Ascending Pride

Summoning

As dusk settled more groups trickled in, some with injuries but no deaths or missing. Lucian was the last to return with two fire foxes and half a dozen lightning wolves. While others had brought kills back only Lucian, Devlin, Jaxon, and Randal had ventured into the fourth ring on the first day.

Leonard had offered a single snow fox to the empress and had been rather surprised Ashton didn't make any kills. He decided to take a look as Ashton was sitting on a log with a view of the forest entrance, "Lord Reece?"

Ashton turned a polite smile to Leonard, "Lord Silas, how might I be of service?"

"I'm surprised you didn't bring in your first kill, are you not participating?" Leonard asked taking a seat. Each fire had a bubbling pot being prepared for the evening meal.

Ashton waved the thought away, "I did not plan to hunt with his highness," Ashton explained.

Leonard nodded, "I see," While Leonard wanted to ask if anything else had happened it was too open and too many people were watching. He watched as Ashton ate a bowl of soup then returned to his tent.

While in his tent Ashton pulled out the three of the fifth-tier mana stones. He could create and control ten golem's if he had the necessary materials. For now, two were assigned to protect Serafin and Natasha, and he'd been able to make another three. Ashton decided quantity would be better than quality for tomorrow. The first five were all able to use fifth tier spells, he made these five able to use fourth tier since he could always forcibly upgrade them later. He used the mana stones as their hearts and quartz for eyes, he then painstakingly used his own blood to write enchantments along their chests and backs that would connect their senses. It was almost dawn before he was done. Ashton then had the golems hide in his shadow until he could leave the campgrounds.

Ashton nodded to Charmaine as he left with the lordlings at first light, today his hunt would begin. Ashton noted most groups had left before dawn, even Lucian had left a full hour before he'd finished with his new golems.

Serafin decided to try and start hunting at the end of the second and third rings, so they had to travel for almost two hours. Ashton noticed Nox growing tenser the longer they traveled but he didn't say anything. The other guards had asked but he kept hesitating since he couldn't explain his unease.

Ashton watched the lordlings separate again, genuinely mourning the group of four who traveled east. Mayhap they would get lucky. When noon arrived, everyone decided to have a small lunch of some roasted rabbit and pheasants they had caught instead of traveling back.

As the groups were about to separate again Ashton gave a sharp whistle, "I suggest we all mount up. Immediately." Ashton called with a polite smile as he led the horses over. They were now just past the third ring, even at a full gallop it would take an hour to get back to camp.

Serafin and the other lordlings all turned to Ashton confused. Ashton ignored them as he lifted Natasha into the saddle then wrapped a rope around her waist and tied it to the reins. Suddenly the forest shuddered. Serafin glanced up, leaves had been shaken loose covering the snowy ground, "What was that?" Serafin demanded glancing to his guards, then to Ashton.

Ashton continued his ministrations as a dark green eerie light enveloped over two acres of the forest not 200 yards to their left. The horses started to whinny as a wind started swirling toward the glowing spell circle.

"Perhaps we ought to return, yes?" Ashton asked as he mounted his own horse while the lordlings stared in horror. When they continued to stand still Ashton drew his whip and snapped it at Serafin who was immediately caught. With a sharp jerk of his right arm Serafin was flung on top of his horse.