Trees swayed in the night sky from the wind, but also from the eighteen hooded Scouts jumping from tree to tree.

  Izick kept to the middle of the pack but far from the back as he took account of the skill of the Scouts around him. There were more struggling with basic tree jumping than he expected.

  This wasn't looking good if they were going to stick with Vezzel's plan. He picked up the speed and maneuvered around the Scouts in front of him, shocking them with his movement skill and speed as he jumped past them.

  Vezzel pushed forward through the trees with a nonchalant and experienced stride, but reeled back when Izick suddenly appeared beside him.

  "Boy, I thought I told you to stay in the middle of the group?"

  "I want you to reconsider your plan for the scouting mission. You and I might be able to outpace some Cerubi, but the other Scouts are going to die because they're too slow," Izick said as he ducked under a branch while hopping to another tree.

  "Return to your position. We don't change mission objectives right before the operation starts."

  "Circumstances can change, especially when—"

  A black whip shot out of Vezzel's right sleeve to strike Izick's head. Izick swiped the metal ball attached to the end of the black whip and rested on a branch.

  The Scouts nearby stopped in shock, while the others in the back approached, weapons drawn, after hearing a commotion ahead.

  "Scout, I gave you an order. If you don't return to your position, I'll see it as mutinous insubordination punishable by death," Vezzel said as he pulled out a long knife and pointed it at Izick.

  Izick kept his knife out as he looked around the Scouts who slowly encircled him. He returned his knife to its sheath and turned away from Vezzel.

  "You're marching Scouts off to their deaths. Just know that their blood won't be on my hands."

  Vezzel put his weapons away and jumped to the next tree, trailed by the other top Scouts, until Izick found himself in the middle guard, signaling for him to continue traveling.

  Izick clicked his tongue. This was why he preferred working alone. He wanted nothing more than for this mission to be successful, but Vezzel was obviously letting his ego get in the way.

  Doesn't he understand that the battlefield is the last place for a Scout to bring his pride?

  Vezzel raised his fist, signaling for everyone to stop.

  A towering, pitch-black castle loomed above the trees. Its pointed turret scraped the sky, and a massive red eye inside it beamed a red spotlight, scanning the ground in sweeping patterns.

  Devious red light streamed from the few barred windows as strange, quick, screaming noises randomly sounded off.

  Chills ran down everyone's spines, but Izick stayed steady. Yes, this was scary, but he had seen and heard this before.

  One of Vezzel's Scouts noticed a small and quick glimmer of light below.

  Klint, with camouflage paint on his face, reflected the moonlight off his axe to get the attention of the Scouts above him and waved for them to descend while keeping his cover under his grassy blanket.

  Vezzel turned to his subordinate to point to his eyes before pointing down and behind him with his thumb.

  He put on his own grassy cloak and descended from his tree as his subordinate repeated the instructions and passed them back to the other Scouts.

  Vezzel checked that every Scout had descended before turning to Klint.

  "You're Klint, the leader of the ward breaker escort team, right? Where are the ward breakers?" Vezzel said, looking at the many other camouflaged faces.

  "They're right beside me," Klint said, pointing to the left with his head to an old man and three other individuals who nervously shivered with stress.

  "Good, stick to the plan and protect the ward breakers while we distract the Death Emperor's forces. Avoid that moving red spotlight at all costs, else our cover is blown. Drop down to the grass and cover your body with your cloaks if you're somehow caught in the spotlight," Vezzel said as he got into position to move.

  "Understood, we'll move on your signal," Klint said, tucking his axe close to his body underneath his cloak.

  Vezzel watched the spotlight sweep across the ground in a set pattern.

  "Wait," Vezzel said as the spotlight stopped on a patch of grass ahead of them before moving further away toward the right.

  "Go!" Vezzel said, taking off at full speed. The Warriors, Scouts, and ward breakers followed after him as Vezzel kept a careful eye on the red spotlight moving away from them.

  The spotlight suddenly shifted and began heading back toward the group.

  "Down!"

  Everyone slammed themselves into the tall grass as the red spotlight beamed over and stopped directly over them.

  The light moved slightly, making sure to cover every inch of this patch of grass before slowly moving on past the group.

  They moved forward across the grass, avoiding all sources of red light until they reached the high walls that loomed over them.

  A Scout pulled out a red cube and brought out a red map with scattered dots. He gave a thumbs up to signal that the wall was unwarded.

  Two Scouts ran up and aimed at the top of the walls with boxy black devices with a long spike at the end. Grappling hooks shot out of the device and dug into the walls of the castle.

  Klint strapped himself into a harness attached to a pulley on the rope. He gave a nod to the Scout holding the rope before quickly ascending up the wall.

  A few more Warriors ascended before sending the less athletic ward breakers up.

  Izick climbed up last behind the younger Scouts in the rear. The top of the castle, on the broad walkway, was deathly silent and dark, with the moon's light the only illumination.

  Up ahead, Izick could see the door leading to the stairway down to the gate's operating room.

  Vezzel motioned for everyone to crouch lower. They slowly approached the door until Vezzel's subordinate raised his fist for them to stop. He pointed to the stairway door and his floating red map, which had every single dot pointing at it. It was heavily warded.

  Vezzel called one of the ward breakers forward.

  The eldest ward breaker crawled to the door, stood to his feet near it, and pulled out a red metal orb from his circular bag.

  He mumbled a few words to it as he waved his hand in a circular motion, bringing the orb to life with a dim red glow.

  The ward breaker raised the orb toward the door until it flew out of his hands and attached itself to the warded door like a magnet.

  The door flashed red for a moment as layers of red maps extended out toward the old ward breaker, who immediately began to rearrange the dots in the map with his hands flying around the map.

  He moved the last dot into place, causing the door to blink green before the ward flickered and glitched out of existence.

  "We're in. Klint, take the point. We'll keep the ward breakers in the middle while the rest of the Scouts bring up the rear," Vezzel said as he pulled out his long knife.

  Klint nodded as he pulled out a small yellow gemstone that he violently shook before opening the door and descending down the stairs.

  The moon's blue light instantly disappeared as they descended the spiral staircase. Darkness consumed all light except for the yellow light coming from Klint's gemstone.

  Izick stuck to the back of the group as the sound of heavy boots and armor clanked on the stone stairs.

  Something attacked his nostrils, but he couldn't identify the scent due to the mold. It vaguely smelled familiar.

  Klint slightly opened the door to the stairway's exit and looked for any hostiles.

  He fully opened the door and waved for everyone to start moving as they all stepped out of the stairway.

  The space opened up into a vast inner courtyard with an impossibly high ceiling where an ancient-looking yellow crystal hung.

  Dim, dreamlike lights illuminated the courtyard, creating an eerie atmosphere. Trees, flowers, and rivers of water created a beautiful sight, marred by the overwhelming dread that gnawed at everyone's minds.

  Izick scanned the area as unease began to settle in. There was too much light and nowhere to hide, since the trees were too slender for effective cover. The worst possible conditions for a Scout.

  A towering set of black metal doors loomed at the end of the area. Giant silver rings hung on each door, and a heavy black metal bar in the shape of a highly detailed dragon secured the doors in place.

  Hairs on Izick's back stood up as he stared at the ominous door. He wasn't even that great at using his Mana, but even he could feel the powerful and ancient wards on the door.

  Every sense he had told him that he would be vaporized if he touched that warded door.

  "This is no time for dilly-dallying! Ward breakers, get to work on that door. Klint, set your people to protect the ward breakers. We can only keep the wards disabled for five minutes. It will be your job to open the gates before the wards reactivate. Frilgy, Hebbin, bring out the Pinrockers," Vezzel said, motioning to two strong-looking Scouts with long and heavy packs on their backs.

  They set the packs down and opened them, revealing long silver poles with spikes at the ends.

  Each Scout quickly picked up one Pinrocker and lined up behind Vezzel in formation. Izick refused the Pinrocker since it would slow him down.

  "Ready yourselves. We'll head toward those trees for cover when the Cerubi appear out of that hall across the courtyard. They only show themselves when the main gate's ancient wards are tampered with. Our job is to distract, not fight these monsters. Understood?" Vezzel said as he caught the Pinrocker his subordinate tossed to him.

  "Understood!" Said the Scouts in unison as they stared off into the distance, waiting for the Cerubi to appear out of the dark hall.

  The ward breakers pulled out their red orbs and combined their efforts to work on disabling the powerful wards on the gate.

  Izick stared down the hall as well, but he felt like something was off. This was a bad plan, yet something more disturbing was about to happen.

  What was so off?

  Izick went off instinct and closed his eyes as he zeroed in on his senses beyond sight.

  Heavy nervous breathing from the Scouts around him, the sweet flowers in the courtyard, the sound of rushing water from the artificial river, and the stench of dead flesh from the bones in front of the hall on the other side of the courtyard.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  But this stench smelled closer than before.

  Izick snapped his head to the stairway behind him with horror.

  "They're coming from the stairway! Everybody move!"

  The stairway door burst into pieces as black streaks zoomed out at impossible speeds, cleaving through two Scouts instantly like paper.

  Izick pulled Mikky back as a black streak slashed across her face in a spray of blood before it decapitated seven more Scouts, turning around for another pass.

  Izick threw two orange cubes into the air as the black streak zoomed back down.

  The cubes exploded on contact with the black streak, causing black smoke and monstrous, ear-piercing screams as more black streaks bolted over his head toward the ward breakers.

  Klint let out a war cry as he swung his axe at high speeds to deflect each of the black streaks trying to kill the ward breakers while his other Warriors raised their shields.

  "Vezzel! What do we do now!" Klint said as he deflected another black streak away from the ward breakers.

  Klint clicked his tongue as he looked ahead at the corpses that were the Scout team and saw Vezzel staring back at him on the ground in horror, but his body was several feet away from his head.

  "Ward breakers, keep working on that gate or we're all dead!" Klint said as he deflected Cerubi away from the ward breakers with his axe.

  Mikky screamed and writhed in pain on the ground, clutching her bloodied face.

  "My eyes! I can't see!" Mikky screamed while holding her face. Izick took out a black cloth and pressed it into Mikky's face until her body went limp and silent.

  The surviving Scouts flung their Pinrockers like spears at the howling Cerubi.

  The streaking Cerubi bolted around the flying Pinrockers that sailed past them and exploded behind them before slicing through four more Scouts.

  Izick took the Pinrocker near Mikky, imbued it with his Mana, and flung it into the space where he expected the Cerubi to go.

  The Pinrocker sank into the black streak, forcing another horrifying scream, followed by the sound of banging metal and smoke.

  The sonic boom knocked the other Cerubi away, causing them to slow down as blood and bio matter rained down from the explosion.

  The black streaks took form as two-headed black dogs with red dragon-like wings and spiked collars. The winged guard dogs of the Death Emperor's castle.

  The Cerubi closest to the Pinrocker's disorienting explosion struggled to keep themselves in the air while dazed.

  "Now! Hit them with every explosive and Pinrocker you got!" Izick said to the last five remaining Scouts as he pulled out his six orange cubes.

  Izick and the Scouts tossed every offensive trap and Pinrocker they had at the dazed Cerubi until more flesh and blood rained down.

  They quickly picked up the unused Pinrockers from the dead Scouts before Izick dragged the unconscious Mikky away as they bolted off toward Klint and his Warriors.

  Klint and his remaining Warriors chopped down their last Cerubi as Izick came up to them.

  "Izick, what happened? Why did Cerubi come out of the stairway?" Klint said as he ripped his axe out of a Cerubi carcass.

  "They were likely hanging from the ceiling of the stairway, asleep. I couldn't get a hold of their scent because of the mold, so that part is on me," Izick said as he glanced at the busted door leading to the stairway.

  "But we can't relax yet. More Cerubi will be coming soon, and we need a plan."

  "Then what's the plan now? Vezzel is beyond dead now, so I'll take your lead on this," Klint said with the surviving Scouts and Warriors, awaiting orders as the ward breakers frantically worked on the gate behind them.

  Izick felt uncomfortable under the many eyes on him, but he shook it off before walking toward the ward breakers. It didn't matter how he felt right now.

  He had to put that aside, since everything he had been working toward depended on the success of this life-or-death situation.

  "Klint, we're switching places. You and your Warriors will intercept the incoming Cerubi. At the same time, the remaining Scouts and I will protect the ward breakers and kill any Cerubi that slip through."

  "So we're the meat shields, huh. Fine, that's why we're here anyway," Klint said as he motioned his Warriors to follow him as they moved forward to make a human shield to guard the Scouts and ward breakers.

  Izick ordered a Scout to tend to Mikky's injuries as he walked up to the eldest ward breaker, who was sweating profusely but apparently served as the leader amongst them.

  "How long until you can break the wards on this gate?"

  "It's not that simple, boy. These ancient wards are far too powerful for so few ward breakers at our skill level for us to break them. We can only disable them or 'distract' the ward like leading a donkey with a carrot. Only a Grand Artificer like—"

  "Sorry, sir, but I don't care about these details. Just give me an estimation," Izick said as he raised his hand for the old ward breaker to stop talking.

  "Ah, we need around eight minutes, but we'll only have mere seconds to open the gates before the wards reactivate. This is the best we can do." The old ward breaker said as he rearranged some more dots on the red map.

  Mere seconds didn't give him confidence in their situation, but this was their reality. Izick nodded to the old ward breaker before turning to the Scouts.

  Two Scouts shook in their boots while two more seemed nervous but ready for orders with Pinrockers in their hands.

  However, the last Scout looked at him with hatred as she held Mikky in her arms while holding a bloody cloth to her face. It was one of Vezzel's people, Bersi.

  He ignored her glares as he raised two fingers in front of his face.

  "Is anyone here a Combat Scout of the second or third rank?"

  Izick looked at the small group of Scouts. They all raised three fingers to show that they're in the third rank, while Bersi raised two fingers with an annoyed expression.

  "I'm of the second rank, and Mikky is second rank as well. What's your point?"

  "Bersi, I need you by my side while the other Scouts will take the rear and fend off Cerubi with explosives. Any other plan likely means death for us all."

  "Not so fast. I can tell you used an incapacitating agent on Mikky, but I want some answers from you first. Did you know that this was going to happen?" Bersi said as she lay Mikky near the ward breakers who were still frantically trying to break the wards on the gate.

  "Yes, that's why I suggested we try a different plan."

  "Then you were content with us dying like this? Why would you allow us to die like this!" Bersi said, raising her voice at Izick.

  "I tried to warn Vezzel—multiple times—however, he refused to listen and even threatened to kill me. Vezzel seemed like a decent Scout, but he ultimately chose his pride over the mission," Izick said as he picked up two more Pinrockers from the ground.

  "Are you trying to disrespect Vezzel even now?" Bersi said as she got into Izick's face.

  "Look, I understand your rage, but getting angry at me won't bring anyone back. Besides, I'm the least of our worries right now,"

  Distant sounds of monstrous screaming loomed closer down the long, dark hall on the other side of the courtyard.

  Bersi hissed at Izick as he walked past her while throwing on his hood and pulling up his black mask. He slid a knife into his mouth before grabbing two more knives from his belt.

  Black streaks sped out of the dark hall from the other side of the courtyard with blood-curdling howls echoing in the distance.

  Klint barely had enough time to raise his axe to deflect one of the sharp wings from slicing him in half.

  The Warrior next to him erupted into a mist of blood as two Cerubi zoomed past the protective line of Warriors. Klint blocked another Cerubi before shouting to the backline.

  "Izick! Two of them got through!"

  Izick slashed in front of him and stabbed downward with his other knife as the Cerubi in front of him shrieked in pain before darting away from Izick.

  He took the knife in his mouth and launched it into the eye of an incoming Cerubi that screamed and slowed down in confusion after losing one of its heads.

  Bersi took out two long, curved knives and then threw them at the confused Cerubi.

  Her rapidly spinning knives were covered in purple Mana, becoming two flying discs that sliced the remaining head off.

  The knives boomeranged back to her hands as the other Scouts ganged up on the other injured Cerubi and stabbed it to death with their knives.

  "Ugh, I can't use Balisk here with everyone so close together," Bersi said, shaking the Cerubi blood off her knives.

  Izick jumped back and stood by Bersi while keeping a close eye on the dark hall on the other side of the courtyard.

  "Slow down the Cerubi by either throwing explosives or by taking down one of their heads before killing them. They slow down after losing one of their heads. We can't afford to miss when fighting these things," Izick said as he pulled out his knives from the dead Cerubi.

  The next wave of Cerubi flowed out of the hall. They instantly overwhelmed Klint and his Warriors, killing two warriors and knocking Klint over. The Warriors tried their best to block the onslaught of black streaks, but five Cerubi broke through.

  Klint rolled back to his feet and flung a small hatchet attached to his side at one of the five streaking Cerubi that raced toward the ward breakers.

  The flying hatchet decapitated the two heads of a Cerubi while the other four continued their charge.

  Bersi threw one of her rapidly spinning knives at a Cerubi. It ducked under the knife, but black straps from Izick's black cube ensnared its two heads. The Cerubi crashed into the ground in front of Izick.

  He drove a knife into its head before ducking under a streaking Cerubi aiming for his head.

  The other Scouts threw explosive cubes at the incoming Cerubi, followed up with Pinrockers, filling the courtyard with the sounds of sonic booms and burning flesh.

  A loud click, accompanied by the sound of clanking gears from the gate, brought everyone's attention to the gate as its wards powered down.

  "W-we did it! The wards are down!" The old ward breaker said as he stepped away from the gate. Klint sliced through a Cerubi with his axe and turned to the largest Warriors in his group.

  "Mithawk, Bungo, open the doors while the wards are still down!" Klint ordered while kicking a Cerubi off one of his Warriors.

  "Yes, sir!" Said the two Warriors in unison as they charged toward the gate. They pushed the ward breakers to the side and began to lift the heavy dragon-shaped drawbar.

  The drawbar struck the ground with a thud, reverberating throughout the entire courtyard and sending the Cerubi into a frenzy.

  A Cerubi slashed the chest of a Warrior and darted off toward Mithawk and Bungo as they began to pull at the large rings on the doors to open them.

  Two knives from Izick lodged themselves deep into the incoming Cerubi's heads, killing it instantly.

  Moonlight from the opening gate began to stream in. The ward breakers cheered, but all frowned when the doors started to flicker red. The old ward breaker looked on in horror.

  "No! The wards are powering up earlier than we thought! Get away from the doors!"

  Mithawk and Bungo continued to pull the doors open before groaning in pain as their hands began to smoke. The massive doors seemed to actively fight them and close.

  Mithawk turned to Klint as his muscles strained to pull open the massive door.

  "Klint, you'd better make sure my family receives my pension after this!" Mithawk cried out as his arms burned and turned black.

  "You two, get away from the doors!" Klint said as he hopelessly watched two of his men burning from the wards.

  "Hold that Staff Hero accountable, Klint. I'm not dying for nothing!" Bungo said as he and Mithawk slammed their bodies into the burning doors for one last push, opening the gate completely but charring their bodies.

  Klint chopped down two Cerubi and rushed over to the gate. He fell to his knees as black ashes blew away in the wind.

  "You bastards, why'd you trust me with something like this?" Klint said as he punched the ground.

  The waves of Cerubi stopped, allowing everyone to step outside in the moonlight.

  Izick turned to a few of the surviving Scouts.

  "I want you to take the injured to the main forces and find a Healer named Milletta Conji. She might be able to help Mikky and anyone else who survived."

  Bersi pushed past Izick and walked through the gate.

  "Where are you going?" Izick said as he pulled out his knives from a Cerubi carcass.

  "Joining the main forces. We opened the gate like we were supposed to do," Bersi said as she continued walking away.

  "The job is unfinished. We still have to find the throne room."

  "Vezzel is dead."

  "We're still alive. We have to do our part if we want the Heroes to succeed tonight. You can run back and hide within the safety of the main forces, but I intend to finish what I started."

  Bersi's face scrunched up with rage before exhaling and walking back through the gates.

  "I can't believe I'm letting some kid get under my skin. I'll deal with you later. Ross, Packer, Tanner. We're continuing the mission. Let's finish Vezzel's work," Bersi said as she waved over some Scouts and began consolidating their gear.

  Izick looked back at the courtyard. Thirteen Scouts lay dead. He'd warned them. He'd tried. Vezzel's pride had led them to their deaths.

  Klint took out his Long Book and began to write.

  { Main gate is open. Izick is fine and will continue the mission, but most of the Scouts are dead. Withdrawing the injured and ward breakers to the main group. A small group will stay to guard the gate and keep it open. Mithawk, Bungo, and four of our Warriors are dead, along with three other support Warriors. Ready to commence assault on the Death Emperor's castle }

  ***

  Richard, Alister, Helen, Raul, and Warren rode on horseback, surrounded by soldiers and military personnel. The Long Books strapped to their belts shook.

  They all opened their Long Books as Klint's message flowed onto the empty pages.

  Richard read a few lines, then closed his book as he rode up to Alister on his horse.

  "I'm sorry about your men, Alister," Richard said in a reserved and somber tone. "Thanks to them, we were able to open the gate, unlike last time when we failed spectacularly. Their sacrifices won't be in vain."

  "Sacrifices have to be made sometimes. You already know this, Richard," Alister said blankly as he stared straight ahead at the looming black castle of the Death Emperor.

  Richard stared at the castle ahead as well and shook his head.

  "Knowing doesn't make it any easier..."

  Warren looked over to the other Heroes on his left and smiled bitterly.

  "This is it, isn't it? Our last journey together. We'll all be returning home to Earth after this. I know we had our differences in the past, but thank you for fighting together with me. No matter what happens here tonight, let's leave no regrets," Warren said as he gripped the white bow at his side.

  Helen scoffed at Warren as she pulled up beside him.

  "It sounds like you expect to win and lose at the same time. Stop being sappy, War. We have work to do."

  "Agreed. Let's not jinx it and count our chickens before they hatch. We still have to kill the Death Emperor if we want to go home," Raul said.

  Richard exhaled deeply before returning his sights back on the castle ahead.

  "Our fight ends here. Next time is not an option."

  He unsheathed his blade, which began to glow white in the night.

  "We're killing the Death Emperor tonight!"

  Richard lifted his sword and charged with a war cry, leading the massive army behind him forward to their last battle against their ultimate foe.