The next day found Verdan hard at work creating an Aether construct while sitting on the roof of the inn.

Verdan wished Gwen was here. A storm Witch would make all this so much easier. Still, it was nothing that a clear intent, the right words of power and a generous allotment of Aether couldn’t solve.

His freshly completed fifth spiral was doing its best to help draw in enough Aether to make up the deficit of what he was expending, making Verdan thankful for the hours he’d put in to finish it.

The Airta were currently out scouting while Verdan prepared the trap they were setting, though the steady progress of the sun told him that time was running out.

The first two constructs were ready and in place, though they wouldn’t last for long once activated. The third and final was currently being affixed to a stone tablet that Verdan had shaped from the floor of the quarry.

The amount of Aether being packed into the ward he was creating was enough to require a large receptacle, making them difficult to conceal.

Burying it wasn’t an option, as Verdan didn’t want to risk the constructs not activating properly at his command. The roof was a suitable alternative, even if it left it more exposed.

“Grym tymest gward,” Verdan spoke the words clearly, keeping his intent as clear in his mind as he could as he gave shape to the spell.

Verdan might still be short of the reserves he’d once had, but any Wizard could create something monstrous with enough time and sufficient willpower.

Given the number of Sorcerers he was expecting, Verdan had decided to recreate his own version of one of the deadliest traps he’d ever witnessed.

The trap in question had been created by a contingent of powerful Imperial war Wizards and had created a crater the size of this village, but Verdan doubted he needed even a fraction of that power today.

“Verdan, they’re almost here,” Tom called up from where he was bracing the ladder for Verdan to climb back down. “Need us to get you any more?”

“No time. I think I’m all done here,” Verdan called back, giving the construct a final burst of Aether before climbing back down.

Looking over the trap they’d made, Verdan was satisfied that things were ready. The battle damage from the day before had been carefully removed or hidden, the bodies buried, and everything put back to how it had originally been.

Kai, Tom, Tim, Cullan and Blane would be staying behind, while Verdan and Zhalia retreated to the opposite side of the quarry entrance from where the Weeping Death would be entering.

Initially, only the southern side of the quarry had been accessible, but Albin had showed them a set of hidden stairs carved into the quarry wall.

Taking the stairs up to the top of the quarry, Verdan joined Zhalia in a recessed area that overlooked the village.

A small ramp at the rear of the area led out onto the mountain that the quarry was dug into, which they could then hike down from if needed.

A short application of Aether gave the interior of the hollow a few openings to look through, which would let those inside keep watch over the village.

Peering out from their vantage point, Verdan was pleased to see no immediate sign of the enemy. “Right, I’m going to meditate. Let me know when they’re here.”

“I will keep watch,” Zhalia said with a nod, taking up position next to one of the new openings.

Verdan nodded and took a seat a few feet away. He’d spent a lot of Aether today, so a few minutes to rest were definitely required.

-**-

“Verdan, time’s up,” Zhalia said, nudging him with the end of her bow to get his attention. “They’re here.”

“Well, here we go then,” Verdan said, getting to his feet and dusting himself off before stepping over to the improvised window to take a look.

Sure enough, Verdan could see a large group approaching, one that was separated into several groups that moved in a formation around what seemed to be a central knot of people.

The general format had one large group at the front, one at the back and roaming patrols on the flanks.

All in all, Verdan estimated that there were twenty or so Sorcerers present, a significant presence from what Kai had told him.

Five of those twenty were in that central group, while the rest were scattered around the formation as a whole.

The front group was filled with non-robed but obviously sect-affiliated people. These would be more of the retainers that Kai had told him about in the past.

They were little more than servants, but Verdan doubted many of them had a choice about joining. He’d been hoping that some might defect to their side, but after seeing the response to them surrendering, it wasn’t something he could rely on.

A few more retainers were scattered around as patrols on the flanks of the main force, but the rear group was the one that Verdan was interested in.

There were around a hundred retainers present and at least that many people in the rear group, though even from this distance, they looked like they were tacked onto the group rather than part of it.

There was something about that central knot of Sorcerers that struck Verdan as odd, though. They seemed wary of something. He could see it in the way they moved.

Even moving in what should be friendly terrain and with allies nearby, the group was rigid in its formation, and everything they did gave off an air of watchfulness.

Could they be aware of the trap already?

Verdan considered calling the whole thing off, but the rest of them didn’t look as wary. Perhaps there was something with the other Sorcerers, but they were far too far away for him to really see.

“Do the Sorcerers seem off to you?” Verdan asked, hoping that Zhalia could give him some insight.

“Actually, now you say it, yes, they do seem strange. It’s rare to see them so orderly, and their patrols aren’t moving far from the main group. Do you think they suspect we’re here?”

“I don’t know,” Verdan said, frowning as he kept watching the incoming Sorcerers, hoping for some sort of insight into what was going on.

“They’re stopping,” Zhalia said abruptly, gesturing to where the front group of retainers had come to a halt. “If they do know about the trap, their arrogance at coming so close is staggering.”

“Agreed, but they’ll know better soon enough,” Verdan said, somewhat conflicted. Part of him was looking forward to what was coming, and the anger simmering inside him demanded nothing less, but Verdan couldn’t help but see this as an escalation on their part.

It wasn’t like the Weeping Death could escalate much further from their current position of assassinations and drawing monsters onto innocent villagers, but if they did, it would be bad.

“Here we go,” Zhalia whispered in a tense voice, drawing Verdan out of his pointless worries.

Looking out again, Verdan saw a pair of Sorcerers and a small squad of retainers making their way down to the village. The whole group was armed, but no weapons were drawn, which was enough to make Verdan sure that whatever was going on, it was nothing to do with them.

Peering at the two Sorcerers, Verdan saw flashes of black and green on their robes, marking them as Weeping Death members. Focusing on the first of his three Aether constructs, Verdan intoned the activation spell. His voice was hushed despite how far away they were.

“Now it’s down to Kai and the others.”