"He's coming. He would never miss a chance to fight."

Glenin threw his hands up. "Fine. I have no other choice. Prepare yourselves."

Thomas smiled: "Finally, a plan." He pulled Frey and Elero to the side. "So we know what the mages are going to do but what are we going to do?" He looked to former Captain, Frey.

"I think…" Elero cut Frey off. "We should distribute ourselves amongst the lines of defense. If any of us get overwhelmed, we can fall back and rest by a fresh companion. It means we get a few rests in the battle, and can fight more as a result."

"I'd rather stick together as it's best to..." Frey was cut off by Thomas's rumbling stomach.

The young noble lowered his head. "I think I agree with Elero. I'll wait at the first barricade." He rushed off before anyone could stop him. Frey started after him, intending to drag the disobedient speedster back, but the majority ruled.

"He hasn't eaten a proper meal all day," Elero warned.

Frey sighed and rubbed the side of his neck. "He didn't have to go that far. Now that I know what's coming..."

"He'll be back to normal soon enough," Elero shrugged before assuming a strangely pure smile. "The same goes for me."

Frey nodded. "Right. Doevm will take care of it." He twisted his poleaxe around and rubbed at a spot of mud that he hadn't been able to get off all day. No matter how much he fiddled with it, it just wouldn't come off. He clicked his tongue and said hopefully under his breath: "Just like always, he'll take care of everything."

"Soooo did you want to argue otherwise?" Elero asked, disrupting his thoughts.

Frey blinked. "Argue what?"

"I'm going to the second line of defense," Elero made an overly dramatic gesture towards the Watchmen blockade. "You looked unhappy about that so I figured I would ask you...again."

Frey cleared his throat. "Not at all. Sounds good."

"Super. Bye," Elero said. "And make sure to kick the demon king's ass for me." She stepped through the encirclement of Elementals and left line of sight.

"Sure I will," Frey said more to himself than anyone else. "I'll remain at the last line of defense,"

"That may be for the best," Glenin said, startling the giant. "After all, you're the only one who can fight the demon king."

Frey raised an eyebrow before reaching a hand up to his blood-covered hair. "Oh, this. I'm not really him."

"I know," Glenin replied. "I may have only seen you in passing but I'd certainly remember that unique hair color if I saw it."

"Then you must be joking," Frey chuckled. "My friend will take him down, not me."

Glenin stroked his beard: "You seem to misunderstand. Strength does not overcome the power of fate. This friend you spoke of, do you wish to throw him to the wolves? That would make him nothing more than a weapon."

"He's just that strong," Frey argued. "He usually takes care of things for us mortals."

"And if he wasn't?" Glenin insisted. "What would you do then?"

Three doors opened out of the remaining four. The fourth, unopened door was sealed shut. The demons had pushed their assault all the way from the north to the south by circling the mess hall.

Thomas was crouched behind the first wall like a few stray Watchmen while fiddling with his supplies. Elero drew her rapiers with a worried look at her distant friend. Frey mentally prepared himself at the center circle with Elementals at his sides and his poleaxe at the ready.

"All instructors stand back," Glenin warned before the new pairs of mages could replace the old. "The sacrifices end here. We can no longer stall for time."

The instructors gave sighs of relief, but hurried back nonetheless. Of the twenty six that the group had started with, eight remained, only six of which were conscious. Dozens of students breathed in unison. Mana circulated throughout their damaged vessels. Frey couldn't help but glance towards the northern side of the mess hall. 'Come on. You're going to be late at this rate.'

"Wait," Thomas yelled across the expanse.

Glenin raised an eyebrow at the rude youth: "Yes child, what do you require?"

Thomas smiled. "Can you do a spell to-"

"May you cast a spell," Lance corrected.

Thomas rolled his eyes. "May you disguise the instructors as students, so the demons think there aren't any left."

Glenin nodded. "It is indeed possible but what would be the benefits of doing so?" He paused and glanced at the ceiling, still damaged from the beam of energy from earlier. He smiled. "I see. It shall be done." Cracks spiderwebbed through the translucent crystal surrounding the room. He winced. "Get to your stations!"

The setting sun shone its last, purple and orange rays upon the last battlefront, soon to be replaced by a chilling shade. They had done all they could. Defenses were erected. No matter how shabby they may be, it was better than nothing. A plan had been made. With reinforcements yet to appear, they could only wait. Bated breath made the silence suffocating.

The three remaining doors creaked open. Frey almost wished that the sadistic demons had blindly rushed into the open, like stupid animals. It would have made the next moment more bearable. Rolling out of the dark doorways were two dozen human heads - the sacrifices for the greater good. As each of them came to a stop, smoke poured from the small sticks stuffed into their mouths.

"Those bastards," Frey heard a voice behind him before catching the flash of a magic circle at his peripherals, then a few more. A dozen impatient students blindly shot into the smoke.

Great balls of fire illuminated bodies being flung about by the other elements. Pressurized streams cut through torsos. Spikes of earth held the victims up like coat racks. Wind scythes blew back the smoke. It was a trick of course. The obscured visages of humanoids were not a valiant army, but mere lumps of lifeless flesh held aloft by magic.

"Hold your fire! Hold your fire!" Lance had screamed throughout the barrage, yet was only heard when the thundering onslaught of spells had reached its end.

Insidious cackling burst into the room and bared down upon the newbies. "You are worthless," the hundreds of high-pitched voices seemed to say. "Playing in the palm of our hands."

No, the demons were not a group of rapid, blood-thirsty animals, but much much worse.

They hadn't broken into the most important building in the Acrin Kingdom to simply eat and leave.

They came to slaughter, methodically, efficiently.