11. NEVERMORE (V)

Before he had even approached the pitch-black opening, Sarral heard a low, anguished cry.

His advancing steps suddenly hesitated. There was no other reason—he had recognized who the voice belonged to. But it did not fit his impression of that man. The "Bone Nest" Selephis he knew was a man of extreme few words, outstandingly so even among the Raven Guard.

"Move." The sword-wielding madman warned him. "We don't have much time left."

Suppressing his anger, Sarral stepped into the darkness.

The first thing he saw was Selephis lying on the ground, covered in blood. The latter was completely unaware of their arrival, doing nothing but howling and screaming without pause.

Strangely, though nothing restrained him, he lay there stiffly as if unable to move, as though only his pale head remained alive.

The sight made the Apothecary frantic with worry. Instinctively, he moved to examine Bone Nest's condition, but the madman struck him with the flat of his sword, sending him stumbling back again and again with astonishing force.

"Don't go near him!" he growled, then gave another order. "Keep moving."

Sarral steadied himself with both fists clenched. Before the man's eyes, he slowly released his right hand, then gripped the combat knife at his waist.

"No," he said, staring directly into the lenses of his helmet.

"I told you, we don't have much time left." The swordsman's voice was cold. "If you want to put on this brotherly devotion act, I have no objection, but now isn't the time."

Gritting his teeth, Sarral said word by word, "I only want to know what happened to him."

"He went mad. It's that simple."

"Why?"

A sneer came from behind the distinctive helmet of the MK3. The long sword was sheathed, and the madman raised a hand to remove his