The torches and lanterns on the top of the palisade were all lit. It showed Max the full extent of the town’s perimeter. It was not a large town, but the palisade would take many soldiers and guards to defend it, more than were available, he was sure. The gate that was little more than a few planks of timber had been locked and barred with a heavy beam. It was being hastily reinforced and barricaded with planks, boards, and tabletops. Finally, a wagon was rolled into position sideways to the gate. Max walked down the central main street from the mayor’s house to the main gate. He could detect the tension in the townsfolk. The company of elves was ready, almost arrogant. Max felt confident walking with his party. And maybe it was a lack of Wisdom on his part, but he really wanted to get a look at these goblins.
“The palisade is too low,” Max said.
“This is just a mining town,” Anita said. “They didn’t expect to fight an army. The defenses are just to keep wild animals out.”
The sergeant of the Karbon town guard approached Captain Fineblade.
“Will you fight with us, Captain?”
Fineblade nodded. “My company will hold the gate. You hold the palisade.”
“What about us?” Max said.
Fineblade looked at Max’s party. “You are adventurers. You can pick your own ground, but I hope you will help the defense.”
“Let’s get to the palisade,” Max said, looking to Jahrod first, then Anita. “I want to see these things.”
“I think we should hold here,” Elderon said. “We can direct our Strength where best needed.”
Jahrod nodded. “Elderon is right. We should hold here.”
Soon shouts went up from the palisade as the defenders called out contact with the attackers.
“Why are they attacking this small town?” Max said.
“It stands in their way. The Deadtide army is removing any potential stronghold between the Hinge and Ralynn City.”
Max could see action at the gate. The gaps between the timbers showed swords and spears thrusting through. The elves held the gate, shooting their bows, their arrows flying through the narrowest of gaps in the defense. But the palisade was weakening. Elderon cast a spell of Far Sight and showed Max the danger growing on the left of the gate. A pair of Deadtide soldiers were on top and fighting Karbon defenders. They were beaten back but soon replaced by another three Deadtide soldiers. The defenders fell back, and now the Deadtide attackers had a point of attack. More Deadtide soldiers climbed up. The defense wavered. Guards falling back, giving ground.
And then Max spotted his first goblin.
>
>
> Name: Goblin
>
> Status: Aggressive
>
> Attack: Shortswords
>
> Threat level: Nasty
>
>
And then, all of a sudden, the defense of the palisade collapsed. The Karbon guards, who were equipped only to fend off small raiding bands and the occasional Worg, were no match for the Deadtide soldiers driven by darkness and their goblin allies.
With their left flank exposed, the elven company fell back into the town. Moments later, the gate gave way. The beam gave a loud crack. The gate burst open, barging the wagon aside. Goblins came rushing in and were met by a volley of elven arrows.
The Karbon guards ran up the hill for the mayor’s castle. The most defendable point in the town. The elves fell back in good order, fighting off the attackers that surged through the gate.
A group of Deadtide soldiers were gathered on the palisades to the left of the gate where they had first made their attack. They were shooting their crossbows down into the town, targeting any innocent civilian still fleeing for safety.
>
>
> Max casts Fireball.
>
>
The fireball arched through the darkening sky and landed on the palisade.
>
>
> Deadtide Soldiers take heavy damage.
>
> Palisade takes heavy damage.
>
>
The timbers caught alight. The Deadtide soldiers who had not been defeated by the fireball fell back in fear.
A shriek went up to Max’s right. He turned to see a group of eight goblins running through the town towards the main street. They slowed as they approached Max and his company.
Now Max could see them up close. They were short, green, and very ugly, huge nostrils spouting thick black hairs and huge eyes too big for their heads.
>
>
> Max casts Magic Missile.
>
> Goblin takes moderate damage.
>
>
Max saw one magic missile had taken half the goblin’s Health. They were not hard to defeat one-on-one, but their numbers made them dangerous. Elderon cast a Magic Missile and the higher-level missile defeated a goblin in a single attack. Anita launched a bullet from her sling, and Jahrod shot a bolt from his small crossbow. They targeted the same goblin, and it fell, defeated. Max targeted the goblin he’d first attacked.
>
>
> Max casts Magic Missile.
>
> Goblin takes moderate damage.
>
> Goblin has been defeated.
>
>
The five remaining goblins rushed forward, shortswords raised. Anita and Jahrod ran to meet them. Elderon cast a shield over the party.
>
>
> Max casts Strength.
>
> Max’s Strength increased to 18.
>
>
Max drew his Shortsword of Lightning and rushed to join Anita and Jahrod.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
>
>
> Max attacks Goblin.
>
> Goblin takes minor damage.
>
> Bonus Lightning damage.
>
> Bonus Strength damage.
>
>
The goblin hissed at Max and dashed at him, stabbing upwards with its brown steel blade.
>
>
> Goblin attacks Max.
>
> Max takes minor damage.
>
>
The blade struck his tunic. He felt the tip of the goblin’s shortsword through the padded material. The Strength of the little beast was more than he had expected.
>
>
> Max attacks Goblin.
>
> Goblin takes minor damage.
>
> Bonus Lightning damage.
>
> Bonus Strength damage.
>
> Goblin has been defeated.
>
>
Max saw Jahrod defeat a goblin and Anita damage another. The remaining goblins knew they were outclassed and fell back.
The Karbon guards were scattered, engaging small groups of goblins throughout the town. The elves were in formation and fighting a formation of Deadtide soldiers on the main street, the clatter of steel on steel ringing out over the town.
“We should help the elves,” Max said. “If they defeat the Deadtide soldiers, the attack will fail.”
Jahrod nodded. “Sound tactics, Max.”
At the gate, Max could see the Deadtide soldiers were consumed by darkness. Black slime dribbled out of the corners of their gaping mouths. It bubbled in their throats. Their eyes were black, and their eye sockets sunken and shadowed. Fine black lines spread over their cheeks and down their necks. It was worse than when he had snuck through their lines to find the dark shard. The prolonged exposure to the dark shard had corrupted them further.
Max spoke to Captain Fineblade.
“Can you get your company to divide in two down the center of their formation?”
“We stand a better chance if we maintain cohesion,” Fineblade said.
“Give me room. Captain, and I will cast Web.”
Fineblade shot Max a look and then nodded. He called out an order in elvish. Instantly, the elven formation split, taking Max by surprise at how swiftly and accurately the elves acted. He acted just as quickly.
>
>
> Max casts Web.
>
>
The Web spell formed in Max’s hands, and he sent the ball of shimmering strands rolling through the gap in the elven formation. The spell struck the Deadtide soldiers and exploded in a mass of sticky strands. The web trapped the Deadtide soldiers in its sticky bonds.
The Karbon guards rushed in to attack the bound Deadtide soldiers. Max hated the sight of helpless soldiers at the mercy of the Karbon guards.
“These men are your prisoners,” Max said.
Fineblade looked at Max with respect. Anita wrapped an arm around him. “You are noble, Max. And right. Stop them, Elderon.”
The Deadtide soldiers were taking a beating. Many were already defeated but were held in the web. Elderon cast a dark spell that spread over all in the melee. A shriek of fear burst out of a dark and fearsome cloud. Small smoke skulls drifted between the Deadtide soldiers and the Karbon guards, hissing and wailing.
>
>
> Elderon casts Fear.
>
>
The Karbon guards were overcome by the terrible spell and ran in fright, scattering in all directions, some charging into the sticky web and getting trapped themselves.
“Now we wait,” Elderon said.
The Web spell eventually faded, and the Deadtide soldiers fled in fear, turning tail and charging back out of the shattered town gate.
“You use your spells too freely, Max,” Elderon said as the last of the Deadtide soldiers fled the town. “This was only a small skirmishing party. You used your most powerful spell, Fireball, and you succeeded in weakening the town’s defense. You used Strength and only engaged one weak enemy. Did you count how many Magic Missiles you used or not? You must learn control, Max, not just of the magic but of your active spells. If we were in the wilderness, you would now be running short of spells. It is our Mage Books that make us most powerful and keep us safe.”
Captain Fineblade approached. “You are a worthy young Mage, Lightfoot,” he said to Max. “The town of Karbon is lucky you were here.”
Max shook his head. “It is you we have to thank, Captain Fineblade.”
Fineblade offered his hand in friendship. “Call me Darius.”
Then Fineblade turned to Elderon. “My company will move out in the morning. We will head back to the Kingdom of Deepwood. We should not be so far from our lands, else we cause tension with our neighbors.”
“You can’t go now, Darius. We will need you.” Max turned to Elderon. “Tell him. The Deadtide army marches on Ralynn City.” He turned again to Fineblade. “Your elven company can be the difference in the south of Awen to help us halt the spread of the darkness.”
Fineblade shook his head. “We should not be here. Now that we are freed from the darkness, we must return home. The conflict between Deadtide and Ralynn is a human affair. We must not take sides.”
“But Darius,” Max implored, “it is not a conflict between Deadtide and Ralynn City, between the Hinge and the Kingdom of Faregent, it is between the free people and the creeping darkness. Your elves can withstand it to an extent. You must help. If Ralynn City falls, then Awen will be on the brink of falling to darkness. The Hinge is already under its spell. Then Faregent, they will go on to the Kingdom of Breamor, and then the darkness will dominate the south of Awen. The Kingdom of Deepwood may hold out, but eventually, the darkness will target your lands. You must stop them now before they grow in strength.”
Darius studied Max. He looked to Elderon. He rubbed his fine moustache, twirling it between finger and thumb.
“You are very persuasive, Max,” Fineblade said. “I will call you Max Truthsayer. Yes. My company will aid you. We march at first light. Although we are too few to take on a whole army, you will no doubt have a worthy plan come the morn.”
Max patted Fineblade firmly on the shoulder. “A plan,” he said. “Yes, we will need a plan.”
Max slept in the tavern easy knowing Elderon and Jahrod were sleeping nearby. He was woken briefly when Anita slipped into his bed. Her naked body pressed up to his.
“Anita,” Max said, nervous and excited. “You shouldn’t be here. You must remember your commitment to the Druids. If you are to become their leader we cannot,” he hesitated, “you know.”
“I just need to rest under your Blanket of Comfort so I can quickly activate all my spells. You don’t mind sharing, do you?” She wrapped her arms around Max’s chest.
“I would share anything with you, but you’re naked,” he said.
“I know. It’s nighttime. I’m in bed. Of course, I am naked.” She propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at Max, the blanket falling off her shoulders and down to her waist. She looked down at him, her green almond eyes sparkling in the night. “Oh, I forgot, you don’t like nakedness. I will go elsewhere if you prefer.”
Max pulled her down under the blanket and took her hand. “I can put up with it.” He settled into the pillow and felt her warm skin on his back.
She wrapped her arms around him and kissed the back of his neck. “You will ever be a friend of the Druids. You will have a special place in our circle.”
Max slept soundly in Anita’s arms. Just her presence soothed and fortified him. He knew he would be fully healed come morning simply thanks to her gentle presence.
Come morning, he checked his Mage Book. All his spells had been reactivated. He had forgotten to check them the night before. Maybe he should have considered a change of selection, but his current selection had served him well enough so far.
The morning was misty and damp, but mercifully, the rain had stopped. The road was heavy going. The ridge path was damp and slippery. Max walked to the side of the path, choosing to wade through long grass rather than trudge through the mud.
“Why did the Deadtide army not use the ridge?” Max said to Fineblade, who fell in step next to him.
“Think it through,” Fineblade said. “You appear to be intelligent enough to deduce the answer.”
Max studied the terrain. It was much clearer than the tangled East Ridge Forest. But it was narrow. The relatively small company of elves filled the ridge path. “They would be forced into a narrow formation,” Max suggested. Fineblade nodded and smiled, encouraging Max to continue. “They would not be able to use their full strength here. They would be too narrow.”
“Precisely,” Fineblade said. “They could be held by a much smaller force up here on the ridge. It is no good having a thousand soldiers in a column if only a dozen can stand shoulder to shoulder in a fight. And the army would be stretched out on the march. It would take days to get the army along the ridge and back into a powerful formation on the other side.”
“And that would make them vulnerable when they came close to Ralynn City. The Ralynn City army would be able to hit them in force while they were forming up.”
“Where do you come from?” Fineblade said with a sudden curiosity. “Your voice is very different from most men of Awen.”
“I’ve traveled a lot,” Max said. He was worried that the captain would press him for an answer. Jahrod came and fell in step with Max, and suddenly, he was flanked by two allies who knew nothing of his origins. Max was hastily constructing a story that would cover his true origins but fall short of being an actual lie. He suspected both Fineblade and Jahrod would sniff out a lie all too easily. The worst thing for Max to do would be to name some town and claim that as his hometown. Between Jahrod and Fineblade, they probably knew more about Eveirea than Max would ever know. If Max invented a town, they would surely press him to reveal what province, what kingdom that town lay in. If Max used the name of a real town, the chances were too great that either Jahrod or Fineblade would know the town well, know the smith or the sergeant of the guard. Max was spared his trouble when a forward scout came running back to the group.
The elven scout spoke to Fineblade, Elderon listening closely.
“The Deadtide army has been spotted, Captain. We’re right behind them.”
Max went forward with Elderon, Fineblade, Anita, and Jahrod to observe the Deadtide army. From high up on the ridge, they looked down on the army and their goblin allies. A road stretched away to the southwest, and at the end of that road, only a day’s march away, was Ralynn City.
“What now, Max?” Fineblade said.
Elderon fixed him with a stare too. Max was sure Elderon would have come up with a plan by now, but all eyes were on him: Lightfoot, Darkbringer, Truthsayer.