TIME’S UP LET’S DO THIS

Stunned silence fell over the group as they watched Mocha and Akane stand their ground against the fort's bandits. Iris felt her heartbeat pounding in her ears as the bandits rushed the gates, their weapons and armor glinting ominously in the fading light–these were no second-string bandits like at the camp.

They were geared for battle.

“She stole my damn sword,” Iris grumbled under her breath, her gaze fixed on the vulpine thief. She discarded the stick she'd been holding and drew her dagger instead.

The others just stared as Akane and Mocha stopped just outside of the gate and stared down the bandits that hesitated at the kitsune’s brazen display.

A burly dwarf clad in intimidating plate armor stepped forward from among the bandits, an imposing axe clutched in his hands. A hulking orkun man followed suit, hefting a claymore as though it were a mere stick. Iris could see a wicked sneer cross the dwarf's face as he taunted Akane.

“Looks like we got another one of them Twisted,” the dwarf sneered. The man hefted his axe and rolled his shoulders. “You keep pointing that blade at me, girl, and I’ll remove the hand holding it. Tell me, which forest do you come from? Alumval?”

The kitsune seemed undeterred. With a sly tilt of her head, she let out a defiant bark. The dwarf's sneer faltered, replaced by a look of wide-eyed horror. “It’s her. Get her!” he commanded, thrusting his axe forward in a show of bravado.

The orkun didn’t waste a moment. With a fierce battle cry, he charged toward Akane, his claymore cutting a deadly path through the air. Just as he neared her, Akane made her move.

With an agile leap, she launched herself skyward, tossing Iris’s sword mid-air toward Mocha, the magical warhorse catching it skillfully in her mouth. Then, with an almost hypnotic grace, Akane's humanoid form shimmered and shifted as a cloud of mana obscured her figure. A moment later, a massive dire fox with three tails emerged mid-air from the cloud of dancing motes. The orkun barely had time to register his shock before Akane was upon him, her jaws closing in on his throat.

Suddenly, Iris's voice broke through the stunned silence. “Shit! Alright, let’s do this!” she shouted, urgency seeping into her voice. She broke into a run, channeling her [Rushing Wind] and [Arcane Capability] as she sprinted toward the ensuing chaos. “I'm getting down there, follow behind me! Stick to the plan!”

Gryff's voice carried back to her. “Alos’s charred sausage! What’s the plan?” Gryff cursed.

She didn't break her stride. “Whatever doesn’t get us killed!” Iris shouted back.

Kaira’s retort followed her, “That’s not a plan!” But the elf was running too, the entire group following Iris's lead.

As she ran, Iris's mind was singularly focused on the scene unfolding before her eyes. Bandits with spears and shields were rushing out of the gate, their focus on the massive fox with three tails.

The dwarf bandit leader darted forward and swung his axe at Mocha, but the mare was already on the move. Mocha lunged with an agility Iris rarely saw, swinging the sword down on the dwarf. The man's eyes widened in surprise as he just barely managed to redirect his axe, blocking the horse’s unexpected attack. This was the strangest sight Iris had ever seen.

A sword-fighting horse versus an axe-wielding dwarf–and it was only just the beginning.

With the dwarf momentarily taken aback by the sword-wielding horse, Mocha didn't waste any time. She reared on her hind legs, her powerful front hooves thrusting through the air and keeping the dwarf at bay.

As soon as her front hooves returned to the ground, Iris's sword, tightly held in her mouth, maneuvered with surprising finesse, defying the seemingly ungainly grip. Each thrust was met with an equally aggressive parry from the dwarf's axe, creating a surreal, dangerous dance in the dimming twilight. The dwarf, though initially bewildered, was no novice to combat. He twisted and turned, his plate armor clinking with each movement, as he tried to navigate Mocha's unexpected onslaught. Yet, Mocha responded with a swift adaptation to his moves, her equine agility combined with a newfound warrior spirit making her a formidable opponent.

Just as Iris reached the fringe of her spell's range, she pulled in a deep breath, briefly closing her eyes to focus on the surge of mana that bubbled up within her. As she released the breath, she cast her [Lightning Step]. In an instant, her body was engulfed in a crackling sheath of electricity, and her physical form vanished. A bolt of pure lightning took her place, surging forward at an astonishing speed.

The lightning collided with the ground near Mocha and the dwarf in an explosion of blinding white light and an audible crack that echoed across the fort. Materializing from the energetic display, Iris stood tall, her eyes blazing with determination. The battle around her seemed to freeze for a moment, everyone, friend and foe alike, momentarily stunned by her dramatic entrance.

But Iris didn’t hesitate.

Her hand lifted, fingers poised to cast [Spark] at the dwarf, when Mocha made her move. With an agile twist of her head, she deftly disarmed the dwarf, sending his axe flying before making a swift, lethal strike. Iris watched, her spell momentarily forgotten, as the dwarf’s head toppled off his shoulders and rolled away.

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Iris rounded on her friend. “What the hell is this, Mocha? We had a plan!”

The horse lowered her head and then tossed the sword to Iris, who deftly caught it and swung it around.

‘Less complaining and more fighting! We'll talk after!’ her horse whinnied. ‘Toss the sword back.’

“No! That is–”

‘Give me the damn sword Iris,’ Mocha neighed. ‘Akane needs our help. Now.’

Iris's eyebrows furrowed, and her mouth opened to protest further, but the urgency in Mocha's tone made her hesitate. With a reluctant growl, she gave a brisk nod, and with a practiced twist of her wrist, tossed the sword back to Mocha. The warhorse caught it skillfully in her mouth and charged into the fray, her battle armor glistening in the scattered light from the campfires.

Iris spared a glance over her shoulder, catching sight of the rest of her party as they followed her lead and charged into the melee. Kaira was at the forefront, her sword cleaving a path through the bandits. Gryff and Bree were close behind, the two spear wielders side by side as they rushed forward. Suddenly, Gryff’s shield raised high to deflect a flurry of arrows that whizzed their way from inside the gates.

Laken drew his bow with one hand, while the other retrieved and nocked an arrow before launching it back toward the source. Without hesitation, another three followed in quick succession as the [Ranger] found weak points in the enemy’s armor.

Suddenly, Iris noticed a group of archers lining the watchtowers that overlooked the gate, their bows trained on her companions. With a narrowing of her eyes, she channeled mana into herself, calling upon her magic as she drew her hands together and cast [Lightning Spear]. A bolt of lightning shot out from her hands, slightly zigzagging through the air as it streaked toward the left watchtower.

The archers barely had time to react before the magical spear pierced through them, their screams echoing throughout the fort as they toppled over the edge.

With minimal mental effort, the spear redirected toward the second watchtower, where it quickly took out two more archers despite their attempts to flee. Her spell left a lingering scene of ozone in the air as it dissipated, and the once-threatening watchtowers were now silent and still.

Having dealt with the immediate threat, Iris turned her focus back to the ground battle. Akane was wading her way through bandits that were attempting to stop the party from entering the fort as if they were nothing more than a fluffle of bunnies.

With a deep breath, she channeled her [Lightning Step] spell once more, her form becoming pure energy as she darted through the gate, past the men setting up. Materializing inside of the fort with a crack, she immediately swung her dagger at a nearby bandit, using her [Arc Lash].

Energy surged from the blade of her weapon, extending the reach with a two-meter-long whip that crackled with lightning. With a fluid motion, she whipped it across the nearest bandits, the electric lash leaving a trail of scorched armor and searing pain in its wake.

Men were rushing out of a small building just to her left, shields and spears raised. With a swift motion, she thrust her palm forward, launching a [Chain Lightning] that arched toward the nearest bandit. The electricity crackled and surged, jumping from one bandit to the next in a brilliant display of raw magical power.

Summoning a surge of mana to her core, Iris swiftly invoked her [Storm Armor]. A sudden explosion of electricity cascaded around her, forming an undulating sphere of pure, crackling energy. It danced and arced around her body, casting an eerie, bluish light that illuminated her surroundings with a pulsating glow. The electricity seared into any nearby bandits who were unfortunate enough to get too close, each arc producing a satisfying sizzle as it found its mark.

Simultaneously, she weaved through the battleground, launching [Sparks] and [Chain Lightnings] left and right with focused precision. Her hands were a blur of motion as they directed the electricity that surged from her core, the vibrant streaks of energy blending seamlessly with the protective sphere around her.

As Iris continued her onslaught, she became acutely aware of the reinforcements streaming in from all corners of the fort. The initial surprise of their assault had worn off, and the bandits were rallying, charging at them with a renewed vigor.

Iris gritted her teeth, her eyes darting across the battlefield as she tried to come up with a strategy or they would be overrun.

“Iris, this way!” Kaira yelled, causing Iris to turn her head and see the entrance to a larger structure to the right the woman was pointing at.

With a swift nod of acknowledgment, Iris signaled to Akane and Mocha before setting off toward the building. Laken, Gryff, and Bree fell into formation around them, their weapons at the ready as they carved a path through the chaos of battle.

Just as they neared the entrance, a fresh wave of bandits erupted from within. Without hesitation, Iris unleashed a flurry of [Sparks], battering the bandits and clearing the way for the rest of her group that was hot on her heels.

Once inside, they quickly swung the heavy wooden door shut behind them. Gryff and Laken moved to barricade it, heaving tables and benches against it just as the first impacts from the bandits outside began to resonate through the wood. It was a crude but effective barrier that would hopefully buy them some time.

The interior of the building was large and spacious. It appeared to be a mess hall of sorts, complete with long wooden tables laden with half-eaten food and a large hearth dominating one wall. There was a lingering scent of roasted meat and stale ale, a stark contrast to the metallic tang of blood and sweat that lingered on them from the battle outside.

Their sudden entry caused a minor tremor within the confined space. Both Mocha and Akane, in their larger forms, were cramped, immediately making the room seem much smaller. The horse snorted and shifted, clearly uncomfortable, while Akane simply flicked her ears and maintained a steady vigil on the barricaded door.

“Relena’s mercy, what’s the plan now, Iris?” Gryff asked, his voice echoing in the relative quiet of the room. The muffled sounds of shouting outside, and the increasing intensity of the banging on the door were a constant reminder of the shit they were in.

Iris glanced around the room, her gaze lingering on the heaped tables, the flickering hearth, and finally settling on Akane. Her mind was already spinning, calculating, formulating a plan. She could feel the familiar stirrings of hope mingling with her adrenaline. They were backed into a corner, yes, but they were far from defeated.

“All right,” she started, her tone firm and resolute, “Here’s what we’re going to do…”