The men were struck still as they all beheld what had broken through the gate. The statue from within the dwarves’ temple now stood, and moved. The runic inscriptions carved into its granite body shone with power, brightest in its eyes. It held its axe and hammer, the sun reflecting from their burnished golden surface now matted in gleaming gore.

The soldiers began to panic then, floundering for escape as the looming statue raised its mighty weapons to scythe through the mass of men. There were showers of blood, explosions of flesh and bone.

Thael and the others rejoined the battle alongside the giant, crying out in triumph as it crushed the enemy before it. When the last man fell, reaching up for Thael, hands clawing for solace, the statue head bent down over them, light pouring from its eyes. Shercagh knelt, muttering in Grivnyrr, “Your deaths shall be remembered in your glory. Your sacrifice is known to Thrul himself. We rejoice knowing that you are welcome in his halls, so that you will not wander the Voldunak forgotten.”

The statue nodded and trudged onwards.

“What was that… thing?” Ircham said.

“A golem,” Shercagh grunted, getting to his feet with the help of his halberd.

Shen walked over to Jao and Matron Wu. His father was clutching his arm and Thael saw them speak for a fleeting moment. His gaze wandered across the courtyard. Everywhere was scattered flesh, fractured metal, and endless gore. The salty taste of blood was thick in the air. Flies already buzzed with glee, the first to feast before the ravens. Shen returned to them, weary.

“How many Jinnto are there left?” Thael said.

“Enough,” Shen said. “We will follow you to the Minister's Hold. And we will free ourselves in freeing your prince.”

“Let’s move, then.”

They hurried after the golem’s booming steps. The dwarven statue reached the main gate leading to the central district. Flatbow bolts clattered from its flanks as the statue cleaved into the portcullis, denting and rending steel, smashing past the oaken gate beyond. They followed in its wake, the stone giant lumbering through the lines of soldiers, eviscerating all in its path.

Thael, his cadre, and Shen’s Jinnto numbered no more than a few hundred to though the Unsworn were reluctant to harry them in the wake of the golem’s devastation.

The sun was rising as they reached the Minister’s Hold and Thael saw another portcullis barring their way. The fortress loomed over even the dwarven giant. Flatbow bolts dinged from its flanks as it raised its mighty hammer.

Crang!

Crash!

Thael and the others fought on the narrow streets as the giant pounded on the fortress’s doors.

There was a splintering crash and the golem stomped through the gate, burning pitch raining down on it from the castle. They rushed to follow in its steps. Ircham cast his hands out and the men raining down the burning pitch burst into flame. The golem strode through, rending through the ranks of soldiers trapped within the courtyard. It battered through the second gate and rushed towards the ballista facing it now in the garden beyond, stomping through the formation of spearmen that scattered from its path.

“Charge!” Shen screamed. “Protect the Golem! Take the right flank!”

Then Thael saw them. Wrynn scattered throughout the garden, their skeletons burnt to blackened bone.

“Take out the right bolt thrower!” Shen ordered. The Jinnto made quick work of the sparse soldiers. The ballista’s crew was slaughtered, the war machine smashed to bits.

A wall of spearmen two scores in rank now formed between them and the second ballista.

“We let that ballista fire upon the golem and we’ll never reach the tower,” Thael said.

A blanket of darkness swept across the garden, casting all in a strange umber glow. Thael looked up and saw the a vast shadow cast across the sun. The Unsworn gazed skyward with reverence before the first scream came from their ranks. Thael and the others rushed forward. The spearmen were taken apart with ease during the distraction. Ircham had produced a ceramic ball topped with a lighted wick that he threw at the ballista. It erupted with brilliant flame, nearby men screaming as they burned with it.

“Forward!” Thael roared. “Get to the tower!”

The dwarven statue was no longer wreathed in fire. It lumbered through the remaining soldiers, clearing a path to the tower.

Then the wrynn came, a sweeping shadow that dove and rose just as swiftly as it had plunged down. Four dark cloaked figures landed, rolling upon the ground before the golem. The stone giant faced them, slamming its two weapons together with a resounding clang! They attacked from the front, one at each flank, moving with an acrobatic grace. The golem’s blows were now match for their speed. These were not just Wraiths, for Thael saw the black steel masks beneath their shadowed hoods. They were Venatorii. Hunters among hunters. Killers amongst killers.

“Head for the tower!” Thael bellowed, sprinting only to stop to parry and slash through the soldiers in their path.

The Venatorii had broken one of the golem’s arms, though not without sacrifice – one Wraith now lay crushed to the ground. The remaining three circled the golem.

They reached the tower’s entrance. Shercagh hefted his halberd, battering through the padlocked door.

“We will hold,” Shen said, eyeing the Unsworn that were trickling through every flank, his ring of Jinnto caught in bloody melee. “Go! Save the prince!”

Up the spiral steps they ascended. When they reached the door at the top, Thael raised a fist and said, “Hold.” He turned to Ircham, “Scry Oslo. Tell them to reach the High Tower now.”

The man nodded, flipping open his scryer.

Nireih asked, “What will we do, Eilraz?”

“I will go alone. When the wrynn come, and you will hear them, be ready. Then will we end this.”

Thael opened the door.