"Those are the conditions?" Sylvie glanced up at the molten orb blotting out the moon. She pointed to it. "Then I can see an immediate problem. Perhaps you should have told me about these conditions before I crafted our battle plans with you as a crucial part of it."

"Well, I cannot reveal the secrets of the Moon Reaver too easily," said Zal with a shrug.

Sylvie sighed, wondering how Zal and Rudaba managed to become one of five platinum ranked adventuring teams in Soleil. Well, she could figure. The Moon Reaver was immensely powerful, even when it was not fully activated, and Zal's skill as a warrior swordsman was undeniable, nor could Rudaba's mastery of healing be scoffed at.

But these two never really seemed to think their steps through, always going about believing fate would set the best path for them. That happy go lucky attitude did irk Sylvie, but she kept her annoyance to a minimum as she thought of the task at hand.

"As a team, Triple Threat has no powerful ranged abilities," said Sylvie. "We have no means of breaking that orb. Rudaba, you are versed in your state's magic, no? Do the priestesses of the moon have any magic powerful enough to shatter that?"

Rudaba shook her head. "I am afraid not. The moon, unlike the sun, is gentle and cold. We heal and nurture. Destruction is not within our capabilities."

"Punching that orb will do nothing. It is molten and will reform. I cannot use Jeanne." Sylvie elocuted her thoughts out loud. "Azhar has no large, flashy attacks that can eliminate the orb in one fell blow. Nor do you, from what I have seen, prince Zal."

Zal nodded. "Were the Moon Reaver active, then I could surely sunder apart this overgrown lizard and its chew toy in one blow. But alas, it is not."

"You need not remind me of what we do not have," said Sylvie as she felt sweat drip down her neck. The heat of the molten orb was growing oppressive, but she did not let that muddle her thoughts.

The original plan was simple.

A scouting party of lesser ranked adventurers had scoped out the rock hydra, and the army generals had determined it needed to be removed for it blocked a crucial mountain pass leading to the western coast where Trieste would provide a much-needed boost of supplies and troops to the main marching army.

The army had long suffered in the Hinterlands for its monsters and environment were far harsher than that throughout most of Soleil. Or rather, it was the adventurers that took the largest brunt of harm, for the armies naturally intimidated most monsters through sheer numbers.

Only the stronger monsters would dare to approach a huge gathering of humans, and these, the adventurers needed to deal with, not only due to their expertise, but also because when it came down to fighting strong monsters, throwing a mass number of inexperienced knights at it was often a horrible plan.

One needed strong individuals, not armies, to take down powerful monsters.

The rock hydra was such an example of a strong monster. By the markings on its scales, it was likely over two hundred years old, having somehow escaped the fall of the Triforge mountains where it once lived to settle here, farther west. It, like dragonkin did, grew stronger with age, and by now, it was an incredibly formidable being.

Azhar knew of its existence for his people, native to the Hinterlands, considered it almost a deity. Azi the Molten, it was called. A guardian of a mountain pass that granted passage only to those that it deemed worthy. But it was impossible for five entire armies to be deemed worthy, and so the order was laid down to eliminate it.

Of the four platinum adventuring teams in all of Soleil, two – Twin Winds and Hex – were resting, with the northern team Ironlink staying to defend their homeland. That left Moonguard comprised of Zal and Rudaba to deal with the hydra, and Triple Threat had gone with them as the strongest gold ranked team capable of standing among platinums without being blown away.

The strategy was simple. Sylvie knew of the hydra's general abilities from the scouting party. She knew its scales absorbed shock and that it was magically attuned, capable of summoning kobold familiars en masse to do its bidding and also stone shape.

Thus, Jeanne would pave the way with her heat resistant body and superb strength, and Azhar, Sylvie, and Moonguard would fan out the kobolds. At a certain point, Jeanne would distract the hydra, and then Zal would eliminate the hydra in one blow with the Moon Reaver.

Sylvie glanced back to Zal and saw him still looking frustrated at his blade, and she crossed out that plan. But no matter. She had contingencies.

She looked down briefly at her necklace. Li's gift to her – but that did not matter right now. She thought of what it could do. By communing with it, she could essentially 'lock in' five weapons to manifest, but once locked in, she could not change them out for a full day.

Currently, she was locked out, and the weapons she had now were all meant for close combat where she excelled. Theoretically, one of the weapons was destructive enough to blow apart the orb but getting close to it was not something she could do without burning up. Nor could Azhar do the same.

She briefly considered whether Azhar could fire the weapon like an arrow, but the specific weapon she needed to use here was a double headed axe that would be impossible to try and shoot.

But Jeanne could easily do it. Sylvie could see a clear plan ahead now.

"Jeanne!" shouted Sylvie. "Retreat backwards! I'm going to give you a weapon – make sure to swing it at the orb!"

"Got it!" replied Jeanne, her voice surprisingly unmuffled despite being a fair distance away. Good vocal cords, though not the greatest at actually singing.

Sylvie looked back at Zal. "Get in position to use the Moon Reaver. The weapon I am giving Jeanne is one time use. If the hydra forms that orb once more, we will not get another chance."

"Understood," said Zal as he picked up the longsword in tense hands, steadying his breath and gaze. Rudaba put a hand on his shoulder, gently giving him some comfort.

But as Jeanne's steps grew closer, something else rushed forwards. It came from above. A flying figure radiating golden light that hovered high above Sylvie, looking down at the battle with sunlight filled eyes.

That figure was utterly unmistakable to quite literally anyone in Soleil, and Sylvie held in a breath as her eyes widened.

It was Sunstar.

But why would the great hero waste his time here?

It was already decided upon that the strongest of the Ascendant Order would limit their exposure to battle to conserve their strength for the demons. This, Sylvie had been somewhat suspicious of, for it felt far more like the heroes were being hidden, and if they were hidden away against something, then were not the common knights and adventurers left to face that very something?

Sunstar, in particular, had mostly been no more than a figure to raise morale, flying above the armies and beaming down a big smile so that he – the shining beacon of hope that had defeated the demons before – could inspire hope.

It worked, and there was not a single instance where he did not draw applause and smiles, and yet, Sylvie could not find comfort in his presence.

"It appears that this dirty creature is troubling you all," said Sunstar, his voice booming and his smile wide as he crossed his muscular arms together, shooting out a fiery stare to the rock hydra. "But by the might of the sun, no more!"