This wasn’t the first mess we’d gotten ourselves into on Neraka, but it was by far the biggest. Needless to say, there was always room for “improvement,” and, in our defense, this mess was more or less deliberate.

We’d gathered enough knowledge, resources, and allies to confidently take over the fortress on top of Ragnar Peak. We hadn’t expected Cason and his cohorts to successfully follow Avril’s team back from Athelathan, but we had planned with similar worst-case scenarios in mind. We should’ve anticipated that big-ass horn that Cason had used to summon more fighters from across the land. Not that we could’ve guessed the daemons possessed a horn whose swamp witch charms allowed it to ring loud enough for distant cities to hear, but still. Given our circumstances and the scope of our mission, defending a fortress from ferocious armies fit within our GASP job description.

Cason’s charred remains were still smoking on the south side of the stony mountain, approximately a hundred yards from the gates—the closest he would ever get to us. His soldiers lined the southern horizon, their drums of war echoing in the distance.

The sky darkened to an intense tourmaline shade, covered in a blanket of stars as the first moon rose over Neraka. The purplish asteroid belt glistened in a lazy arch above us, but what really caught everyone’s eye was the Adlet flare, burning bright red at an altitude of approximately five hundred feet. The downside was that anyone could spot it, but given that we already had hostiles headed our way and Cason had blown that wretched magical horn of his, it didn’t really matter what other fiends would head toward it. What mattered was that the Adlets had seen it, too. Our new allies, the giant Nerakian werewolves, were hopefully on their way to Ragnar Peak.

For the first time, I could breathe, despite the oncoming war, because I knew we were not alone anymore. It was the kind of hope that kept me going, filling me with enough strength to tackle an entire army of daemons. As it happened, one was already on its way.

Avril had released Nevis’s weird little snowflake, too. Not only was it a direct link to the Dhaxanian prince, but the icy, never-melting pendant had also worked as a daemon detector of sorts, burning cold whenever Avril got too close to the enemy. Unfortunately for us, it hadn’t stopped Cason from tailing her group, albeit from a considerable distance.

I’d sent the Ekar bird back to the Manticores in the northwest, too. With a bit of luck, our allies would be here by dawn. We needed all the fighters we could possibly get for what came next. We could’ve just escaped from Ragnar Peak, but we had to make some dangerous gambles in order to truly progress. We’d already dealt a significant blow to Infernis, and we’d also disabled Draconis, the daemons’ prison city. We needed to cripple Shaytan’s forces even more, in order to cause enough chaos and disruption on Neraka for us to smoothly sneak back into Azure Heights and snatch the swamp witch.

Lumi was our only chance at bringing down the shield that isolated Neraka from the rest of the In-Between and GASP. Our families and our friends, our partners and allies were most likely worried sick and desperately trying to get here, but the shield didn’t let anyone in or out. It had to come down, and we needed Lumi for that. Besides, stripping the enemy of their only swamp witch was Warfare 101 in these parts of the world.

We assumed specific positions on the fortress walls, covering all sides. We switched things up and took turns overlooking the south, the north, the east, and the west. Caspian and I were consistently at the front, facing the incoming soldiers from the south, along with Fiona and Zane.

We’d fended off rogue attacks from daemon hunter packs after we settled in the fortress—they’d tried to come at us stealthily, but our red lenses had come in handy. Now we were on the lookout, aware that more packs would come before the daemon army. There was a hefty price on our heads and, after what we’d done to Draconis, I doubted they still wanted us alive.

The adrenaline from our earlier fights had dissipated, but we were still quite sharp and alert. I used my True Sight to constantly monitor the southern horizon. The daemons were still too far away for me to spot any useful details, but they were bound to reach us by morning. One thing I could tell for sure was that their numbers exceeded a thousand grunts, and, according to Zane, they were hardcore mercenaries and not the average soldiers we’d dealt with before.

“They’re killers for hire, then?” I concluded, my gaze fixed on the trembling black mass making its way across the flatlands.

Zane nodded, scratching his stubbled chin. “And expensive, too. The southern cities are particularly pricey, and deservedly so. They are very good at what they do.”

“What should we expect, then?” I asked, slowly leaning toward Caspian.

With everything that was going on, just feeling him there, next to me, was enough fuel to keep me burning for the rest of the night.

“Increased strength,” Zane said. “Their speed is more or less the same, depending on how much armor they’re wearing. They’re bigger than the regular grunts. That muscle mass is directly tied to the increased strength I just mentioned. You’ll want to keep your distance and try not to engage them in direct combat. The more we can kill from afar, the higher our chance of survival.”

Faint screeches pierced through the night. Death Claws, still many miles away.

“Also, that.” Zane scoffed. “They love bringing their pets. Death Claws and pit wolves are the norm. They will usually send them out as their first line of attack. A brute, ferocious force.”

“Sounds like we’re in for quite the… um, treat,” Fiona replied sarcastically, then nodded at the fortress’s tallest tower, on the southeastern corner. “But we have plenty of that, too. Ours also spits fire.”

Blaze and Caia had settled at the top of the tower. The structure was thick and sturdy enough to withstand his dragon shifts and landings, especially since it didn’t have a roof. For the time being, Blaze stayed in his humanoid form, leaning against the edge and gazing out into the distance, like the rest of us. He didn’t take pleasure in killing any creature, and it always took a toll on him. It was written all over his face. However, he never hesitated when it came to protecting his people. Whatever or whoever came at us, Blaze was ready to burn them down.

“Oh, and let’s not forget the Druids.” I chuckled, pointing at Ryker and Laughlan, who’d taken the second fortress tower on the right, southwestern corner. “I mean, we started out nicely with our default formula, but those two up there are absolute gems.”

Though still weak from millennia of having their souls snacked on, Ryker and Laughlan were holding up surprisingly well. Their thirst for vengeance was monumental, to say the least. Most noticeably, after thousands of years spent inside the meranium prisons of Draconis, both Druids were thrilled to be out in the open. The prospect of spending the night on top of a tower, beneath the starry sky, seemed very appealing to them. Neither could take his eyes off the first moon.

On the northern wall, across the inner courtyard, stood Patrik and Scarlett, covering the back. Hundurr had managed to rescue one of Cason’s pit wolves earlier, and he’d been keeping the creature company. We’d named the pit wolf Rover, at least until we got a chance to figure out where he’d come from, what Adlet pack he’d belonged to prior to his capture. Both were circling the fortress, enjoying their newfound freedom. Neither of us could understand what they were communicating to one another, but we could all see how thrilled they were to be out of those charmed collars. They’d lost their Adlet forms and had been reduced to these giant, hairless, black-skinned versions of themselves, but their red eyes yielded a semblance of hope that further encouraged me, too. These were resilient creatures, and we had a lot to learn from them when it came to overcoming Neraka’s adversities.

“How are you on blood and water supplies?” Arrah asked, joining us. Pheng-Pheng was with her. They moved along the fortress walls to replenish our food and whatever else we needed.

“I caught a couple of moon-bisons down on the northern ridge,” Pheng-Pheng said, offering us a leather bladder filled with fresh blood. I took it, then gave her a thankful nod and a smile. The young Manticore was an excellent hunter and a much-needed ally. Our journey through Draconis would’ve been a lot worse without her, for sure.

“Thanks, Pheng,” I replied, then poured myself a tin cup, passing the rest to Fiona. “How are you girls holding up?” I asked.

Pheng-Pheng and Arrah looked at each other, then back at us, and shrugged.

“Still breathing, so that’s good, right?” Arrah chuckled.

“There’s fresh meat below if you’re interested, daemon prince,” Pheng-Pheng said to Zane, nodding at the courtyard behind us.

“I’ll help myself later,” Zane replied, then gave her a playful wink. “You didn’t sting the animal, though, did you?”

“Of course not. My venom is potent enough to kill you even if ingested through another creature’s flesh,” Pheng-Pheng said.

“Which is why I was asking.” Zane smirked.

“Is that blood?” Avril called out from the east wall.

Avril, Heron, Rush, and Amina had settled on that side, and, judging by the eager looks on their faces, they were getting hungry. I couldn’t blame Rush and Amina in particular, since they, too, had been locked up in Draconis for eons, their souls weakened but their appetites recovering. We always made sure to feed the Druid delegation more, to expedite their healing process. It would take months, even years for them to get back to what they once were, but they were still strong and capable enough to assist us in the upcoming fights.

Pheng-Pheng nodded, then she and Arrah took the two remaining leather bladders over to Avril’s group, who welcomed the fresh blood with radiant smiles. Rush and Amina’s fangs were already out, glistening with delight as Avril filled their tin cups. I could only imagine what it must’ve been like for them. This was their second night out in millennia.

Vesta, Rayna, and Idris covered the west wall. Our warrior fae was taking advantage of the momentary peace to catch up with her parents. She’d yet to recover any of her childhood memories, but her attachment to Idris and Rayna was natural. Their unbreakable bond transcended all other conditions.

Jax and Hansa stayed in the courtyard with Velnias, but occasionally came up and toured the watchpoints, ready to intervene if we needed them. Dion, Alles, and the other Imen covered the ground-floor hatches and made sure we had a steady supply of arrows ready. The surrounding area of the fortress had already been rigged with explosives, and Arrah had helped prepare more over the past couple of hours, to use for our arrows. We needed all the firepower we could get, and, thankfully, Neraka’s soils and mines were rich in minerals and volatile substances that we could mix into literal bombs.

“Incoming!” Vesta shouted, pointing to the west ridge of our mountain.

This wasn’t the first nor the last group of rogue daemon hunters to attempt an attack. Cason’s horn had been heard by many, including some who had already been out in the wild. They all died whenever they tried to approach the fortress, yet more came after them, even more persistent. Some perished when they tripped on explosive wires. Others made it all the way to the walls, just in time for Hundurr and Rover to tear them to shreds.

Caspian and I shot to our feet.

“Stay here, Fi. We’ll go check it out first,” I said, then rushed over to the western watchpoint.

With my red lens on, I scoured the mountain below. I could see them—five daemon hunters. They didn’t even have armor on, just rapiers and shields. I let out a short whistle. Vesta stretched her bow, ready to launch a poisonous arrow, courtesy of Pheng-Pheng’s deadly scorpion tail.

Two black shadows rushed through the thick greenery. “Firing one,” Vesta murmured, while Caspian and I pulled our own bows out, Manticore poison glimmering black on the metallic tips. She released her arrow.

We heard it swish through the darkness before it got lodged in a daemon’s throat. The creature choked, giving away their position to the pit wolves. It didn’t take much for Rover and Hundurr to spot the air ripples and recognize the fiends. They’d been around daemons for long enough to get used to following them even in their invisible form.

Caspian and I shot two more arrows, clipping two hunters, just before Rover and Hundurr jumped the other two. Three minutes of yelps and whimpers later, all five daemons were dead. Four were ferociously spread across twenty square feet of stony mountain, but I was in no position or mood to criticize the pit wolves’ killing methods. What mattered was that they were dead.

“I’m still not comfortable with staying here until the mercenaries arrive,” Vesta muttered, looking out to the south.

“We can’t risk them tracking us back to Meredrin or Azure Heights,” I replied. “Had Cason not blown his stupid horn, we might’ve had a chance. Now all the daemons of Neraka know we’re here. Fortunately for us, however, not all of them will make it here on time. We’ll lay as much waste as we can to the mercenaries, and our allies will hopefully join us and help us flee, preferably undetected.”

“You do realize it’s easier said than done, right?” Vesta smirked.

I nodded. “Yeah, but we’re all together now, stronger than yesterday,” I said. “We went over all possible avenues back at the farm, and this is our best option. We need to hold out here and deliver as much damage to those mercenaries as possible, then escape to Meredrin. Jax says we’re at war and we need to think like we’re at war, not like we’re on the run.”

“Strategic approach, I get it,” Idris replied, nodding slowly. “It is reasonable. Let’s hope it’s also doable.”

I smiled. “With you, Rayna, and Vesta on our side? Absolutely doable.”

Another horn sounded, its echoes rippling across the night sky. Our smiles faded. My blood froze, almost instantly, as I looked to the west.

“A little sooner than I’d hoped,” I murmured, identifying another daemon army stretching toward us, two hundred miles away.

“How many, do you think?” Caspian asked.

“They’re too far for me to see, but I estimate eight, maybe nine hundred more, based on how they’re spread,” I replied, my voice trembling.

“This is merely the first wave,” Zane interjected from the southern wall. “It’s how they carry out a siege. They send out the first wave from multiple angles. In this case, these are your first responders,” he added, pointing to the south, then the west. “Mercenaries from the southern territories and seasoned grunts from the western city of Davoth.”

I let out an audible sigh.

“They’ll be here by morning, huh?” Vesta asked, squinting as she looked to the west.

“Dawn, most likely,” I replied. “From both sides. They seem to be moving steadily,” I added, then glanced at Zane. “You said this will be the first wave. Then what?”

“Well, provided we survive the first wave, the second attack will come in one, maybe two days. What we’re seeing now are the only troops they had available close to Ragnar Peak. Rest assured that more—many more—are being geared up as we speak. We won’t survive a second wave. Not in this formula. Not even with allies. We lack numbers. Believe me, the second wave will aim to obliterate, and they will be bringing in more swamp witch magic.”

“We won’t be here that long, anyway,” Jax interjected from below, his brow furrowed. “We need to hold out against this first wave until our allies get here.”

“Like I said, easier said than done.” Vesta smirked.

“And like I said, let them bring it. We’re stronger together,” I replied.

Vesta nodded, then pointed a thumb at the incoming hostiles from the west. “Besides, you know what ‘seasoned grunts’ stands for in daemon-speak, right?”

I shook my head slowly. Zane chuckled.

“Old farts who’ve seen one too many battles,” Velnias said, then pointed a finger at Vesta. “Don’t laugh just yet, little fae. Old or not, they can still tear you to shreds if you let them get close!”

Either way, we had more work cut out for us. That meant more arrows and more explosives. While the ground team went on a second search of the fortress, we started gathering our ammunition and distributing it evenly on all four wall positions. The night was still young, but our enemies had just doubled their numbers, and we needed to be ready.

We’ve made it this far, dammit. This is not where it ends.