The Dust Reverend hissed in anger. “What dungeon offers such power to—”
Ruwen channeled Kindling and used the blade of air to slice the Priest’s head off. He caught the head and body in his Void Band, hoping the Priest would have some equipment upgrades for Hamma.
With fifteen seconds left, Ruwen teleported to the nearest wall that trapped his army. He used his Void Band to hurtle through the air, using his indestructible body to smash through the walls that separated the army.
Time ran out before Ruwen could destroy the enemy army, but they remained trapped in the walls created by the elite squad. Ruwen could come back and destroy them after figuring out what was happening to New Eiru.
Ruwen knelt next to Hamma’s body. “Don’t worry. I’ll talk to Lir. You’ll be back with us before I reach the city. You shouldn’t have needed to do that. I failed us. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
Ruwen gently slipped his Void Band over Hamma’s body, not wanting her to lose her gear.
Lir, make Hamma’s revival a priority.
I will place her at the top of the queue, Lir responded.
How is the disturbance?
It has increased significantly.
Ruwen spoke to Elder Vachyl in Chat. Inform the Commanders to move the army back to New Eiru. We need to prepare for whatever this disturbance is. There are a few thousand enemy troops trapped here, and we can finish them once New Eiru is secure.
Understood, Elder Vachyl said. Validate primary objective.
Ruwen’s experience at the underground temple of Naktos near the oil lake, made him the only one qualified to confirm the destruction of the revival baths. Striding to where they had fought the elite squad, Ruwen spent thirty seconds searching for Smash. He found the two-inch figure half buried in the dirt, gently dusted him off, and placed him in his Inventory to give to Hamma. He turned and sprinted toward the wrecked tents, his party somberly following.
It only took Ruwen a few seconds to see something wrong. It also explained why the elite squad hadn’t wanted him too close. They probably assumed he’d been responsible for the temple destruction near the oil lake, and even though his armor differed, his cloak remained the same. He spoke to Elder Vachyl again in Chat. The revival baths look vaguely like ours. Not anything like the ones I saw at the Naktos temple.
Elder Vachyl responded a few seconds later. They resembled ours to fool us.
Yes, these are fake. Ruwen’s stomach clenched. What are you doing to prepare for an attack?
Most of our people are still in the Temple. It has locked all the exits.
Lir, why have you locked your doors?
Protocol 143.26.1 states—
Stop. Just tell me the reason.
I believe I am in danger.
Ruwen’s army had already moved out of the depression, quickly marching back to New Eiru, and Ruwen and his team joined them. He glanced at the dead bodies scattered across the ground, feeling guilty for leaving them there, even if it was only for a few hours. And while this might have functioned as a trap, it had also served as a distraction.
Ruwen desperately wanted to get back to the temple and see Hamma. He wanted to yell at her for being so stupid and hug her and tell her how sorry he was for failing them. She had sacrificed herself, taken an attribute penalty, and used who knew how many of her precious Prayer Points. Her sacrifice filled him with guilt.
Half the army had made it to the lake when Lir spoke to Ruwen again.
The disturbance now matches tunneling parameters, Lir said.
If they’re moving that fast, it must be a very small tunnel, Ruwen said.
I do not have enough data to confirm that.
Open at least one door to let troops out.
As you wish, Architect Starfield.
Ruwen spoke to Elder Vachyl. The temple senses tunneling. If they’ve moved over twenty-five hundred feet in less than two hours, it must be small. Likely their plan was to draw the main army out, and attack with a small force brought in with rapid tunneling.
That makes sense, Elder Vachyl said. We have a few thousand troops outside already.
The temple will open a door to allow more warriors out.
Excellent. We have done well, today.
Some of Ruwen’s anxiety disappeared. The enemy's plan had been clever, but through excellent planning and their own cleverness, along with some terrible sacrifices, they’d soon claim victory.
As the first troops neared the city and Ruwen came up on the lake, Lir spoke to Ruwen again.
Enforcing protocol 143.26.1, Lir said. I am under attack.
New Eiru’s city walls stood a hundred feet high, and the temple stretched another hundred feet higher than that. Ruwen stopped in shock as the temple sank out of sight.
The tunneling operation hadn’t been small after all. In fact, it had swallowed the entire temple.
Chapter 76
Ruwen focused on Whiskers, who had stayed in the city. The cat remained in its city scouting state and looked like a small house cat. From the view, Whiskers had hidden in a crack along the northeast wall. Ruwen could make out the distant gates, and what he saw filled him with dread.
A hole over five hundred feet wide had appeared in the center of New Eiru, filled with water. Ruwen watched as the top of the temple disappeared into the new lake. Naktos troops poured out of the east side of the lake, each group brought up through the water by a Haffa follower. The Haffa transporters would then move to the west side of the lake and dive, probably to fetch more Naktos troops. Every twentieth transporter didn’t have a group, but a mobile revival bath.
Ruwen focused Whiskers on the gates, and his stomach turned. Naktos had already taken control of the gates and enemy Mages sent Fighters up the walls at a dizzying pace. While troops had continuously
