After my little outing I went back.

We enjoyed the rest of the day in leisure. I had an idea of going to try to upgrade my alchemy, but decided against it. Instead, I read an alchemy book in the tavern while Charlotte was sleeping on my chest.

I also learned that Stella had a hobby and it didn't include saving anyone. She took two hours shopping for tea. Although when she came back, she bought only a sack. I'm not mad at that as the less she buys the more satisfied is my wallet. But it must be some mighty good tea if she took such long time choosing it. Yet even while asking her about it she said it's for a certain occasion. I left it at that if she doesn't want me to drink it. It's fine.

We donned our armours when the sun was going down. We also prepared everything we would need in a case of emergency. Also, thanks to being Doc's disciple I got from him two health potions.

[ Health potion ]

+30 HP 0,5HP/s

It healed by 0,5 until one got the 30 HP back or his HP filled up. That would be taken care of, but now I have a different problem.

" Now, now Charlotte please listen. You can't go with us." I said to Charlotte as she hugged me

" Why do you want to abandon me papa. I was good. I did everything you asked of me." She said through tears as she pressed her face against my chest.

" We're not abandoning you. You'll just have to be in the fort with the others while the fighting’s ongoing. After that's done, we'll come pick you up."

" No, I don't want to. I'm going with you." She looked at me with a steel face. It looked cute as it didn't look right on her with her red cheeks from all the crying.

I petted her head.

" And how are you going to do that. No one must know that you're a mage or you'll be targeted. When that happens, I'm not sure I'll be able to protect you."

" But what if you need help and I'm not with you to help you."

" And how would you help me."

" Like this." She pointed her right hand at the table in the room. I looked on as magic flared up in her hands and an arrow shot out destroying the table to wooden chips. Leaving only wooden memories of what was once a table.

" Oi we're getting quite arrogant, are we not? " I said and pinched her cheek.

" But my answers still no." At that she turned away from me and ran to Stella that got her armour on expect the helmet. She was looking at everything playing out and surely revelling in it.

" Mom, can I go with you? I'll be helping you out. I promise I'll be good. Please help me convince dad."

" No. What he's saying is right. It's all for your own good." Hearing that from Stella she paused and fell to the ground crying. I and Stella just looked on for a while but seeing that Charlotte had no thought of stopping we grabbed her.

We tried taking her to the fort where the other civilians were, but we didn't even get through the doorsteps as she clung to everything along the way. The wooden floorboards had small cuts from us trying to drag her.

" Okay, you win. But you won't be using your magic. Only if it's a life-or-death situation or I say you could." Hearing that she stood up from the ground.

" Do you promise you won't abandon me ever and take me everywhere with you? Deal?" She looked at me and expectantly extended her arm.

" Okay deal." I said and shook her outstretched arm.

" Where did you learn this from?"

" I saw you while you were shopping. You did it after every promise. So, you have to keep it." Hearing that I ruffled her hair.

" Okay I'll take you but you'll have to be in my backpack so no one sees you."

" Okay."

We went out of the tavern. Stepping into the street, it was barren with only cats in sight that were looking for something to eat.

When we got to the walls, we were pointed to one office where we had to show up so they could check us we're here. Other than that, it was boring.

We had lit torches as the night was progressing. Yet the warm from the torches couldn't chase away the chilly wind that was blowing. It took with it small snowflakes that melted on contact with armour.

For the next two hours we had nothing to do. The possessed were preparing down below the walls beyond the reach of arrows.

The place me and Stella were assigned to was the wall right beside the gate.

In this grim weather the possessed started getting closer with ladders and a battering ram. They moved as a mob with some stepping out of the semblance of line they created.

The moment they stepped into our firing range the captain shouted for us to shoot. We managed to get of five volleys of arrows before they could get to us. Each volley shot down and injured groups of Possessed, but even while injured they continued moving forward.

As they set up their ladders and grouped below, our mages got visible and started raining down spells onto the groups inflicting massive damage. They used spells like fireball and ice shards for area damage.

When all of this was ongoing a few Possessed with better equipment scaled the walls. They used daggers as climbing tools and let the arrows and spells rain down on them.

The battle entered a unique stalemate as neither side made much progress, but it didn't last too long. Mana started running low and those mages who didn't have mana potions were out of battle. At some parts of the walls a melee was taking place and our disadvantage was starting to show. The enemies who were scaling the walls were tier 1 and were of much higher quality than ours. They used skills in opportune moments pushing our soldiers back so more of their own could surge onto the walls.

On our side we weren't faring much better Stella was right in front of me striking down anyone who tried climbing up the wall. I on the other hand only peaked from behind Stella when there were more enemies to take care of. I didn't want my body pierced by arrows so I used Stella. I mean I let Stella to protect me, because of her noble heart.

We worked in tandem as a well-oiled machine.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Like this I shot all of my arrows and left Stella and went to refill them to the nearby tower.

When I opened the door, I saw a archer with a blade sticking out from his chest. I saw as the sword was pulled out and his limp body fell to the floor. Right behind him stood a Possessed in Knight armour.

The moment he looked at me I sprung to action and took out my dagger. I rushed to the position of arrow sacks, but he was quick to intercept me. We clashed our blades which resulted in my hand becoming bloody as his sword slipped down my dagger.

-16HP

I ignored it and managed to took out one arrow, as a reward I received a head bash. He grabbed my hand and was about to hang my guts on his sword, but a small blue glow got reflected on his helmet before a mana arrow shot him in the face.

Taking advantage of the moment when he was stunned, I pierced my arrow through his chin and held his head in place. Charlotte shot her second arrow point blank. The blue blood from the impact splashed around and got on her hand. The body fell as I released my grip and I too fell to the floor on my knees.

I felt Charlotte hugging my neck from the back. We stayed like that for a while.

" You injured?"

" No."

I bandaged myself and checked Charlotte's status if she didn't have any missing HP. I also added a point to her WIZ that she gained from the kill. I went beside the window and got my arrows refilled. I was looking through the small window when I heard a crash against the door. A soldier came stumbling from there into the room, he defended a blow from one of the possessed.

I wasted no time and shot an arrow right to its unprotected head. I ignored the system notification as it fell to the ground. But taking its place in the opening was another Possessed. There were Possessed trying to get to the room, pushing each other without any signs of stopping.

" Raven, we need to help mama Stella."

" Don't worry nothing will happen to her."

" How can you be so sure?"

I kept silent and continued shooting my arrows as fast as I could. When doing so I saw on Stella's system interface her HP was taking hits. But just as I was coming towards the soldier that was blocking the doors a Possessed came rushing through the other door. But before it could reach me it was shot down by Charlotte. I rushed back to the door and locked the door with the sword I picked up from the knight.

As I was going back, I saw Charlotte started to shoot the Possessed in the door. The soldier turned his head for a second to see me and Charlotte.

" We need to push out the tower." I said and started shooting once again.

" Why's that? It'll do us no good. This door is perfect there is only one freak that can get through at a time." He said as he shoulder bashed an enemy before delivering an overhead strike. But the Possessed managed to scratch his leg before going down.

" We need to regroup, staying here we will just get overrun in time. "

" We're going nowhere. We'll hold here." He said and continued to defend the door. Blocking blow after blow, but no support was coming his way. He slashed off one hand of the Possessed and blocked the other one when he looked back and saw me with a drawn bow.

" Trust me, we must go and regroup. After all we wouldn't want to watch our comrades die would we."

" I hope you know what you're doing and what that will bring you." He said and turned back around as the Possessed's head exploded and another took his place.

" Don't worry, you just have to push out. I'll cover you."

The soldier started to step forward with every kill. Meanwhile Charlotte also started shooting every chance she got.

This way we came out the tower back onto the wall where the fighting was in full swing. Normal Possessed and the Special ones alike were on the wall infecting the town with their mere presence. In all that fighting there was an encirclement of five of our soldiers around Possessed in full armour with axes. In there stood Stella. We were getting there gradually, but the Possessed in the way made it difficult.

But even though they had the numbers advantage none of them was brave enough to attack. They were in a standoff. The only thing that broke the quiet nature of it were the wailing mages and soldiers at his feet.

He was a Berserker if I ever seen one a faint red aura flowed around him. As he took a step a mages head was squashed. Silence took over for but a while as one of the soldiers rushed with his shield in the air.

The Berserker didn't even get into a stance. As the soldier came before him, he plunged his axe into his shield while with the other he went for a quick kill. Seeing that the others too went for attack. But the Berserker wasn't having any of that he swung the axe with the shield around. He used it as a throwing weapon to stall Stella and other soldier while he was dealing with the other two.

They came from both sides, but it was of no concern to him. He swung at one soldier; his axe left a red trail as it came crashing on the soldier. It was so overboard that it was left lunged inside his body. Leaving it that way the Berserker threw the guy right at his soldier. They fell down and as the Berserker was about to finish off the other one, he got interrupted with a spear coming right at him.

He struck at the incoming attack from Stella and they both sustained injury. Yet both sides took it different. What was a bone crushing blow for Stella, was a mere poke from a pointy stick to the Berserker. He took the spear out from himself and pierced it through Stella. We shot at him but it was too late.

She was left standing there with the only support being the spear that was sipping her life away. In that moment our projectiles hit him. He mauled the next soldier that stood before him in fear.

I felt Charlotte trying to leave the backpack and run to Stella.

" Stay inside." But what responded to me was only the feeling of my backpack being ripped open.

" Stay inside. Don't attack." I commanded. I checked Stella's system to see her HP was 50 and depleting every few seconds.

" She's still alive, make any more ruckus and we might be the ones dying. This still isn't over."

I didn't expect any answer.

As we were rushing further the soldier in front abandoned the enemy with a quick side step and left me to take care of it.

" I won't forget your bravery." He said with a grin.

I blocked the blow with my bow and looked at the soldier passing by. I slashed with one of my arrows in wide arc as I drew some blood from the soldier. The arrow finished in the Possessed's head. The soldier continued on until he arrived in the tower once more.

I had twenty Possessed before me while only eight soldiers were still struggling in the mix. The Berserker was on the other side coming towards me. He cleaved and slashed enemy and ally alike. Bodies were flying off the wall from his mere walk. I shot at him, the durability of my bow falling with each arrow. But none hit him. He used a Possessed's body as a shield and out of anger he threw it at me. I dodged to the side, but noticed a slight blur coming my way, it was the axe. I turned my body midair while a giant slash appeared on my arm.

-80HP

I watched as he came before me and slashed. Having no other chance, I leaned to the side where he was slashing.

-40HP

I grabbed his axe handle and was left leaning on the side of the wall. Seeing as he was about to grab me, I let go and fell.

-20HP

The impact of the landing reminded me how hard the streets of the town were. I returned my sight to the top of the wall where the Berserker was retrieving his axe and continuing on, to the tower to wreak havoc somewhere else.

I had no time to mind him as I ran up the stairs and moved to where Stella was. When I a got there and up close saw the sorry state Stella was in,

I didn't even realize it as Charlotte slipped out of the backpack and came running to Stella. Her coughing being the reminder for me to stop the command.

I saw new Possessed climbing the walls.

"I have a healing potion in my back pocket. Take it." I said whilst shooting. Charlotte meanwhile took out all the healing supplies she could. Some ointment, bandages and the healing potion.

The Possessed weren't going any ground, but that's for now as I have arrows and every other shot was powered up. It took out two enemies at a time, three if they were lined up like they were in a grocery store.

My bows durability climbed down to 5 points as I shot a powered arrow.

" Hey, we'll have to get going somehow." I shot an arrow at the enemy; they were about to reach the staircase.

I turned around to see what's going on and saw Stella's wound was somehow stabilized while the system showed her HP being 45 and slowly ticking upwards.

" Raven, I have a mana for only one spell."

" That won't help much. Hold on for it now and use it when needed." I continued shooting notifications ringing in my ears.

" Charlotte, we're going to the stairs. Start dragging Stella."

She did as I told and we started moving to the stairs. That took its toll on me as we came closer and closer to the Possessed.

One took its chance and jumped through the group at us. I managed to react and shoot it down, but I wasted a powered-up arrow on it. Bringing my durability down more.

Durability 3.

There came the group pushing through each other. I put two arrows on my bowstring and pulled as hard as I could.

Durability 1.

It ended up clearing a big space. Enough for us to get a moment to breathe.

I kicked Stella down the stairs.

"What are you doing?" The small tigress shouted at me.

"Saving her. It's better than her falling down from this high up. It's efficient."

We came running down. There I saw a small group of adventurers coming this way. I saw Hank at the forefront with his comrades.

"We'll cover you."

That's all I needed to hear.