Lawrence rejoined the battle after returning from the temple, breathing hard from all the running through the hills.

He almost couldn’t believe that she ship hadn’t been discovered yet as it sat silently in the cove just north of the main harbor.

Walking to the front, Lawrence found Commander Arduani directing the battle, giving orders and shouting through the din of the fighting. From what he could tell, the ship her forces were attempting to secure couldn’t be boarded yet with the enemy’s lines so close.

The failed mage approached the commander who was crouched behind a shield bearer—one of the few he’d seen in ages—as a hail of arrows came down into their ranks. When he reached her, he said, “Perhaps you should consider pulling back your command?”

He glanced aside. The emperor wasn’t far off. What was he doing here?

“He insisted,” she said in way of explanation. “There was nothing I could say to convince him otherwise. We need that ship.”

“What can I do to help?”

She glanced toward their lines. “Hukama’s forces are putting up a fierce resistance. They don’t want to make this too easy, it seems. I need you to help thin them out.”

Lawrence surveyed the battle, glanced back at the approaching clouds. He didn’t have a lot of time. If it started to downpour again, he would be nearly useless. “I can do that.”

She gave him a resolute nod and he moved away.

Lawrence had a reserve of magical energies, but he needed another charge. He glanced about and found the archers. He ran to one of their braziers and took hold of the hot metal there. The men watched in shock as he absorbed the elemental energies within, leaving the metal only warm and the coals within completely darkened.

Fully charged and runes glowing brightly, Lawrence turned to the battle. He sprinted toward the fighting lines as he summoned as much power as possible—the energies within him materializing in the palms of his hands.

A raised vantage point would be useful, but not being too close to their battle lines, he thought he could volley the enemy by allowing the fireballs to drop.

Crouching slightly, he released two fireballs in an upward arch. They came back down upon the enemy with explosive destruction. He nodded, and released a full volley across the enemy line and expending every bit of his energies in a flurry of fireballs.

A horn sounded and the Imperial battle lines moved forward as they cut through the remnants of Hukama’s forces.

It’s too easy. Surely they have their own mages? But where are they?

Lawrence glanced toward Commander Arduani who was running past him, at her back a contingent of soldiers rushing forward to secure the ship moored on the docks.

The failed mage did not join her for fear of accidentally setting the ship aflame, though he was nearly drained of all magical energies. He turned in search of more elemental energy to consume.

He wanted to be prepared. Knowing full well that they were springing an enemy trap, he felt something had not yet revealed itself, and evidentially the Knight Commander of the Winged Blades felt the same, as Lawrence realized she left her knights to guard Emperor Kurosawa.