Rory now had a new plan to enact. If he was going to be dealt terrible cards one after another, he was going to do his best to make use of them no matter what.

In fact, he was going to use it to take care of the lich once and for all.

“Miles, is it just the Knight or are its minions coming here too?” he asked.

“It’s got a whole horde of Thundershells,” Miles said.

Rory recalled seeing the small army of monsters taken out in the parking lot. “Excellent.”

“What?”

“How long can you hold the minions back? I just need you to hold them at the entrance.”

Miles closed his eyes and took a few quick but deep breaths. “A minute. Maybe two at most. Even with the new packs, I don’t have much Mana.”

Rory found Allen staying back, trying to yell out encouragement to the others. He had to shout to get the younger man’s attention over the noise. “Allen, get Miles some of the Mana from your crate. That should be good enough.” Rory faced Miles again. “Just keep your distance and don’t die.”

Miles left in a hurry. Maybe it would have been better to turn his fires against the lich, but Evelyn had it covered.

Rory turned to find Viv, Sue, and Evelyn all falling back together under the lich’s might.

“Viv, can you get us all out of here?” Rory asked.

She looked annoyed at his shouted interruption. “What do you mean?” she asked, then cursed as the lich’s stormy tendrils intensified, only for Sue to block it with another barricade.

“Your teleportation.”

Rory was distracted from distracting her by the telltale electric flash, stormy smell, and thunderous boom that announced the arrival of the Thundershells. The navy-blue metallic-rocky crabs were scuttling over the parking lot straight towards them, sparks arcing across their bodies.

Miles was already shooting flames at them, but there were too many. He could only hit so many, especially since his flames didn’t do enough damage.

But that’s when Ned joined the fray. Evelyn’s golden bandages were still wrapped across his back, but they must have worked enough of their magic. He flew on his rocket-ended wings to the steps before the main hall, throwing waves of water that weakened the Thundershells’ electric bonds and offered them little purchase on the hard ground.

But Ned’s interruption only slowed them down. There were too many, and they were furious. Miles, Ned, and Allen all fell back and gathered to where Rory stood.

“You alright?” Miles asked. He tried to clap Ned’s shoulder, but the Burnwing flared, making him jump back.

Ned grinned. “Never better.”

Allen drew closer, clearly trying not to cower. “So, what exactly was your plan again? Miles’s one minute is up.”

“We make them fight each other,” Rory said.

“Them who?”

Rory didn’t need to answer. Viv’s group had now arrived close enough to him, Miles, Ned, and Allen, bringing the lich with them.

Allen stared back for a moment. “Oh… I see.”

“Viv, now!” Rory said.

Viv’s timing was near-perfect. She let go of Evelyn, Sue coming in to prop up the shocked woman. Viv’s fist flared with crimson light, flashing bright as a siren, her sabre expanding both ways so that it towered through the broken ceiling and stabbed into the ground. Waves of mauve energy spread outwards in a pool to cover all their feet.

Did Rory know what exactly she was planning? No. Did he trust her? Absolutely.

The lich didn’t care for their antics. She summoned her wintry, storming tendrils and slammed them towards the group. At the same time, the Thundershells pelted their lightning.

“Sue, barrier,” Rory said. “Ned, you too.”

They all worked together. Sue’s barrier slammed into place behind the group, stopping the lich’s attack from getting to them. Ned threw up a wall of water that absorbed the lightning, hissing and steaming away at the furious energy. There was too much electricity flying at them, though, and Rory stepped forward to Weave it away.

He barely got a few seconds of Weaving in before whatever Viv was doing activated.

She threw another crimson arc to the left and they all disappeared. It was like blinking. Everything went dark for an infinitesimal period of time, then Rory found himself behind the long receptionist’s desk with everyone else.

Leaving the lich and the Thundershells facing each other.

The wintry tendrils tore through the remnants of Sue’s barrier and stormed into the Thundershells, whose lightning quickly dissipated as they focused on scattering. Some escaped, but several got caught in the lich’s blizzard blast and were swept away. Rory grinned. Just what he had been hoping for.

“Are they… fighting each other?” Sue asked, eyes wide at the carnage in the middle of the hall.

“You’re absolutely right,” Rory said.

Having been attacked by the lich, the lightning monsters did their best to pay back in kind. Their arcs flashed and thundered like they were summoning their own storms. The lich was unfazed. Her aura of translucent ice reformed around her in a sphere, the Thundershells’ lightning unable to pierce through. It was too strong.

But it didn’t matter. With the monsters distracted, they were safe. They could now plan and execute their next move.

“Has anyone seen Dez and Trish?” Sue asked. “Please don’t tell me they’re—”

“They’re fine,” Allen said quickly, easing the group’s fears. “I saw them taking shelter behind some debris.”

Rory nodded, sparing Allen an appreciative glance. It was always good to have that kind of reassurance. “We just need to get to them and figure out how we can get out of here while the monsters are distracted.”

No one said anything, and Rory would have paid good money to glimpse a little snapshot of what was running through all of their minds. But his eyes were invariably drawn to Viv. With her teleportation powers, she was the obvious first choice in this scenario. So long as they had enough Mana, Viv could hop in and extract Dez and Trish with minimal fuss.

Except, her powers were dependent on throwing those arcs of crimson energy. Trying to get a slice through the furious battle between the lich and the Thundershells would call down the wrath of their enemy. The last thing they needed was monstrous attention.

All of a sudden, the lich cried out as she fell, her aura of ice crashing and cracking on the ground. Several Thundershells had fallen, or frozen in place, but a handful scuttled towards the seemingly downed lich to finish her off.

Except, the lich was far from defeated.

She twirled and raised her staff within the icy sphere, and her solid aura shattered outwards into her blizzard.

The Thundershells approaching her were immediately swamped. Rory didn’t get to see anything else. Along with everyone else, he threw himself behind the long table. It was barely strong enough. The storm’s fury didn’t hit them directly, but it still shattered the long desk and pummelled the pieces towards the walls.

Rory clung to his section of the broken table as he was pushed along the floor. The wall loomed larger as he hurtled onward. Not good.

Somehow, twisting in a way that his flesh and bones protested, Rory got a hand above the table and used his Weaving again. He’d been flung away from the others, but at least he managed to grant himself a bit of calm. The others had their own Sigils to stop smashing into the walls.

“Much obliged, dear fellow,” Truck said.

Rory nearly jumped out of his skin. He gawked hard, his attention torn to the point that he forgot about his Weaving. His section of the broken table had been pushed near a column, and the donkey that had abandoned them on the road to the pharmacy was now in the middle of the bank, watching everything unfold with a placid gaze.

“Spectacular as this storm’s potency is,” Truck continued, oblivious to Rory’s flabbergasted expression. “It blocks my ability to spectate. Such a deplorable state of affairs.”

“What in the—” Rory quickly schooled his expression and his voice, trying to see if anyone had spotted them. It was impossible to see anything through the lich’s swirling maelstrom of snow, ice, and slicing wind. “What are you doing here? Where have you been?”

“Hmm?” Truck looked nonplussed at Rory’s question. “Where have I not been would be a more difficult question. But I was intrigued as to your condition and am not at all disappointed watching your current situation unfold. Please, ignore me, and continue.”

“You can’t just pop into existence in the middle of a big battle.”

“On the contrary, I’ve been present for a while. It is you who has been neglectful of my blessed presence.” Truck actually sniffed, his nostrils flaring. “I will wait to see what becomes of you when your uninvited guests finally make their appearance. If I can deem that meeting entertaining enough, I will deign to forgive your lapse in judgement.”

Rory soon realized this was the last time he needed to get caught up in Truck’s nonsense. With a supreme effort of will, he dislodged the donkey and all the accompanying surprise out of his mind. He had a lich to escape, after all.

It helped that Viv shouted his name at that moment. “Rory! Where are you?”

“Stay here,” he told Truck.

“You presume to order me?” The donkey sounded genuinely offended. “My, your manners have departed since last we met. Are you all…?”

Rory didn’t hear the end of the sentence. He released his Weaving, allowing the storm to push him towards the wall. That was where he found the others.

Ned was drenched and shivering, curled in on himself to expose as little as he could to the lich’s blizzard. He must have used his water to stop being smashed into the wall. Miles was using his fire to keep them warm. Viv’s group wasn’t far, Sue’s latest barrier keeping them in a better condition.

“Are you okay?” Viv asked.

Rory nodded. “I’m fine. And I’m glad so are the rest of you.”

“H-how are we s-supposed to get to T-Trish and Dez through this?” Allen asked, his chattering teeth making him mangle his words together.

Rory didn’t have an answer yet, but the dregs of a different idea were working out in the back of his head. “I might know a way, but it’s going to be mostly me. The rest of you will need to leave as soon as you can.”

“What are you going to do, Rory?” Viv asked, her eyes focusing on him like two glaring suns.

Rory did his best not to feel awful about admitting his plan. “I’m going to walk through the storm and circuit around the back of the battle. I’ll use my Weaving to keep the blizzard at bay.”

“That’s the craziest idea I’ve heard yet.”

“Do you have a better one?”

She didn’t, which explained her initial silence. “Let me come with you, at least. I’ll make sure things are safe.”

“You will, for them first.” Rory nodded at everyone around him. “Then the rest.”

“How are we supposed to get out?” Viv asked. “The front is compromised.”

“It’s gotten out of hand.” Allen looked like he was ready to start pulling out his hair. “Now there are two monsters.”

“Allen,” Rory said. “Focus. The back exit. You’re going to have to lead the way there. You can find it, right?”

Allen looked at Rory as though he was crazy. “I don’t think I even remember the way we came in through all those corridors, and that was before half the bank was destroyed completely.”

Sue interposed with a measured degree of calm. “But there is a back entrance. Our best bet is to find it.”

“Don’t worry, gramps,” Miles said. “I’ll help clear the way.”

Rory nodded. “Good. Get out and get to May. I’m going to try and get to Dez and Trish, then rendezvous with you at the back exit. If too many monsters start coming after you, forget about us and drive. Viv can ferry us with her teleportation. Understood?”

Sue and Miles nodded, as did Allen, though he didn’t look happy about it. Viv shuffled forward and grasped his hand.

“Rory,” she said. “Stay back. Let me get them. My Omnipresent Sabre is stronger.”

“I know.” Rory tried for a smile, but it didn’t work, so he simply pressed her fingers together with his. “But my Weaving is better suited to the job. Just have faith, Viv.”

She looked conflicted but nodded anyway. “Be safe.”

Rory nodded. Wishing the others good luck, then brushing his hand with Viv’s and exchanging a meaningful look, he headed off, remembering to take a pack of Mana from Allen.

There was no sign of Truck anywhere. He was probably now lost in the storm again. Oh well.

Rory’s Weaving sank all the lines of white light into the raging storm, keeping him in a pocket of peace. He still felt the cold though, and wished he had a coat or something. With careful steps, he made his way around the battle. The floor was broken with layer after layer of cracks, making areas dip and other bits rise like spikes. Some of the still-standing columns provided a modicum of breathing room.

Halfway there, the storm suddenly stopped. The wind and flying snow and ice faded rapidly. Rory froze. There was a column nearby, and he threw himself behind it.

Once his breathing and panicking heart had settled down a bit, he looked around. The lich was still facing forward, eyes fixed on the hall’s entrance. All around her, the ground had been torn and rent up as though it had passed through a blender. Broken corpses of Thundershells decorated the area like strange sculptures. There were no sparks coming off them now.

But Rory looked past the lich, past the ruined battlefield filled with monstrous bodies, and inhaled sharply as the main attraction of this monstrous show appeared.

The Thundershell Knight floated into the bank’s main hall.

It was just as Rory remembered. All the damage they had dealt it back at the substation might have never happened in the first place. Just as the lich was perfectly fine again.

“You are not welcome here,” the lich said, voice crisp and emotionless. “Leave, before you force my hand, distant brother of mine.”

Rory blinked. In what world were these monsters related to each other?

“There is something residing here that I seek,” the Knight said. “I will not depart without it.”

Rory’s heart sank into his guts. The Knight had to mean him. After all, it had been bent on using Rory to get another one of those incredibly potent Sigils he’d been forced to make.

“I care not,” the lich said. “These lands belong to me. Leave, or face the consequences of your trespass.”

The Knight surveyed the area, noting the Thundershell corpses dotting the landscape. “It seems I must use force once more.”

The angle that Rory was observing proceedings through allowed him to spot everything clearly. Both creatures were facing each other now, a volatile tension seemingly making the air itself freeze in suspense.

Then, the monsters’ battle began.