“That way!” Kegohr gestured to an exit at the far side of the dojo.
It was a single, narrow doorway. Easy enough to block off once we got through this new wave of students.
The initiates rushed to meet us. Some carried wooden training weapons, but others wielded real blades. Their charge was uncoordinated but enthusiastic, and their determination was clear. They wanted us dead.
Kegohr led our charge, and his mace whirled like a propeller blade. Vesma and I followed to either side of him and opened up weaknesses in their defences with Untamed Torch. Kumi trailed behind us and sliced at any who drew closer.
A large initiate rushed at me with a long-bladed spear. I knocked the blow aside and swung at him with the Sundered Heart as fire licked at the blade. The blow struck his armor and failed to pierce the frozen plating. He thrust his spear to stab at my side, but I parried the blow, chopped through the shaft of the spear, and left him holding a blunt stick. I fired a point-blank Untamed Torch at his chest and melted away his armor. Before he could strike with his blunt weapon, I skewered him on the end of my sword.
I kicked the corpse from the end of my blade as my companions continued to brawl.
We didn’t have time to fight every student of the Resplendent Tears Guild, so I called on the powers of water and of ash and laced the air of the dojo with Ash Clouds and Smothering Mists.
“Let’s go!” I yelled.
My companions and I sprinted through the confused masses as they stumbled around in the gray clouds and tried to catch us but only found each other. An Ice Spear hurtled out of the chaos, missed Kegohr by three feet, and hit an initiate just as he emerged from the cloud.
Kegohr rushed through the doorway, closely followed by Kumi and Vesma. I raced after them, slammed the door shut, and slapped a bar into place to block the door.
We stood in a storage room surrounded by gymnastics equipment, wooden weapons, and punch bags. Three doors led out from the room, and they all looked the same.
“Are we nearly there?” Vesma asked through ragged breaths.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Kegohr said, jabbing his mace to the third door on the left. “Out there’s the central courtyard, and past it are the main gates. Only question now is, who’s left to stop us?”
I squared my shoulders and readied myself for yet another fight. “Let’s hope they didn’t save the best for last.”
Chapter Fifteen
We emerged into the guild’s main courtyard. Walls of ice and pale stone towered over us, stretching up to a sky that was almost black with storm clouds. Blinding lightning flashed across the clouds and added to the orange glow of oil lanterns that hung around the yard. Rain plummeted down to darken the walls, puddle the floor, and pelt the mass of guild members who stood in our way.
A contingent of guards stood among them, recognizable by their layered leather armor and matching tabards. They held spears or bows, which almost made me laugh. Bows would be far less effective in this wind and rain.
Initiates wore the simple robes fitting their rank and carried a variety of weapons, just as we had done back at the Radiant Dragon. They used whatever suited their tastes. Some looked cocky, some uncertain, but none backed away as we strode firmly across the yard.
I faced the assembled mass and held out my hands.
“There’s no need for violence,” I called out through the rain running down my face. “We’re not here to cause trouble. All we want to do is leave.”
No one moved. No one stepped forward to answer me.
“We only came because someone in your guild kidnapped our friend,” I continued. “That’s not something you’re responsible for or that you have to be part of. Show that you’re not our enemy and step out of the way.”
There was no movement except the tumble of raindrops and the shuffling of feet. Lightning flashed once more.
“Listen up!” Kegohr bellowed. “Get out of the way, or we’ll smash through you, yeah?”
A bow creaked and then, thrummed as it was released. A lone arrow hurtled through the air, but it was blown off course by the howling wind and clattered uselessly against the wall.
“So, it’s like that.” Vesma raised her spear.
I swallowed. We’d done well so far, but even with Kumi to bolster us, our energy and ability to fight weren’t endless. And there had to be almost 50 enemies between us and the exit.
There was a white blur as something dropped from one of the high towers onto the battlements beside the gatehouse. Faryn stood as her robes and hair fluttered in the wind. She spread her arms wide as she looked down at the warriors of the Resplendent Tears.
“It’s time for bed, young ones!” she shouted.
The ground rippled beneath their feet as the guards and initiates turned to look at her. Roots burst forth and grabbed them by the legs before dragging some to the ground and binding others in place. Guards and initiates alike cried out in alarm and struggled to break free. They heaved their legs up or hacked at the roots with swords and blades of ice. Some managed to free themselves only to be caught by fresh roots. The roots rose higher on others, trapping arms and hands.
Faryn raised her arms higher. Spirals of leaves blew in from the sides of the courtyard, carried not by the raging storm but by the power of Faryn’s wood technique. They smothered the warriors and initiates and battered them with swirling cyclones of wind and leaves. Blood seeped from their faces as the leaves lacerated their skin.
I started to run as Faryn unleashed the full power of wood against our foes. The suffocating greenery grew in volume as more leaves
