As if the bandits had been expecting it, the moment the adepts made their move, they leapt into action. A wall of swords and shields appeared in front of the charging group, blocking their escape while the other bandits tightened their encirclement.

Barbed arrows, designed to maim more than kill, buzzed angrily through the air as they rained down upon the adepts, drawing their attention and causing them to slow as they were forced to dodge haphazardly towards their goal.

"We can't keep dodging forever, someone's going to get hit!" shouted Alice as she majestically rotated in the air, narrowly missing the two screaming arrows heading towards her.

Having to avoid the arrows that had just missed Alice, as well as a massive fireball that threatened to engulf him, Alec dived to the floor and roared in frustration. "Can't you just create a shield of something! I can't return fire when I have to dance around like a fool."

"We're not bloody earth mages you know." Snapped Claire as she pointed her staff at the rapidly approaching fireballs, destroying them with her own, much more powerful water spike. "A wall of fire or water isn't going to stop a magically enhanced arrow or combat spell."

Being able to run and cast spells was a testament to the skill of the twins however they were already panting heavily as they rapidly approached mana exhaustion from the multitude of spells they had cast. "Two minutes max," whispered Claire, quickly relayed to Bruce via Alice.

Alice raised her arm, releasing an enormous explosion that resulted in a massive shockwave of hot air rising high into the sky, sending the approaching arrows spinning away and allowing the adepts a brief respite. "Best we can do is interfere with the trajectory. If you want them to stop, kill the damn archers."

Using this chance, Alec rapidly released over a dozen arrows that found their marks, causing an equal number of the surrounding bandits to fall lifelessly to the floor. "Archers or the guys going to cut us to shreds.. your choice."

Realising that they were quickly getting exhausted, Bruce let out a deafening roar, abruptly enveloping himself in a dark, red light and charging into the bandits that blocked their path. "We need to get out of here now! ON ME."

An unlucky bandit was sent tumbling into the forest as he smashed heavily with Bruce's shield while another released a penetrating scream as he was split in half with a mighty swing of Bruce's sword.

The bandits faltered slightly before noticing that Bruce was left wide open from his savage attack. Rapidly closing in, they would have killed him if it wasn't for the sudden appearance of Aron. His twin blades sliced through the air leaving trails of crimson blood as he danced around Bruce, enabling him to catch his breath and recover his stance.

Bruce revealed a grateful smile as he regained his stance. "What took you so long?"

"A heads-up on any suicide attacks would be nice in the future." retorted the elf as he ducked the halberd swung at his head and fell back towards the others.

As he covered Aron's retreat, the smile instantly vanished, and Bruce's eyes widened. Leaping backwards abruptly, he let out a panicked shout. "FALL BACK NOW!"

**** BOOM ****

A thunderous explosion erupted at the location where Bruce was standing just moments before, kicking up earth, and a cloud of debris that blanketed the area. The blast wave and shrapnel had caused all of the adepts to fly backwards, high in the air, before crashing into the ground and rolling to a stop.

A lone figure strode out of the dust with a huge smile. "Good instincts boy, you didn't completely fall into the trap, but if that is all you have you might as well give up now." Chuckled the bandit leader as he raised his war hammer and placed it on his shoulder. "Seeing as you have impressed me somewhat, it's only fair I give you the name of the person who leads you to your demise. My name is Athor; please remember it when you meet the abysmal guardian."

Within half a breath the adepts were back on their feet and attempting to regain their formation before Alice let out a shriek. "CLAIRE!"

Bruce had blocked most of the shockwave with his shield, however, Claire had been too far to his right side and taken the full impact. Heavily landing over a hundred yards away, she shakily began to get up and fumble around for her staff.

"Look what I have!" bellowed a female bandit as she leant over and picked up Claire's staff that lay on the edge of the forest. Upon picking it up, a loud hissing noise could be heard and the woman threw the staff back on the floor before cradling her burned hand.

"Haha you idiot, that's a soul weapon, don't pick it up with your bare hands." Roared a man in laughter as he slapped the woman on the back in an over-friendly manner.

"Akir Damn it" Spat Bruce before charging towards Claire. -"Alice would never forgive me if we leave Claire, and without her weapon, she is as defenceless as a kitten in close range."

"Don't let them regroup; As long as we have one, they won't try and escape." Laughed Athor causing bandits to swarm between Claire and the group. "Looks like we can really kick back and have some fun this time."

The bandits that had already surrounded Claire raised their shield and began to approach in a nonchalant manner. “Boss, the girls are quite the lookers. It's been so long since the last... volunteers decided the afterlife suited them better. Why don't you let us have some fun before we take their heads?” yelled one of the men as he was now close enough to get a good look at Claire under the bright moonlight.

“I only need their heads when we see the Empires Commissar so why not, however, if you get killed trying to take them alive, you have no one to blame but yourself.”

Claire, sensing the hesitance of the approaching men as they contemplated how to subdue her, cast a spell causing a fountain of water to propel herself up and over the encirclement before desperately running towards the others that were already bogged down in a furious battle.

The man who had called out gave let out a disgusting laugh before nocking an arrow and firing at Claire who had her back to him.

The arrow hissed through the air before slamming into her thigh, forcing her to let out an ear piercing scream and fall to the floor. A few of the bandits chuckled and jeered at the sound and the thought of their soon to be acquired prize. "Looks like we got ourselves a screamer."

"CLAIRE!" Alice struggled to retain her composure as she began to release a torrent of fireballs at the bandits around her. Smashing the knee of one with her staff. Claire slammed her palm into the man's chest before an explosion shot him flying backwards into his comrades.

"And we have a fighter over here." Bellowed one of the bandits as he revealed a lecherous look and uncaringly stepped over the corpse of his friend. "I love ones with spirit."

The adepts wore grim expressions as various dark thoughts assaulted their minds. This battle was nothing like the training or monster subjugation's they had previously experienced. These were cunning, intelligent opponents that ruthlessly exploited every mistake that made and it was becoming apparent that if something didn't change, they would not be leaving.

Although none would admit it, everyone bar Alice was already contemplating abandoning Claire and making a break for it.

As if sensing the end, countless bandits began pouring out of the forest resulting Bruce's group to be locked in a violent stalemate where each side could not progress without risking serious injury.

The bandits seemed to care little for their comrades. However, they were not stupid enough to be the first to throw themselves towards the Pathfinders especially since they were too close to use their ranged support.

"You have done well. Drop your weapons, and we will give you boys painless deaths.” Growled a scruffy haired beastkin with as he swung his battle axe in an intimidating manner. "There is no shame in your defeat, you have killed more than you will lose and put up a good fight."

"Why do the men get to have all the fun?" called out a middle-aged sounding woman from the forest. "Leave one of the elves for us and maybe when the girls are disposed of, we might remember the favour."

"And I thought you were bad." Joked Aron as he quickly checked over Alec's injuries before the other gave him a disgusted look. "Go to hell, like I am even close to these scum, thinking only of killing and sex."

Bruce, trying to lighten his spirits joined in. "Your right, you only think about sex bit."

Alice was too busy trying to see through the horde of bandits to check if her sister was still OK to join in the conversation, but the lustful looks of the approaching men sent a chill down her spine.

After casting a few water spikes to gain some space, Claire ripped the arrow out of her thigh, and her reptilian eyes started to glow a dark blue colour.

Releasing her humanoid transformation, Claire let out an angry hiss as her trousers were torn to shreds. The dust that was throw into the air by the sudden change concealed her completely causing the bandits to retreat thinking she was about to launch another attack.

Like a bolt released from a crossbow, she shot out of the dust cloud and slithered her way towards the others. Her waist bent at impossible angles to match the smooth, elegant movement of her long snake-like lower half. Her beautiful, azure scales reflected the moonlight causing most of the surrounding men to fall into a temporary trance, enabling her to approach the her group with ease.

Athor sucked in a mouthful of cold air before revealing a lustful gaze before licking his lips. "Lamia!... I didn't think I would find one this far north and by the looks of it, I have the luck of finding twins."

With the new found speed of her reptilian body, Claire sped towards the others, weaving amongst the enchanted bandits as if she was one with the wind.

Only twenty yards and a couple of dozen bandits away from the others, the bright moonlight overhead suddenly dimmed causing her to look up and let out a snort of disbelief. -"A beastkin shouldn't be able to catch up to a lamia on flat ground."

What Claire forgot in her estimations was that the weaving in and out of the bandits had considerably decreased her speed and also made her path easy to predict.

Claire released a howl of agony as Athor smashed into the ground beside her and impaled her tail with a heavy metal spear, pinning her to the floor.

"Now I have to say I find Lamia quite the delicacy, so I'm afraid you are going to have to wait here until I have dealt with your friends. Don't worry too much; I will spare the one who appears to be your sister... I will need an extra for when you break." chuckled Athor as he rubbed his nose in delight.

Throughout the entire event, since she found out that Mors was not with them, Claire had been battling against the despair and darkness that wanted to overwhelm her. Now she was badly wounded, completely out of mana and pinned to the floor by some depraved brute who intended to do God knows what with her, she released a wail of utter hopelessness and started sobbing focusing on the only thing that could have changed their situation.

"Mors... why? *Sob* I thought we were friends? *Sob* why? Why did you abandon us? Why did you abandon me?... I... I liked you... Mother... Father, I am sorry."

Her heartfelt cries, carried by the wind, radiated out into the forest as if carried by some unknown force.