They had not made any real effort to conceal themselves. Why would they? Their thinking was justified arrogance, believing that they were facing down defenseless peasants. They were the Aetheric Knights, proud and strong and righteous. What could possibly threaten them in a place such as Faehaven?

They were not about to enjoy Edeline's answer to that question.

By her count, there were about four hex men assembled there. That was hardly a threat to her, especially since they were mostly grouped up around the bombard. At least, that was what Edeline assumed the ugly metal barrel on top of an odd-looking wagon to be. Not exactly what she had expected given Myron's description of the weapon.

Still though, it had blasted into one of the houses here, the broken hole that had resulted visible from where she stood. Not as powerful as her best spell, but more practical than a technique that only a single living thaumaturge knew. Edeline could see why the kingdom had resorted to these to combat the gigants. She had to respect that, at least.

That was why she was approaching them from an angle. The bombard had to be heavy and slow to move, so repositioning it would take considerable time and effort. They had no way to aim it at her without turning it first, and Edeline would have plenty of time to react.

Possibly due to them being in the shadows of the trees, they did not see her until she was halfway across the open field between them and Faehaven. "Who are you? Stand back!"

"I could ask the same!" Edeline called out, "Why are you attacking?"

"That was a warning shot!" the man shouted back, waving a sword in the air. "We know you elves have Lord Kelshir's daughter hostage! Let her go, or we'll kill you all!"

So that was Lady Lace's true identity. Her being a noblewoman had been blatantly obvious, to the point Edeline wondered why she even bothered trying to hide it. Now that she thought about it, wouldn't that make her...no, now wasn't the time for that.

The other thing Edeline had noticed was that they had mistaken her for an Elefae. It stung a little, a victory for Kalvarel that she really didn't want to have to acknowledge. But Kalvarel was no longer here, among the living.

The knights, who had slain so many at Verdan and were now threatening to do the same here, were. Time to give a response of the same manner.

"That is what you call a warning shot?" Edeline drew and raised her sword. "Then you can have mine! Deus volt!"

It had been so long since she had been freely able to channel the power this spell required. It felt liberating. Once more, the sky fractured and spat forth the bolt of crackling energy into her blade. The gift of the Stormsage, now hers.

And she was all too willing to share. She extended her sword and let the spell's power flow towards the bombard.

The bombard burst into a cloud of flame and smoke.

Edeline found herself laying flat on the grass.

She took a deep shuddering breath, surprised at how faint it sounded to her ears. Everything did, a dull echo muffling the world around her. Slowly, carefully, she climbed back to her feet, feeling a little unsteady. Sword still in hand - somehow, she had kept hold of it - she looked over in the direction of the bombard.

What was left of it. The metal barrel was cracked, laying there on a sprawling patch of scorched earth. The wagon it had sat at been reduced to shattered fragments of wood scattered about. Around it lay the bodies of the men who had been close to it. Whether they were dead or merely wounded, Edeline could not tell.

Shouts rang out. Still dazed, Edeline turned to see a pair of surviving knights charging her. One held a spear extended in her direction. She raised her sword, slowly, too slowly, as the spear's wielder thrust his weapon at her.

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"Dijed heka nebu ikem wenen."

A glowing shield appeared in front of Edeline. The spear shattered as it hit the shield, leaving the man stunned as he held the broken shaft in one hand.

"I did promise I would aid you, did I not?" Ugotlas's voice came from behind Edeline. "I will admit I did not expect their attack so soon, but I suspect the arrival of that woman forced their hand."

"Aether's blood...what even are you?" The survivors fell back in fear. Edeline had to admit, they were disciplined about it, keeping their weapons ready as they settled into a loose formation. Less than half of them remained, so one more spell of hers ought to do it.

"I am Ugotlas of the Sekhmati. Hear my name, and know that the roads of your lives end now. Dijed heka seshep sheser sheser wenen."

A countless number of glowing rays, looking like they had been cast from the sun itself, burst out of nothing and pierced the remaining knights. A moment later, they faded away, and the bodies of the knights fell to the ground.

"Thank you," Edeline said, still a bit winded. The complexity of those spells...it was very different from her knowledge of magic. And it had been so effortless, leaving little doubt that her own spells were limited compared to what Ugotlas knew. He alone probably could have handled the bombard and all the men, more easily than Edeline could.

"It was no great trouble." The sphinx padded forward, sniffing the air. "I must say, that device they used to attack with has an atrocious stench."

"The bombard?" Edeline could pick up a whiff of smoke from here. It was a little strange, but she did not think it all that foul. She wondered if there was some difference between her nose's sensitivity and that of a sphinx.

She was not about to approach the remnants of the bombard to try to prove the matter one way or the other. "Let us head back," Edeline told Ugotlas. Myron needed to be informed. The unlikely pair began walking back towards Faehaven.

Waiting there, back against once of the Elefae houses, was Lady Lace. Or rather, Lord Kelshir's daughter.

Setting aside how she had gotten out of Myron's sight, Edeline wondered what the young woman had hoped to accomplish. It probably involved some plan of turning herself over to the knights to protect the Elefae here. That would accomplish nothing, if Verdan was any indication.

"That was...those were...magic spells?" For someone who had been so bold to sneak back to near the fighting, Lady Kelshir sounded quite timid. Very different from her determined insistence before.

"Correct, Lady Kelshir." Edeline had already decided not to hold anything back. "It would seem we both have our secrets."

"Yet more evidence certain aspects of this kingdom are...backwards," Ugotlas noted, "It would be an improvement if those of our talents were greeted with proper honor and respect, rather than fear and shunning."

Lady Kelshir's face paled. "I...I apologize. I meant no offense. It was...it has been a troubling day."

That, Edeline could not argue against. "So, you really are Lord Kelshir's daughter, then?"

"That is...correct. I am Anthyla Kelshir. I did not want my involvement in this to be publicly known. I was afraid the elves here would react poorly, and obviously if my family knew they would put a stop to it."

"Given that you just said the Aetheric Knights are under your father's control, I would assume he is aware at this point." Getting through their business in the city quietly grew more troublesome by the minute.

But even though it should be, that was not the worry that weighed the most on Edeline's mind. It was her standing there. Anthyla Kelshir, third of Lord Kelshir's four children...and almost certainly the one their father had begun arrangements to have Myron marry.

It had been so long since Edeline had given the matter any thought. That one day when Myron had returned home, he had asked about it, a matter Edeline had no prior knowledge of. At the time, it had seemed an innocent question, although the truth was that her brother had been concerned about his then-secret romantic affair with Nela.

How was she supposed to bring this up to him? To either of them?

"I hate to agree, but...I cannot think of a reason why the knights would not have informed my father of where I am." Lady Kelshir's words reminded Edeline again that the matter with Myron was secondary. "I wonder though, why would they-"

With the creaking and splintering of wood, the house a few paces down - the one struck by the bombard shot - collapsed inward.

Edeline whirled, stepping back and away. The blast had been powerful, yes, but to make the whole building fall upon itself? Staring at the rising column of dust and smoke, Edeline saw the flickers of flame among what remained.

An uncontrolled fire would be devastating for Faehaven, with how close their houses were. They needed to organize a bucket relay without delay. Edeline had never had to do it during her brief time of leadership in Hallowscroft, but she had seen her father go off to do it once. It was not like the idea was hard to understand.

"Come on!" she told Lady Kelshir. Questioning her about the details of her role in all of this would have to wait. Edeline had sworn to protect this place from the knights. Whether it required her most powerful spells or carrying a bucket of water around, she wasn't about to let them down.