Sift jumped to Lylan and faced the elite squad, guarding her. Hamma’s Mana dropped by twenty percent and everyone’s Health ticked upward. Hamma cast another Heal, and Lylan’s Health bar turned from yellow to green.
The Dust Reverend laughed, pulled the blade from the back of the Quake Summoner, and tossed it back to Lylan. “You forgot something.”
Xavier still fought the Cave Wyvern above them. The stone dragon’s wings and body were filled with charred holes, but it still flew and fought. Clarysa had ripped one of the Cliff Tiger’s legs off, but it seemed unaffected, while his mom’s Health bar hovered around sixty percent.
Objective complete, Elder Vachyl said in Chat.
Ruwen glanced in the distance behind the elite squad. The enemy army had been pushed past the tents. The tents and their contents lay strewn in pieces. They’d done it.
While everyone’s Health had recovered, Hamma and Tremine had used over half their Mana. They had Mana potions, but the problem was the elite squad stood unharmed with full bars of Health and Mana. Ruwen and his team wouldn’t win a prolonged battle with this group. As soon as Tremine’s Mana ran out, they would be at the mercy of the Dust Reverend and Quake Summoner.
Ruwen felt more confident about defeating the Fighters. The Crag Defender had some incredible defensive magic, but Ruwen and Sift could overcome that. The problem remained the magic users. His Fallen Heroes had been beating against the protective shield this entire time, and the shield appeared undamaged.
Ruwen contemplated calling all the eighty plus level warriors to his location and killing this squad. But something was happening under New Eiru, and they’d finished their objective here. This squad didn’t matter any longer, especially when New Eiru might be in danger. It was time to go back home.
Initiate homecoming, Ruwen said to Elder Vachyl in Chat.
Regroup, Ruwen said in his Chat. The revival baths are destroyed, and we’re headed home.
Colyn kneeled and lifted Lylan to her feet as Sift protected them. Xavier and Clarysa, back in her human form, returned to the group and Ruwen stepped backward.
“Going somewhere?” the Dust Reverend asked. He turned to the Quake Summoner. “Trigger it.”
The Quake Summoner pulled a small square rune stone from his Dimensional Belt. It glowed so brightly Ruwen squinted. Without any fanfare, the Mage squeezed the stone, crushing it and releasing the light.
In the distance, near the destroyed tents, a corresponding bright flash appeared, only much larger. A moment later, the ground around them rose. In seconds, thirty-foot walls encased them in a hundred-foot square.
Ruwen and his team now stood alone with the elite squad. Survey and Stone Echo showed him these hundred foot squares now filled the depression, separating both armies into small chunks.
Why had they trapped their own army too?
I believe the disturbance is within one thousand feet of New Eiru, Lir said.
That seemed impossibly close. They’d confirmed before they’d left that nothing was within twenty-five hundred feet. Nothing moved that fast underground.
And this squad only cared about delaying the army’s return. These walls could be broken, but it would take time.
“This was a distraction,” Ruwen said.
The Dust Reverend smiled.
“What are you planning?” Ruwen asked.
The Dust Reverend’s smile turned into a grin. “Your eternal destruction.”
Chapter 73
We’re doing this the hard way, Ruwen said in Chat.
As if you knew another way, Sift replied.
Ruwen continued. Bliz, see what you can do about these walls. We need to retreat. Everyone but Sift and Xavier stay behind Colyn. Let’s try to conserve Hamma’s Mana. Tremine, don’t protect Sift and me. I want to see how we handle their spells. Xavier, do what you can from above.
Then Ruwen spoke privately to Hamma. How heavy is Smash?
Hamma had bonded to a Carnage Golem they’d found in the loot they’d taken from the Plague Siren’s lair in the Spirit Realm. By speaking its name, Smash, she’d became its new master. Sift had insulted the thumb sized figure, and the golem had taken a dislike to Sift.
Twelve pounds, Hamma said.
Hamma was the only one safe from the Carnage Golem, and Ruwen had wanted to use Sow Seed to telekinetically guide the tiny golem behind the Crag Defender. But Sow Seed only worked on one-pound items at his current level. He’d have to do something more drastic. Sift had insulted the tiny golem the last time they’d used it, and Ruwen guessed Smash would attack Sift. He wanted the Crag Defender to be in the way when Smash chased Sift, hopefully taking the brunt of Smash’s anger.
The elite squad made no attempt to fight, happy to waste as much time here as possible. For now, they only wanted to keep everyone from returning to the city.
I’m coming to get Smash, Ruwen told Hamma.
Ruwen turned and found a crowd of people behind their group.
Bliz had produced thirty golems from his Void Band. They had no facial features, and their heads came to a point. Each had six arms and as Ruwen watched, the hands all morphed into pickaxes. They broke into three groups of ten, and each group walked toward a different wall. Bliz sprinted toward the rear wall, easily outpacing his plodding golems.
Ruwen strode to Hamma, and she handed him the two-inch figure. He immediately dropped it in his Void Band and returned to the front. Using his Void Band, he could launch Smash fast enough to make sure it got behind the enemy.
When I tell you, yell his name, Ruwen told Hamma in Chat.
Ruwen stepped up next to Sift. “Is the Step fighter any good?”
Sift nodded. “I’ve seen her fight
