Younglings ahead! Talpa warned Pax a minute later. Pax passed the news on to the others.

We’ll veer past so we don’t spook them, but call out directions for them to follow our tracks back, Bryn told them. Hopefully, that will help them get to the base.

It sounded like a good idea until Pax caught sight of the small group of littles clambering out of a dry wash ahead of them. They looked bedraggled, with dirt-covered faces showing signs of a long and difficult trip. The first to see them turned and warned the others.

Their response impressed Pax. Small shields and spears shifted into position as they formed a rather respectable shield wall, despite being pretty ragged.

A group of larger kids who’d been guarding the back of the group charged to the front, yelling out instructions. They reminded him of how he and Amil had always been quick to protect their littles. He needed to badger Incedis for news again.

Bryn kept their crew at a respectable distance, too far for anyone’s spears to reach. She raised a hand and waved as she veered to the side without missing a step.

“We’re rebel allies on our way to help your friends.” Her voice boomed out with a strength that had to be a warrior skill. Or maybe it was just something they all learned to do. “Follow our back trail to safety.”

Pax couldn’t make out individual faces, but it was obvious by their body language that some kids didn’t believe her. Hopefully, they wouldn’t feel obligated to run back toward the battle in some senseless attempt to warn their friends or join the fight.

And then they were past, running further through the scrubland, following Talpa’s directions.

Over the next rise. I’m not getting close to fighting. Looking for Eris.

“This is it, Bryn!” Pax yelled out, and she gave a nod, not looking back at him. Talpa is looking for Eris now. He sent in a private message to Rin.

Running next to him, he saw a touch of the tension in her shoulders bleed off. He also knew Eris’ fate would distract Rin during the fight until they’d found her. He’d be the same if he didn’t know Talpa’s fate.

When they came over a rise and caught their first glimpse of the battle in the distance, it was almost impossible to tell what was happening. Elemental spells lashed out between the two parties, kicking up dust, smoke and water spray that the warriors took full advantage of. They used the cover to dart in and land attacks. Even the earth heaved as walls popped up and cavities opened to thwart attacks from both sides.

Pax caught sight of what looked like a few prone bodies pulled out of harm’s way on either side. But most of the fighters were still on their feet, fighting an intense battle that shifted and swayed around a central kill zone of destroyed terrain.

Bryn didn’t slow their pace. Their only hope of making a difference now was speed. Pax equipped his shield. He’d emptied the mild lightning charge that he’d stored in it from Incedis’ training device. He’d decided using it to absorb a powerful spell in an emergency might be more important than having something to attack with.

Also, the extra mana he’d filled it with would be important. Either this battle was going to be over in a few brutal moments, or it would drag on long enough that every point of mana would be vital.

Bryn led them in at an oblique angle from the side of the rebel group. They’d decided coming from behind would be too threatening. They didn’t want to be taken for an enemy sneaking up to flank them. Something like that could distract their allies at a crucial moment and get them killed.

So, they ran silently and faster than usual with Pax’s Overcharge powering them. Pax resolved to keep the spell running as long as he could. If he could spare the mana, it would boost everything his crew did during the fight. He didn’t plan on saving any mana this time. He’d need every ounce of power to survive this fight and keep the other rebels intact.

While brainstorming earlier, they’d been divided on calling out to the rebels as they approached. Pax had convinced them that the surprise of them joining the battle had the best chance of making the two sides hesitate long enough for them to convince the rebels they were there to aid them.

Considering the plan his Strategist skill had helped him come up with, Pax wished he’d leveled his Charisma even more. Who would have thought the mostly social attribute was going to be a crucial component of determining their success when they joined the battle?

It was almost time. They were just over a hundred yards away, and his crew would be in the thick of things in seconds. Pax could make out individuals now. It was obvious everyone in front of them was higher leveled and more powerful than his crew of students.

But they weren’t as versatile. And they didn’t have companions. That would have to make the difference.

Faces were grim as the two sides fought each other as desperately as they would a horde of beasts pouring over a wall. Some were injured, but they were all fully committed to overwhelming their opponents. Now that he was closer, Pax could see that some of the battle had devolved into a smattering of smaller confrontations.

Without something like a wall to brace a defensive formation against, everything moved very fast and fluidly. The only constant was the central ground between the two groups stayed a killing ground with spells, arrows and spears flying back and forth.

A core of central figures fought on either side of it. Warriors and mages clustered together, doing their best to smash past the others’ defensive measures and overwhelm them. With the swirling cloud of battle debris, shifting shields and armored figures, it was hard to make anyone out. Still, two obvious fighters stood out as the opposing leaders. They fought hard while also directing those around them, both warriors, not mages.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Bryn aimed them directly at the no-man’s-land.

Shields and defenses up now. Bryn’s order came sharp and direct.

Everyone obeyed instantly.

Pax’s pulse skyrocketed, realizing that his entire crew and all their companions would count on his actions in the next few moments to keep them alive. He forced himself to focus on the plan and follow Bryn’s instructions.

Thanks, Pax sent as Whisk emerged from under his armor and poured over him in a glistening coat of protection front and back. He spun up a variety of his mana types, getting his spells ready for their entrance.

And then the worst happened. Someone on the rebel side noticed them, yelling and pointing their direction. It would have been fine if the same thing had happened on the empire side. But it didn’t.

Pax instantly triggered his Haste, knowing he’d need to adapt his plan quickly depending on what happened in the next few moments. In a motion that was slow enough to fill him with dread, Pax watched the warning yell catch the rebel leader’s attention. He jerked his head in their direction.

It wasn’t much of a distraction, but in a fight that close, it only took a split second of diverted attention to cause a disaster. An empire mage on the other side responded instantly and raised her hands. The bright light of her tattoos shone through the breaks in her vambraces, making it clear she’d had the spell already charged, awaiting an opportunity.

And they’d been the ones to give it to the mage. Pax couldn’t let the disaster happen. They were so close, but not close enough. That left only one possibility. Before he could second guess himself, Pax acted, blowing through his mana without a care.

He focused on the spot in the contested area directly between the empire mage and the rebel leader. An instant later, he Aeroshifted there, leaning into his Haste to help his mind keep track of everything he needed to do in the next few seconds.

The Haste helped him push aside the disorientation of the transfer. His feet stumbled on the uneven ground, his right boot coming to the rescue again as he straightened. He shoved his hands out toward the empire troops, one holding his shield while the other blazed with mana. He triggered two Flashbangs, adding more confusion to his sudden appearance.

A split second later, he summoned Ember and sent him on a beeline toward the attacking mage with instructions to stop her from casting. That was all the attention he could spare, hoping that his new evolution would help the little guy accomplish the task without being monitored.

Then, pushing into his Charisma, Pax raised both hands and yelled slowly to counteract his Haste, “I’m just a kid! Don’t hurt me! I’m here to help!” He kept screaming the words. If people were going to keep underestimating them for their youth, they’d decided they should use it to their advantage.

Faces turned to him in shock and surprise. He heard his name yelled in a distant voice of protest. His friends were going to kill him for going ahead on his own. But he had to survive first.

Still yelling about being a kid, Pax ignored everything else. He drew up the power for the next set of spells he still needed to cast. Out of the corner of his eye, the mage’s motion had slowed, but her hands were still outstretched, apparently oblivious to his own presence or the little magma golem clambering over the jagged terrain toward her. He knew she’d launch her spell at any moment. He refused to be too slow to intercept it.

His ice mana was new enough to be just a touch slower than his light and primary elements. His pounding heart and immediate danger made the quiet mana of ice even harder to force. Desperate, Pax pushed everything else away and held his vision of the angled surface perfectly still amidst the chaos roiling around him.

A flicker of almost transparent blades shot out from the mage’s hands. Pax pushed more mana into the still forming Ice Mirror. Straining with the mental effort, he sent his faster light mana to add a layer of Windscale Shroud to his hands, face and chest. As soon as it was done, he switched to layering the fastest Chain Bulwark he’d ever done just behind the almost formed Ice Mirror.

Brace for it, Whisk.

Pax’s Mirror completed a hairbreadth before the mage’s flurry of air blades hit. He sent a desperate prayer to Vitur that they would just deflect off and shoot up into the sky.

They didn’t.

His Ice Mirror did slow the attack, but only for a moment. With a sharp shatter that cut into the battleground noise, it broke into pieces. He cut off the mana supplying it just in time, barely avoiding the pain of a backlash.

The whirling blades slammed into his hastily erected Bulwarks, hesitating longer before breaking through them. And then the attack slammed into his shield. Keeping a thread of light mana in contact with the shield, Pax did his best to absorb what he could of the spell into his Spectral Mana Mirror.

He felt the shield suck up the power of the attacking spell. For a moment, he hoped it had worked. Then the Spectral Mirror shut down, full of too much energy. The rest of the attack spilled up and over him. It was like standing in a violent summer storm, but full of sharp knives instead of raindrops.

His link to Whisk was full of concern and effort as his companion fought to absorb enough damage to protect Pax. The air blades battered at his armor and his Windscale Shroud, violently jostling his entire body. Pax dug his boots into the uneven ground, hands holding his shield up for its mundane protections as he leaned into the attack. He was sorely tempted to just Aeroshift to the side. Surely, he’d drained enough power from the attack that the powerful rebel fighters behind him could handle it.

But Pax had been pushing on his Haste the entire time. Only a few seconds had passed. He couldn’t risk the rebel leader’s life because of their distraction. Pax shoved more air mana into his Shroud.

A yell of distress a moment later was music to his ears. The storm of blades cut off abruptly. Pax risked a quick glance over the top of his shield. The mage was desperately slapping at the conflagration of her lower robes where Ember kept slamming against her.

Go, Ember! You’re the best! Pax sent quick congratulations to his golem before pulling his focus back to the battle. Despite his flagging energy, this wasn’t close to over. He stood in the center of a killing field with attacks still flying and only half his mana left. Not everyone had let a boy appearing in the middle of the battle distract them. Stopping a battle didn’t happen in seconds.

An arrow thunked into his shield from the empire’s side, jarring him back a step. He pushed on his Haste again to give him a chance to respond in time.

Pax heard the rebel leader yelling something about not hitting him and hoped the rest of the rebels heard him. Just yards away, the odd sight of his crew and companions racing toward him was causing further distractions. He noticed an unexpected level of turmoil disturbing the empire troops. Yells flew back and forth at the sight of the incoming Tamed beasts.

Pax’s friends were yelling just as loudly, all about being kids, allies and there to help the rebels. The last didn’t endear them to the empire side, but Pax saw enough hesitation among the fighters about the students’ ages to be glad they’d chosen that tactic.

He just needed to hold on for a little longer and not let the storm of battle kill him. Pax pushed aside all distractions and fear. He established a connection to the mana stored in his shield and spent the extra cost to summon his Sphere.

The sudden clarity made him glad he’d practiced using Haste and Sphere together. Now, he just needed to last until the end of the battle.