“It looks like our ‘abandoned’ keep isn’t so abandoned anymore,” Ren reported, returning to the group’s position, “we’re looking at spawn of Arctor that have been allowed to evolve past their base forms. Likely former tigers, but their skin is rubbery and chameleon-like, and they have an extra pair of spiked tentacle appendages coming out of their backs. And – because of our local jinx – they have an apostate with them, who brought friends along.”

“I’ll have you know,” Shaya said, balking at the accusation, “I haven’t said anything to jinx us this time around... at least.”

Sathaea and Lan nodded in agreement with Ren, Sathaea continuing the briefing, “The keep looks to have gone through the hells and back given its state. The outer wall is long demolished and decayed wooden stakes, while the keep’s stone walls appear to be crumbling. Nature’s taking back the area, with plenty of vines crawling all the way up the structure.”

“Despite the damage,” Lan added, voice cool and calculating, “we spotted a small garrison there, a mismatched group of folks by the looks of things, but armed and armoured.”

“I can understand a cult in the middle of nowhere Sillanir,” Shaya sighed, crossing her arms over her new breastplate, “but in Vayeira? Land of plenty? We’re not even in a remote location!”

“Not every cult is based on poverty,” Apricot explained, “the Empire of Neceros rose because powerful mages delighted in excess. From what I’ve heard of Vayeira’s aristocracy... that doesn’t sound far-fetched, no offense.”

“None taken,” Samorn and Lan replied at the same time.

“Some taken,” Sathaea snorted, holding her nose high.

“Alright, well I guess we're lucky the Vayeirans don’t hold the same standards of engineering the Kelahkese do,” Shaya teased, “no offense.”

“Get bent,” Sathaea retorted.

“You’re dead to me,” Samorn said, turning away from her.

“Duel me coward,” Lan finished.

“Sheesh,” Shaya raised her arms in surrender, “Apricot gets away with it, but I can’t, eh?”

“I’m cute and sweet,” Apricot explained, “you’re a known shit-disturber.”

Everyone from both lances nodded in agreement.

Basillo, their commanding officer for this deployment, growled, “Enough, this is a live deployment, act like it. What’s your strategy?”

“I’m tired of these guys popping up all over the place,” Shaya said, punching a fist into her other hand, “I want to capture the apostate and bring them in for questioning. We need to find out what’s going on, and that requires intel.”

“Is this really the right time for that?” Sathaea asked, her tone judgmental – but Shaya caught the underlying nervousness behind her words.

“We have the two best lances in the cohort,” Shaya said, raising a fist as she looked at each of them in turn, restraining a smile as Basillo bristled, “no one has a better chance at accomplishing this than us. We’re adaptable, clever, and powerful – we can take them down AND capture the apostate alive.”

“Do you have a plan the reflects just how clever we are?” Lan asked with a quirked smile.

“Of course,” Shaya grinned, “we split into two teams-”

Ren groaned.

“Nono, hear me out,” Shaya insisted, “a small, stealthy team goes into the keep using the overgrown vegetation while the second group forms a distraction out front. Based on the different uniforms the scouts described, it sounds like the cult is a small cabal of nobles, probably minor vassals looking to get an edge over their competition and gain more power in the world. The infiltration team takes them by surprise before they get to put their spells up and captures the ringleaders alive, if possible.”

“Who are you thinking for each team?”

“I’m happy to take suggestions,” Shaya said, “but I think the stealth should be small and just our best, which I reckon as Ren, Lan, Sathaea, and me.”

“You?” Sathaea said, looking Shaya up and down, “How can I giant oaf like you be stealthy?”

“You’d be surprised,” Ren said and nodded, “I like it. We’re light on firepower, but with you along we have defense against their magic.”

“Yep,” Shaya nodded, “with Lan’s predictive abilities, Sathaea’s illusions, and your roguish charm, this shouldn’t be a problem. Which leaves the distraction team with two Ruby mages for true destructive potential and two Amethyst mages to cripple enemies.”

The group talked it over for a few minutes, discussing alternatives and possible pitfalls while developing contingencies. Finally, Basillo nodded his ascent to the plan and the groups got themselves ready. Each prepared the weapons they’d need, checked their armour, and took a moment to center their minds to ensure alignment with their espers.

Shaya stood tall and proud in her regalia, coming a long way since she first arrived a mere three months ago. Her new breastplate of Titan shell fit her like a glove, its plates molded into smooth surfaces to deflect blows more effectively than her brigandine and managing to weigh less as well. The lance’s gift to her included a gorget and pauldrons that protected her head and neck, and finally vambraces to protect her lower arms. The shell’s natural inky-black colour contrasted against the red and gold enameled trim, making the heraldic gryphon on her chest and large right pauldron stand out as well.

Given how stately the new armour looked, she had finally purchased a new set of gambeson to wear under it, the outer layer of black silk visible in the joints of her armour. Shaya had otherwise shed her lower armour, favouring mobility and stealth again, and knowing she could rely upon her conjured armour if needed. At one hip, she still wore Krebo’s broadsword – resharpened and rehoned with her new skills – and at her other hip was her strange new weapon.

“Is that a short-hafted halberd or something?” Lan asked, looking at it.

“Yep,” Shaya said, pulling out the new weapon to show him.

The haft was made of the Fraxraptor’s femur, shaved down to offer a perfect grip for Shaya’s hands – which Auric had taught her to do herself. Rather than a simple axe head, the weapon bore an axe blade backed with a warpick and possessing the stub of spear-tip present on a proper halberd. The tail end of the haft also sported a bronze spike, affixed with langets just like the head was.

“The head looks thicker than it needs to be,” Lan said, cocking his head as he examined it, “I wouldn’t expect you or Auric to leave excess material on the weapon, even with the bottom of the haft being thick to counterbalance it.”

“Good eye,” Shaya smiled, returning the weapon to its loop at her belt, “there’s a reason for it.”

The wintry Vayeiran rolled his eyes, throwing on a drab, grey silk robe to conceal the sheen from his mythrite cuirass. He strapped on his weapon belt and tightened it to keep the robes closed, his two curved blades of differing lengths resting against the same hip.

Sathaea wore layers of silk robes as well, but without any heavier armour beneath them. Unlike Samorn, Shaya was thankful to see the other Azurite mage carried an estoc and main gauche rather than a musical instrument as her implement. Both of her weapons were carved from dark bone, likely her trophies from the first deployment.

Ren unstrung his bow and left the stave with their camp. His field garb was already good for stealth – a light, silken gambeson faced with Umbrsnake hide – so all he had to do was arm himself. With his bow set aside, he opened his vest and made sure he had easy access to the dozen darkened throwing knives sheathed there, then checked the stilletto and hardwood baton he kept at his hips.

Shaya nodded at the other members of her stealth team and they nodded back, noting they were likewise ready. None of them wore helmets, leaving their senses unhindered. They were also leaving behind their heavier gear, such as Shaya’s bladed shield, to allow them to climb quicker and reduce the possibility of generating noise.

The distraction team was ready as well.

Samorn looked her usual, calm self, clad in light silk robes reinforced with inky-black scales and holding her new violin. From their last deployment, she had followed Shaya’s suit and utilized the wooden-bone structure of the Fraxraptors to turn one of them into a new violin, the strings even made from their guts.

Ralus wore their same old monster-hide armour atop their chaplain’s robes, instead choosing one of the Titan’s claws to turn their venerable staff of office into a vicious war-scythe. Runes patterned the blade, Shaya having no doubt that Ralus attuned themself to the Titan’s innate Amethyst reserves to help fuel the Chaplain’s casting.

Oraeus and Bri sported cuirasses, likewise made of the Titan shell they acquired from the first deployment. Each wore a helmet made primarily of the same material: Oraeus’ a light, ornate helmet that fit around his horns and featuring a vibrant chunk of Sapphire aethercyte on its forehead, while Bri’s was a visored great helm similar to her esper’s.

Apricot still favoured her silk robes instead of armour, taking one of the Titan’s claws and turning it into a new scimitar after the first deployment. The weapon looked wickedly sharp, the merciless blade almost at odds with the elf’s goddess, though Apricot had told Shaya that sometimes the greatest mercy is a swift death to the world’s monsters.

Licurian had likewise weaponized part of the Titan, wielding a large curved sword similar to those Lan favoured. Cerud, thinking like a typical Amber mage, instead turned a slab of the Titan’s shell into a tower shield. Melda had also used her prize defensively, wearing a long brigandine of inky-black scales.

“Good luck,” Bri said, giving Shaya a quick kiss.

“You too,” Shaya smiled, “stay safe out there, eh?”

“As if I’m the one who needs that advice.”

“Are we ready?” Apricot asked.

Everyone nodded.

“Then let’s steal ourselves an apostate,” Shaya grinned.

“Don’t you mean ‘capture an apostate’?” Oraeus asked.

“No, you see it’s a common heist jok-”

Oraeus smiled at her.

“Oh, you prick,” Shaya’s eyes narrowed as the others chuckled.