I arrived several minutes after Caius. The golden cage that trapped Lara within was barely holding on. Earnest and Ronalt stood firm beside Ardent. Both of them had definitely faced their fair share of hardship. Though their wounds had been healed somewhat, the damage to their clothes and armour remained clear.
"Rain it's good to see you alive," Ronalt smiled relieved.
"It was close," I replied wryly and faced the sphere of light. "Ardent you've held on longer than I expected."
He let out a painful laugh, "She's been raging for real now. I see you couldn't steal the artefact."
"We're going with plan B," I nodded. "Caius are you ready?"
"I am prepared," a wave of energy spread from his feet, brushing past us as if releasing a sigh on to the world. The first denizens began to rise from the forest floor. The shadowed creatures gazed at us with curious glowing yellow dots for eyes. Earnest and Ronalt looked at them unnerved but for Caius and I, we were used to their appearance.
Ardent scowled, "I can't hold her any longer, get back!"
Ronalt covered Ardent and Earnest as Caius and I retreated to a safe distance. The cage collapsed with a burst of fury. Heat expanded from her, causing the leaves and foliage to curl dry. Even breathing was hard.
"Arghhhhhhhhhhhh!" Lara screamed openly. Her cold exterior had faded, replaced by an almost animalistic wrath. Despite her beauty there wouldn't be many who could even stand to look at her without running away. That was the type of pressure she was exerting.
"Lara!" I called out to her hopefully.
The way her eyes looked into mine… it was clear she wasn't there. She huffed and drew her sword swinging it wildly. It actually reminded of that one time I really annoyed her in high school. I couldn't decide if this was better than her cold emotionless gaze from before.
"Caius do it," with my words the denizens launched towards her. They burst apart into dark puffs before they could even near her. The thing about denizens however weren't there strength but their numbers. With each one slain more woke to Caius' call. Bigger ones, smaller ones, they rushed Lara continuously as if her maddened rage were their own. The combat escalated as Lara began to instinctively cast magic. The ground tore apart as groups of the shadowed creatures burst away only to be replaced by more. Still Lara moved as if unfazed.
"Rain!" Ronalt came to a halt next to us. Ardent was slung around his arm. He was conscious but barely, the seal had taken a huge toll on him.
"Now what?" Earnest asked simply as Lara continued to bat and blow away the denizens.
"We wait," I replied simply. Like she was now Lara didn't have her keen thinking. Her only desire was to break and destroy, a beautiful berserker. If left to her own devices she might really destroy the world. Like this however the denizens were the perfect decoy and way to ware her down. We barely registered in her mind.
Our plan had been simple. If we couldn't steal the artefact and release her, we'd ware her down after the sun set. Even for her, after an entire night she'd struggle to keep going. Only then at her weakest could we try save her. Before that it was suicide. The one who'd be taking that burden was Caius. The denizens were a part of him after all. Unlike normal magic it didn't use mana, it was more like we bent the will of the world. I stretched out my hand and beneath it a small hunched shadow lifted itself from the earth.
"Amazing," Ardent exclaimed despite his pale complexion. "To think magic like this existed."
"It's not really magic," I stared at the shadow like creature I had summoned. "We ask for their help and they reply. Really I don't think they can refuse."
"How?" he stared at the denizen as Ronalt let him down.
"It's hard to explain but… it's not something you learn without dying. Not just once either, it takes hundreds of lives," I patted the creature. It was an odd sensation. Like a cloud with more substance yet still so fragile. "Denizens are creatures born from rampant mana and given life by thought. That's why they seek us out, to desperately join the thoughts that created them. Even I don't really get it. I just know they're useful." What I didn't tell them was the connection we had to those we summoned. Like a bit of our soul had been given to them. A fragment from the many times we had died.
"Is now really the time to talk about this?" Earnest asked. He pointed towards where Lara fought the army of shadowed creatures. The forest around had been torn apart beyond recognition.
"There's not much else we can do. Unless you want to walk into that," I gestured towards her.
"As entertaining as it would be, I'd rather not," Earnest sheathed his sword.
"Caius do you have her?" I asked lightly.
He frowned, "I'll be able to keep her company this night at least."
"Then I'm going to check on the Guild. Taylor should have been back by now." To be honest I was worried. Even for her a stray arrow could mean death.
"I'm back," before I could move the brown haired thief landed in front of me. She had definitely seen better days. Dried blood stained her clothes and her skin was covered with sweat and the grime of battle. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
I hugged her without warning, "Thank you." To see her was more relieving than I could put into words, especially after all that had happened.
She was startled but returned my embrace, "Umm no problem… good job as well." We let go of each other and her eyes turned to the chaos behind me. "Is that really Lara? She… she's really letting herself go and all those denizens, is that you?"
"Caius for the most part," I replied. "As for Lara… don't get too close."
"I don't plan to," she shivered.
Ardent stepped forward still shaky, "Taylor, please tell me the Guild is okay."
She replied with a soft smile, "They're okay, for now at least. The Kingdom's knights turned the tides but not completely. The push let them repair the main gate but now their holed up again in a siege situation."
"I see… and the Archmage?"
"She's leading them from inside. Right now the Empire's army is in disarray, they haven't been able to contact that General of theirs. I suppose you had something to do with that."
"We took care of him," I sighed unable to be entirely content with his death. Revenge was that kind of emotion.
"Unfortunately the Empire have called for reinforcements. They'll be here by daybreak."
"How many?" Ronalt asked.
"An entire other army."
He cursed, "With those numbers even with our knights the Guild stands little chance."
"Daybreak huh…," I looked towards Lara. She was unceasingly beating down the denizens that continued to assault her without fear. "That's our time limit as well." Once the denizens were gone we'd have no more shield or spear against her other than ourselves.
Ronalt's eyes lingered on Lara for a moment before facing me, "Rain can you save her?"
"Yes," I replied determined. It was more like no matter what, I had to. I owed her that much.
"Do you need me here?"
I could understand what he wanted. He was the Kingdom's Knight Captain, the one who led them. With Taylor's guidance it wouldn't be too hard for them to sneak within the Guild's walls. That being said, without him if we were attacked we'd be at a severe disadvantage.
"Can you be back by first light?" I made my decision. In the end we still had to face the Empire's army and Ronalt's help in that could be the thing that changed our fate.
"That… I am unsure, however I will try to my utmost."
I smiled to him, "It would be nice if you bring an army as well. If things go badly we might need them."
He let out a laugh, "Then all I have to do is defeat the Empire tonight."
"Off you go then," I slapped his side. "Taylor if you could lead him."
She sighed, "I just got back…. In that case." Her hands suddenly took hold of my head and pulled me towards her lips. They locked against mine. "Just needed a little charge."
"Appreciated," I smirked. "Good luck Ronron."
"Ronron?" Taylor puffed out a giggle causing him to shake his head exasperated. They left together, moving through the forest quickly. The dark of night would guide them safely and I could only hope it would do the same for us.
"It might be hard but let's get some rest," I clapped my hands and stared at Lara. Her screams of rage and the sounds of her rampage barely reached us from here but I was sure they'd haunt my dreams tonight.