The Chronicles of a Scalebound Sage: Wandmaker Vol.2

WM [54] Enchanter of the Seventh Circle

The fort was in near complete chaos, as druid geokinetics bore holes that ripped through the mountainside defenses. Tremor sent a cascade of dust and stone through the air, rattling the fortress walls like the slow heartbeat. From his position at the main entrance to the medical ward, Bjorn could feel the mountain's groan beneath his feet, a horrifying sign of a potential collapse.

The ward itself was a refuge, but also a trap. There were three entrances to the medical ward with people stationed at each entrance looking out for druid forces while reconnaissance teams headed by Sigvard went in search for survivors and taking opportunistic shots at druid forces. The laborantian fortress worked to the wendigo advantage as they were familiar with the purposefully confusing architecture.

Bjorn watched what was considered the main entrance to the medical ward alongside two of recently cleansed Royal Knights. The medical ward behind him was filled with the scent of sweat, blood, and the pungent tang of the cleansing potion. The soft glow of healing magic flickered in his peripheral vision as Tanisha and Jakob worked tirelessly, tending to the wounded. Healers moved between the rows of cots, their hands glowing as they worked, but it was a slow and draining process. Even magic couldn't reverse the damage done by the druids' toxins fast enough to get everyone back into the fight.

Taking the potion didn't mean that they could instantly get up and fight again. Some people could and Bjorn and Failsafe it was because of their constitution. The faces of many others were pale skin and slick with sweat and their eyes filled with exhaustion, which told a grim story. Some would be out of the fight for days. Others might never get up again.

However, they also found plenty of people that would be able to take the fight to the druids. Over thirty warriors were combat-ready now, up from the dozen they had started with, but Bjorn wasn't sure it was going to be enough. The recon teams would be returning soon and then they could begin their real counter assault. The recon teams were their only hope—if they returned with more survivors or if they could take out a key druid commander, it might shift the balance.

Another tremor shook the ground, and Bjorn's muscles tensed instinctively, his sharp gaze turning toward one of the walls of the ward. Cracks that were once insignificant now looked as if the wall might buckle. Luckily the wendigo forces had geokinetics mages of their own that quickly sprung into action to the damage. It was a patch job of course no one wanted to waste mana when they could be attacked at any moment and their mana reserves could be the difference between life and death.

"You don't think they are trying to collapse the fort, do you?" Bjorn asked Failsafe.

"What, no they definitely are. I thought it was obvious," Failsafe said. "Hundreds of millions of tons of mountain above the fort, why fight when you can just drop the enemies' own base on their heads?"

"Well, yeah, but they're here too," Bjorn said.

"They also have exit tunnels and three thousand years of pent up anger against the wendigo," Failsafe said right as another tremor shook the ward. "I am pretty sure everyone else has already figured that out."

The sound of battle shook Bjorn from his conversation. Ahead of them in the corridor spells flew at an escaping wendigo part. At least twenty guards and fifteen knights all retreated down the hall, Koll and Sigvard alone defended the retreating party. Some of them are not able to walk on their own while having to rely on their fellow partners to retreat. At the same time another explosion rocked one of the other entrances to the medical ward and battle quickly ensued as druid spells went flying. Everyone was quick to react, Joha first amongst the counter assault; the ward was under siege and the druids had come in force.

***

Each step Signe took only filled her with more rage as she saw the bodies of comrades and friends slain in the halls of the fortress. Lillevenn had returned leading Signe, Fuyumi and Birger, the dungeon warden, to the source of the poison and hopefully the leadership of the druids. The air inside the fortress was thick with the scent of blood and burning ozone. Druid magic coursed through the stone walls, sending tremors through the mountain.