Jularra looked up quickly, peering through the shoulders of the guards standing around her. Her illusion was producing the desired effect. Those along the walls and atop towers were being redeployed and, in many cases, pulled away entirely to fortify the city against the approaching illusion on the other side. She grinned with devilish satisfaction.
“The other ‘Razers here yet?” Jularra asked.
Many of the guards turned to scan the fields for any signs of them.
“Not yet,” Korden replied.
“Well, we don’t have long before the defenders figure it out,” she said. “As soon as the 'Razers get here, tell them to get to work straight away on that gatehouse.”
The buzzards had circled around for another pass, this time coming in much closer to the queen and her circle of guards.
“Shields overhead!” Korden shouted. But some of the women reacted too slowly.
One of the buzzards shot down and sank its beak deep into a Spire’s eye. The woman stumbled back, screaming. Before anyone else could react, the bird of war had already clawed out a hunk of her cheek with its deadly talons.
A neighboring guard drew her sword and hacked at the bird, slicing it almost in half and freeing its victim. The wounded guard was then shoved out of the way to prevent any more disruption to the queen’s spell. The surrounding Spire squeezed together more tightly, closing the resulting gap.
Korden tore into the few whose heads were still unprotected. “Get your helmets back on, damn it!”
Between air attacks, the Acorilinians inside the village watched Brinnock’s walls grow less and less populated with defenders. And while the buzzards were deadly, and relentless, the fighters inside the village would much rather defend against the birds than against a human army.
The military illusion was working exactly as planned. Jularra’s flourish of the conjured siege weapons was the perfect finishing touch to her spell, but the time left until the illusion was engaged and discovered was dwindling. The queen needed the Ridgerazers.
Jularra used her fingers to shift segments of the imaginary army, keeping the Torgurians guessing; stall tactics, to buy a little more time before anyone from Brinnock could engage them.
The tops of the walls facing Jularra’s real forces seemed almost empty now. The silhouettes between the embrasures had disappeared, and there looked to be no human-shaped figures over the merlons. Their coordinated timing was perfect.
“Jularra! The Ridgerazers are here!”
She kept her eyes on her imaginary forces as she issued her next command.
“Get them into position! Get that main gate down!”
The Ridgerazers sprinted up, slightly breathless. Many saw the light from Jularra’s mirroring spell spilling out from the circle of guards. Some grinned with excitement in realization of what Jularra was doing, while others leaned and stretched to try and get a better look at the sight inside the circle—the sight of the mirroring magic being done by their queen, arguably their country’s most powerful witch.
Korden spoke for Jularra and instructed the Ridgerazers.
“Most of the city is focused on the illusions—for now. We need you to go to work on that main gate.
"Bring it down.”
***
Despite the queen's illusions, Acorilan's army had no real siege equipment. Instead, they had Ridgerazers.
As Grand Ridgerazer Porzivis led his group towards the gate at a jog, they called out suggestions through quick breaths and choppy shouts.
"We need to weaken the gate,” a Ridgerazer Adept suggested.
“Let’s use concussion fire,” suggested another.
“Yes!”
Porzivis motioned for them to slow down as they reached Drelio’s perimeter. They followed him to the corner of an inn, where he peeked around to check a final time for any signs of lingering defenses at the gatehouse or nearby walls.
“Right,” Porzivis whispered. “Let’s run out, summon our collective, and start working on the gate immediately.”
Dolnila, a pupil of Porzivis', respectfully took exception.
“Won’t we be completely exposed, sir? I doubt they’ve completely abandoned this side of the city.”
“Was I done speaking?” Porzivis bit back with the tone of a teacher. “I want you and Heersan to create a cloaking dome over us. That should keep us hidden for a while without expending too much of your energy.”
Dolnila swallowed and then nodded before looking at Heersan.
“Right,” Porzivis continued. “Get that dome up.”
Porzivis paused until the blanket of camouflage rolled out above them. “Perfect.” He patted Dolnila on the back in encouragement. “Now, let’s group up next to that signpost. Summon. Attack. Everyone ready?”
The Grand Ridgerazer quickly scanned the faces of his group. There were no questions or expressions of hesitation.
“Go!”
They shot out, leaving Drelio behind, sprinting into a courtyard before reaching the short stretch of road leading to Brinnock’s gatehouse. They slid into place before grouping rapidly into a tight square.
“Keep that dome up as long as you can. Everyone else—let’s go!”
Each witch and warlock leaned over, drawing their elbows back and close to their bodies. Their hands opened, then clamped on to what started as a sphere of energy pouring into existence from their collective focus and intent. At first, there was nothing at the center of the group. Then a large sphere of fire began glowing and solidifying. Each of the Ridgerazers slowly crept up on the balls of their feet and leaned in even more. The energy they conjured was stubborn, and required more of their focus and energy to keep it contained as it grew.
The sphere ballooned and the temperature soared, searing the leaves of weeds and grass blades nearby. Specks of dirt and sand crystallized on the ground—yet no Ridgerazer was injured. This was their energy. Their creation. They willed it into existence, and could not be harmed by it.
Larger still, the sphere grew. The internal fire mutated into a violent torment of wrapping flames, but still no Ridgerazer was burned. One side of the group split, opening their focus towards the direction of the gatehouse. As they swung around, some of the Ridgerazers shifted their focus from
