“Hold!” Luce shouted, her throat coarsening from giving directions. She was taught to shout from her lungs when commanding troops during her time as a Titan Hunter, but she had never gotten that trick down pat.

They had rode out into the field and intercepted the golems' path and were faced with them from running distance as night engulged them.

Once more, she yelled, “Ice over!”

The two hydromancers ran forward towards the pair of towering golems, circuits on their arms glowing bright teal. Buoyant snowfall had carpeted the ground in a thin cotton fluff of white, kicked up by the charging rangers in puffs as if dandelion seeds bursting into flight. Light from the stars in the night sky glittered in slight reflection over evening dew. With sweeps of their arms, the hydromancers froze the stretch of ground before the golems in a cold snap.

With each earth pounding, ground shaking, ice shattering steps, the golems made their way across the land, breaking apart the frostbitten ground with ease. When all eight of their feet are on the patch of ice, Luce gave the attacking order.

“Cover them!”

Misti and her partner terramancer pulled at the earth, their circuits glowing a dark brown in the black night. With forced jabs at the empty air, large chunks of dirt flew to and slapped themselves over the body of the respectively targeted golems as extra layers of earthen armour. A sole aeromancer stood between the two Titans. With channelled wind, she summoned a spiralling up-draft of strong tornading current.

“Fire!”

She raised her rifle, and joined by the line of rangers with high impact weapons of hand cannons and grenade launchers, fired away. They aimed low as their shots angled upwards from the aeromancer's gale, curving through the air. The two pyromancers joined the assault with high explosive fireballs that soared and curved towards their targets, lighting up their surrounding like tiny Twins. The spells hit after the initial firing squad, exploding into dispersing embers and sparks.

Dust cleared, flames vanished, and the night returned to a beating peace drummed by the steps of the siege golems. Knocked off the path of ice from the heavy bombardment, the golems continued their undaunted march as if they had simply been slightly pushed by a passer-by on the streets.

“Luce!” Misti approached with heavy pants. “I don't think we're going to make it.”

The leader of the Titan Rangers looked back towards the town, glowing lamps and torches dotting the stretch. The builders of the earth wall was reinforcing the far end of the town, doing their best to secure the last few buildings in the way.

Luce said, “We're almost there.”

They had been repeating the freezing and pushing process for three hours, executing the manoeuvre over a couple dozen times, moving just a dozen steps westward each attempt. They had pushed the Titan's two third the way out of the path of the town.

“Just a little more and we can clear the outskirts.”

Misti argued, “But the mages are tired.” She pointed to the worn out rangers, some bent over against their knees.

The golems were stalking past them. The longer they rested, the less time they had to continue the push and less effective each of their hits were at angling them away. Luce stepped up before her team and the pyromancers intuitively produced two floating balls of flames as sources of light, casting flickers across her face; Shines off her golden hair; Glitters off her sweat.

“We are Titan Rangers. We swore that we would protect the sanctity of life, especially those of Titans, the ones who can protect themselves.” She held the barrel of her rifle and forcefully jabbed the butt into the ground for emphasis. “But what is the point of protecting just a segment of life?”

She pointed back towards the town. “These buildings are the livelihood of the people that lives there and I will not rest until I save all that I can! What say you?”

The rangers roared back, punching their weapons and arms up to the air. She was not sure when she became the effective communicator she was. Luce had always just said what was on her mind and somehow, people tended to follow. Somehow, she ended up leading.

Luce continued, “We'll work in cycles. Mages, take turns where you can. Everyone else, alternate between firing and ammunition runs. Instead of timed attacks, we will fire at will for as long as possible and keep the pressure up.”

Another affirmative yell from the group rang through the night. The Titan Rangers reaffirmed to move.

***

Adelaide who hid within the shadows of the vine laden canopies of the northern trees, looked to the walls of Everwind and pass them to The Tower in the shining distance. Golden light danced around the city, reflecting off bronze pilings and copper beams. Steam rose from the power plant next to The Tower. A blimp slowly ascended from the hoverfield to the east, tardily floating into the vast void of space.

She said aloud, “I bet I could hit Light from here with my arrows if I tried.”

From below, meld within darkness itself, Nadier replied, “He'll see it coming. Unless you could teleport the arrow his face. But even then, he can enter hyperspace and just dodge it then. Also, it's honestly a little far, even for you.”

Near them, Miguel slept against the trunk of another tree deeper in the forest. The Watcher sat in a small clearing studying the stars. As recently as a quarter a season ago, she would not have expected to be in the company of a human, hume, and dark elf at the same time.

As she thought of her companions, her mind wandered back to Luncinda. “I wonder how the Titan Rangers are holding up?”

Her ears could pick up the faint sound of explosions in the distance. She was sure Nadier and Miguel could hear them as well, but simply chose not to speak of it.

“It's not like you,” the dark elf noted. “To care about people.”

She sighed, admitting, “I'm turning into something weird.”

“You say that as if we were normal to begin with.”

“Let me ask you something,” Adelaide let out. “Why are you doing this? Is it really to protect the world?”

Nadier went quiet. She could not hear even his breathing. Years of training to stay hidden in the shadows granted the man an impossible stealth. A deep breath overtook her as she thought of the scenario of an army of dark elf like him creeping into war.

His voice broke, “I'm not sure. It could be I'm still after revenge for my brother. Or maybe, I'm trying to find my own path and the road of a protector seems lighter on the soul than an assassin's.” She barely heard him shuffle away. “Get some sleep. Even at their fastest, they'll only reach Everwind by next midnight. Probably the dawn or noon after. Not much for us to do but wait.”

She swung her legs out over the branch she sat on and laid back into the trunk. Light snowfall began dotting the landscape as a long series of continued blasts rocked the faraway field. She fell asleep almost immediately to the midnight light.

***

Dawn came and the chirps of birds from the forest were abruptly cut off into terrified squawks by the crashing of trees. The Hulvark golems took their first step through the western spine of Valendra Forest, easily bending trunks and crushing barks as they ploughed through the dried winter trees. The Titan Rangers had done the impossible and redirected the monstrous sized creatures out of the town's path. By Miguel's calculation, the forest would slow the Titans considerably, though would not stop them. It was the optimal time to regroup and recuperate.

Luce watched as Misti lifted the rubble from the fallen building of Valent, helping the town recover from the destruction that had barrelled through like a force of nature.

The Mayor of Valent, still in his crisp, neat dressings, approached Luce. “I do not think I can thank you and your Titan Rangers enough.”

“Think nothing of it,” Luce reply. “Though I would appreciate it if our presence was not announced to The Forum for a few days.”

“Of course,” the mayor agreed. “I don't know what you and your... friends... are trying to do, but no one goes to such lengths for reasons of unimportance. You have my silence for as long as I can keep them.”

“Thank you.”

Just three of the outskirts buildings were destroyed by the Hulvarks, and half a roof smashed away in a spell gone awry. Aside from that, every other structure was left intact, and the golems had even miraculously missed the stables. The earth wall had also held much better than Luce had expected, buying them precious minutes for one final run to save the orphanage. Damage was at an absolute minimal.

Luce added to the mayor, “Once we settle the Titans, our rangers will return to aid with reconstruction and repairs.”

The mayor nodded a gentle thanks before returning to assess the damages. Misti, after clearing her pile of work, walked over, beats of sweat rolling down her face despite the cool and dry winter air.

Luce instructed, “Once we've settled the arrangements, have everyone rest up for the day. We'll chase down the Hulvarks once twilight comes.” Misti nodded and Luce gave her a pat on the shoulder. “Good work. Get some rest when you can.”

“You too,” Misti chirped with positivity.