As the sun rose in the sky and the day broke, SJ looked out over the lake, its glittering, empty surface a peaceful reminder of what Killic stood for. Usually, at first light, beings would work at the docks, readying their boats to go onto the lake to catch the daily quotas for Killic and to sell at the local market stall. Today, the docks were silent.
Kibble was curled up on her lap, sleeping after the fitful night, as the communication stone vibrated in her hand, making her jump. She didn't realise she had been holding it, running her fingers over its smooth surface.
"SJ?" Petunia's voice came through once she accepted the call.
"Hi, Petunia. Did you speak to Wystria?"
"I'm with her now. Can you confirm what you saw?"
"Of course. I witnessed Bellakiy speaking to a female draconian who addressed him as uncle."
SJ heard the gasp from Wystria before she spoke.
"Yes. That is Bellakiy. My uncle moved to the desert region as a child. He had lived there his whole life, and we knew he had a family, but to my knowledge, no one had been in contact with them in decades," Wystria said.
"That's what I heard. Are you able to help or think of anything that may help?" SJ said hopefully.
"Perhaps. I will need some time. Not just the journey time, but also the time to sort things out at this end," her voice suddenly changed to one SJ had never heard before, the tone soft and weak, unlike her. "I'm sorry. I should have dealt better with my brother."
"It's not your fault that your brother has done what he has done," SJ said.
"No, but if I had kept control of the business and not rescinded it to him, none of these issues might have ever come about. It was simply that the church was my calling, and I couldn't dedicate the time I needed to it compared to the time and energy I was spending dealing with him. He changed when the business failed. I took my eye off the game, and that will always be my fault."
"Anything you can do to help would be appreciated. I know the church is neutral on many issues, from what Petunia said, so I understand if you can't do much."
"I have my ways and means," she said, her voice changed back to the one of authority SJ knew so well.
"Anything is better than nothing. Thanks for the update. I will let you go; it's still early. Oh, remember, if you do send anyone, that they are below the level cap. It's level 50 now for the region."
"That's fine."
"And thanks, Petunia. I will update you on Zigferd as soon as I can," SJ said.
Petunia's voice came back through. "If anything happens to Zigferd, I won't care what the system decides. They will have me to contend with."
SJ could well believe it, having witnessed Petunia in action; there was no way she ever wanted to get on the wrong side of her.
"Thanks," SJ said, ending the call.
She turned to Kibble and stroked him from where the call had disturbed him. "Well, that's some good news at least. We just have to hold out and see what happens now."
He growled, then purred, nuzzling her hand.
"Right, the sun's coming up. I need to go and find out what's happening, and think my first stop is locating the troops who were at the valley ridge."
Kibble squeaked in response as he hopped off her lap and stretched his wings.
SJ hadn't slept, and with the adrenaline coming down after her eventful night, she felt drained. She removed the rejuvinatus that Kerys had given her from her inventory and drank from it. The liquid caressed her as it took effect, her stiffness and weariness clearing. She carefully stoppered it and put it back in her inventory. She didn't have much left, but definitely enough for a few more doses if she used it sparingly. She hadn't even considered its use when the town had first been attacked, believing that if really needed, she could get some more from her friend.
SJ hadn't seen Kerys or any of the usual crowd from the Hogling Arms and only hoped they had escaped to the crags along with the others.
As SJ and Kibble skimmed over the lake's surface towards the ridge, the reflected sun on the early morning waves warmed her. The skies were clear, and the last of the night's stars had disappeared. On reaching the farside, they flew up high above the canopy. The early-morning caws and squawks of the birds added a sense of normality to what was happening so close by.
She had no idea how many had been near the ridge or whether the draconian-led forces had even been there until she flew above the trees. That was when she saw the clear pathway that had been created. The two giant beetles that had remained after the initial assault were visible near the ridge. Their black obsidian carapaces reflected the early morning light. From above the trees, the path that led from the cliff face where the Gobbler hole was to the town was clearly visible, as well as the path they had cut towards the ridge.
It would definitely improve journey times from the town to the ridge if they ever managed to get the town back.
There was a group of gnolls and several lizards at the ridge edge. The remnants of the town's forces were visible. Discarded tools, tents and campfires, now taken over by the enemy forces. Fires that had been set throughout the night were still burning as the day broke. SJ flew high above, not wanting even to be considered for the forces below. Her miniature form and Kibble were only specks in comparison. There had to be at least a hundred enemy forces on the ridge, including the horrific scorpoids. A clear ring could be seen where they were corralled, with no other beings nearby, for fear of crossing the invisible barrier that held them in place.
SJ scanned the surrounding area; she had to locate Lorna. There were no signs of battle that she could see, and she only hoped that those who had been at the ridge had left before they arrived. She knew they would have had scouts up throughout the night, so hopefully, they had heard the approaching troops well in advance before their arrival. The beetles would have caused a racket as they uprooted trees that had possibly stood for centuries, creating a path through them.
The biggest problem the path had created wasn't just troop movement, but the ease of movement of the lizards, whose wide, low-profile forms could now easily navigate the terrain without the problems the natural path had created.
"I can't see them. We need to get closer," SJ said to Kibble.
Kibble squeaked and let out several chirps. SJ frowned, still wishing she could understand him.
'Dave. What did he say?'
There was silence for a few moments. "Sorry. Two seconds, and I am still in rather heated talks."
SJ waited impatiently. Before Dave spoke again, he sounded distracted, which, if he was in the middle of challenging her attempted dissolution, was completely understandable. "He said he sensed something to the east, back towards town."
SJ frowned. "Kibble. We can't separate."
Kibble let out a chirp and squeak.
Dave was distant as he translated. "He says he will find you when he has checked."
Without another sound, Kibble swooped as he dived like an arrow towards the canopy tops.
"Kibble," SJ called after him, her voice not loud enough to be heard below. "Damn," she cursed. Should she go after him? Or should she look elsewhere?
Frustrated by his behaviour, she doubted she would catch up with him now anyway. She had to find the troops; that was her priority. Whatever Kibble had sensed would have to wait.
She growled in frustration as she flew down and towards the river that created the new waterfall that now formed part of the valley wall. As she lowered nearer to the ground, she saw evidence of tracks and imprints in the softer ground at its edge. She was a hundred feet from the ridge edge here, and she could hear a few cries in the distance coming from the ridge, but sensed no threat.
'It looks like they may have crossed,' SJ thought as she swooped lower and over the river. The far side showed signs of drag marks and more boot prints. She continued following the trail that had been left in the trees. Several animals were going about their morning antics as she flew past, her miniature form not drawing any attention from them. The trail that had been created was obvious. She knew that even though many of the guards from the town knew the woods like the backs of their hands, they weren't hunters or rangers and wouldn't traverse it as such.
She eventually came to a clearing, the signs of which showed that several beings had been through the area: broken branches and trampled grass. The path continued further north and slightly to the west, leading to the mountainous edge, which rose around the plateau like a giant bowl. As she came out of the treeline, the trees thinned, and she spotted the first signs. There was a stain of red on the rocky surface; it was only a drop, still crimson and fresh-looking, nothing more, but it stood out against the bleak surface. She hadn't expected to see blood, and the sight shocked her.
The trail continued up the edge of the slope, with freshly moved rocks and signs of passage, following its path north. The surface became too steep to manage on foot, and SJ continued along its edge until she spotted a cave mouth. It was half covered by brush, but it had been placed there, the broken fronds clear of a being's touch. The cave entrance was small, not really a cave entrance, but more of a fissure in the rock face. Only just large enough for an average-sized being to enter. Definitely nothing that the lizards could ever get into, or beetles, unless they could break through stone, which she doubted they could do with ease, even if they could.
SJ landed, grew, and looked into the cave. "Hello? Is there anyone in there?" No response came, and SJ removed a torch, lighting it, before shrinking and proceeding inside, the trail of blood leading her.
The cave or passage would be a better word to describe it, cut into the mountainside, twisting and turning sharply. Several areas on the walls showed fresh scuff marks, where metal had scraped against the rocky surface. She flew, holding the torch in front of her, fell to the ground, following the blood trail, the drops more distant now and fainter, as though the bleeding had naturally stopped. Unsure of how far she had travelled, the passage started to widen as she heard voices ahead. They echoed within the confines of the tunnel, amplifying the sound.
She called ahead of her in her miniature form, "Hello?"
Her voice echoed, and all sound suddenly stopped. With hope, she continued ahead at a faster pace. There was nowhere else to go but ahead; the passage hadn't offered her a further choice, and as she rounded a bend in its winding path, she caught the first glimpse of light. The flickering flames of a fire cast their dancing shadows across the passage wall. With a sharp left turn, the passage suddenly opened out.
SJ squealed in shock, being met with a forest of blades pointing towards the passage exit as she appeared. She shot to the roof, nearly crashing into it, and only just stopped herself from colliding with the vicious-looking tip of a spear.
"SJ?" Darren said, surprised to see his friend suddenly appear.
"Yes," she squeaked in response, trying to compose herself. Her cheeks flushed at her untimely squeal.
"Thank the gods," he said as the weapons that had formed a bristling barrier of steel and iron were lowered.
Her eyes adjusted more as she took in the cavern she had entered. Flames from several fires and lanterns cast light far and wide.
It was large and wide, and she spotted an iron track, rusted and broken, running from its edge across the cavern towards a wider, more purpose-built tunnel. This one had been excavated and wasn't natural. There were almost thirty beings in the cave, and SJ spotted Lorna standing by a fire in the middle, near where some form of mining equipment or stand had once stood. The splintered wooden frame of some sort, now being used as wood for the fire that burned.
She landed and grew, relief flooding her as she found her friends alive and well.
"I'm so happy to see you all," SJ said, looking around at the gathered guards. Several nodded and smiled back, their faces weary and bodies showing signs of defeat. With shoulders slumped, the couple looked away, not wishing to meet her gaze.
Darren walked towards her and hugged her briefly before pushing her away, holding her shoulders. "Have you seen Alice?"
"I believe she escaped with Isavil."
Relief flooded Darren's face. "The others?"
SJ's head dropped as Lorna approached, grabbing her from Darren's grasp and hugging her. SJ returned the hug.
"The town is taken. Zigferd is imprisoned, and many of the townsfolk are being held captive," SJ said, her head dropping.
Gasps came from the surrounding troops, and Lorna cursed, punching her palm.
"How did they get up to the ridge?" Lorna said, her gaze one of fury.
"You remember months back when I fought the Rock Gobbler at the southern cliff, by the border. It seems that is where they appeared from, according to what I was told. It must lead down into the desert region. Cristy told me that the beetles suddenly appeared. The speed as they approached the town must have been quick, to catch so many off guard."
Again, Lorna cursed. "Damn. If only we had ever considered it."
"I hadn't ever given it another thought. Why would you?"
"I should have. I am the head of the guard now, after all."
That comment took SJ by surprise. She was now, but SJ wasn't aware of any official recognition of her position since Ballentine's death. Several of the surrounding guards gave a sympathetic nod; a couple averted their gaze from where they sat watching. Lorna now held the crushing and current position the town was in on her shoulders. The guilt was evident in her eyes, which glistened with tears.
No one could ever have expected a southern strike; she wasn't to blame.
"You can't blame yourself. No one else had ever considered it." Darren said.
Several of the guards murmured in support of Darren's words.
Her face dropped. "No, but I should have, I was supposed to be in charge of the town defence."
Darren snapped. "It's not a time to be berating yourself; we have to plan what we do next."
Lorna looked at Darren. Her eyes glistened, but a fire, one that SJ had witnessed in the sparring ring, could also be seen burning deep within. One thing Lorna wouldn't do was give up.
