The claws on Tolan’s feet scratched the cobblestone as he ran through Crimsonvale’s back streets and alleyways. Keeping to the shadows and hiding behind whatever pile of objects he could to avoid attracting attention. Sneaking out of the cathedral and into the streets was hard enough, but trying to get deeper into town while avoiding Watchers and Inquisitors while also moving quickly was a hell of a task on its own. And while his blue scales made it easier to blend in with the night, his sorcerer attire and staff were dead giveaways if someone spotted him.

Just as he was running through another of the alleyways, he saw a patrol of Watchers led by an Inquisitor. Quickly ducking behind a pile of junk, he watched and listened. Tolan couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but heard “half-elf”.

“Whatever or whoever this half-elf is, it’s got the cult on high alert tonight.”

Looking around the cultists, Tolan waited for them to move. He was stuck in an alleyway that didn’t have any significant gaps to the left or right between the buildings. All he could do was wait for the group ahead of him to move.

Then multiple explosions echoed from off in the distance.

“Dammit! I’m too late!”

The Inquisitor and Watchers took notice of it and started running towards the source of the explosion. Moving up from his position, Tolan peered out from the alleyway. He weighed the risks of continuing forward and turning back.

“That was at least three or four fireball explosions. Chances are low that the half-elf is still alive, but if they're not…”

Another explosion rang out, followed by several small ones in rapid succession. This definitely altered how Tolan weighed the half-elf’s importance.

“Well, safe to say the half-elf isn’t dead yet.”

Then, from further up the road, another patrol of cultists started running in his direction.

“Dammit, they saw me!”

Tolan readied himself for a fight, but they ran right past him. Gritting his teeth, Tolan hoped he could save some time and chased after the cultists ahead of him.

“Whatever commotion that half-elf started definitely kicked the hornet’s nest! You’d better be worth our time, half elf!”

Just before the second explosion rang out, Hei, Torgrak, and Tessa stood out in the open as the cult surrounded them. Spellcasters with staves stood atop the roofs while those brandishing weapons flooded the streets and alleyways.

One cultist with slightly more regal robes than the rest called out to the rest.

“Purify these heretics with our diving flame! Burn them with holy fire ‘til they are but ash!”

One loud chant came from the cultists in unison.

“BURN THE HERETICS!”

The cultists in the streets broke open the door that lead into the inn and began climbing the steps, while those in the alleyways began climbing the building to reach and kill the apostates.

Tessa’s ears rang for a moment as she tried to get her bearings after the first set of explosions.

Hei, however, kept his smirk from growing too much.

“Time for your lesson in combat.”

Tessa did a double take, uncertain of if Hei was serious or not.

“I don’t think this is the time nor place to teach, Hei!”

“Nonsense! No better time to learn than when your life is at risk!”

Hei raised his hand as a sword appeared out of a void, the handle sliding into his palm. Quickly, Hei positioned himself in front of the door just as an axe broke through the wood. Tessa recoiled the crunching wood.

“I’ll even provide step-by-step instructions for you.”

Another several bashes from weapons hit the door, nearly breaking it down. Seeing no point in arguing further, Tessa gave in to today’s lesson.

“What’s the lesson for today?!”

“Attacking and positioning.”

The door broke down, but Hei kept the cultists from getting any further into the room. Raising his blade and striking down the first two who tried to enter. Their bodies falling limp and turning to ash before blood could even hit the wooden floor.

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“Isn’t defense more important right now?!”

Hei was ecstatic, “We’re keeping it simple today!”

Torgrak held his rifle up to his shoulder and took aim. With a squeeze of the trigger, he shot at the one who called them heretics. And the moment the bullet impacted the cultist’s face, it was safe to say portraits were now an impossibility for him. The cultist’s head bursting like a watermelon while the body fell down into the streets.

Witnessing it, Tessa felt sick while Torgrak let out a prideful and short chuckle as he reloaded.

I know there’s not much choice in the matter, but aren’t there better means?!

Hei then called out again, beginning the lecture.

“Step one. Analyze your enemy. What’s our situation look like?”

Another cultist tried to force his way through the door and took a stab at Hei with a shortsword. Effortlessly, Hei raised his shield and blocked thrusted into the cultist’s chest. Another pile of dust scattered on the floor.

“Uh… there are spell casters scattered on the roofs.”

Torgrak’s gun cracked again, this time interrupting a cultist just as their next fireball was about to be hurled. The bullet caving in the woman’s chest cavity. Unfortunately for her fellow followers of Nencog, the fireball went up and then back down. Detonating on impact with the ground and turning a good number into charred corpses.

Tessa tried to ignore that and focus on the lesson.

“A-and melee fighters below us.”

“Good!”

One cultist who climbed up the side of the inn began pulling himself up and onto their level. Dagger in one hand as he stared straight at Tessa.

“With that in mind, who should you attack right now?”

Tessa began to panic. Her eyes rapidly shifting between the one staring daggers at her and Hei.

“I’d rather cast support miracles and avoid fighting than anything else right now!”

Hei chided her, “Answer…”

A cultist broke through one of the side walls and charged at Hei while another engaged him head on. Quickly, Hei shoved his shield into the one in front of him, thrusting its edge into the cultist’s right thigh and left it there. Then, taking his sword in both hands, slashed through the other one’s waist. Cutting him into two piles of ash before pulling his shield out and bashing the remaining’s head in. Coating the front and bottom edge of his shield in blood.

“The question!”

“But!”

The one who was climbing up the side was nearly up on his feet, and the hands and fingers of other cultists who started climbing were visible along the edge. Tessa looked to her mentors, hoping one of them would keep him from getting closer. But both of them were busy.

“But!”

The cultist was now on both of his feet and noticed how she was the only one not fighting, and thus the easiest target. He started running at Tessa, both hands on his dagger as he charged.

“DIE HERETIC!”

Tessa raised her arms defensively, but Torgrak handled the issue this time. Tripping the cultist, he broke their balance and then bashed the cultist’s head in with one hit from the butt of his rifle. Blood dripped down the man’s face as Torgrak then grabbed him by the chest and threw him up into the air before shooting him down like a clay pigeon.

“Zhis ain’t da time ta lose focus, lass!”

Tessa couldn’t form words to reply with and nodded.

“Sooner ya finish yer lesson, da sooner it’ll be over.”

“R-right. U-uh…”

She recalled Hei’s question and gave what answer she could.

“I-I’m not good at fighting in melee, but the cultists on the roofs appear too far away to hit!”

Hei replied, “Very good!”

One fairly big cultist came charging at Hei, hoping to break through with his size and brute force. But upon colliding with Hei’s shield, he found he couldn’t push Hei at all. His feet struggled to even force him any further forward. With this, Hei smiled and pushed back. Knocking the brute off his balance before kicking him down the stairs. Taking along every cultist on the stairs with him.

“Step two. Repositioning. Is there anywhere you could move to either keep yourself away from melee fighters while also getting in range to attack the enemy casters?”

Tessa scanned her surroundings, trying to gage if Hei’s request was possible.

“Uh. It doesn’t appear possible. Is that a bad thing?”

Torgrak yelled, “Incoming!”

Tessa looked at Torgrak, then noticed a fireball headed their way. Raising her hands and closing her eyes, Tessa thought this would be the end of it all. Hei then pointed his sword at the fireball and unleashed several tendrils of darkness. They stretched out and grabbed it right before devouring the magic and neutralizing the spell.

Opening her eyes, Tessa looked around in the sky.

“Wh-where’d it go?”

Torgrak chuckled, “Knife ears ate it!”

“What?!”

Hei clarified, “Counterspell.”

“But you didn’t say or chant anything.”

“Don’t need to. Somatic component only. Now, back to your lesson!”

“R-right. Uh, there aren’t any places I could move to that would help me.”

“That’s fine. Step three. Pick a target. Torgrak, oil!”

“On it!”

Reaching into his bag of stuff, Torgrak took out a spherical bottle with a long neck. Inside was a dark brown and black liquid, and he tossed it over to Hei. Not wasting another moment, Hei smashed the neck against his shield and threw the bottle down the stairs. Some cultists attempted to move up, but now it was far too slick. A few stayed in place and focused on balancing, but then Hei and Torgrak switched positions.

With a devilish smile, Torgrak pulled out a lit match and tossed it. Immediately upon hitting the oil, a blaze of fire ran down the stairs and torched a good number of cultists along the way. Screams of pain as they burned to death echoed up and down the staircase. Tessa tried to ignore them as best she could, but it was hard to.

Hei assumed the front position as the cultists were not getting up the walls.

“Tessa! Target! Now!”

“Y-yes! Uhhh… I-I can attack the ones that climb up?!”

“Then step four! Rain hell!”

“What does that mean?!”

Torgrak inserted himself into the conversation.

“It means zhis!”

Torgrak pulled out a different round from usual. It was longer and had dark cracks running down its sides. Loading it, his rifle went k-thunk instead of its usual chunk noise. Taking aim just above the alley, he fired the round. It flew out slowly, leaving a trail of smoke, and hit the far wall of the alley before exploding and showering the cultists in hot shrapnel. They cried out in agony as the ripping hot metal pierced and lacerated their flesh. Killing many, but not all.

It wasn’t over yet, though. Determined to kill, the cultists continued climbing. A few even tried jumping over from nearby buildings. A couple make it, and Hei intercepts them, but another makes it up the side of the inn and starts pulling himself up. Unfortunately for Tessa, Torgrak is.