A surge of power coursed through my limbs, and I realized that the horn, as well as Ashtel’s cry, had both acted as buffs, lending our forces additional strength. By the look of the diminished fire in the enemies’ eyes, it seemed to have had the opposite effect on them.
I shouldered my bow and stepped forward, filling a gap in the line where a spearman had just fallen despite his newfound strength. I pulled my katana free and struck down the first enemy I saw: a trow big enough to eat me. I used Powered Strike and Lunar Flare at the same time and my katana carved through the side of its skull, dropping the hulking beast in a single blow. I winced as my Stamina dipped and decided to fight more conservatively. Though the balance of battle might’ve been tipped in our favor for the first time, the fight wasn’t over.
I used my traditional kendo, the two-sword style not well-suited for the tight space of fighting near so many allies and enemies. I fought beside Liam and his sister Lilian. They wove around one another, each wielding two short swords. Even if I hadn’t seen their faces, I might’ve guessed they were siblings. They fought in tandem, almost synchronized, so familiar they were with each others’ movements. In their wake, I had less trouble standing against the few beleaguered ratkin or trow that made it to my katana.
Over the surging crowd of enemies, I caught glimpses of Harnoth and his Sirrushi knights. They were massive and brutal, scattering their foes with mighty tail lashes and tearing them in half with their hands. Harnoth screamed, ripping an orc’s breastplate off and tossing the poor thing in his mouth.
Bastral dove overhead with Hardel on his back. The gryphon was plucking enemies out of their ranks while his rider stabbed down with a long spear, tearing out throats and skewering ratkin skulls.
Pachi’s voice broke into my thoughts even as I felt her warm fur and feathers beside me. A glorious battle. And I find you at the front with your fangs out. There is little wonder why I chose you, Hana.
I looked up and saw that she’d grown yet again, giving me the impression I’d gained a few levels myself. I could always check the progress in due time, though. Right now, my friend and I had more foes to crush.
For another ten minutes, the battle waged on, yet the enemy quickly waned in their efforts. A burly ratkin lieutenant screamed for a retreat, and I watched a mass of the final hundred or so invaders flee the town of Taelman’s Pond.
Harnoth stood on his hind legs, lifting his great head over twenty feet off the ground. “Sirrushi! Follow me! Our job is not yet done!” Then the fifteen wyvern knights who had so quickly changed the course of the battle ran after the retreating army, hacking them down with terrible efficiency.
I stood panting, my katana covered in the blood of a dozen enemies, and saw that over half of our defenders were down, most of those wounded.
Dandre alone seemed to have the faculties to urge us to appropriate action. “See to the wounded! Healers, do not give up! Let us keep the few who have survived this day! Anyone still able to fight, on me. Let’s purge this town of rats!”
A dozen of the soldiers, along with the rangers and a handful of players, formed up with Dandre. They ran off immediately to track down the remaining ratkin.
I moved to follow, but Pachi stood in my way. Fear still claws at my belly. Stay here with the old one and guard him. Tejón and I will go with the others.
I patted her on the shoulder and she took off in a blur, the lumbering bear behind her. Though they both bled from a dozen wounds, I could see they were still strong.
Catching my breath, I stood and shook off some of the blood from my sword and walked back over to Quinn. Alysand was surrounded by a half-dozen discarded vials and a few herbs. He was now holding the old man in his arms, chanting a song so quiet I could only hear the rasp of his mouth.
Madi came up, her face haggard with exhaustion but tilted to one side in a crooked smile. “We did it. I can’t believe the size of those lizards that came and saved our asses. Thank you for becoming friends with them. So glad they weren’t our enemies.”
She was blood-spattered, and her brand-new armor was scored with a hundred scrapes and chips. One of her arms ran crimson from an unseen injury, but she was still gorgeous.
“Right?” I said. “Harnoth wanted to eat me when we first met. Now we’re buddies. Don’t try to steal this girl’s lunch money.”
I broke eye contact with her, not wanting to seem weird, and looked around. Some people were being dragged inside the tent and others were limping along, helping those who were worse off. The players and the NPCs were nearly indistinguishable now, all pulled together by desperation and necessity.
A nearly silent hiss of steel pulling free of leather made hairs stand up on the back of my neck. I turned just in time to see a tall ratkin coming into view behind Alysand and Quinn. It held a sword over four feet long in its hands, already poised too strike.
I pointed to the threat. “Madi!”
The warrior shot out one of her axes to catch the attack before it passed through the back of Alysand’s neck. It was so powerful that a chip flew out of the axe’s blade, and she staggered slightly, though the gunsinger either didn’t notice or did not care. He continued his chant, eyes closed and all attention on the man in his arms.
The ratkin’s eyes lit with fury, and he swung next up toward Madi’s face. She used Dodge, her form blurring slightly as the blade passed through where
