[BEFORE we continue the story, I would just like to issue a brief warning; I am not a trained professional, I am just insanely lucky. If you value your life; DON'T EVER DO WHAT I WOULD DO!]
As alarms blared across the sanctum and the ground trembled, Benjamin and Bartholomew spoke up in unison.
"This is not a drill. The sanctum is under attack." Benjamin declared.
"All Rangers, to your stations. All noncombatants should follow emergency protocols and proceed to panic rooms." Bartholomew instructed.
Everyone started moving towards the exits in an orderly haste. Some rangers were directing all the noncombatants to shelters, while others were mustering combatants around the central plaza.
"Get to safety," Ryan told Christie
"What about you?" she said as she was swept up by the current of people moving towards the shelters.
"I'll be alright," he said, more assured himself then her,
The sanctum was under attack from an unknown enemy force that possessed some sort of siege engines, as multiple streams of flaming rocks hurtles through the air towards the sanctum from the surrounding vegetation. Some of these fiery projectiles exploded while still in midair, repelled by the bounded field, a complex multi-layer barrier arranged in a grid pattern, that covered the entire sanctum. However three out of every ten volleys would break through one layer of barrier, paving the way for more to slip through the growing cracks in their defense.
After assembling at the plaza, the volunteers that joined with the rangers to defend the sanctum were given body armor and weapons, then they mustered to the main gates.
Ryan heard one of the rangers yelling from the watchtower, "They've breached the outer layer! Enemy spotted!"
In the light of the setting sun, the garrison could now identify the invading force; a gathered horde of hundreds of ravagers.
Along the battlements, rangers manned mounted ballistae and mini-guns and blasted away at the encroaching horde while the others fanned out from the gates to form a defensive lines. Ryan was one of those at the defensive line.
The horde got closer and closer, their cannons damaging the bounded fields allowing them to pass through. As the first of the ravagers was in sight of the main gates, the defenders tensed, readying themselves for combat.
The defenders fired their mortars into the enemy force, with volley after volley ripping apart the ravager vanguard in magikally charged explosions, then, the defenders charged forth to face the disordered horde while they were still in disarray.
As the defenders collided with the first wave of ravagers, it was utter pandemonium. With magus fighting against ravager, all while chunks of burning rock rained down from above. The bounded fields were still functioning, so if a ravager got too close, they would start to burn, but some were pushing through as their onslaught at the sanctum did not cease, further weakening the barrier.
Ryan and several other defenders attacked a large tarasque that was barreling towards the wall, its hide burning from forcing its way through the bounded field. The beast looked like a horrifying mix between a crocodile, a tortoise, a bear and a rhinoceros, it snapped at them with its maw, hissing menacingly as its body continued to smoke.
"Bring it down," someone growl as they launched an assault of fire magik on the creature, igniting its already smoldering fur and setting it alight once more. It screamed in agony and, while it was distracted, Ryan slashed it with Draxonn, leaving a deep gash in its chest that proved to be the final strike to reduce it to cinders.
After downing the tarasque, Ryan found himself engaging with something that looked like a goblin, it had rough green skin and beady yellow eyes, with a round head and a big nose and large tusks sticking out of its mouth. It wasn't that big, but was armed with a spiked club --which was basically a bat filled with rusty nails-- and jumped around on powerful legs, leaping over Ryan's swings. It was annoyingly fast as it leapt around Ryan, while trying to bludgeon him,
"Die magus scum! Die!" the creature shrieked as Ryan managed to block its latest swing.
"Damn, you're ugly," Ryan hissed back, as he got in a lucky kick as it charged right at him, stunning it long enough for him to slash through its body with his sword.
As it disintegrated, he added; "and you smell even worse fried."
Not far from him, one of the rangers had just downed a large goblin, "We're getting swarmed out here," she panted, "we need to give the bounded field time to recharge."
"Fat chance of that happening with all those damned cannons chipping away at it." another commented, shooting at a bunch of small imp-like creatures that were the size of little children, with sharp teeth and claws.
Ryan had paused to listen to their conversation and just barely had enough time to duck out of the way as another troll tried to jump him. He rolled away from its strike, slashing at its side with Draxonn leaving a large gash in its side, not deep enough to destroy it, but wound it badly. The gash in the creature sizzled as the blood mid-spatter was absorbed into the blade. The goblin hissed in pain as it clutched its burning side, it then glared at Ryan, but when it saw Draxonn's black blade glinting in Ryan's hand, its eyes widened in fear as it hissed something in its clipped broken language and tried to run away, but Ryan lunged forwards and ran Draxonn through its fleeing body. The ravager disintegrated in a burst of embers, showering Ryan in ash.
Ryan turned his attention towards their defensive line, which was being pushed back by the waves of ravagers. Worse still, a few of those flaming rocks had broken through the bounded field and had crashed into the compound with large explosions.
"Fall back!" one of the rangers on the ramparts yelled to the defenders, "fall back!"
As Ryan returned to the wall, he noticed Jasmine at a watchtower, firing volleys from a ballista at circling harpies. Once her ballista was spent, she shot bolts from her crossbow, landing a lucky shot right into a harpy's eyes, blinding it, but before she could deliver the finishing blow, another harpy swooped down, raking its talons across her arm and knocking her off the watchtower.
Ryan, seeing all this transpire, ran to intercept the falling ranger, breaking her fall as he caught her.
"Fancy bumping into you here," Ryan commented from underneath her
Jasmine just gave an exasperated groan as she rolled her eyes "mind your hands, idiota," she huffed, flicking him on the forehead before getting up off him.
As Ryan got up, he instinctively held out his hand, and the dropped Draxonn flew back into had grasp.
"Convenient," he said as the harpy that had thrown Jasmine made another lunge for them. Faster then Jasmine could react, Ryan thrust his sword up in the air, right in the path of the creature, severing its wing and it was unable to dodge.
It crashed into the ground, thrashing about and screaming in pain and outrage, before two magik bolts struck it in its throat, cutting off its shrieks as the creature crumbled to ash.
"We make a pretty good team, don't you think?" Ryan mused
"No we don't," Jasmine scoffed, "my aim was off, because of this,"
Jasmine's right arm is bleeding from the three claw wounds the harpy inflicted on her. She pulls out gauze from her belt pocket and begins wrapping the wound.
"Aren't you going to treat it first?" Ryan asks
"This will do for now," Jasmine snaps at him as she ties the bandage tight against her wounded bicep.
"Well, I-" Ryan was interrupted by a goblin jumping at him, and right into the path of Jasmine's crossbow bolt.
"See?" she says smugly, "my aim is getting better already,"
The moment was short lived by the sound of breaking glass that echoed from above. Overhead, another flaming rock screamed into the sanctum, followed by the sound of something exploding.
A ranger on the wall called out, their voice was barely audible over the din of battle, but the message was clear. "Regroup! Form up by the main gate!"
Ryan and Jasmine made their way to the main gate, where the rest of the defenders were gathering. The air was think with the ashes of destroyed ravagers, but more were quick to fill their place.
"This is too much, we'll be overwhelmed." Ryan surmised, grabbing an imp that had jumped onto Jasmine's back and tossing it in the path of a charging troll. The troll trampled upon the imp before Jasmine shot out its legs with a well aimed bolt, then went to finish it off with a hunting knife.
"We won't last much longer," Jasmine said to another ranger as they regrouped at the main gates, "we need the exit strategy!"
"Exit strategy is still getting ready," the ranger replied," but we can't initiate while those cannons are still blasting away at out barrier."
Jasmine turned towards Ryan, "You feel like lending me a hand?"
"Are you asking or telling?" Ryan asked
"With me," she ordered, "we're gonna take out those cannons."
Thankfully, Jasmine did not mean just the two of them. She had gathered a team of about fifteen defenders, three people for each cannon.
While the main force of the ravager horde were concentrated around the main gate, Jasmine and her small group went around the sides, flanking the ravager horde.
Jasmine, Ryan and the last member of their group, sneakily made their way towards their objective. The four other groups were also nearing their own targets.
There were still a few stragglers not part of the main assault force roaming around, so they had to be very careful, obfuscating their path towards the cannon.
Once, a gaggle of harpies spotted them and tried to make a sweeping pass for what they probably assumed were some fleeing prey. All they had gotten was their avian bodies riddled with crossbow bolts and magik shots.
"Over there," their third teammate pointed, as they heard the sound of cannon fire, followed by a flaming projectile shooting up into the air, only to arc down and collide with what remained of the barrier.
Just ahead of them, they saw three goblins tending to what at first looked like a large cannon, but was actually some sort of rotund ravager with a long, barrel-like snout on its forehead. They watched as the large creature opened its mouth and the goblins shoveled what looks like gravel, concrete and pieces of debris into its gaping maw, then the creature started chewing as its eyes glowed bright red, before its seemingly sneezed and another fiery comet was launched from its long rigid snout into the air.
"What the hell is that?" Ryan hissed,
"I don't know," Jasmine hissed back, "I've never seen that kind of ravager before."
"We need to take that thing out," their other teammate said
Suddenly, the large creature let out a loud groan-like cry as is looked towards them, its eyes blazing.
"Move!" Jasmine yelled as they scattered, as it shot its next volley in their direction. The explosion was quite powerful, knocking them off their feet, but they quickly recovered as the trio of goblins charged at them.
The one that went after Jasmine was riddled with darts while still in the air, and only its ashes reached Jasmine, unfortunately, she immediately cursed.
"I'm out!" she snarled, slipping the crossbow into a pocket on her belt and pulling a knife. She then charged at the large cannon-beast. She got in too quick for it to reposition its large barrel snout, aiming to slashed at its thick neck, but it vented hot steam from its pores, forcing her to retreat.
By the time she regrouped with the others, her skin was glistening with a fine layer of sweat.
"Damn, that thing is way too hot to get close to," she sneered,
"How did the goblins do it then?" Ryan demanded,
"Who cares," their teammate snapped, "this is gonna be a lot harder than we hoped."
The creature growled at them, as the last goblin, wounded from fighting Ryan, scurried back towards it. It may have been trying to get to safety, but the creature opened its massive mouth and gobbled the goblin up in one bite.
"That's not good," their teammate said
"MOVE!" Jasmine yelled, as the monster fired its latest salvo, not as large as before, but just as explosive.
The creature gave a groan of discontent, obviously not pleased with having to move its robust body constantly, repositioning itself to get at the pesky magi that swarmed around it like flies.
"Okay, so now it can't load up, right?" Ryan asked, as they ducked behind the trees
"No, look at the way it's jaw is shaped," their other teammate said, "I think it can load up just fine, it just wont be as fast,"
"So it's a slow target," Ryan mused to himself,
"Ryan, no. Its too hot for you to get close to." Jasmine said
"That's a risk I'll have to take," Ryan said as he charged at it.
"Wait, idiota," Jasmine hissed after him,
While the ravager was occupied, trying to shovel debris into its maw from the pile, Ryan ran up behind it. It noticed his approach, but was too slow to react, which allowed Ryan to get it close and slash at its flank, spurring it to cry in pain as a plume of hot gas burst from its wound right into Ryan's face.
Ryan stumbled back, wheezing and coughing, not just because of the heat, but the smell, it was rancid and noxious, and definitely not something meant to be inhaled. The monster growled and swung its head around as fast as it could, catching Ryan in the side with its barrel-snout and sending him flying quite some distance.
While he was still reeling, the creature aimed at him, and fired, but before Ryan could be exploded, Jasmine pulled him out of the way.
"You're starting to become a real pain in my ass, you know that?" Jasmine snapped at him,
"Wha…?" Ryan asked as his mind cleared
"I just saved your ass. Again." Jasmine said, "Let's not make a habit of it though,"
"Hey, look," their teammate said, "the wound Ryan made, its still venting heat."
"That is not just heat," Ryan croaked, his voice raspy, "it smelt like a pigsty on fire,"
Jasmine observed the ravager, it seemed to be short of breath from all the recent activity, and the wound Ryan had inflicted on it hissed and oozed an ichor like molten slag that dripped from the cut. She could also see puffs of dark gas escape from the hissing wound.
"Whatever is inside that thing is probably flammable," Jasmine mused to herself, "Well done Ryan, your foolish charge wasn't completely useless after all."
"Glad I could be of help," he groaned, "but how're we going to exploit that hole when you said you're out of bolts?"
"Flare." Jasmine said, pulling one from her belt pocket.
"How many things can you carry in that belt?" Ryan wondered
"Enough," Jasmine smirked, "now we just need to get it inside that thing,"
"Want me to make another run for it?" Ryan asked,
"You're in no condition to do that," their other teammate said, checking on Ryan
"and even if you were, there's a good chance another face-full of that gas might kill you stone dead."
"Just as well," Ryan sighed, "I don't really want to be near that thing."
"Instead, let me try something… unconventional." Jasmine said, "I'll need the two of you to distract it for me. And whatever you do, make sure the wound is facing me."
"Can do," their teammate said
"Do we really have a choice?"
With that, both men ran forth to keep the monster distracted. Curiously enough, the ravager seemed to dislike Ryan more than the other one, and used up the shot it had spent the last several moments loading to shoot at Ryan.
While this was happening, Jasmine took out her crossbow from its pocket holster and loaded the flare into it, but not before lighting the flare.
She then proceeded to aim right for the monsters flank, to the gaping wound that still puffed out its foul gas.
"Get clear!" she cautioned as she took the shot and the lit flare rocketed straight for the wound, lodging itself deep into the ravagers guts.
As soon as Jasmine gave her warning, both boys ducked for cover. A moment later nothing happened.
"Was that it?" Ryan asked
"Did the flare fizzle out?" the other teammate wondered
"Get back here, now!" Jasmine ordered, and they obeyed.
Not a second later, the creature exploded in a fiery burst that went off like fireworks in the middle of the forest. The blast was so powerful that it uprooted nearby trees, and anything unfortunate enough to be caught in its blast range was incinerated.
Once the spectacle was over, Jasmine and her small group were the only things within the blast radius still whole, safely within a simple protection circle.
As the small bubble of energy flickered and faded away, Ryan looked at the devastation that monster had caused.
"Alright, job done," Jasmine said, "now let's get back, we're still in the middle of a siege,"
"But what about the other teams?" Ryan asked, not soon after, they could hear the sounds of mighty explosions, four explosions to be exact.
"Looks like the others are just about done as well," their teammate commented
"And, we were first to blow ours up," Ryan addeed
"We better not dawdle," Jasmine advised, "some of those ravagers will probably come this way to investigate the cause of the explosion that disrupted their plans."
"Alright," Ryan said as they made their way back towards the sanctum
… )]≥( …
The cannon barrage was gone, meaning that the bounded field can now properly regenerate. Reinvigorated by this, the defenders bolster their resolve and face the incoming ravagers with a renewed vigor.
Jasmine, Ryan and their third teammate somehow manage to make it back to the friendly side, after fighting through some more ravagers to get there.
"The cannons are down," she declared
"Yeah, we noticed," the ranger retorts.
"Where are the others?" the teammate demands
"Most of them made it back," the other ranger reports, "a few of them didn't."
"So what now?" Ryan asked
"Now, we destroy as many ravagers as we can, while we can." Jasmine growled, "we make them regret ever coming here."
Jasmine declaration lit a fire under every one of the defenders, and they now fought with a vengeance to break their agressors.
Some of the horde had managed to slip through the weakened barrier and, using the confusion of the battle at the gates, were now scaling to invade the sanctum, but they were being dealt with decisively.
Once the bounded field was restored, most of the remaining monster horde were forcefully repelled, and those that had made it through were cut down by the defenders.
As the gates closed, the commanding ranger yelled to another ranger, "Mike, get G, tell him it's time for the exit strategy!"
Mike saluted and ran off towards the Main Hall where G and a group of other magi.
"Sir," the ranger named Mike reported, "they say it's time for the exit strategy."
"It's about bloody time!" he grumbled, then spoke up, "You lot, it's time!"
G and the group then stood in a circle around the Nyphen tree and clasped their hands together, as glyphs appeared around them these individual glyphs connected to form a large sigil on the ground with the Nyphen tree at the center. The tree then started to glow with a faint rainbow light, even its roots underground were visible through the earth, stretching out over the entire sanctum, even underneath the bay. The whole valley resonated with energy as the barrier of the bounded field became visible and solid.
"Secret art; Hidden Territory!"
The glow grew brighter and brighter, until the barrier was a near blinding dome in the middle of the forest, then, the dome imploded, collapsing inward, and pulling the very terrain inwards after it, before vanishing in a brilliant flash of light. It released a final burst of magikal energy that vaporized ravager horde as the entire sanctum was now gone.
… )]≥( …
On the other side of the country, a sudden multicolored flash of energy occurred in the middle of the woods. This flash quickly expanded into a massive dome of light that warped the space around it, stretching and widening the land as a new valley suddenly apparated to fill the void. The 45th sanctum had just reappeared.
As the glow of the barrier faded, the different sigils that made up the grid-like configuration of the bounded field flickered and disappeared. As the walls, the buildings, the very ground was steaming.
Ryan got up, his head spinning. He was pretty sure at a point he had been completely weightless before everything when white and he was violently forced back to the ground. He felt like he had just been in the whirl-a-tron in an earthquake, and was now suffering from terrible vertigo.
"What…" he swallowed hard, trying not to throw up, "what…was that?"
Jasmine, who had just finished throwing up in a nearby bush, got up uneasily and answered, "The exit strategy. In the event that the current location of the sanctum becomes compromised, the territory of the sanctum disapparates and is near-instantaneously relocated to another random location within the established zone. It's not a particularly pleasant experience, so we don't usually use it unless we absolutely ha-" Jasmine doubled over and threw up again.
Jasmine wiped the sick from her mouth, "god, I hate shift sickness, nothing tastes right for days."
Around them, rangers and volunteer defenders were picking themselves up, some looked better than others. Those that could stand on their own two feet helped those that couldn't, moving the injured to the medical building, while the dead were taking to a casualty collection point.
Although the barrier repelled a majority of the flaming projectiles, a few still managed to get through, causing some damage to a few of the buildings around the central plaza.
Behind the Main Hall, the Nyhen tree was steaming badly, and the several magi that had performed that cast were being carried off in stretchers. Even G had collapsed, left as nothing more than a pile of bones in a crumpled suit which was carried back to a small shed that was probably his mausoleum.
With the imminent threat dealt with, Ryan and what was left of the volunteers were taken to the mess for debriefing with the rangers, then dismissed.
Ryan managed to make it to his room where he saw Christie on her bed,
"You're back?" Ryan asked looking queasy.
She shrugged, "after the all-clear was given, we could return back to our rooms."
"Next time, I think is should just-!" Ryan stopped speaking and rucked into the bathroom, just barely making it to the toilet before the vomit forced its way from his throat.
After Ryan was done barfing, he rose unsteadily with Christie behind him, rubbing a soothing hand on his back, his shirt was stained from the battle and vomit. Christie helped him remove his shirt and threw it into the trash, Ryan tried to protest that it was his favorite shirt, but all he could get out was a weak mumble.
"H-how are you alright?" Ryan asked, feeling jealous of her,
"Being indoors helps mitigate the shift sickness," she explained, "something about being within an established space with defined boundaries. It's those who are outside that get the worst of it."
She helped him towards the sink and rinsed his face then she walked with him to his bed, as she laid Ryan down on his bed, Ryan gave her a weak smile,
"You know I haven't thrown up in six years," he said weakly, "I was very proud of that streak."
She smiled at him, "Yeah, I'm sure it was really impressive. Get some rest, you'll feel much better in the morning."
He just closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Ryan woke up, to the sound of music. When his eyes had adjusted to the light coming from the patio door, he saw Christie in front of the two beds, doing yoga.
Ryan groaned, "Uh… what time is it?" he asked
She looked back, "Oh, you're awake! It's almost noon. Because of all the excitement yesterday, lessons were canceled for today."
Ryan looked at her, "Well that's something?"
She nodded "Oh, by the way, there was a call for you from the Main Hall this morning, I told them you were still resting from your first shift sickness, so they said that you should come to see the Keeper when you're awake."
"Did they give a time?" he asked, getting out of bed.
"Not really, just as soon as you can," Christie replied
"That give me time to get a proper shower," Ryan said, "provided you didn't use up all the hot water."
"Relax, there's hot water," she chuckled.
… )]≥( …
After getting showered and dressed, Ryan proceeds to the Main Hall, where the receptionist direct him up to the Keeper's office.
Just before her office, he sees her in a conference room, gathered around the room were about a dozen other people, all of whom Ryan figured were Argus elites. Right next to Stephanie, G stood like a statue.
Ryan knocked on the glass door and opens it a bit to stick his head in,
"Um, you wanted to see me?" he asks, trying his best not to look at all the others who are now observing him.
Stephanie smiles at him, "Ryan, thank you for coming —albeit a little late."
Ryan feels a bit flustered as he answers, "Sorry, I overslept,"
"No worries, we've all had our first time suffering from shift sickness." Stephanie chuckled warmly, "just wait out there, I'm nearly done here."
Ryan nods and finds a seat beside the conference room, close enough to hear inside.
"So, anyway; the attack last night was no mere coincidental dark gathering, that was a coordinated and directed assault." Stephanie said, her voice taking on a more official tone, "It's thanks to the quick thinking and bravery of our garrison and volunteer defenders, not to mention the direction of the people in this room, that we were able to make it through with such few losses."
There was a round of agreements from the gathered executives
"So what leads do we have?" someone then asked
G spoke up, "As of this moment, we have nothing concrete."
"That's not entirely true," Stephanie said, "Those ravagers came ready for a fight, they even had special artillery for damaging a tenth-order bounded field, which is not something one randomly stumbles onto. Jasmine, you and Ryan saw what they used as cannons?"
"Yes ma'am," Jasmine affirmed, "it was some new type of ravager, one I'd never seen before."
"Who could be able to make a new kind of ravager?" G queried
"Ravager experimentation is a specialty of some extremist sects of the Nyx Court," someone said, "but none of the ones we're watching have enough pull to muster a force that size without us knowing about it."
"So someone else is pulling strings?" another surmised, "probably making use of the Court?"
"That's why I'm calling this meeting." Stephanie said, "Whoever is behind this was targeting on our sanctum, whether they were actually planning on destroying us, or were just simply testing our response, we still don't know."
"How should we proceed then?" G asked
"Diana, I'm dispatching you and a squad of hunters to our previous location," Stephanie directed, "see if you can find any leftovers we can trace."
"With ravagers there wont be much left," a female voice said, "but rest assured Keeper Fairchylde; if there's anything there that could lead us to this mastermind, we'll sniff it out."
"That's what I like to hear," Stephanie said, the smirk evident in her voice. "Well, Marcus, I'm also dispatching you and your squad to survey our new home. Establish a patrol, set up traps, make sure we can never get blindsided like that again."
"Yes ma'am," a gruff voice replied,
"Now for the custodians, that attack last night hit us badly, we were unprepared for such an assault and it has left us in a weakened state. The bounded field is broken in about a dozen places and will need to be rebuilt." Stephanie said, "Several of the building in the central plaza were hit pretty hard by those explosions, not to mention the craters in the ground, We also need to restock on emergency rations, medical supplies, and so on. That will be all, the rest of you can get your duties from G. Dismissed!"
Everyone quickly cleared out, a few of them glancing towards Ryan as he still sat there. As Jasmine was leaving, Stephanie held her up.
"Jasmine, you and Ryan are with me." Stephanie said as she led them to her office.
As they entered the Keeper's office, the first thing Ryan noticed was how spacious it was. To the left of the doors, rows of bookshelves made up the wall, to the right of the doors was a lounge-like area, with an in-built flat screen on the wall, a mini fridge and a sofa. Right opposite the door was Stephanie's desk, a modern wooden desk with a black glass panel that looked like a monitor, scattered files, a stack of papers, etc. and some personal effects; a picture of her and her sister when they were kids.
Once they were seated, Stephanie spoke up, "This attack was too well planned, they threw a large ravager horde right at us, equipped with five new artillery-type ravagers that were somehow powerful enough to get through our bounded field. That sort of thing doesn't just come from nowhere. Our Tesla towers would've detected the massive build-up of miasma it would take to manifest that many ravagers, even if they were made all over the zone, and I seriously doubt our sister sanctums would happily give us access to their own Tesla records, so we need to go to the source and check for ourselves. So the mission I have for you, Jasmine, is to get us any information you can from the master tower up in Thren. I need my best on this job."
Ryan looked confused, "What's a Thren?"
Jasmine explained, "Thren is the northern waste. A dangerous area in Arctic, called the North Pole by mundanes," she looked at Stephanie, "Okay ma'am I can handle this mission."
"I'm not finished" she said, "Ryan will be coming with you."
Both Ryan and Jasmine looked shocked, "WHAT!?" They said in unison.
"Ma'am, not him, anyone but him." Jasmine protested, "I'll even go by myself if I have to."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Ryan muttered,
Stephanie regarded her like she was a new plaything to distract herself with. The corners of her mouth twisted in a playful grin.
"I admire your readiness to jump into Thren alone --which is basically suicide— it shows you have great confidence in your abilities. But, this mission is of paramount importance and the news I've heard around Thren is troubling to say the least; there's been more activity there in the last couple of years, lots of ravagers, wildlings and worse have been stirring in the frozen waste!"
Ryan didn't like the way she said worse!
Stephanie looked at Ryan with a glimmer of dark excitement in her eyes, like he was an ant and she suddenly had a magnifying glass and nothing better to do.
He liked that look in her eyes even less!
Ryan raised his hand, and Stephanie chuckled.
"Ryan, this isn't a classroom, you don't need to raise your hand."
"Okay, you still haven't asked me if I wanted to go on this super dangerous assignment."
Stephanie let out a small laugh, as if to say: oh you poor dear, you think you have a choice.
"Also, aren't there other rangers capable to pull this mission off with me?" Jasmine protested
"Without a doubt," Stephanie said
"Then why?"
Stephanie shrugged, "Because I said so."
The finality in her words made it clear that nothing would dissuade her judgement and this line of conversation was over, she would have no more protests. Jasmine sat back down, obviously not happy, but she didn't protest anymore.
"As per rules, you each get to pick a candidate to accompany you on this mission, but one of them needs to be an artificer." Stephanie said,
"I pick Simon Ross," Jasmine said, cross armed, "he's my protege, and spends his time in the workshops."
"Very well" Stephanie said, "What about you Ryan, anyone you want?"
"Uh… I guess I pick my roommate, Christie Piper, she's smart, she'll probably know some important stuff about our mission."
At the name, Jasmine's eye twitched, but she remained silent.
"Okay, go tell them about the mission and meet back here in a few hours."
"Yes ma'am" Jasmine said then she left
Ryan got up, Stephanie called him back, "Oh Ryan, we're not done,"