The Wandering Spire

Irvin mobilized a fighting force that was quite limited. All the Initiate ranked and higher adventurers were away on the battle lines. Most of the members that managed the camp were either Prospect ranked or noncombat officials. The best combatants were Helga, Mikal, and Jeze. Helga was still wounded, but she insisted that she would aid in the camp's defense. If for no other reason but to ensure that Rolfe and Dunar remained safe.

The primary defenders consisted of the merchants and bankers who had hired guards with them, and they would take too much of a loss if they fled as they wouldn't be able to pack up in time. Those that were able to relocate did so. Overall, evacuation was not an option for Jeze and her team, as there were not enough wagons to transport all the wounded. If they did have space, speed was the other issue. It would be a matter of moments before they were overrun by the advancing Howlers.

"We will stay and fight!" Helga announced.

There was a nervous cheer from the collective gathering. No where near the inspiration level Jeze was used to from working with the Frostsworn.

"We have less than an hour before they arrive," Irvin stated. The official was taking stock of his fighting force.

Jeze had a thought and shared it with the assembled gathering, "We may not have a lot of fighters, but we do have a lot of Rune casters."

"They are noncombat casters," Irvin pointed out.

Jeze nodded and asked the gathered crowd, "How many of you are familiar with the Earth and Fire aspects?"

Those were common aspects, and every Rune caster raised their hand.

"What's your plan?" Irvin asked.

"I can train them to create Fire traps," Jeze said.

Irvin narrowed his eyes. He didn't have many options, and he shrugged. Either they will succeed, or they will all die.

"Okay, teach them. I'll organize the fighters," Irvin said and ordered all the guards to follow him.

Jeze showed the group how to overlay the two aspects. It was a variation of the trap she designed using the Darkness and Affliction aspects. In this case the Earth aspect was the trigger and the Fire aspect was the result. Because they were all proficient and competent Rune artists, it only took twenty minutes for them to learn the trap design. Irvin returned.

"How are we looking?" He asked.

"They are ready. We just need to know the best places to lay the traps," Jeze answered.

Irvin nodded. He already had the wagons drawn in a circle to create a defensive position and stationed the guards at vulnerable points. He stationed Archers in the back and melee fighters in the front. He knew exactly where the traps should be laid, and he directed Jeze's team of Rune trap artists.

"I will scout ahead and see if I can lure them onto the traps," Jeze said.

Irvin narrowed his eyes. He didn't like that idea, but he also didn't have a lot of fighters. If Jeze could disrupt the enemy and lure them into the traps, then that would give him and his ragtag group of defenders a fighting chance. "Take a Communications Scroll," he told her.

Jeze Summoned and Shaped shadows to help hide her and she was off running through the Pine tree forest. It had been months since she ran through the woods, and it felt great. Jeze had spent a lot of time training Runes, finding traps, and melee combat, that she neglected her stealth and outdoor skills. To her it was like putting on a well worn glove. It felt right and it was like she had never taken it off in the first place.

Jeze traveled through the woods at a rapid pace. She felt confident in the environment and with her perception skills. That was why she was utterly surprised when she ran into the Howler ambush. The demonic rat-like creatures attacked her from all sides. She was lucky she was not hit, and she attributed that to the shadows she had wrapped around her that distorted her appearance. The Howlers attacked with wicked barbed spears and shot arrows at Jeze. The weapons thudded into the surrounding trees as she skidded to a halt. Jeze twisted, spun, and dodged the incoming attacks. She ran back the way she came, and the Howlers gave chase.

The rat-like Demons moved fast as they loped on all fours. There was no chance she could outrun them, and they were everywhere. Jeze deflected a spear thrust with her long knife and planted her axe in the Howler's collarbone just above the protection of its black mail armor. She spun and stabbed a second in the eye before she continued her escape. Jeze's reflexes were highly tuned from many hours fighting swarms of Bloodlings. But then, she had a team, and Howlers were more intelligent than Bloodlings. They had tactics; they attempted to encircle her, and they worked together. This was a bad situation for her.

Jeze weaved in and out through the trees to create distance, but it was only for a moment, as the Howlers were quick on their clawed feet and were able to cut corners without losing traction. Jeze tapped her Darkness ring and Summoned and Shaped shadows to an opaque darkness. She poured her will into her spell and Controlled the shadows to form a wide sphere of inky black. Before releasing the energies, she memorized her surroundings. Specifically the tree ahead of her. She dropped the spell and plunged the area into complete darkness. Jeze heard the Howlers collide into trees and into each other as they were thrown into confusion. Jeze climbed the tree she had put into her memory.

She had Shaped the spell to be at a certain height, and she climbed out of it and back into visibility. Below her was the inky black carpet of her spell, and the Howlers were in turmoil as they tried to scramble out of opaque darkness. She looked up, and her heart sank. Outside of her summoned sphere were hundreds of Howlers in the forest, including a few of the giant two-headed elites she encountered back in the pyramid. Irvin and the camp did not have an Archon to assist them with the giant brutes.

Things looked grim, and despair was forming in Jeze's chest. For now, she was trapped but hidden among the leaves of the Pine tree. She Summoned some shadows to reinforce her hiding spot. So far, she had brought some time for the camp as the Howlers were in disarray. She used her Communication Scroll to update Irvin of the numbers and she mentioned the two-headed giant elites.

"A company from the Ironfist Kingdom is on the way. We just need to hold them off for an hour," Irvin replied back through the scroll.

Jeze nodded, and she pushed the despair out of her chest. She was an active member of the Adventurer's Guild, she reminded herself. Jeze has been in tough situations before, but she overcame them. She can do the same now! All she needed to do was to think and buy some time. Her distraction wouldn't last an hour unless she sowed further chaos. Jeze grinned. She had a plan that was so crazy that it might work. One thing that was going for her was that there were no Rune casters among the Howlers. If there were, then she would be in trouble. But, since there wasn't, she was still in trouble but less so, and her wild idea could work.

Jeze Summoned piles of Earth some distance away from the Howlers and in a different direction from where the camp was located. Below her, her Darkness spell expired, and the Howlers began to track and sniff the ground. Jeze had to work fast before they discovered that she had climbed the tree! She Shaped the dirt into Stone and Controlled it to launch at the Howlers.

The attacks caused the Howlers to stop tracking and duck for cover. Jeze gritted her teeth and continued to complete the Glyphs to Control stone fists to launch at the Demons. It was very difficult to aim and launch the spell attacks from her position, and Jeze was shocked to discover that a few of her stone fists had struck true. She grinned when the Howlers returned fire with their crossbows in the direction of the mounds of dirt she created.

The ruse worked! She thought to herself. Now, she just needed to further sell her deception. Jeze tapped her Darkness ring and Summoned and Controlled shadows to flit through the trees to make the appearance that someone was running and hiding. Jeze didn't understand the gibbering language of the Howlers, but she guessed from their wild gestures that they had fallen for her trick. In moments, the Howlers charged through the woods toward her deception. Even the two-headed brutes! Things were looking a little better.

Most of the Howler force held their position while dozens ran off in the direction of Jeze's Earth aspect attacks. Jeze wrapped shadows around herself and stealthily climbed down the tree. She ran back toward the camp. It was not long after when she heard the twigs snapping, which indicated that the Howlers had returned to their march on Station 28. Jeze didn't want to shout, so she hurriedly scribbled on her scroll that she was on her way to the camp and asked Irvin not to shoot her full of arrows.

Irvin had arranged the wagons into a mini fortress with archers and spearmen for defense. They waved when they saw Jeze's approach.

"They are right behind me!" She said.

Irvin nodded. He wore his breastplate and armed himself with a shield and sword. The guild official beckoned for Jeze to join them behind the wagons. She shook her head.

"I will lure them into the traps," she whispered loudly before disappearing among the trees.

"What is she doing?" Mikal asked.

"Being a damn fool!" Irvin snapped.

“That is our Jeze!” Helga beamed.

Ziplocke shook his head and said, "I did enjoy my time here, but if she goes and gets herself killed, I will return back to my home."

"That will be one positive," Mikal stated.

Ziplocke hissed at the Healer. A barrage of crossbow bolts thudded into the wagons and brought everyone's attention back to their dire situation.

"I will grind their bones and…" Helga began and grimaced as her ribs hurt.

"Stay here, and we'll hold until help arrives," Mikal said through gritted teeth.

In the forest, Jeze Summoned shadows to hide her among the pine trees as the Howlers advanced past her toward Station 28. Jeze snuck out and cut down two Howlers with her battleaxe and long knife before she was spotted. She ran and was trailed by crossbow bolts and screaming Howlers. Jeze weaved in and out of the trees in order to gather more Demons to chase her. They were getting close to her, and she led them to the first Rune trap. Jeze jumped over it and continued on. A moment later, the Firetrap exploded, sending bits of Howler pieces in all directions.

Fighting erupted at the wagons. Irvin's defenders exchanged bow fire with the Howlers, and Mikal assisted with launching ice daggers. Howlers that scaled the wagons were met by Helga's axe. They could have held out if this was it, but the Howler Elites changed everything. The giant armored brutes rushed forward as arrows bounced off their shields and plated armor. Helga rushed in and swung her axe, which struck the heavy shield with a loud clang. The Howler elite returned a swing, and Helga dodged out of the way. The giant monster gave chase, and the Frostsworn warrior maiden lured it into a fire trap. The explosion knocked it off its feet, and it struggled to stand back up. Helga split the Howler Elite's helmet and skull with her Dane axe. Three arrows thudded into Helga's lamellar armor, and she stumbled to one. Mikal and Irvin dragged her to safety as more bolts rained down.

A second Howler Elite charged through and flipped one of the wagons over creating a wide open breach for the Howlers to swarm through. The Rune casters frantically Summoned and Shaped Stone walls to cover the gap, but they were shattered to dust by the heavy spiked mace of the two headed Howler giant.

Helga and Mikal stood in front of the Rune casters. Standing over them was the giant two headed Howler and dozens of the rat-like demons were scrambling toward them. Jeze did her best to trim the numbers with her Fire magic, but there were too many. This was it, she thought grimly. A giant boulder slammed into the Howler Elite. Jeze looked up and saw a company of Ironfist Kingdom soldiers cresting the hill and they were led by Lady Kalina.

With the help from the Amber guard and the soldiers, the Howlers were routed and defeated. Station 28 suffered losses and plenty of damage, but in the end Jeze and her team survived along with Irvin.

"Thank you," Jeze said to Lady Kalina.

The amber guard nodded and said, "We need to talk."

Irvin and Jeze followed Lady Kalina into the tent, where they were alone. The Amber Guard looked around and leaned in close.

"Treachery is afoot," She said.

"What do you mean?" Irvin asked.

"The Howlers did not fight through the battle lines. They were allowed through," Lady Kalina answered.

"What? How?" Jeze asked.

"The troops were not there."

"Could it have been an error?" Irvin asked.

Lady Kalina shook her head. "My sources say that the troops were intentionally ordered to away."

Jeze narrowed her eyes and asked, "Which army?"

Lady Kalina lifted her chin and answered, "The Golden Empire.