The beasts kept coming through the thick purple fog in hordes and swarmed the lines of soldiers. The valley was pure madness and filled with screams and fighting all around as Jeze and her team ran from one fight to the next. Dunar's scroll directed them to where the lines were faltering and their job was to reinforce the soldiers long enough until reinforcements arrived.
"Help us!" A bloodied Legionnaire cried.
The unit was in shambles as the Bloodlings ran through it and picked off soldiers one at a time and dragged them kicking and screaming to a horrible fate. More beasts were coming, and soon, the entire squad would be wiped out. But Jeze and the Proven had arrived.
"Jeze, you know what to do," Dunar stated.
The teenager nodded and Summoned and Shaped a wall of stone like she had done earlier. This directed the swarm of Bloodlings away from the Legionnaires and toward the Proven's eager weapons. As one, they fought in the fluid pattern of an experienced team that trained and drilled for many hours. Dunar had lost his shield a while ago and fought with an axe and sword. Rolfe held the front with the team's only remaining shield, while Helga created a swath of death with each mighty swing of her Dane axe. Jeze fought by Dunar's side with her long knife and battle axe, and Mikal held the rear to impale the errant Bloodling with his spear. Whenever there was space, Jeze and Mikal would switch to Rune magic to bombard the Bloodlings with missiles made from Ice and Stone.
The Proven fought tirelessly as the wounded Legionnaires were dragged out of the field, and the battle line was reinforced with new soldiers. A squad of archers fell into place in the rear line and let loose a barrage of arrows that gave Jeze and her team the time needed to fall back.
"You have our thanks, Adventurers! You saved many lives today!" An Empire sergeant shouted with a salute. She was a serious soldier, and her stoic face was honest and grateful.
Not all Legionnaires were bad, Jeze thought to herself and nodded back. Over a dozen times, they received gratitude from a bloodied sergeant from one nation or another. It never got old to Jeze. Dunar's scroll pinged, and he read it.
"Looks like we get a break," he said.
They were exhausted and even Helga did not argue against that. They had traveled up and down the line and assisted soldiers from all the different nations for nearly half a day. The team moved away from the battle and back toward their camp by Station 28. It was far enough away from the battle that the sounds were distant and felt like a dream.
Helga and Rolfe slumped to the ground. Jeze used her ring to Summon Ziplocke and carefully searched the Station tent for Drake or Miss Heng. She was relieved that they were not there but neither was Irvin. She had hoped to see her friend.
Inside the tent, the Guild officials used complex Rune magic to update the replica of the Valley, which rested on a massive table like a war map. Jeze watched the miniatures that represented armies and adventurer teams fade away and reform on the table to update the actions that were reported from the battle lines in real-time. Jeze saw teams of adventurers assigned to fill in the gaps. The Rune patterns intrigued Jeze, and she wondered if someone would show her how they worked. Probably not until after the beast waves, Jeze thought to herself.
"Do we have an Adventurer Ranked team in the area? Rovers have been spotted in the vicinity," An official asked a group of scribes that operated the Communication Scrolls. They furiously wrote and transcribed information.
Jeze was not able to hear the answer because outside Dunar barked, "Do not rest yet! Take care of your weapons. Check your armor for repairs, and we need to have lunch."
She heard her teammates groan, but Dunar was right. Jeze returned to their camp and wiped down her axe blade and long knife with the oils in the way Hannah had instructed her. She wrapped up her weapons and folded them neatly into her pack. Jeze inspected her armor and saw that none of the plates were damaged. She had dozens of gashes that needed sewing. They would need to visit a craftsman. Jeze remembered something.
"You need a new shield, oh wise leader," She reminded Dunar.
Mikal snickered at the joke. Ziplocke arrived and scampered up Jeze's shoulder.
"I do. Thank you," Dunar said with a nod.
"Aww, why did you remind him? The look on his face when arrows come raining down and he realizes he has no shield would have been epic to see!" The Goblin cackled with glee.
Mikal shook his head as he wrapped his spearhead in an oilcloth.
Rolfe stood up and sniffed the air. "I smell food!"
The smell of roast meat filled their nostrils. Before Dunar could say anything, his teammates ran off like hunting dogs on the scent. Very few adventuring teams got a break, and most were out on the field fighting. The crowds this far back from the battle lines consisted of Prospect-ranked officials and merchants. In addition, there were noncombat troops for the armies of the various nations. Logistics, physicians, and laborers maintained the camps. There were dozens of wagons pulled by horses that came and went with supplies and transported the wounded or the dead. The cooking smells grew stronger, and Jeze saw a familiar face.
"Jonah!" She cried.
The bald adventurer looked up and smiled. "Hey! How's your first beast wave going?"
Jonah and his team were sitting around several barbecue pits where they were cooking Bloodlings. They also had piles of skins from the demons. Judging from the amount, they did pretty good for themselves.
"I'm glad that I was able to join my team. I have perfected my axe swings," Jeze replied.
"Perfection is the journey, not a destination," Jonah wisely stated, and the teenager wondered if he really was a monk after all.
"We can eat the Bloodlings?" She asked and wrinkled her nose.
"Oh yes! Normally, predators like wolves make for terrible eating. The meat is real gamey. But, not Bloodlings. Their chitinous skins are filled with fats and oils that make the meat tender and juicy. We have perfected the best way to cook them," Jonah answered.
"I thought perfection was the journey," Jeze teased.
Jonah laughed.
"The food smells delicious!" Helga cried.
"Aye, may we join you?" Rolfe asked. The large man pulled out his coin pouch.
Jeze introduced her teammates.
"Friends of Jeze are friends of ours," Jonah replied and added, "Please put your coins away. There are plenty of Bloodlings to eat."
"You have our thanks," Dunar said and shook the bald adventurer's hand.
"Any news?" One of Jonah's teammates asked as they sat around the cooking fires.
"Rovers were spotted," Jeze repeated what she heard from the tent as she munched on a Bloodling steak. It was delicious.
"Nasty things with tentacles that lash out as fast as your eye can blink and a'fore you know it, you are being dragged toward their maws filled with razor sharp teeth," a hunter from Jonah's team replied.
Ziplocke cackled. "You all are in trouble now!"
"Why do we have him again?" Mikal said and pointed at the Goblin.
Ziplocke hissed.
"He is so adorable! I could squeeze him to death!" Helga beckoned the tiny Demon to come to her.
Ziplocke shrieked and ran to hide on Jeze's shoulder. Dunar and Jonah's Communication Scrolls pinged at the same time. The two unfurled and read the notes.
"Break time's over," Dunar said.
Jonah sighed and rose to his feet, and told Jeze, "You be safe now."
"Same to you," the teenager replied.
On the way back to their camp Dunar purchased from a merchant a large round shield with a metal boss in it's center used by the Frostsworn.
"How is everyone's armor?" The Team leader asked.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"Functioning," Jeze answered, and the others agreed.
"Good, let's head out!" Dunar barked.
"For Glory!" The others responded.
Ziplocke snorted and faded from view. The cheer always inspired Jeze to fight hard. They jogged toward the battle lines. Dunar explained that a Ballista Unit was under attack and that they were tasked to defend it. The sounds of battle grew louder upon their approach. The large bolt-throwers were stationed up on a low ridge that overlooked the valley. They were a part of the second line of defense where the reserve soldiers were stationed. The front lines were dozens of meters ahead of them.
When Jeze and the Proven arrived, they were confronted with fleeing Legionnaires that were chased by fast-moving Bloodlings. An officer was wildly screaming for the soldiers to remain to no avail and was silenced when a Bloodling pounced and ripped his throat out. The Demon began to eat his face. The gruesome sight used to disturb Jeze, but she had seen it too often that she became desensitized to it. They arrived to the party late, and they had work to do.
"Do not let any of the Bloodlings get past us!" Dunar barked.
Jeze and Mikal switched to their Runic magic. Jeze decided to use the Fire aspect as it was faster, and the two launched missiles of flame and ice at the scattered Bloodlings that broke past the front line. Dunar, Rolfe, and Helga cleared the area around the Ballista Unit, and the deadly bolt throwers were now operational.
Ahead of them, the field was littered with bodies of both Bloodlings and Legionnaires. Some of the soldiers died trying to flee, and others died trying to reinforce the front line. There was a breach in the line of soldiers that allowed a swarm of Bloodlings to rush forward uncontested.
"We must hurry! Let us make these Demons wish they never entered our realm!" Dunar's deep voice roared.
"For Glory!" His team shouted back.
Jeze and the Proven charged forward, with Rolfe being front and center. Dunar was on the large man's left, and Helga was on the right. Behind the three were Jeze and Mikal. Jeze Summoned and Shaped Stone walls to protect the flanks of the soldiers on either side and create a funnel for the Bloodings to meet with Rolfe's spear and Helga's deadly axe. Mikal Summoned water and Shaped it to frost to slow the approaching horde.
In an instant, they were back into the thick of battle as the Bloodlings surrounded them with slashing talons and snapping manibiles. Dunar and Rolfe bashed with their shields and stabbed with spear and sword. Helga swung her axe in mighty arcs that sent bits of Demons soaring into the air. Jeze and Mikal protected the flanks with stabbing, chopping, and slashing. As a team, they improved their reflexes and timing. They honed their techniques to peak efficiency of energy and force. They became very good at killing, and their arrival brought precious time for the soldiers up on the low ridge to regroup. In moments, the Ballistas were back in operation and rained death down upon the approaching Bloodings. The tide of Demons dwindled, and reinforcements were on their way to fill the breach.
"You have our thanks," a Legionnaire officer said with a salute.
Dunar nodded and turned toward his team with a shout, "Glory is ours!"
Jeze and the Proven howled like a pack of Dire wolves. The energy was so intense that even the Legionnaires joined in. The team would remain on the front line until they were dismissed. Bodies littered the ground all around them, indicating that this area had experienced hard-fought battles. More archers arrived on the low ridge and joined the Balistas in bombarding the horde of Bloodlings. Jeze saw the arc of hundreds of arrows and bolts soar above her and rained death on the monsters that emerged from the thick purple fog. This gave the soldiers a much-needed reprieve as the number of Bloodlings that made it to the front lines dwindled down to a trickle.
"What's next?" Helga asked.
Dunar checked the Communication Scroll and answered, "Nothing new. We remain here for now."
Rolfe's eyes narrowed as he looked up at the ridge. Jeze wondered what the large man saw and turned to see what looked like a pair of Legionnaires aiming their crossbows at her. That can't be right, she thought. Twang! The crossbows fired, and the bolts flew at frightening speeds toward her. Jeze couldn't do anything. It happened so fast. Luckily, Rolfe's large round shield appeared in front of her vision and blocked the bolts with a pair of reverberating thuds.
"By the hells!" The giant Frostsworn roared.
"What happened?" Dunar asked. The team prepared for combat.
"Those two shot at Jeze!" Helga cried.
The Legionnaires turned to flee, and the warrior Maiden gave chase, her powerful legs pumping.
"Can you hit them from here?" Dunar asked the teenager.
Jeze growled. It just dawned on her what had happened. Drake's men just tried to assassinate her! With rage-filled focus, she Summoned earth. She shaped it into a Stone fist and Controlled it to strike one of the fleeing would-be assassins in the back of his head. The blow knocked his helmet off, and the soldier fell to the ground. Dunar, Jeze, Rolfe, and Mikal rushed to interrogate the fallen soldier as Helga was gaining on the second assassin.
The area was littered with bodies, and the assassin stumbled to his feet and continued to flee. Jeze and her team were nearly upon him when a pile of bodies erupted in a mass of rippling tentacles. Several speared out and entangled the assassin. A Rover was hiding among the bodies! Jeze realized.
"By the Frozen All Father!" Mikal gasped.
They watched in horror as the screaming assassin was engulfed in spiked tentacles and dragged into a giant maw filled with razor teeth. They heard bone, armor, and flesh snapped, and the horrible screaming was silenced. The Rover was a mass of writhing tentacles that changed colors that matched its surroundings. Rows of needles adorned the ends of the tentacles, and it was difficult to gauge its size as it was partially buried still under the bodies. But Jeze guessed it to be as big as a large horse. This was a Tier Four monster, one that a team of Initiates was supposed to fight.
"Let's show this aberration the might of the Proven!" Rolfe roared and rushed forward to stab the Rover with his spear.
Tentacles lashed out in a blur and slapped loudly against the large Frostsworn's shield. Another tentacle wrapped around Rolfe's leg but the powerful Frostsworn would not be dragged as he stabbed the beast over and over. The Rover's rubbery skin made it difficult for the spear to penetrate. Mikal gave a shout as a tentacle snatched him off his feet and dragged him along the churned and bloodied ground. The Healer frantically tried to kick himself free, but more tentacles lashed on to him. Jeze swung her axe, and with several swings, she chopped Mikal free.
"Rolfe, use your sword!" Dunar barked.
The team leader rushed forward with his axe and blade and sliced tentacles off with each attack. Rolfe growled and dropped his spear to draw his sword. The giant Protector smashed the Rover with his shield and chopped with his sword. Mikal encased the monster in frost, and Jeze joined the other two and hacked and slashed. They whittled away the tentacles and saw what they guessed to be the main body of the aberration. As one, they hacked and stabbed until the beast stopped moving.
Jeze was about to let loose a shrill howl but was cut off as a spiked tentacle wrapped itself around her armored legs and dragged her off her feet.
"Jeze!" Dunar cried as she was dragged by a second Rover.
The teenager spun around and slashed with her knife. It took two swings to cut herself free, but she was now closer to the monster that was hidden among the corpses. More camouflaged tentacles snaked out and entangled her. Jeze gave a shout of pain as the spikes penetrated her armor and pierced her flesh. She squirmed and fought to free herself but the Rover was too strong and had too many tentacles on her. Jeze used her knife to cut her arm free but then her knife arm would be wrapped up, and she would chop with her axe only for more tentacles to ensare her and she was unable to generate momentum with her swings and was slowly becoming trapped and dragged toward the giant tooth filled maw. She saw her death there.
Her team rushed to her rescue. She felt the healing magic of Mikal ease the pain of her numerous wounds and Rolfe attempted to grab her, but the large warrior was pushed back by more tentacles. Dunar was also hard pressed to get near as the Team leader hacked and slashed his way near. How could there be so many tentacles? Jeze wondered and with horror, she realized there was another Rover!
But she would not give up. With a roar, she fought with all her might to free her knife arm so that she could cut herself free. It was futile, but she fought with everything she had. Mikal assisted by freezing the Rover to slow it down. To her side, Dunar and Rolfe were in a life-and-death struggle against the other aberration, and with a sinking feeling, Jeze realized that they would not get to her in time. She was just inches away from the Rover's giant maw, and she kicked and squirmed but continued to be pulled toward the horrible gnashing teeth.
That was when flames struck it, and the monster let loose a shrill shriek as it's rubbery flesh burned from the magical fire attacks. Ziplocke had arrived and Jeze saw the faint red Fire aspect Runes alight on his body as he completed in rapid succession the glyphs that Summoned, Shaped, and Controlled Fire. He was graceful as he hurled fiery dart after fiery dart. The tentacles around Jeze loosened enough for her to free her battleaxe and long knife. She was able to slice and chop her way back to her feet and retreat. The Rover was no longer paying attention to her. It lashed out and snatched Ziplocke!
"No!" Jeze roared and threw herself to save her bonded companion.
The spiked filled tentacle squeezed the limp form of Ziplocke and dragged it rapidly to its churning maw of razor sharp teeth. The tiny Goblin weighed nothing, and the Rover dragged it quickly.
"Ziplocke!" Jeze cried. She would not save him in time.
A shadow appeared over Jeze and she glanced up to see the giant hurling form of Helga. The Frostsworn warrior maiden had returned and slammed her two handed Dane axe with tremendous force into the center of the writhing tentacles. Blood and tentacles erupted out of the monster, and it flopped dead. Ziplocke was mere inches from being devoured.
"I am sorry Jeze. I did not catch that soldier, I rushed back as soon as I saw you fighting," Helga apolgoized.
Jeze rushed forward and hugged the warrior maiden. "Thank you! You saved us!"
Dunar, Rolfe, and Mikal had killed the other Rover. There were no more that they could see, for now. The team regrouped.
"Will he be alright?" Helga asked about Ziplocke, her voice unusually soft.
The Goblin whimpered and rose to his feet. His body was bleeding with puncture wounds from the Rover's spiked tentacles.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," Mikal sighed. The Healer completed the Life aspect Glyphs to close the Goblin's wounds.
"Thank you Ziplocke! You saved my life!" Jeze cheered.
The Goblin scowled and hissed.
"I guess you are more than a consultant," Dunar teased.
"It won't happen again," Ziplocke snapped.
Shouting could be heard from the battle lines to their left. The number of Bloodlings was reduced to a trickle, but now Rovers were attacking the soldiers.
Ziplocke scurried up to Helga's shoulder. This surprised Jeze.
"Really?" The teenager asked.
The Goblin snuggled up against the warrior maiden's helmeted head.
"Aww, so cute! You will join me in battle, little one?" Helga asked.
Ziplocke replied, "Nope, never again." The Goblin hopped off and faded into the shadows.
Jeze heard the Goblin add from hiding, "Knucklehead."
"Break time is over. We have work to do," Dunar said and hefted his sword and axe.
The team charged the attacking Rovers as the line of soldiers broke and fled.
"We attack with the Strength of Winter!" Dunar roared.
"For Glory!" The others shouted back.
"Knuckleheads," Ziplocke said from the shadows further back from the fighting.