In theory Elmidath’s tent, positioned slightly away from the rest of the camp, made for an excellent place to launch our ambush from. However, peeking through small gaps in the fabric, we determined they weren’t heading for the rest of the camp. They were heading for us. For better or worse, we did at least confirm they were Tertiums. We could see a dozen of them, with probably more hidden from our limited vantage point.

I was beginning to think this hadn’t been such a good plan after all but there was nothing for it now. We’d just have to see things through to the end. That, or die. Taking into consideration the sheer number of the terrible beasts around us, the latter seemed much more likely. Huddled in the dark, waiting, I was acutely aware of Elmidath’s breathing. Rapid and shallow, there was a frantic edge to it. Or maybe that was just my own.

I waited until the leading Tertium was within a few paces of the tent and tapped Elmidath on the shoulder, signalling that it was time. Hands tight around the hilt of my sword, I burst out into the night. Before the Tertium had a chance to rise and defend itself, I stepped in and delivered a great, diagonal cut. My hands shuddered as the blade bite deep, encountering bone and deflecting off.

Howling in pain and outrage, the creature fell to the ground. I wrenched my blade free as it collapsed. Paying the body no further mind, I stepped around it and moved toward the next in line. Much as I would have preferred to stand and defend the tent, that could only lead us being surrounded and dying where we stood. It was only by pressing the attack and wiping out or routing them before they could recover that we had a chance.

The second Tertium was well aware of my presence by that point and was ready for me by the time I came within range. I tried another cut but it stepped back out of range. It stomped the ground, feinting a rush and I withdrew. Keeping the tip of my sword point toward the creature, I stood my ground, expecting it to advance. But, circling and shuffling in place, it showed no signs of doing so. What was it waiting for? Figuring that I must be missing something, I glanced out of the corner of my eye. The other Tertiums had fanned out around the tent and were advancing in a loose line.

Elmidath, going the other way had also slain one but it was clear we were going to be surrounded. Our ambush had done little to surprise or disorientate the attackers. I suppose it was to be expected when they were aiming for us from the start. And what of the Vorisen’s soldiers? There were still no signs of activity from the rest of the camp. Had they betrayed us and left during the night somehow? Whatever was going on, there was no point being defensive at all anymore. I may as well go all out before we were mobbed by our foes’ superior numbers.

Springing toward the Tertium I was facing off with, I activated Shotensho’s magic and swung again. The beast tried to step back again but I followed right along with it, pressing the attack. Little more than the tip struck home, leaving only a minor wound, but it was enough to freeze the Tertium’s arm. Frozen arm dangling useless at its side, my opponent reached for me only to stop dead in its tracks. Its skin had already turned pale as the ice spread across its body. I wasn’t sure if it was dead or just unconscious but either way it was locked in place.

I’d made a good accounting of myself so far but now the bulk of the enemy had reached us and the time for straightforward duels was over as the battle degenerated into chaos. The Tertiums rushed forward, grabbing and slashing at me with their claws from all sides. I whirled my blade in wide arcs, both cutting and creating ice in a desperate attempt to stave them off. And, for the most part, it worked. I took a few cuts and bruises, and it was obvious I couldn’t keep this up for long, but they weren’t willing to brave the flurry of ice and steel.

It seemed they were content to wait and wear me down over time… which meant they must be here for Elmidath alone. Much as I would have liked to have looked for her, I hadn’t a moment to spare. I didn’t even know which direction she was in anymore, the disarray around me was too complete for me to retain a sense of where everything was. My awareness had narrowed to just what was immediately relevant to my survival.

The horn blast that sounded from nearby, however, cut through my mental blocks. It seemed to catch the Tertiums by surprise as well, as the ones around me hesitated. My opponents and I turned to stare as one as tents fell away to reveal Primis soldiers in full armour. A handful of them stopped to fire crossbows, while the others charged toward us with their weapons drawn.

The Tertiums around me were slow to react, threatened on both sides they weren’t sure which way to turn. A voice cut through their confused, guttural mutterings. I didn’t understand what it said but the Tertiums formed up and hurled themselves at the approaching force. They were gone before I had a chance to strike again, ignoring my presence completely. Letting the Primis deal with them, I sought out the voice that had commanded the Tertiums. Whoever they were, they had to be the commander. The very person we’d come here to kill.

I spotted them, a taller thinner Tertium with the same thick pelt as the others, in the group surrounding Elmidath. Covering her back with the shield ring, she was using a mass of sharp tendrils, formed from her blood, to lash at any of the Tertiums who approached from the front.

I shouted to her, trying to make myself heard over the sounds of combat. “I’m coming to you!”

It was hard to say if she heard me or not as she was rather occupied at the moment but I decided to risk it. I vanished and popped back into reality right beside her. No blow came, it seemed she’d gotten my message. Shifting her stance to accommodate me, Elmidath glanced over. “You should have just used the link.”

Oh, right. In the heat of the moment I’d forgotten all about it. Now that the two of us were together, the Tertiums looked uncertain. Their leader bellowed something and they came on again, hurling themselves at us bodily. There was no caution anymore, they attacked us with reckless abandon. I cut a deep channel into the first to come at me but before I could extract my blade another slammed into my side. Thick claws hooked into my flesh and dragged me to the ground.

I lost sight of Elmidath in the struggle that followed but I heard her cry out. Conjuring more ice from my blade, I put an end to my foe and got up. It was a struggle; the creature’s claws had dug long channels through my flesh and moving was agonising. I would have been easy prey had any of the Tertiums bothered with me but they were too focused on Elmidath. By the time I finally got upright, all I could do was watch as one of the Tertiums got inside Elmidath’s reach and went for her throat.

She managed to duck enough so that it only caught her on the shoulder, but the creature’s maw got a firm hold and locked on. Shaking its head violently, it tore a chunk of flesh free and spat it on the ground. Elmidath screamed, and the blood lash protruding from her gauntlet lost cohesion. She was still standing but helpless to defend herself.

Staggering toward her, I swung Shotensho like a baseball bat as the Tertium who’d bitten her went to finish the job. The rusted blade tore through its vertebrae and, spasming, it died. The sudden movement sent a fresh wave of agony through my body and I lost my footing. A pair of Primis soldiers broke free of the skirmish and raced toward us, cutting down another two Tertiums in short order. The remainder began to break and run. All except for their leader, who went straight for Elmidath. He swept me aside with one powerful arm as I moved to bar his way and bore down on the reeling Demon Lord.

Seeing that there was no way I could get up and make it back in time, I teleported my prone body to Elmidath. Hopefully I could at least trip him up. But I appeared adjacent to his path rather than in it. With no time to get my sword in position, I dropped it and grabbed his leg with both arms. It felt like trying to hold back a bull but it was enough to make him stumble.

A wild swing of the Tertium’s arm connected with my head and my vision went white. Blinking away stars, I fumbled for my sword but couldn’t seem to find it anywhere. Frantic, I watched as Elmidath stepped into a great swipe of the Tertium’s claws. In the same instant as the claws ripped into her, she transformed her spilt blood into rigid spikes which sprung out to impale the warlord.

Time seemed to come to a standstill as they stood motionless in their grisly embrace. Transfixed throughout their body, the Tertium was quite dead while Elmidath was only being held upright by the spikes. When her foe staggered, she went with them. My head had cleared a little and I got up in time to catch her before she fell. I cradled her in my arms and looked into her eyes.

Her eyelids flickered, only a slit of her black and red eyes showing. Between shallow, laboured breaths she managed two words. “We won.”

With the barest suggestion of a smile, she closed her eyes and went limp.