Ransom’s dual sword and dagger combo flashed like silver streaks of lightning, both weapons impacting uselessly against their scales and rusted armor as he pushed his way through to regroup with Aichlan and the others. Behind him, Alice attempted to keep pace as she flung lightning spells at the creatures that turned their hungry sights upon her.

“A little help would be—” Alice suddenly stumbled with a shriek, falling face first into a rut.

Ransom stopped with a curse and engaged the lizard he sought to escape in combat. The contest quickly turned to a stalemate, and he settled on plunging his dagger into the creatures exposed eye before doubling back for Alice.

As he held out his hand to help her up, a surprisingly well-preserved corpse wearing a pre-collapse uniform of Duvachellé burst through the ground before him. Ransom leapt back with a startled gasp, nearly dropping his sword as he hit the mud.

Alice forced herself upright and sent a barrage of ice shards from her palm, impaling the corpse in the back as well as two approaching lizards. Ransom stood with a nod of thanks as he drew his spare dagger, only to fall back on his ass as Kielan blazed a flaming trail between them.

* * *

Kielan charged through the ranks like an all-consuming fire, cutting down and cremating all who crossed his murderous path. Fiora struggled to match Aichlan kill for kill as they cut their way through the dead in pursuit of Kielan, soon however, realization dawned upon her that they had been intentionally separated and surrounded. As she turned to inform Aichlan of their predicament, a blonde lamia slithered between them and wrapped Aichlan’s legs in her coils from behind before drawing him into her constricting embrace. He raised his sword to hack away at her serpent half when she opened her mouth and sung a hauntingly sweet, lilting tune.

Fiora looked on in terror as his sword arm went limp and his head lolled, a baffling look of orgasmic bliss upon his face. Fiora leapt onto the serpent’s body and plunged her sword into the woman half’s abdomen, as she attempted to wrest him free of the monster’s grasp. The woman screamed and hissed as her wound gushed forth viscous green blood.

Having no luck in breaking her embrace, Fiora gripped her blade with both hands and drew it up and out, decapitating the temptress on the backswing. Free of her enchanted song and gaze, Aichlan hacked his way free, as he struggled to catch his breath, eventually collapsing.

“Are you alright?”

Aichlan nodded and forced himself up. “Fine Fiora. Thanks.”

He cast a longing gaze to the creature’s corpse and shuddered. Perplexed, Fiora approached the creature to examine it closer. Despite having a snake for legs, the creature had wide, motherly hips and full breasts leaking milk. Fiora turned back to Aichlan, who looked genuinely distraught.

“What did she do?”

“Showed me things.” Aichlan said distantly.

Aichlan leapt to his feet and dashed over, driving his sword into the chest cavity of the creature.

“This is some fever dream…” Aichlan muttered as he drew his blade from between the creature’s breasts. “I’m dying and this is a hallucination. That’s the only explanation.”

“Aichlan?” Fiora called with more than a hint of anxiety.

She swung her blade, rag dolling a corpse that had shambled over, and scanned the battlefield for the others. The crack of lightning rang out at steady intervals, though Alice was nowhere to be seen. Fiora turned back to check on Aichlan, only to find another lamia, this one raven haired with the lower half of a viper, poised to take a bit out of her. Before Fiora could let loose a final, terrified scream, Aichlan shoved her out of the way and forced his sword down the creature’s throat before it could let loose its song. He turned a cold gaze to Fiora, covered in blood and grime, looking very much like the creatures they fought. He held out his hand to her, which she hesitantly took, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

“Have you ever encountered such creatures?” Fiora asked breathlessly.

“Only in stories and fairy tales, for such creatures to exist is an impossibility.” Aichlan replied with little conviction.

“Could it have something to do with the Black Gate? Could Osric have—?”

“We shall discuss the matter another time Fiora!” Aichlan snapped as he ducked a wild swing from a corpse.

He swept the legs from under his opponent and planted his sword in its chest. Fiora cried out in pain as she took a slash across her bare midriff, in her haste, she had failed to don any protective mail beneath her iron-scale halter. Not deep enough to be life threatening, she dispatched of her foe and continued on, gritting her teeth and ignoring the pain.

A nearby maelstrom drew several undead soldiers into its vortex before ejecting them in random directions. A horizontal blade of concentrated wind cut through another rank immediately afterwards. Fiora quickened her pace as she approached Alice and a wounded Ransom, clutching his stomach. Alice bled from several cuts and nicks but was otherwise all right.

Fiora called out to the mage and half ran, half hobbled over to join her. She stopped short as several lizard creatures and a demon wolf blocked her path and closed in menacingly. Alice called out a spell, and a sinkhole opened up in front of Fiora, swallowing her would be attackers in an instant.

“Let me see your wound!” Aichlan called as he raced past the still stunned Fiora.

The blood seeping from between Ransom’s fingers was like a fountain. He let go of his stomach with a pained expression and he decapitated one enemy and stabbed another. Unlike Fiora’s, his wound was life threatening.

“Alice! Where’s Clarissa?” Aichlan blocked an oncoming blow for Ransom as the mercenary tried to wrap his wound with a strip of his cloak.

Alice raised a wall of mud and clay as she panted, struggling to catch her breath before she shrugged in response.

“Hey! Are you alright?” Aichlan demanded as he took out another corpse.

Alice waved her hand weakly; she looked ready to pass out at any moment. “Fine. I’ll be…”

“Damnit! Fiora! Take care of Alice! I’m going to find Eth and Clarissa!”

“Make it quick!” Fiora called as she blocked a dual sword strike.

Aichlan looked over the merc and Alice with trepidation. Ransom would not last long at this rate of blood loss; and multiple castings could prove fatal for the caster, especially for a novice like Alice. Fiora nudged him, looking for direction. If he had a plan, it needed to be enacted now. Aichlan quickly scanned the battlefield and took off in Kielan’s general direction.

“Forget it! I’ll be fine without the bitch!” Ransom called as he made a show of felling three foes.

That the effort caused him to collapse into the mud, told another story, however. Off in the distance, Fiora caught sight of Ashe as she leapt into the air and brought her hammer down with an explosion of dirt, flames and bodies. Aichlan fought his way towards her.

* * *

“Ashe!” Aichlan called out.

Ashe looked up at him, her apron was torn, and she had a wound on her brow. She wiped the blood from her eyes as he approached; it was a nasty looking gash at her hairline.

“Where’s Eth?”

She swung her hammer and crushed two corpses, which sent them tumbling into a third. He glanced back, Alice’s clay shield was crumbling fast, but Fiora and Ransom managed to continue fighting off the horde that seemed to spring up out of nowhere.

“He went after Kielan, and that purple haired guy went after the girl!”

Aichlan swore as he was struck from behind, fortunately the blow failed to penetrate his mail. He turned and hacked away at his foe before pausing to scan the battlefield for signs of Eth or Kielan again. A wall of flame shot across the field, sending charred corpses skyward. Kielan stopped midair at the head of the column of flames; he clutched a shrieking lamia by the throat, as flames swirled at his feet. He placed a foot on the serpent tail and tore the human half from the snake, drenching himself in emerald blood. He flung the top half into the fray before he blasted off again on a plume of fire.

“There’s Kielan.” Ashe pointed out indifferently.

The sight of Eth’s sword as he launched enemies skyward caught Aichlan’s attention next. With a blast of fire, he shot himself into the air after them, and diced the corpses and lizards in the air.

“There!” Aichlan cried as he pointed Ashe in Eth’s direction. “We need to get there. Now.”

Ashe raised her hammer overhead and brought it crashing down, the impact created a fissure down to the bedrock. Flames burst forth as a path was created to Eth and a very startled Clarissa.

“By the Dawn!” Aichlan swore as he took a startled step back.

The ground continued to shake for several moments after Ashe lifted her hammer, panting slightly, the effort of rupturing the soil having taken some of her strength. Her display of power left Aichlan stunned, as was the wide-eyed Clarissa across the rift.

“Oi!” Ashe called, and pointed to Clarissa. “Bring ‘er o’er here!”

Eth cut down a few soldiers before he slung Clarissa over his shoulder and used a jet of flames to propel himself over the rift. He set her down, and upon seeing Ashe’s cut, Clarissa embraced The Dawn to perform a healing.

“No! Fiora and the other’s first!” Aichlan grabbed her by the arm and tugged at her to follow him.

Clarissa released the light and allowed herself to be led over to Fiora, Ransom and a now unconscious Alice. Clarissa ran to Ransom, who had fallen to one knee, delirious from fever and loss of blood.

“I’ll be damned.” He croaked. “Thought you’d be the first in line to watch me bleed out.”

“Shut zee ‘ell up Ransom.” She sighed with irritated concern as she embraced The Dawn.

The fighting had finally slowed.

“What happened to Alice?” Aichlan asked as he kneeled beside her.

Fiora tried desperately to revive her friend, to no avail. “I don’t know! She cast a lightning spell and just collapsed! I would be dead if it weren’t for her!” Fiora began to sob openly as she could no longer hold back her fears and emotion.

Aichlan swore and knelt down to check on Alice. She was still breathing fortunately, though shallow and labored.

“Eth, go after Kielan, I’ll look after Clarissa.” Ashe opened her medicine pouch as Eth took off after Kielan.

“Why is Alice on the ground? Is she hurt?”

Aichlan stood and placed his sword to Séverin’s throat as he approached. “It’s about time you explained who you really are, and your purpose here.”

Séverin raised his hands in annoyance; his eyes probed Aichlan’s own with their cold, murderer’s gaze. Aichlan returned the stare, unperturbed.

“She cast a spell and just fell over!” Fiora finally spoke, breaking the tension somewhat.

“The fool! She depleted her spirit!” Séverin made a move to approach her, but Aichlan reminded him of his sword.

Séverin glared at him, his ruby eyes full of loathing. “Would you rather have her death on your conscience?”

“Please Aichlan! If he can save Alice…!” Fiora’s tears mixed with blood and grime, making for a pitiful sight.

Aichlan hesitated, trying to glean if Séverin had any ulterior motives, but could not. The man had the look of someone truly concerned, but the underlying viciousness remained. Aichlan lowered his sword upon finding no other option, and Séverin rushed to Alice’s side, as he produced his flask.

“Asketillian magic draws on the user’s spirit or aura. Those just starting out on their chosen path have relatively weak and untrained auras. Her aura was particularly strong for a beginner; I figured she would be alright…” Séverin massaged Alice’s neck and tilted her head as he poured the elixir down her throat.

“At this stage, the potion will only serve to revive her. Her spirit will replenish overtime, or she can make another batch to do it more rapidly.”

“How do you know so much about magic?” Aichlan asked, his suspicion not yet dispelled.

“My brother attended Asketill, he often overexerted himself and I was shown how to revive him. It also serves to boost the vitality of non-mages as well, sort of like a draught of energy.” Alice coughed and sputtered, pushing the flask away.

“Tastes like rubbing alcohol!” She spat before Fiora smothered her in an embrace and wept anew.

“It’s a cheap vodka base, perhaps next time you won’t be so reckless.” Séverin chastised as he wiped the sweat from his brow on the back of a dirty sleeve.

“I thought I could handle it.” Alice said sheepishly.

“What are you, a yellow, orange?”

“Green actually.” Alice responded with as much pomp as she could muster.

“My brother was a blue before he could cast third tier spells consecutively and wore the violet sash of an instructor for two semesters before he attempted fourth tier spells.”

Clarissa finished her work on Ransom and began to heal Fiora’s cuts. The sounds of battle had ceased, and the plasma storm overhead began to dissipate. Alice seemed to be physically all right, if not a bit pale (more so than usual) and Aichlan was eager to get underway before more of those fiends showed up.

“We should press on.” Aichlan wiped his brow; the heat was more oppressive than before. “I don’t wish to encounter more of the same should these creatures make another appearance.”

Eth approached and dropped the supplies at his feet. “Kielan’s got the rest.”

“Well, where is ‘e? I want to make sure ‘e isn’t injured.” Clarissa finished Fiora and moved on to Alice.

“His wounds ain’t the physical kind. Jus’ let ‘im be. Needs some time to ‘is self is all. But what ‘bout this eh?”

Eth gestured to the corpse-strewn battlefield, full of undead and beings said no longer to inhabit this realm, if they ever did.

“Why are we fightin’ myths all o’ the sudden? And who the hell is this guy?” Eth aimed an accusing finger at Séverin, his other hand on his sword.

Séverin stood and brushed the dirt and grime away as best he could. “I suppose that if a bond of trust is to be established, further deception would be meaningless. My name is Séverin Miroshnik; I work for the throne of Sarevon as an intelligence gatherer and queller of disputes from beyond the public eye.”

“A spy and assassin. How am I not surprised yet still utterly furious.” Alice said angrily as she tried to stand. “You lied to us!”

“I assure you, Xanavene is not responsible for these attacks. Osric is, and him alone. He murdered the Royal Family and now uses the military to accomplish his own agenda.” He finished calmly.

“You expect me to believe that? I saw the black flag of Xanavene flying high when they marched upon Arlien! When they ignored the rules for engagement and mercilessly slaughtered everyone and cast them into the bloody Tear! You cannot tell me—”

“But I am telling you.” Séverin looked Aichlan directly in the eyes, his expression emotionless. “I know your opponent better than anyone else.”

“And how is that?” Ashe asked as she edged over to Aichlan to calm him.

“Because he is my brother.”

They stood in stunned silence; here stood the brother of the man responsible for all of Aichlan’s troubles. His death, Renata’s death, the death of all he knew and held dear. Ashe placed a reassuring hand on his trembling sword arm, as if she sensed his intent.

“I did not deceive you for the purpose of subterfuge. I, disagree, with my brother’s methods. However, at one point I did believe his cause was just. Somewhere in between his mind became warped and he enacted this elaborate scheme.”

“Just? Who knows what unspeakable horrors he ‘as unleashed when ‘e opened zee Black Gate! Not to mention zee countless lives destroyed and desolation left in ‘is wake!” Clarissa pounded each point into Séverin’s chest with her fist.

She seemed the most hurt of all of them for some reason, but Aichlan did not have the frame of mind to question why. He was too enraged to even speak. This man stood before them and defended that monster! Kin or not, it was inexcusable.

“As I said, he has lost his senses along the way. There is no way you could live the life that I, or even yours Clarissa; and not be taken in by his, ideals. I cannot excuse my role in atrocity, but I can prevent further loss if I were to reach Rhode.” His tone had become truly apologetic at her display.

“Yeah, what’s in Rhode?” Ransom said with a sneer.

“I don’t know, but whatever it is, Osric is after it.”