the first sign of violence.
Dalen appeared at Xavier’s shoulder, his weathered face pale but steady. The caravan master had survived three decades of winter roads by knowing when to fight and when to run.
"What do you think?" Dalen breathed, barely moving his lips. "Construct? Elemental?"
Xavier studied the figure’s posture—relaxed but ready, like a fighter between rounds. The massive sword lay across its knees at precisely the right angle for a quick draw. Everything about its position screamed prepared.
"Boss monster," Xavier said. "Waiting for us to trigger the encounter."
"What does that even mean?"
"Big enemy sitting on a throne in the middle of everything? It’s not going to move until we do something stupid." Xavier’s headache pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat. "Question is, what’s the trigger?"
Ashley crouched behind the wagon wheel beside them, crossbow ready. "Could be proximity. Could be hostile action. Could be—"
"Could be time," Naomi finished from behind a stack of frozen grain sacks. "Maybe it’s just deciding whether we’re worth the effort."
Gareth the scout had pressed himself against the wagon’s side, but his eyes weren’t on the figure. Instead, he stared at the tattered robes draped over its skeletal frame. Xavier watched the older man’s face go from pale to ashen.