Riley’s mana was low, drained away to heal the wounded troops. A brisk wind blew through the room, and she leaned into the warmth next to her. Why’s it cold? I shouldn’t be cold. With her eyes shut, she leaned further into the warmth. Smells like a willow tree. She shivered and was pulled away from the heat.
Her eyelids opened, and she groaned at her father. “Dad, I was sleeping.”
“Yes, on poor Nicole,” Roger said, shaking his head.
“Nicole?” Riley asked, blushing and opening her eyes. She looked around the stone room. Wait. This is the mage tower. She looked at the benches. Several mages chuckled.
Riley stuck her tongue out at them and stretched. She looked at her notifications and saw a massive group of oaths and some kills. “Did we take the fort?”
“Yes,” Roger said, gesturing to the stairs.
Riley walked through the door and down the stone steps, yawning and shivering. She looked down at her fur-covered dress. That skill really does linger. I should be so warm. She looked out to the muddy courtyard. A brisk wind gusted, sending snow flying and soldiers scurrying back into the buildings.
“We’re across the field for now,” Roger said, turning her toward the distant fort.
“They didn’t mistreat the soldiers, right?” Riley asked, jogging toward the gate. “I gave them my word.”
“No, they didn’t,” Roger replied. “Candidly, the knights are all for recruiting them. We need the troops.”
Riley turned. “Does this count towards our debt?”
Roger scoffed, and Nicole burst into laughter.
Riley blushed. Yeah, forgot there for a second. She chuckled, jogging across the field.
Nicole turned and smirked. “I can’t believe you asked that.”
Riley chuckled. “I just woke up and wasn’t thinking.” She looked out at the distant fort. Looks like the mages are fortifying it.
Nicole moved closer and laughed. “Didn’t you pay attention? You were in there constantly.”
“How do you know that?” Riley asked.
“I visited.”
“Do not tell me that you’re the elusive assassin the princess was speaking to,” Riley said, her eyes going wide. She has to be. Did Althea orchestrate all of this?
“Maybe.” Nicole hummed and winked. “Someone had to push over some pieces.”
“Why? What?” Riley asked. She glanced toward the approaching fort and frowned.
“Maybe some other time.” Nicole chuckled.
Roger shook his head. “Althea is up to something, and I will figure it out.”
Riley looked over.
Nicole grinned back. “Let us hurry and get you out of the cold, my lady.”
Riley snorted, the burst of air escaping before she could stop it. “Now you act like a servant?”
Nicole laughed.
Riley chuckled and slowed, looking at the smoldering fire. Soldiers tossed bodies onto it, and the wind blew the smoke away, sending it streaming across the battlefield.
Walking past the flames, she entered the fort and studied it. The barracks had been built into the walls, surrounding the entire place. Towers stood in each corner. A forge was tucked against the barracks, smoke billowing from it.
The sound of ringing metal filled the air, and Riley headed to the barracks, searching for the knights. I guess I am one now. That’s strange. She jogged past several people and poked her head into the barracks.
Walking over to the gathered group, she studied the papers. Head counts? A list of names, levels, and classes sat on the table. The knights were discussing the army organization and whether they could use the captured leaders to alleviate it.
Riley studied the list of names. Well, this should help. She sat on a nearby bench and listened, yawning and pulling her cloak up.
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A whistle rang through the air, and soldiers flooded under shelter. The wind gusted with renewed fury. Icy rain crashed over the fort, and thunder boomed. Riley peered out into the yard. Storm mage? The rain froze, coating everything, and snow dumped down with far too much earnest. Are they burying us in?
Summer sighed and walked to the door. Riley stood and did the same, walking over and peering into the torrent of snow. It shot through the fort, blown by a massive gale.
“Are they doing it?” Riley asked.
“I’m uncertain. This is the real trick with storm magic. If you have a real storm to use, the snow becomes persistent, and it’s very hard to tell. The downside is that it’s very hard to stop it from hitting everyone.” Summer looked up at the blanket of snow.
Riley swallowed. “Do we have enough supplies for an extended blizzard? Is that their plan? Push elsewhere and snow us in?”
“That’s certainly possible. It could also just be bad luck.” Summer poked her head out into it.
Riley reached out and considered hitting it with void magic. How much would it take to nullify this? Can I just use a single mana? Fixing the rune for void magic in her mind, she reached out. Her eyes and hand flashed purple for a fraction of a second.
The wind continued to blow. Snow billowed around them.
Ivan jogged up. “Lady Riley, Magus,” he said, bobbing his head.
Riley pulled back and looked at him. “Did you see someone?”
“I got a single shot off, but they blocked it. There were mages, so it probably is magic.” Ivan frowned. “But they are leaving.” He walked inside.
Riley felt the charge build around her. Her hair stood, and a blinding stream of white lightning hit a crackling bolt of purple and blue. The bolt snuffed away, and notifications appeared.
[You have killed 4 humans. +1746 experience.]
Riley swallowed. Well, guess I was in range.
Ivan chuckled. “You’ve gotten faster.”
Riley blushed. Yeah. Faster. Right.
Summer let out a low whistle. “How’s the mana?”
“Low. Do you want me to try clearing the storm?” Riley asked.
Summer frowned and shook her head. “Too much of it is natural now. Let it blow itself out.” She shut the door.
Riley turned and walked back toward the table. She took a seat on a bench and watched.
Travis looked up. “Siege, Ivan?”
“Appears they want to lock us in. They’ll probably push hard on one of us after snowing us into place.” Ivan took a seat at the table. “We’re both caught in it.”
The group went quiet.
Riley looked at the lists and listened to the wind wail outside. “Are we moving them?”
Travis stood. “I’ll handle it. Better to do it now before the snow buries us.”
Well, now what? Can I play my lute? Riley smiled and looked around the filled room.
Roger turned and walked down the halls, looking at the rooms. He found one and gestured.
Riley stood and walked inside. She looked at the small cots, the desk, and the chairs.
Nicole stepped into the room along with two other guards.
Roger turned. “I’m going to go scout. Watch her.” He walked out and shut the door.
Riley walked over to the desk and took a seat. She huffed and pulled out her spellbook, carefully working through the runes.
A guard sighed and leaned against the wall.
Riley looked at her. “I feel your pain.” She sighed and leaned there. The lack of anything dangerous made her focus drift to the pain that lingered in her body. Pulling her cloak closer, she listened to the wind and watched notifications begin streaming past her vision. Is an entire fort swearing loyalty to me?
She pushed them away. Future problem. She looked at the stone room with no windows. I wish I could have gone with Dad.
~~~
Roger ran through the blizzard, searching for any sign of the enemy forces. What would I do if I were them? Snow them in and push somewhere. He nodded. That would make the most sense.
Churning snow behind him, he looked at the distant road and raced toward it, leaving the worst of the storm behind and running toward the break in the trees.
Like the palace horses, he shot down the road. The wind wailed, and snowflakes slammed into him. He ignored them and locked onto the distant village. A group of mages were out reinforcing and adding walls. Stone rose from the ground and locked into place.
Slowing, Roger crouched low and made his way up to the wall. Stretching, he leapt and flickered, streaming up the wall like smoke.
Streaming over it, he fluttered down and landed lightly before darting behind a cottage. Reaching down, he grabbed the frozen dirt and rubbed it on his clothing and face.
He turned and walked down the alley, emerging on a small street. This village is tiny. He searched and found an inn.
Smiling, he turned and made his way through the barren streets and up to the wooden door. He opened it and saw a massive group of soldiers. They’d filled every chair and bench. Most were dozing against walls or tables. He slipped inside and shut the door, looking around the crowded room. Did they run, or are they reinforcements?
He moved toward the hearth. “Give a man some room,” he muttered at the crowds in his way.
A soldier spun and looked him over. “What happened to your uniform?”
Roger looked at the gray outfit and looked back at him. “I was infiltrating them. What the condemnation happened to our fort, and where is Captain Spencer?”
“Surrendered, like the rest of the cowards,” a man said with a disdainful look. “We’ll crush them soon enough. Captain Rose is over there.” He gestured.
Roger nodded. “How’d we lose it?”
“Overzealous charge combined with that rotten Spell Thief. That bitch exploded our entire army and somehow survived.”
Roger slammed down the desire to stab the man. “Of course. Her.” He grimaced and listened to the sentiment echo through the room.
“Are you sure she isn’t a Void Mage?” another asked.
“I have no idea,” the soldier huffed. “All I know is that we went from winning to losing, and it’s all because of her and that rotten noble.”
Roger nodded. “Where are our nobles and our auras?” He scowled.
“They’ll be here soon,” the soldier said, grinning. “You didn’t hear?”
“No.” Roger shook his head.
The soldier clapped his shoulder. “The reinforcements—”
“Enough!” Rose barked, walking up to them. She frowned. “I don’t recognize you.”
The soldier blanched and moved away.
Roger looked at her. “Special division, Captain Rose.” He palmed his blade. “I have information—”
As her hand blurred, time slowed, and Roger swung, slicing her throat open before stabbing another. Moving quickly, he hacked and slashed his way through the nearby soldiers before bursting out of the door.
Becoming little more than smoke, he fluttered toward the wall and away from the fort. It’s time for some sabotage.