Chapter 52: Mage Hunt
The moon cast a pale glow over the war-torn valley as Ashira stood silently before a stretched-out map inside Kael's command tent. Her piercing silver eyes scanned the intricate markings that showed the enemy's camp, fortifications, and the location of the Torthan summoners — circled in red ink like a target.
Kael stood beside her, armored in blacksteel with his crimson mantle trailing behind. His gaze was fixed on the eastern edge of the map.
"The summoners are their most dangerous weapon. If they finish their rituals, we might not survive what they bring forth," Kael said grimly.
Ashira nodded. "Leave them to me. I'll strike before they complete the invocation."
Kael's system chimed.
[New Tactical Objective Detected: Neutralize Enemy Summoner Unit]
[Success Condition: Disrupt Ritual Circle Before Completion]
[Reward: Mage Subjugation Blueprint + Tier II Arcane Barrier for City Defense]
Kael glanced at her. "You'll be fighting deep in enemy territory. Take my mark. If you fall, I'll know."
He placed his hand over her chestplate. A red sigil burned onto the armor, glowing faintly.
Ashira smiled slightly. "You're starting to sound like you care."
He chuckled. "Just don't die."
---
Hours later, beneath a sky full of wheeling stars, Ashira and her elite unit moved through the dense underbrush of the northern ridge. Twenty warriors accompanied her — handpicked for silence and efficiency. Among them were:
- **Seren Valen**, the Nightblade — a former assassin from the eastern deserts, wielding twin daggers coated in paralyzing venom.
- **Brother Tervik**, a monk from the Aurelian Monastery, known for his anti-magic wards and spiritual seals.
- **Captain Rowan**, a veteran archer whose enchanted arrows could pierce magical barriers.
Ashira wore her black battle robe over tight leather armor. A crescent-bladed spear rested across her back, and a shortbow hung at her side. She led the group with confidence, eyes scanning every branch and rock. They moved like shadows through the thickets.
A map clutched in her hand showed the terrain. The summoners were positioned in a forest glade, flanked by jagged rock formations to the west and marshy lowlands to the east. Three enemy camps surrounded the ritual site:
- **North Camp**: Held by the Ironthorn Guard, a disciplined unit of thirty spear-wielders.
- **West Camp**: A small detachment of Torthan blood mages, cloaked in crimson, guarding the ritual grounds.
- **South Camp**: Fast-response cavalry known as the Darkhooves.
"We'll circle from the east," Ashira whispered, her voice low. "The marsh gives us cover. Tervik, be ready to cast your silence ward when we breach. Rowan, take out the mage sentries first."
The operation had to be swift and brutal. Any alarm would summon enemy reinforcements.
As they moved into the marsh, boots sunk into mud. Mist clung to the earth like a suffocating veil. Amphibians croaked, masking the faint sound of footsteps.
After an hour, the first enemy lookout was spotted — a lone mage perched on a small wooden tower, eyes glowing with detection spells.
Rowan crouched beside a tree, nocked an arrow glowing with a runic shimmer, and fired.
*Thwip.*
The arrow pierced the mage's neck. He dropped without a sound.
Ashira raised her fist. "Advance."
They reached the forest glade just as the summoners began drawing massive glyphs in the soil with blood. The air shimmered with arcane power. Eleven robed figures stood in a circle, chanting in the guttural Torthan tongue. Dark magic pooled around them like smoke.
The center of the circle glowed a deep red. An abomination waited to be born.
Ashira narrowed her eyes. "Strike."
Tervik threw a seal stone into the circle. The runes etched into the crystal flared.
*Boom.*
A dome of silence exploded outward, cutting off the chanting mid-syllable. The summoners staggered, their mouths opening in panic as the magical flow stopped abruptly.
Ashira and her unit burst from the treeline.
Seren danced between the Torthan mages, blades slicing through robes and flesh. Her daggers found throats and hearts with mechanical precision. Rowan picked off any mage who tried to flee.
One blood mage managed to complete a spell, hurling a bolt of crimson fire toward Ashira. She dodged, rolling across the ground, then launched her crescent spear. It cleaved through the mage's chest, embedding into a tree behind him.
Within moments, eight summoners lay dead. The rest tried to retreat.
From the west camp, horns blared.
"Reinforcements inbound!" Rowan shouted.
"Hold the line!" Ashira called. "Tervik, ward the glade!"
The monk slammed his staff into the soil. Blue sigils erupted from the impact point, forming a radiant barrier across the battlefield.
Ironthorn Guards rushed from the north, armored and yelling battle cries.
Ashira pulled her spear free and met them head-on. Her blade sang through the air, each strike precise and lethal. The forest echoed with the clash of steel, screams, and the thrum of magic.
Seren was a blur of motion, dispatching enemies with terrifying speed. Captain Rowan and his archers rained down death from the trees.
Despite being outnumbered, Ashira's unit held their ground. They moved as one, each covering the other's back.
Suddenly, from the south, the Darkhooves arrived — ten cavalrymen mounted on black steeds, their armor adorned with bones and glyphs. They charged with lances aimed at Ashira.
Rowan cursed. "Too fast—"
Ashira shouted, "Scatter!"
The cavalry surged into the glade. Two warriors from her unit were trampled. Ashira vaulted over a horse, spinning midair, and landed behind the rider, slashing his neck. The horse bucked as the rider collapsed.
Tervik threw another seal into the air. It exploded in a flash of light, blinding the horses. The cavalry faltered, disoriented.
Ashira seized the moment, slicing down two more riders.
Within minutes, the glade was a battlefield of corpses, broken trees, and smoldering spell residue.
The last summoner tried to flee, limping into the woods.
Ashira hurled her spear. It struck him in the back. He fell without a sound.
Silence settled again.
Ashira stood in the center of the glade, chest heaving. Her armor was dented, her face smeared with blood and sweat.
"Status?" she asked.
"Three down," Rowan replied. "Seven injured. We've secured the glade."
Tervik limped over, exhausted. "No more summoning here."
Ashira's system chimed.
[Objective Complete: Torthan Summoners Neutralized]
[Reward Unlocked: Mage Subjugation Blueprint + Tier II Arcane Barrier Unlocked for City Defense]
She smiled, weary but triumphant.
She turned to her unit. "We move out. Burn the circle. Let them find nothing but ashes."
As they left the glade, behind them the ritual site was consumed in holy fire. Smoke drifted into the sky, carrying with it the promise of victory.
Back in Kael's fortress, the system pinged.
[Enemy Summoner Unit Destroyed]
[City Defense Rating Increased: 74% -> 83%]
[New Blueprint Added to System Inventory]
Kael stood atop the eastern wall, staring into the dark.
He whispered, "Good work, Ashira."
The hunt had ended in victory, but the war was just beginning.