“The world has ended. Seek shelter immediately.” The crown flashed in his eyes, surprising Janes. What did that mean? The world hadn’t ended, it was a bright and sunny day.He called out another magic spell to counter the witch, who was laying waste to his army with her fire magic. He was trying to make it rain, but the crown insisted it would take another thirty minutes. He didn’t have thirty minutes, if he waited thirty minutes the army would be ash.“Ambient radiation levels rising. Stratosphere condition unstable. Seek shelter immediately.”“Shut up you stupid crown,” he said. But the words just flashed again.Then he was pulled down off his horse by his own undead.The crown fell off his head, and the undead bodily threw him over his shoulder. All around the army, the undead were turning on their own army and fighting to disarm their living allies.They succeeded in moments.One by one, the undead turned to ash, until only those who were guarding Janes and his army were left.Abruptly, a brand appeared on the head of every undead corpse. They spoke all at once, from a thousand throats.“The game is over. You win, wife. I cannot best you in time. I surrender the underworld to you. I shall rule above ground. The surface shall be hostile to the living, and all who leave the shelter shall perish.”Then, at once, every undead turned to ash, leaving but a skeleton behind.“Do you surrender?” Regina du Tremenak called.“Never!” Janes called, but one of his advisers covered his mouth.“We do not have the men to win without the undead. With this, we are defeated. We must surrender and plead for mercy.”“But—”“Quarter shall be given,” Regina du Tremenak promised, her voice calling out across the battlefield. “Will you surrender?”“Never!” the boy shouted again.Then someone smacked him on the head and stuffed a gag in his mouth.Just then, the (...)