Either Counsel had been given command over the troops or the rest of the army also sensed the danger. For the group of fighters abandoned their furious battle to turn back toward the city.
There was just one problem.
Noble and Counsel had indeed created a wedge allowing the massacre of countless abominations.
But that action had also brought the humans a long way from the safety of the city.
"It's a trap!" One soldier cried. "We're surrounded!"
Behind them, the bats had been dropping hundreds of creatures to cut off their path.
These were not like the beetles and crumbling geodes. They were larger and far more menacing.
Long, scraggly grey hair covered their bodies and all four legs, while eyes like molten lava blazed below seven twisted horns. They were taller than any man and looked able to leap over any obstacle in a single monumental bound.
Which meant they could jump over the army and come straight for Noble in a flash.
'I take back what I said. I will take those little minions any day of the week.'
Noble had more than once wondered if the Spell could hear her thoughts. Now she was almost sure it was laughing at her arrogant confidence. Not only had she gotten herself cut off from safety, but she had also brought the bulk of the human army with her.
Above, the cloud of bats continued to swirl. Something much larger was among them, a Tyrant orchestrating the chaos below. Noble couldn't get a good look at it, but she could feel its calculating gaze over the killing field.
"Get to safety! Don't let those creatures stop you!" Counsel screamed to those around him.
Not that there was any choice but to fight. The noose of abominations was closing quickly.
From seemingly nowhere, Kosi plucked a low-flying bat from the air and landed on a beetle.
Both were instantly dead.
"What are you doing here?!" Noble fought her way to the creature's side. "Is the queen alright?"
Counsel flanked Kosi's other side, his words overlapping the lady's. "There you are, you crazy Symncus! Where have you been?"
"He is supposed to protect Her Majesty!" Noble turned just in time to ward off two beetles climbing over each other to get to her.
"Her Majesty knows you are out here? She is going to murder me!" Counsel's emotion spiked.
He was more afraid of Emira than the monsters!
The mountain goats crashed into the human foes with the force of a battering ram. The rear, which had now suddenly become a second front line, was pulverized by the force of the attack.
Seeing the carnage, the Awakened warrior brandished his sword to help the soldiers. "Get Lady Brenna out of here!" He cried over his shoulder.
"I won't leave you!" Noble felt pride well up within her. She had lost so much recently. She was not going to run away and have more regrets.
"You have no choice." Another voice, this one full of fire, joined the heated conversation.
Noble looked to see Emira's eyes alight with molten flames.
"But!" Noble wanted to argue, but a fireball landed squarely in her chest, forcing her against Kosi.
"Did you think you could hide from me in that armor? Never! Now, go or all these soldiers will see me murder you for treason!" The Queen's free hand lit up to throw a second ball. This one was much larger than the first.
She aimed it at Noble and prepared to fire.
'She's insane!' The professor silently called forth her fire charm and braced herself for the immolating heat.
At the last moment, Emira changed targets. The ball landed in the chest of one of the seven-horned devils, melting a hole right through the creature's body.
"Go, before I change my mind..."
Noble had no doubt that the Queen meant her words. Emira would not stand to be disobeyed a second time.
There was only one thing to do.
Climbing aboard Kosi, Noble dug her hands deep into the creature's fur.
"Do your job, Counsel. Your glory days are through..."
Sheathing her sword, the Queen's hands lit, and she sent another wave of fire licking forward through the ranks of the army. While the Nightmare creatures were set aflame, the humans miraculously were spared. The amount of essence control to complete such a feat was beyond Noble's comprehension.
A path opened up for the Symncus, but it was closing fast.
"Go! And Don't burn your feet!" Counsel climbed onto Kosi's back behind Noble, his sword at the ready.
The Golden creature howled and lunged forward. Noble was glad she had a tight hold on the beast or she would have been left behind.
The smell of charred flesh assaulted her nose as they moved through the scorched ground.
When Kosi couldn't avoid the residual flames, he leapt over them. Each jump made Noble's stomach churn.
In a matter of moments, they had covered the distance that it had taken them hours to gain. All that stood between them and the city was the horned creatures. Kosi slowed to a stop and hissed.
Noble understood why. On her unconventional journey, she had seen that the deranged goats could jump as well. They were a higher rank than any of the other Nightmarish monsters on the field, and a line of them was bearing down on the human army. Before, there had been barely any human bloodshed.
Now, that had changed.
Bodies were littering the ground, broken on the horns of the mighty creatures.
Kosi could have barreled past them if not for the seven points of their twisted crowns. They seemed impervious to even the sharpest blade and propelled forward with as much force as a battering ram.
There was no over, under, or around them. The only path to freedom was through.
'We have to break the line…'
Noble shut her eyes, feeling for the one who would be the easiest target.
Counsel stabbed at the ground, preventing the smaller creatures from climbing onto the Symncus's back. When one got past his guard, he kicked it back to the dirt. "What are you waiting for?"
Kosi hissed again.
"Yes, I see them," Counsel conceded. "Find a weak spot and I'll give you some cover."
Noble's eyes flicked open. "There," she pointed, "Go for that one."
Even as she spoke, she sent as much confusion as she could toward the creature. The fire in the abomination's eyes faltered.
Noble pressed even harder into the feeling. She could try to break the creature's mind, but completing such a feat in only a couple of seconds would be nearly impossible.
Thankfully, she only needed to distract him.
Noble lifted a large clod from a self-destructing geode and flung it at the side of the horned creature's face. Coupled with an extra infusion of confusion, the goat fruitlessly searched for the source of the attack.
Thereby missing the real offense. Kosi slipped past the deadly crown and rammed the side of the goat's body with his back legs. Still off-balance, the abomination tumbled sideways, impaled by his neighbor's spikes.
Kosi sprinted toward the stone ring around the city.
From the sky, a bat dove, determined to take at least one of the humans hostage instead of letting them return home.
It latched onto Counsel's arm and tried to wrench the sword from his hand.
That was a mistake.
As the Symncus breached the runic circle, he pulled the two humans with him.
Noble covered her eyes as the Nightmare creature disintegrated to ash in a dazzling display.
Kosi wheeled around, panting. That last maneuver had caused his back leg to be sliced on one of the razored horns. He fell to one side, allowing the humans to slide off unharmed.
"Kosi!" Noble looked at the gash on her friend's leg.
She covertly summoned some healing ointment and placed it on the wound.
Counsel wasn't watching her. He was looking at the battle.
His face was grim.