Chapter 2

"I'll follow you." Brynn stated immediately, much to everyone's surprise. Yet before anyone could question her she picked up an outfit before changing behind a tree.

Looking at her, Ribs noticed at strange heat flowing through his body, causing him to look very intently at Brynn. Her hourglass figure, bountiful chest and buttocks that should not be possible for a lady no more than 18 to have. Brynn also had smooth white skin, with an immaculately framed face and beautiful red eyes, all the better with her shoulder length ebon black hair.

Brynn's eyes however suddenly caused Ribs to cool down, to the point of a bone chilling murderous aura beginning to surround him. This change terrified everyone, Brynn included, and even made her flop to the floor and wet herself. Ribs leaned forward menacingly before speaking.

"Half demon, if you join me with the intention of betrayal or desertion once I have fended off your pursuers, know that even gods will not be able to save you." he spoke icily, his glare reminiscent of the Grim Reaper's bony scowl.

Unable to force the words from her mouth, Brynn shook her head to refute his words before kowtowing in front of Ribs. Brynn's forehead struck the ground at least half a dozen times, blood beginning to flow from it. But as that happened, something else within her changed as well.

As a half demon, Brynn was specifically half Manaxi, also known as the Terror Demons. Normally they would all be born enslaved to a time lost demon god, but half breeds such as Brynn would instead be bound to the first one that made them feel true fear. And truer fear could not be felt, for although Ribs no longer had his previous might, he was still a pure nephilim who once used arch-angels and demon lords as punching bags.

Feeling the shift in her temperament, Ribs withheld his aura and released Brynn from his dominion. Turning back to the others, Ribs told them that they didn't have a choice but to follow him anymore. As for why, Ribs neither cared for their opinions nor wanted to waste time on each person's internal monologue.

While clearly disturbed, none of the prisoners dared to complain to the source of their fear. Aware of their dread, RibTickler casually marched forward through the forest, with little care for their destination. The group followed after him, somewhat confused as to why they didn't take the road.

After several hours of walking, the vast majority of the group could barely stand from the exhaustion they were feeling. Inversely, Ribs had yet to break a sweat while Brynn was only slightly out of breath. Seeing his entourage on the verge of collapsing, the necromancer had them stop while he searched for shelter.

Finding nothing of note, RibTickler sighed as he returned, noting that the entire group had fallen asleep. Taking a kneeling position on the forest floor, he sent his senses into the ground in search of remains. Feeling a modicum of bones beneath the ground, Ribs called them to him before fashioning his pitiable resources into a scythe. Weapon in hand, RibTickler felt immensely more comfortable, and began using his newfound tool to shear branches and roots from the dense foliage in his surroundings.

Sighing and wondering what he should do in the future, RibTickler fashioned several lean-tos and put his sleeping companions beneath them. As taciturn and dark as he was, he still was the one who gave up everything to save the world.