For some reason, I was expecting trouble during the night, but everything was calm. Brin rallied the team before dawn. They didn't forget about me either. The final preparations for the journey began, with a quick cold breakfast and a last check of the equipment. I sat by the door, holding a thin bag in my hands—I was ready. I simply observed the bustle of the rangers.

"Strangers came to the tower at night." A Domovoy appeared beside me. "Necromancers. They command ghouls and skeletons. The tower is surrounded. The Necromancers have decided to wait for you to come out and then attack."

I couldn't force out any words; my thoughts were in a panicked whirl. I tried to come up with a good way out of this very bad situation.

"Will you help?" I whispered.

"I'm sorry," the House Spirit shook its head in denial. "I can't interfere in your affairs."

The rangers were almost ready to go. Bags were packed, weapons were prepared, and the men adjusted their straps. They would soon head towards the locked door. Illa was already ready and waiting for the men too.

"Where are the nearest ones?" I whispered.

"Two skeletons are standing on the other side, keeping watch to prevent anyone from escaping."

"Can we see them from the third floor?"

"Doubtful, it's still dark. Probably not," the Domovoy shrugged. "I can show you where they are, but..."

I stood up and walked towards the commander. I feverishly tried to come up with a way to convince him without arousing unnecessary suspicion. There were no good thoughts in my head.

"Brin, can I talk to you?" I tugged at the man's sleeve.

He looked at me with surprise. I turned and headed towards the stairs, feeling the curious gazes of all the rangers on my back. I heard footsteps, Brin followed me. I was certain that he wore a displeased frown. We reached the third floor.

"Brin, please don't be angry..." I turned to the man. "I'm scared..."

Brin stood there for a moment, drilling me with his heavy gaze, deciding how to handle the foolish young boy. Finally, he made a decision. The stern ranger's gaze softened. His broad palm gently rested on my shoulder.

"It's okay, kid," the ranger said and smiled. He tried to speak softly, carefully choosing his words. "I promise you..."

"Wait," I interrupted the man and quickly spoke, trying to convey my thoughts to the ranger who was starting to frown again. "Don't be angry. I've experienced this several times before. I sense danger nearby... I don't know how to explain it! I feel something unpleasant, and it's becoming very frightening. And right now, I'm scared, but it's not the fear of the forest or anything else... I feel like I shouldn't leave the tower. There's... something there!"

I couldn't come up with anything better in the short time we were climbing the stairs.

"Evan..." I could see that Brin was perplexed. The man didn't know how to respond to the boy's words. Simply dismissing them wasn't an option, and there was no basis for agreement.

"Let's think about it," I spoke up and gestured with my hand. "If there really is someone nearby, they wouldn't storm the tower at night. So, what would they do?"

"They will wait until we leave our shelter, and then it's the end for us," the grim ranger said. "But... the night is about to end. We can't sit here and assume that someone is waiting for us in the dark forest. If we delay, it could cost us dearly."

I approached the edge of the wall and started surveying the surroundings. In the pre-dawn twilight, it was almost impossible to discern anything amidst the dense foliage. Two places seemed suspicious, it seems the kvits avoided these areas. But I couldn't tell Brin about it. I looked more closely. There was no suspicious movement, just overgrown bushes. The house spirit was nearby and pointed to about the same thicket. Perhaps that's where the skeletons were hiding. If not for the Domovoy warning, I wouldn't have suspected anything. Brin stood silently next to me. The ranger was also attentively scanning the surroundings. He seemed interested in the thick bushes across from the tower's entrance, about twenty meters away.

"Nothing. But... Something's not right. Too quiet." the commander said, continuing to carefully study the surroundings. " We can't stay here for long. It's getting light. Any ideas on how to check?"

"Me?"

"You're a smart guy." the man scratched his stubbled cheek. It was clear that he was speaking casually, not believing in his words.

"I don't know, commander." I shrugged, playing by his rules. "Maybe we can ask Illa to cast a spell over there?"

"It won't reach. Her furthest spell is only about fifteen meters." the ranger grimaced. "I'm out of ideas. Looks like we'll have to take a risk. We can't stay holed up in the tower without knowing if there are enemies."

"Commander, would enemies leave a lookout in that direction?" I gestured towards the nearest skeleton.

"Of course, if they have enough people."

"Let's lower me down on a rope. If there's someone there, they'll reveal themselves."

"Hm... The kid?"

"I'm light and agile. I can quickly climb back up in case of danger. The sorceress will be here and can come to my aid." I said. "If there's no one down there, I'll quickly scout the surroundings, and we'll know everything.

"It's not stupid, but... I can't risk you like that."

"Oh, come on... I'm just a burden to the team. You're a cohesive team, and I... I won't be able to keep up with your speed in the forest for long. And... I should have been dead a long time ago. The spirit of the forest... Maybe it won't let me go." I sniffled and wiped my nose. "But this way, I can be useful to you."

The Ranger looked carefully into my eyes. The man was trying to see something in them.

"You're smart, Evan, but foolish. Fine... We have no choice. Let's go."

We descended to the first floor. The commander explained our thoughts and plan to the rest. There were no objections. We took the rope and went up to the third floor together. Illa took a comfortable position and carefully studied the undergrowth below. Petr skillfully tied knots and loops, making it convenient for me to descend. The men prepared themselves, gripping the rope together. In Illa's left hand, a spell shimmered, resembling a transparent shield the most. I silently wished myself luck and cautiously climbed over the edge. The rangers started lowering me down. I lacked the skill to move my feet along the wall, and I hung on the rope. The tower wasn't very tall, only about seven meters, but the descent felt long to me. I scraped against the wall, spun around a few times, and painfully hit my elbow on some protrusion. Finally, the wall ended, and my feet touched a flat surface.

I knew that there was a monster lurking nearby in the thickets, so I didn't untie the rope. The rope was long enough to allow me to take a few steps away from the wall. I picked up a stone and hurled it towards the area where the monster was supposed to be. Perhaps the stone was too heavy or I was too nervous, but my projectile fell short. The stone thudded heavily against the ground and rolled through the grass. The dense foliage of the bushes parted. Without making a sound, a skeleton wielding an axe emerged and charged towards me. It approached rapidly, and I could only watch in horror.

I stood frozen, unable to move or scream. It felt as if I were glued to the ground, held captive by two pale flickering lights. They burned deep within the empty eye sockets of a human skull. I saw a figure running towards me, but it was long dead. I saw remnants of clothing and armor, it was all on a translucent energy membrane. It echoed the outline of a person, just as ordinary skin once did. Within faintly glowing membrane, the human skeleton was clearly visible. The bones were old and yellowed. They were never meant to go up, but now this monster was clutching an axe and preparing to kill me. It looked terrible.

I managed to let out a quiet squeak. Illa screamed from above, but my state prevented me from hearing her words. Moments later, I crashed into the wall and was immediately lifted up. Unclear images flickered before my eyes. I regained consciousness while clutching onto the edge of the wall. Strong hands swiftly pulled me back to the third floor of the tower. I looked on in astonishment as a long whip appeared in the sorceress's right hand. It was made of living fire. It seemed as if the air and stones around it were melting. The sorceress lashed out with a spell at the skeleton approaching the tower. The fiery whip effortlessly severed the monster's left arm, cleaved through its rusty armor halfway, and got lodged inside the creature. Illa yanked her hand back. The monster slammed forcefully into the tower wall and fell onto the stones. The glowing membrane of the skeleton dulled and vanished, leaving only a pile of bones, rags, and old metal beneath the wall.

"Another one!" Petr drew our attention. He pointed with his spear at another skeleton running through the bushes. "They're being controlled!"

The scout darted to the opposite side of the floor. He glanced down, muttered a curse under his breath, and ran towards the staircase. Brin executed the exact same maneuver. As the ranger reached the descent, I learned a plethora of new foul expressions. What could they have seen down there? Illa and I exchanged glances and hurried after them. The scene was disheartening. Three ghoul stood in a row, fifteen meters away from the entrance of our hideout. The monsters swayed from foot to foot, ready to pounce at any moment. Their powerful, muscular figures instilled terror. The creatures' fingers ended in long claws more akin to daggers. These would easily pierce a grown man and monsters would tear him in half. I felt a great deal of regret for being here.

Closer to the tower, two figures in black cloaks stood. The bald man on the left held his staff high above his head. The necromancer stood with closed eyes. He seemed to be muttering something, his lips moving. The second necromancer spread his arms wide. A mask of strain froze on his face, as if he was holding something large and heavy.

Down below, methodical and powerful strikes echoed. Four skeletons stood near the entrance of the tower. Two of them systematically hacked at the door with heavy axes. I doubted the door would hold for long.

"We're screwed." the sorceress whispered quietly, confirming my thoughts. "It's the end for us."

Chapter 9B

I looked around. Not far from the edge was a splintered wall. I started pulling the enormous stone towards the edge. It used to be part of the wall, but that was long ago. For hundreds of years, it had just been lying on the floor of the floor.

"Distract the mages. " I croaked to the frozen sorceress.

The sorceress instantly understood my plan. Two fiery whips appeared in her hands. The heat became intense. I quietly murmured a prayer, not specifically addressing anyone, simply invoking good fortune. I was drenched in sweat but continued pulling my projectile towards the edge. The air around me buzzed, sliced by the sorceress's fiery spells. When I glanced down, I expected to see the enemies' bodies severed and charred, but the necromancers stood calmly. They were securely protected by something. It seemed they hadn't even noticed our sorceress's efforts. The enemies didn't even change their posture, continuing to stand unaffected.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

One necromancer controlled the skeletons, while the other protected himself and his companion. The fiery streaks collided with a shield that briefly flickered with each strike but calmly withstood all the efforts of our sorceress. The woman gritted her teeth and continued to attack. From below, powerful and methodical blows on the wood could be heard.

I bumped the stone off the edge of the wall and looked down. My projectile spun several times in the air before crashing onto the skeleton poised with its axe for another strike. It was crushed. The impact shattered the yellowed skull into tiny pieces, and many bones broke apart. The translucent energy membrane instantly vanished. The bones and old objects scattered in different directions. The axe, clattering loudly, rolled across the stones.

The bald necromancer cursed and plunged his staff into the ground. He extended his skinny hands toward the entrance of the tower. I couldn't understand what was happening. Nothing seemed to happen, but the necromancer did something. Illa gradually slowed down, attacking the barrier with her spells less actively. It seemed that the sorceress was growing weary. I picked up a small stone and threw it down. A stone bounced off something invisible and fell aside. The bald necromancer was protecting his ghastly creations. The skeletons didn't notice anything, they just kept breaking down the door. It was hovering above the skeletons who continued to hack at the door. I looked at them closely; their movements seemed strange to me. The skeletons became kind of sluggish, as if they had become stiff. The monsters no longer moved as agilely as before. They resembled puppets, moving slowly and lazily.

"What's wrong with them?" I asked the sorceress. "Why are they behaving so strangely?"

Illa stopped attacking the mage and looked down.

"The necromancer used to control the skeletons, but now they are acting on their own," the sorceress replied. "You did well, slowing them down a bit, but the door won't hold for long. Do you have any other ideas?"

"How long can a mage hold a shield?"

"A long time," the woman grimaced, as if she had a toothache. "Mages are powerful and experienced. I can't do it."

The bald necromancer lowered his hand, and a black lightning bolt was hurled towards us. But the sorceress was prepared. Illa held out her empty palms in front of her. The lightning scattered into sparks before us, by crashing into a magical barrier. If it weren't for the sorceress' quick reaction, it would have been very bad. I didn't expect something dangerous to erupt right in front of my face, I cowardly fell to the floor of the tower. Illa didn't pay attention to me. The sorceress cast some spell downwards. She aimed at the skeletons. Illa cursed. I looked at the result of her actions. The necromancer was already holding his hands in front of him, and his skeletons continued to weakly strike the door with their axes. None of them were harmed.

"Nothing can be done," the sorceress said nervously as her stream of curses ran dry. "They will soon break down the door, and then the ghouls will burst in and tear everyone apart."

"Why? The entrance to the tower is narrow. They will climb one by one; there's no other way. You can block them and kill them. The warriors will hold them back, and you will destroy the dreadful creatures. Necromancers won't help them! They won't shoot spells at their own creatures?!"

"Shoot..." the sorceress mocked me irritably. "A terrible plan! Clearly, you're just a village fool. Ghouls are terrifying creatures, they are very strong, creatures have thick skins and feel no pain. There is no fear for them. When controlled by a necromancer, they become incredibly fast. Even if the rangers manage to hack one down, the other two will tear them apart."

"And what about you?"

"I won't be able to make a significant contribution," replied the sorceress. The woman quickly cast several spells at the necromancer, but the man managed to defend himself. "Magic works very poorly on ghouls."

"We need to come up with something. Block the passage with objects..."

"Let's go down," the sorceress wouldn't listen to me. Illa deployed her magical defenses and retreated towards the stairs. Some kind of spell hit the unknowing barrier. "It's dangerous here. Let's go downstairs!"

" I'll stay. I'm useless down there." I said, dragging a large stone to the edge. "I'll try to do something, anything!"

Illa shrugged indifferently and disappeared into the passage. The sound of her footsteps quickly faded away.

I had forgotten about the stone. I flopped down on my stomach so that I could not be seen from outside. My plan was entirely different. I quickly crawled towards the forgotten rope. Next to it, among the rocks and debris, lay my meager bag.

I was lying next to my things, contemplating the situation at hand. I weighed the possible options, and they were few. I could descend down the rope now and disappear into the forest. I didn't think anyone would find me or pursue me at all. The battle participants had no time for me at the moment. The sounds from below indicated that the battle was in full swing. If the necromancers will won, they certainly wouldn't care about a vanished teenager. If luck will favore the rangers, let them try to find me. The plan was solid and reliable, but it felt incredibly nefarious. To abandon the rangers and cowardly escape? My soul screamed that it was abhorrent. What would I become? It didn't matter that no one would ever find out. I would know, and I would have to live with that treachery. Dark stains from my past life already plagued my conscience, and I didn't want to add to their number. I must try to help the rangers. If I fail, I will save myself. In that case, my conscience wouldn't torment me. I would be confident that I had done everything possible.

I took out my creations from the bag and crawle back towards the edge of the wall above the entrance. I had a rough idea of what devastation could look like from explosions, but that was in my own world. How would it be here? Perhaps the resilient ghouls would survive. Maybe even the necromancers wouldn't be too affected. Who knows how the magical barrier would fare against the blast and shrapnel? I tried not to think about the possibility that if things didn't go according to plan, the rangers could also be harmed. Nevertheless, I had to give it a try. There simply were no other options.

I peered cautiously out between the unevenness of the wall.

The dark mages approached closer. The bald necromancer stood with his staff, commanding the skeletons. He probably assumed that his creations were safe from any threats. Boards cracked below, and the door received powerful blows. It wouldn't hold for much longer, and the passage inside would be clear. Another series of heavy strikes, a loud crash, and something heavy fell.

Anticipatory smiles appeared on the faces of the necromancers. The ghouls sprang into action. Perhaps upon receiving their masters' command, the eerie creatures broke free and dashed towards the tower. The monsters moved swiftly and gracefully. Now I could see that ordinary people wouldn't survive in a confrontation with them.

A deadly battle erupted below. Iron clanged, shields thundered from the impact of strikes, the incantations of mages resonated, the hastily erected barricade cracked, and weapons sang in the hands of warriors. My palms grew hot as I held both of my creations, infusing them with energy. I mentally counted the seconds. When I reached five, I leaped up and hurled the first bottle at the frozen mages and the second one downwards. I didn't look; instead, I dropped to the ground on my stomach. I pressed my body against the stones, opened my mouth, and covered my ears. I remembered that's what people do in my world before explosions occur.

It felt like an eternity had passed. A fleeting thought crossed my mind that nothing had worked. My plan had failed. I had done what I could. How long could the rangers hold on? I needed to run, to save myself. In that moment, the tower jolted, and a moment later, the structure noticeably swayed to the side. I struck my cheek hard against the stone floor. It seemed like the tower was teetering and would collapse any moment. I felt like I was on a thrilling ride, but gradually, it all came to an end. I cautiously peered out from behind the edge of the wall.

"So that's why weapons are tested meticulously and extensively," I muttered, contemplating the horrifying scene. "Only fools, like me, rely on luck."

Before the entrance to the tower, I witnessed a bloody massacre. I saw a mixture of bones, rusty iron, and flesh, all floating in a lake of blood. Many items were barely recognizable. Pieces of armor resembled sieves, and some parts were simply torn into small fragments. Off to the side, a bent axe lay, its handle splintered and broken.

The explosion near the necromancers occurred right in front of their defenses. The spell managed to shield the dark mages, leaving them unharmed. All the shrapnel hit the shield and failed to penetrate the protective spell. The fragments ricocheted in different directions. Perhaps some flew towards the entrance, dealing another blow to the attacking creatures. The Necromancers got it too, the explosion had a concussive effect. The bald man lay on his back, weakly moving his limbs. His hands aimlessly groped the ground. His companion was on all fours, opening and closing his mouth, drooling uncontrollably. The necromancer clearly did not understand where he was or what had happened. The Necromancers got it too, the explosion had a concussive affect.

No one could have survived down below. There were no intact creatures. There were no sounds either, just an oppressive silence. Or had I gone deaf? Down in the pools of blood lay a gruesome mess. I realized what I had done. Why didn't this simple thought occur to me earlier? I never considered that the explosion would propel the shrapnel at critical speeds. The shards, debris, and stones were deflected by the mages' spheres. Only the gods know how many times this happened. The shrapnel repeatedly changed its trajectory until it lost its momentum. That's why there was such a horrifying cacophony and whistling down below.

Stunned, I stared at the result of a real meat grinder. Not long ago, a bloody storm raged in front of the tower. I involuntarily shuddered as a nauseating lump rose in my throat. My hands instinctively started feeling myself. It wouldn't have taken much for a stray shard to find its way to the third floor, changing direction multiple times. I hoped the rangers were fortunate and remained unharmed. I got up and dropped the rope down.

The scene below appeared even more epic and horrifying. The once smooth stone walls of the tower now became rough and rugged. Deep grooves, scratches, and indentations from the flying shards overlapped, creating a gruesome ornamentation. Bent nails and other scraps of iron protruded from the stone in places. There was no desire or time to linger and contemplate the bloody mess. The necromancers were starting to regain their senses. I headed towards the enemies.

"If not me... then who? There's no time," I whispered quietly to myself. I carefully chose where to place my foot, so as not to step in the blood and meat. "They will recover soon, and I will envy the dead. Don't be afraid, you coward!"

I walked towards the enemies, ready to kill. It was the first time in my two lives that I walked to kill fellow humans. I clenched the knife in my sweaty palm and convinced myself that it was necessary. Thoughts raced through my mind like skittish squirrels on tree branches. It felt like there was no time left. Any moment now, one of them would reach out and I would turn into a hideous ghoul. My weak legs resisted and shook, but I still moved closer to the dark mages.

"Alright! How? Where should I strike a person with the knife?"

My steps became shorter. I feared that if I stopped, I wouldn't be able to force myself to move again. I struggled to refrain from returning my meager breakfast back. I walked and kept my gaze fixed only on the dark cloaks. I approached the sluggish, barely moving enemies.

"The heart? No. I can't do it. The throat? There will be too much blood... Maniac!" I muttered to myself, moving with weak legs. "No! Coward! Go! You must, you rag!"

I froze near the necromancer. The man was crouched down and sluggishly bobbing his head from side to side. Thick saliva dripped from his mouth. I couldn't see his eyes; he was looking down. The knife in my hand trembled, its handle slippery. I attempted to kick him in the head, but it went horribly wrong. I nearly fell next to the man. The necromancer was very weak, and even my feeble kick was enough for him. He fell to the ground, face down. He froze and didn't move. I could see that he was still breathing. The second enemy was becoming more active, moving his hands. The man tried several times to get up, but he lacked strength. He managed to lift his head and look around with hazy eyes. Perhaps the mage realized the dire situation he was in and was gathering his strength. This couldn't go on for much longer.

"Coward," I hissed. " What are you waiting for? "

I knelt down next to the enemy. The necromancer attempted to roll onto his side, but it was feeble. I grabbed onto his dark clothes and prevented him from doing so. As if in a dream, I pressed the tip of the knife against his throat and froze for a moment. With force, I applied pressure to the knife. The blade slid forward effortlessly. Blood appeared. I tried not to think. I didn't even breathe. I tried to be an observer. It seemed like I heard a grating sound. The blade shifted sideways, changed direction, and went deeper. Disgustingly, there was a squelching noise, and I struggled to keep myself from vomiting. At first, the mage wheezed and twitched, but quickly fell silent and went limp. His eyes rolled back, and the mask of death settled upon his face. It was horrifying.

"So, you're a killer," I whispered, looking at the dead enemy. My fingers still clenched the knife handle. "You could have run away. You would have been far away by now... Don't lie to yourself, fool."

The second necromancer groaned nearby. I yanked the knife out of the throat of the just-killed man. Blood gushed profusely from the large wound. Why is it so huge? I struggled to swallow. I stood up and took a step toward the living enemy. My mind was empty. My hands and legs trembled, but I didn't pay attention to it. I sat on the man's back. I pressed the knife against the base of his skull. I gripped the handle of my father's knife with both hands and leaned my entire body weight into it. Unexpectedly, the knife sank in easily and smoothly, penetrating its full length. The necromancer jerked a few times and went limp. I will remember this horrifying episode for a long time. Now it is mine, forever with me. Nightmares will haunt me for a long time, for some reason I was certain of that.

I stood up and walked towards the nearest tree. I sat heavily next to its trunk and leaned my back against it. I sat there, gazing at the grim tableau of the battlefield. My mind was empty. I looked at my small, childlike hands smeared with human blood.

"I wonder how much experience they would give me if this were a video game," I muttered, voicing a foolish thought that had somehow emerged in my mind. "But this isn't a game. It's a fairytale world! Ha-ha-ha... Fairytale world..."

I chuckled softly. The Domovoy appeared next to me and sat down beside me.

"Was it a simple bottle that exploded?" the spirit asked when I stopped laughing.

"Yes," I nodded and smiled again. "With champagne."

"With what?" the spirit turned its head.

"Forget it."

"Fine. You know, Evan," the Domovoy muttered. "May you will burn forever in flames if you teach anyone how to make those champagne bottles."

"Agreed."

I noticed Brin and Illu on the third floor of the tower, watching me. I waved at them. The sorceress looked down and quickly turned away. Such a delicate nature.