As dusk settled more groups trickled in, some with injuries but no deaths or missing. Lucian was the last to return with two fire foxes and half a dozen lightning wolves. While others had brought kills back only Lucian, Devlin, Jaxon, and Randal had ventured into the fourth ring on the first day.
Ashton took note of the particularly large lighting wolf Duke Randal had caught. The fur around the neck was singed. The paws were also conspicuously bare. Yet despite having the largest kill of the first day, Duke Randal looked distracted.
Leonard had offered a single snow fox to the empress. After inquiring with he guards, he had been rather surprised Ashton didn't make any kills. He decided to take a look as Ashton was sitting on a log with a view of the forest entrance, "Lord Reece?"
Ashton turned a polite smile to Leonard, "Lord Silas, how might I be of service?"
"I'm surprised you didn't bring in your first kill, are you not participating?" Leonard asked taking a seat. Each fire had a bubbling pot being prepared for the evening meal.
Ashton waved the thought away, "I did not plan to hunt with his highness," Ashton explained.
Leonard nodded, "I see," While Leonard wanted to ask if anything else had happened it was too open with too many people were watching. He watched as Ashton ate a bowl of more broth than soup before returning to his tent.
While in his tent Ashton pulled out the three of the fifth-tier mana stones. He could control ten golem's if he had the necessary materials. For now, two were assigned to protect Serafin and Natasha, the rest would stay at his side.
Ashton decided quantity would be better than quality for tomorrow. The first five were all able to use fifth tier spells, he made these five able to use fourth tier since he could always forcibly upgrade them later. He used the mana stones as their hearts and quartz for eyes, he then painstakingly used his own blood to write enchantments along their chests and backs that would connect their senses. Then, the remaining five silver lights rested on the newly created golems. It would take some time before they were settled into their temporary bodies.
It was almost dawn before he was done. Ashton then had the golems hide in his in the earth until he could leave the campgrounds.
Ashton nodded to Charmaine as he left with the lordlings at first light, today his hunt would begin. Ashton noted most groups had left before dawn, even Lucian had left a full hour before he'd finished with his new golems.
Serafin decided to start hunting at the end of the second and third rings, so they had to travel for almost two hours. Ashton noticed Nox growing tenser the longer they traveled but he didn't say anything. The other guards had asked but he kept hesitating since he couldn't explain his unease.
Ashton watched the lordlings separate again, genuinely mourning the group of four who traveled east. Mayhap they would get lucky. When noon arrived, everyone decided to have a small lunch of some roasted rabbit and pheasants they had caught instead of traveling back. Ashton sat apart from the group as he leisurely ate salted nuts from a small pouch. The smell of cooking flesh had never been particularly appealing to him, yet the smell would entice many beasts to come. The smell would be an enticing invitation for beasts, the smoke a beacon for men.
As the groups were about to separate again Ashton gave a sharp whistle, "I suggest we all mount up. Immediately." Ashton called with a polite smile as he led the horses over. They were now just past the third ring, even at a full gallop it would take an hour to get back to camp.
Serafin and the other lordlings all turned to Ashton confused. Ashton ignored them as he lifted Natasha into the saddle then wrapped a rope around her waist, securing her to the reins. Suddenly the forest shuddered. Serafin glanced up, leaves had been shaken loose covering the snowy ground, "What was that?" Serafin demanded glancing to his guards, then to Ashton.
Ashton continued his ministrations as a dark green eerie light enveloped over two acres of the forest not 200 yards to their left. The horses started to whinny as a wind started swirling toward the glowing spell circle.
"Perhaps we ought to return, yes?" Ashton asked as he mounted his own horse while the lordlings stared in horror. When they continued to stand still Ashton drew his whip snapping it at Serafin who was immediately caught. With a sharp jerk Serafin was flung atop of his horse like a sac.
"Ugh!" Serafin groaned as he scrambled to mount his horse. The leaves were starting to settle, but hundreds of birds had taken flight. "Mount up! Now! Leave everything behind!" Serafin ordered pulling on the reins so he could lead the way back. Serafin's saddle had a mana core enchanted to glow when he was facing the campground's main node.
Ashton gave a clap that snapped the lordlings out of their stupor, "If you wish to live I suggest you keep up, that is a sixth tier summoning spell." Ashton informed nodding to the growing spell circle that had easily doubled in size, suddenly everyone was scrambling to their horses. Ashton was impressed with how quickly Serafin had jumped in to take charge. Not a bad quality in a leader.
In less than a minute everyone was mounted, galloping toward camp, not two minutes later a roar shook the entire forest. The sound was not only deafening but caused the horses to panicky sprint in all directions. Ashton used his whip to grab the reins of one of the younger lordlings and force the horse to keep running with them, unfortunately the smaller gelding was so panicked it was headed straight for a tree. Ashton released the reins to instead use his whip to catch the lording. He then tossed said lording behind Natasha.
"If you fall, we aren't coming back for you." Ashton informed as half a dozen lightning wolves started following them. Three more wolves took off after the now crazed gelding that had become dazed from crashing into a tree, yet continued to stagger away. "Box the lordlings in, maintain formation and don't stop no matter what." Ashton called out as he fell back to deal with wolves with his crossbow, he downed two by shooting them directly in the eye.
"Yes, My lord!" the guards announced falling into formation to surround the children.
Ashton gave a long whistle that pierced the air for miles, suddenly eight figures dawned entirely in black, carrying all manner of weapons rose from the ground to star running alongside group. The dark figures easily started dispatching the lightning wolves with throwing daggers.
The guards were startled but didn't question the new arrivals. They watched in astonishment as each of the dark figures were not only keeping up with horses while on foot, but suddenly started creating spell circles silently, all without so much as a single word. To be able to use mana meant it had to be at least of the fourth tier, and even then it would be weakened considerably. The guards kept watching the black clad figures until one started veering slightly out of formation.
"Eyes forward if you want to live!" Ashton reminded just loud enough to be heard when one guard almost ran his horse into a tree. All the guards then focused on keeping together while maintaining speed. Though the side eye to his golems continued, they were no longer the focus.
Ashton signaled one of the fifth-tier golems to also mount his horse.
Serafin couldn't help but look back when two more black figures joined Ashton. The one on Ashton's horse seeming to report the situation while the final one merely kept running beside Ashton's horse. As if to remind them of worse things to come, suddenly the green spell circle burst into flames with another roar that had the group struggling to control their horses.
There was a ripple that started at the spell circle expanding out causing the earth to shake. Cries of beasts were heard for miles in all directions. Without warning mana flooded the forest with enough power to create pressure that descended on the group. The mana had condensed into a physical force weighing down their movements.
Serafin almost choked as he looked over his shoulder. A large scaly head was peaking over the trees. The massive jaw whipping from side to side as fire spewed from its maw, struggling as the green spell became a collar imprinted on the giant beast's skin. The beast thrashed wildly while using claws larger than a man to scratch at its neck as the scales were visibly smoking yet the sinister spell still took hold.
Nox was horrified when the giant lizard calmed, its eyes went from grey green like its hide, to an eerie iridescent green. Someone had not only summoned a land dragon, but they were also controlling it.
Even flightless dragons were elite class beasts, this one must be at thirty feet at the shoulder, over 120 feet from head to tail. Nox paled, that was not just an elite class... it was probably closer to a lord or maybe even a guardian class... When its eyes narrowed on their party Nox paled while drawing his sword, but before he could give any orders one of the black clad figures spoke? No, it was more... songlike despite the unsettling sound.
"Keep moving and live, stay and die."
The voice didn't seem... human, it was a raspy, gravely, caress that made his skin crawl. When the hooded figure turned to face Nox he almost lost his balance, behind the black mask were only two blue gleaming yet pale lights. Then the other seven encircling them all continued to chant in the same gravely caress. Nox wasn't sure if he should be glad they were on their side... or fear for his soul.
The land dragon couldn't fly, but third-tier spells and under would be negated before they could impact, not to mention its ability to regenerate was similar to a mountain troll. Their thick scaly hides also repelled most weapons, the last land dragon the empire had faced twenty years ago had been just a few feet shy of 100 feet. A force of 12,000 soldiers and 1000 mages took it down after a coordinated effort of three nations when it escaped a mountain range. The casualties over 2,000 while more than half the survivors had been wounded.
It wasn't until a full week after the land dragon's death and the core that the nations were informed it was only a second-tier lord class beast... but this one had to be at least of the fourth tier.
Serafin couldn't help looking when the Land dragon stared at them, everything was silent for a single moment... as their eyes met Serafin wasn't sure if his horse was still moving, if he was breathing, or even if there was a single sound in the forest. There was some kind of... connection. The connection was broken when its maw opened, a flood of fire engulfing everything...
Even as the Lordlings screamed in horror, one even wetting himself, their horses kept running. A barrier had surrounded the group not only keeping them cool but it was absorbing the surrounding flames to make a path.
The fire may have lasted a moment, or half a lifetime. Either way, when it stopped there was a smoldering path for miles in front of them, tree stump coal, burnt earth, glowing roots. Then just feet to either side of the path was the lush green and snowy white.
Serafin watched the black clad group continue chanting as if nothing had happened. Then his gaze flickered to Ashton... whatever they were... they weren't human. They couldn't be human...
The top of the barrier crumbled away just a few short breaths after they were no longer surrounded by flames, but the ring touching the ground remained. The chanting continued as the ring started to stretch and grow as if reforming the barrier.
Serafin shuddered, how strong did a barrier have to be to withstand prolonged dragon fire, not over heat, and put out the remaining flames on the ground so the horses didn't try and leave the path? Serafin watched, as soon as the transparent barrier touched any of the smoldering wreckage, it was like the heat had just been suck out... not drenched in water... but like a vacuum taking in all the residual warmth.
Nox stared in amazed horror as Ashton was standing on his horse's back as it was in full gallop, the two black clad figures seemed to have their orders as two of the chanting figures broke away falling back. Dozens of wolves, fur crackling with lightning, had them surrounded. The longer they rode, the more beasts showed up, horned rabbits, even armored deer were seen between the trees. All of them with an eerie green glow in their eyes as they kept pace.
Nox was only glad that for now, the beasts were remaining in the tree line. When another roar shook the earth, it was like a signal, the wolves leapt onto the still sizzling path, ignoring as some of their fur even burst into flame to charge the group.
Serafin watched as Ashton effortlessly with his whip and crossbow started quietly and efficiently killing all manner of beasts that attempted to breach the forming barrier. Four of the black clad figures had turned without warning were now running down the cleared path directly for the oncoming land dragon.
Nox noticed almost every beast charging them also had bright green eyes, clearly they were all being controlled. Before he could offer to help dispatch the beasts a column of water shot forward clearing a straight path through the previously burning forest. While they could gallop faster, they were also in clear view for anyone to see.
Serafin drew in a breath as he saw the four figures create an ice lance almost twenty feet long then shot at the land dragon's front claw. The whole arm, part of the chest, and neck were now frozen forcing the beast to a halt. They continued to bombard the beast with rapid succession ice spells, unfortunately the beast quickly broke free each time. Though the land dragon couldn't catch the group of lordlings, it was quick to retaliate, whipping its tail at them between short bursts of fire.
If they could stall the beast long enough for everyone to start a concentrated assault... they would still need a miracle. Just as the beast broke free to continue its pursuit the chanting stopped.
"The spell is complete." The six voices intoned.