“What are they?” Alex whispered absentmindedly.

The mob were inching towards them with mob pitchforks and swords in hand. But what shocked him was that the locals weren’t humans! They had the body of ferocious cats on legs! They had long faces with long manes and long tails with tufts on the end.

“It’s the catfolk!” he heard a mage hiss.

Alex stayed fixed. He thought he was ready to face whatever was waiting for him beyond the portal, but he wasn’t ready.

These ‘catfolk’ were obviously waiting in ambush. As soon as the first mages teleported, they must have been attacked by the mob!

Alex took a count of their numbers. There were only eight mages left standing. Four of the combat mages of Brazen Outcomes were already dead, and two more were sporting nasty looking wounds. On the other hand, there were at least a hundred of the catfolks!

“Get back!” Captain Zevin barked. Alex felt a large hand grab his shoulder and shove him back before he could blink.

Alex stumbled back to the ground, just as a catman rushed at his with a sword in hand. The catman stumbled forward missing the target. Captain Zevin didn’t hesitate. He immediately struck the attacker the wall to their side. The Captain didn’t stop and followed up with another elbow to the catman’s neck.

A loud crack echoed and the assailant slumped against the wall and laid dead.

“Don’t blank out,” Captain Zevin said with a frown picking up the dead catman’s sword.

Alex nodded in shock and quickly pulled himself up.

“There must be something,” he murmured under his breath.

The market-square was in complete chaos. Stalls and shops at the burnt at the side while the ground was red with corpses.

He had somehow ended up in the middle of a riot, instead of the safety of the castle. The castle was visible before him, looming behind the angry mob!

The stone structure looked so enticingly close. Its large walls rising high up into the sky.

“Nekya, where are your people?” Alex barked at the auburn-haired girl. Although she too was covered in grime and dirt she looked to be unharmed as well.

The catpeople were obviously prepared, lying in wait, for them. The first of the Brazen Outcomes had passed through the Wormhole must have been carved up by the mob as soon as they arrived!

“I-I don’t know! Devin was supposed to keep this place under complete control!” Nekya shook her head. The Worlder looked equally shaken as he was.

“Who’s Devin now?” Alex asked with narrowed eyes. The expedition was in horrible shape. The question on his mind was who was at fault.

They didn’t arrive at the castle. The Leypoint wasn’t under their control. Even the locals weren’t human! Everything Nekya had told him of the place was inaccurate.

“Devin? He’s my retainer here in Gypsum,” she replied quickly. “I think those out there are his people”

Alex looked to where she had pointed. A few catpeople lay dead near the platform where he teleported, all clad in identical black cloaks.

“Are you sure?” he asked, to which Nekya nodded yes. He looked up at the castle again and added, “Is Devin still at the castle?”

If there were loyalist locals posted here, Devin could still be an ally. Alex saw a ray of hope.

The mages slowly inched back – it was the only choice they had.

“I don’t know.” Nekya looked up at the castle and shook her head and repeated, “I really don’t know!”

Alex gave up on her for the moment. He looked around frantically. Something had to be done. They had to reach the castle.

They were cornered, with their backs to a dead-end street. The remaining Brazen Outcomes had somehow scavenged pieces of wood and steel that they had fashioned into makeshift weapons. It kept the enemy at bay for the moment, but it wouldn’t be enough.

The combat-mages formed a protective line around them.

Alex felt completely useless here. Even with his magic, he would have been of little help. But Nekya’s few bits of information were turning prophetic. It took time for a mage to adjust to the mana of a new world. In fact, the stronger the mage the longer it would take.

He held a palm up and tried to cast [Flair].

It was an emergency spell every mage learnt. All it did was shoot a beam of light high up into the sky.

Alex hoped he could maybe cast a weaker spell and catch the eye of someone at the castle. But nothing, the spell didn’t work. It would take him at while before his mana was restored, he assessed.

“How much time do you need to use your mana again?” Alex asked the closest combat-mage.

The combat-mage paused. Then gave a quick glance. He replied, “It will be at least a day, sir.”

Alex shook his head, this wouldn’t do. The natives probably hadn’t realized they were magic-less, but it was only a matter of time.

They couldn’t wait this out hoping the natives wouldn’t figure it out, or praying the retainer, Devin, would realize something was amiss and send his men.

“Captain Zevin,” Alex called, “we need to send someone to the castle. Call for reinforcements.”

The large mercenary shot him a glance but stayed silent.

“You think there are still mages there?” he asked.

Alex nodded, “Nekya thinks it’s possible.”

“Lieutenant Venessa, take both of them,” Captain Zevin barked, “If you find reinforcements send them immediately. Otherwise, take both the package and lie low. Wait for your chance and head for Leypoint.”

Alex stood in silence to the side. A pang of guilt hit him. The mage he thought was an incompetent jerk had already saved his life once. But now he was sending him to safety prepared to die.

Lieutenant Venessa looked at the Captain for a moment before slowly nodding her head. With a resolved nod, she said, “Yes Captain.”

“Make sure their families are paid what they deserve, eh?” Captain Zevin chuckled looking at Nekya.

Lieutenant Venessa quickly backed away from the rest of the Brazen Outcomes and joined him at the back. She looked at the two of them and spoke, “Come with me!”

***