. Frank had long since swiped away the window with the guild’s chat server. He knew the attack was coming and he was in no position to use that information now.

  Frank felt the branches beneath his back tremble gently and looked over to find Silver standing beside him and leaning against the same building, her glowing blue eyes fixed on the mountaintops. She didn’t say anything immediately, and Frank made no move to break the silence. What could they really say or do that would make the situation any better?

  “You could leave, and no one would blame you,” Silver said softly. Frank almost thought he had imagined it until he saw her glance at him out of the corner of her eye.

  He knew she was right. He could simply fly over the peaks and be long gone before the players arrived. But that felt wrong. He knew these townsfolk held no love for him, but he was at least indirectly responsible for this situation. He grimaced, even as that thought occurred to him.

  That wasn’t quite right. It was an easy excuse. These people had made their own deal with the devil long before he had arrived. Frank had played no real part in the way this had unfolded. It would have come to a head regardless of his involvement.

  No, he knew the real reason he stayed – the one that was standing right next to him.

  “I’m not going to leave,” Frank said firmly, meeting Silver’s eyes.

  Silver just nodded and looked away, but not before he saw a strange emotion flit across her face, one that he couldn’t quite place. The red aura hadn’t returned since the evening before, and no sudden flash of insight occurred to him. He was left with his more mundane senses, which were as blind and stupid as always.

  “Hoot says that Alderas and our forces are in position in the forest east of Haven. The travelers are also preparing to strike soon,” Silver offered.

  “And what of Abigail and the children?” Frank asked.

  “We have moved everyone to the meeting lodge. Although, if our forces fall, I suspect it will do little good…” Silver trailed off, her gaze distant.

  Frank knew who she was thinking about. “Shouldn’t you be with Sophie right now?” he asked gently. “I’m sure she must be frightened.”

  “I do her no good by fretting over her.” Silver grimaced. “I do no one any good back here sitting on my hands,” she said bitterly, looking down at her slender fingers.

  Frank had no easy way to respond to that. Their job guarding the children was important, but he agreed that they would likely be far more useful on the frontlines.

  Silver glanced up at him. “Thank you, by the way.”

  Frank gave her a questioning glance.

  “For what you did during the council meeting. If… if I had admitted to saving you at the expense of the town, my father would never have listened to me,” Silver muttered.

  “Not that it seemed to help,” Frank replied dryly.

  “True. This is so stupid,” Silver said, anger flashing in her eyes as she pushed away from the wall. “After all his lecturing about tolerance and community, he decides to march to war? He blames me for mistakes that he and the council made long ago? He forgoes any strategy and places our hunting pack at the rear?”

  Frank lowered his eyes, his thoughts troubled. He still had no explanation for how he had picked up on Alderas’ emotions. He had no way to explain the strange red aura or the shadowy voice in his head. But he did know what they weren’t. This wasn’t Communion, that much was obvious. This was something different. Something that felt like dark fangs and blood-drenched claws.

  The feeling was both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time – leaving him feeling conflicted and confused. At the same time, the information he gleaned was useful. It allowed him to piece together another person’s motivations far more easily than he could have on his own.

  “I think your father is afraid. He feels guilty,” Frank said slowly. He looked up to find Silver frozen in place.

  “What do you mean?” she demanded.

  Frank rubbed at his neck, trying to choose his words carefully. “I suspect Alderas feels responsible for the situation. Didn’t he let the cultists infiltrate Haven? That cost him a wife and, in some ways, a daughter. I suspect you pushed him away. Maybe even blamed him?”

  “I didn’t—” she began to protest feebly.

  “You took a different name and joined the hunting pack,” Frank interrupted, looking at Silver meaningfully. She couldn’t meet his eyes, glancing back toward the mountaintops.

  “And yet he let you into Haven,” Silver muttered.

  “Possibly an attempt at redemption? Maybe a way to alleviate his own guilt and try to correct some of the harm he caused?” Frank offered, shaking his head.

  “By taking the same risk?”

  “It makes sense if he was trying to help you,” Frank suggested. “I doubt he wanted you to shut out everyone in your life. You will notice that he tasked you with training me. He could have picked anyone – Abigail, for example. I suspect he wanted you to try to open up to people again.”

  Silver stayed silent and so Frank continued, his gaze distant as he tried to recall the emotions he had felt during the meeting. “But your father didn’t just let the cultists into Haven, he also approved the deal with the demon and the sacrifice of the travelers. A deal that resulted in this attack on the valley. In short, he made mistakes – big mistakes. First out of naivety and then out of fear.”

  “Yet he blames me and places us at the rear? We have only ever tried to protect Haven and its people,” Silver snapped, the hair on her arms rising slightly. She whirled on Frank, her eyes shining with anger. In that moment, something clicked into place for Frank. He could see what Alderas might have been thinking.

  “Does he really blame you, though?” he asked softly. Silver just stared at him.

  “I mean, was he angry at you or at himself?” Frank continued in a hesitant voice.

  “It’s easy to scapegoat another person, certainly easier than taking responsibility for your own actions. I’m not saying it’s right, but it does sort of make sense. Your father has already lost a lot – a product of his own mistakes. Dealing with the idea that this war might also be his fault…” Frank trailed off, letting the implications of what he was saying hang in the air.

  Silver shook her head, not quite looking at him. He could see that she still clung to her anger, not quite willing to accept his explanation. Not that he blamed her. Understanding another person’s perspective didn’t always make their actions any easier to swallow.

  “When we’re afraid or upset, we don’t always make the wise or sound decision. We aren’t always willing to face reality. It’s easier to bury your head in the sand or try to rationalize the situation,” Frank said softly.

  In some ways, he wasn’t just talking to Silver anymore.

  He was certainly guilty of doing the same thing.

  Hadn’t he been afraid when he started playing AO? He had spent all his time trying to catch up to Jason, telling himself that he just needed a group. And what had he done after Thorn had killed them both? He had left to conquer the outlying villages, trying to convince himself that this was the best use of his time. And so he had missed out on completing the Keeper trials. He had spent so much of his time in-game struggling to catch up with his friends and blaming everything and everyone else around him for his failures. But it was Frank himself that had been responsible for falling behind. His fear had continued to hold him back – long after he had learned how to fight.

  That needed to change. He could see that now. If he was to keep moving forward, he needed to overcome that fear, once and for all. Otherwise, he would make the same mistakes as Alderas. He couldn’t keep looking for excuses for his situation.

  Frank shook his head, refocusing his attention on Silver. Her eyes were distant, but some of the anger had faded and had been replaced with her own fears. No matter what her father may have said to her, she still cared about him. She cared about her people. She cared about Sophie. The stakes for her were very real.

  Frank reached out and took Silver’s hand, and she glanced at him. “Whatever happens today, we will do as Alderas asked. We might not be facing the travelers directly, but we will protect the children. We will make certain that nothing happens to them.”

  To his surprise, Silver didn’t pull away. She simply nodded, her eyes gleaming with a sheen of moisture.

  “Oof, am I interrupting something?” Hoot asked, appearing around the corner of the building. Silver quickly snatched her hand away and stepped back from Frank, putting her back to Hoot.

  “No. No, you didn’t,” Frank replied, watching Silver.

  “Hmm, okay then,” Hoot said, arching a skeptical eyebrow. “Well, I just wanted to mention that the attack has begun. We should get into position.”

  “Of course,” Silver said, turning back to the pair. The moisture in her eyes was gone, replaced with an ironclad resolve. The warrior that Frank knew had returned, and her eyes carried the promise of death. She stalked past Frank and Hoot, heading directly for the meeting lodge.

  As Frank looked after her, he felt a faint note of pride but also a touch of guilt. Silver had done what her father couldn’t. She had overcome her fear. She was committed to the task she had been given. She might have her moments of weakness, but she faced her challenges head-on. In many ways, she was far braver than Alderas.

  He hadn’t mentioned it to Silver, but Frank hadn’t missed the fact that both of the Elder Shifter’s daughters were in the rear, where it was safe. Frank suspected that wasn’t an accident, but he didn’t intend to complain. He could relate to Alderas. He was terrified at the idea that Silver might not make it through this – more than he was willing to admit. Frank resolved right then to do anything that he had to in order to protect her.

  “You coming?” Hoot asked, following his gaze and giving him a knowing look.

  “Yes. Let’s do this,” Frank answered firmly.

  ***

  “Finally! Here you go,” Howl grunted and tossed a package at Frank as he entered the meeting lodge.

  Frank scrambled to catch the parcel, glancing at Howl in confusion. As he peeled back the cloth, he found his old armor and axes hidden inside. He lifted one of the blades free, staring at the metal. It felt strange to hold the weapons again – almost unnatural. He had spent so long with only his shapeshifting abilities that it felt awkward and somewhat clunky to hold the axes.

  Still, he couldn’t turn away any advantage, not right now. So, Frank began equipping his old gear, and his axes soon swung at his waist once more.

  “Uh, thanks,” Frank said to Howl. He received a curt nod in response.

  Once Frank was ready, he eyed the room. The children had been herded into the massive structure, along with many of the less-capable animals that resided in the town. Maybe thirty people were scattered about the space, a testament to how many of the residents of Haven were combat-worthy. More than a hundred birds and beasts clung to the building’s rafters, shuffling and twittering nervously.

  They all looked worried. An unknown and immortal foe lingered at their border and marched into their valley with a singular goal: to kill the residents of Haven and burn their town to the ground. Frank saw the impact of this fear in the way the children huddled together and the tense silence that hung in the air.

  He saw Sophie sitting with the other children. In contrast to their scared faces, she remained calm, smiling, and talking with the others. She had apparently appointed herself as leader of the group, trying her best to lighten the mood and appease their fears.

  Strong kid, Frank thought. His eyes flitted to Silver, where she inspected her equipment. Although, he supposed he knew where Sophie got it.

  Frank noticed Abigail moving among the children, offering kind words and handing out small packages of food. Herbert sat on her shoulder, his eyes vigilant and alert. As she saw Silver enter the room, she broke off her conversation and headed their way.

  “How are they holding up?” Silver asked.

  “As well as can be expected,” Abigail said with a sad smile. Herbert met Frank’s eyes and gave him a nod of recognition.

  “I have reinforced the building,” Spider interrupted, pacing toward the group. Frank could see that thicker branches now reinforced the walls, twining through the other limbs even as he watched.

  “And if we need to flee?” Silver asked.

  The thin, stoic man frowned. “I can create an escape,” he answered tersely. “It will take time, though.”

  “Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that,” Hoot muttered.

  “We will be fine,” Howl said, sharing a look with Runner. “The full council and the entire town stand between the travelers and us. They won’t know what hit them.”

  Silver grimaced, not appearing entirely convinced. “Maybe. But we’re still going to be cautious. You and Runner should patrol the town. Stay hidden.”

  The two men looked surprised. “You think they might attack here? How?”

  “I don’t know,” Silver said, shaking her head. “But we’re not going to take any chances. Now go.”

  Runner and Howl looked skeptical, but they followed her orders. Within moments, they had both shifted and sprinted out of the building.

  Frank could sympathize with Silver. Her actions seemed extreme. There was plenty of distance and a small army between them and the players. Yet he could still remember the intelligent gleam in Liam’s eye. The man might surprise them.

  With that thought, Frank realized he might have been a little inattentive himself. He quickly pulled up the guild’s chat server and skimmed the rows of text again. His eyes hovered on a few new raid channels that had been added that morning. They were all locked and designated with code names.

  Perhaps he divided the raid into smaller groups? Frank wondered. But why? And then why lock the channels?

  He didn’t have long to consider this.

  Hoot’s eyes suddenly went distant, and he drew in a sharp breath. He must be viewing the valley through Archie’s eyes. Everyone’s attention turned to the Tamer, waiting for him to give a report.

  “What does Archie see?” Silver asked gently, prodding him.

  “The travelers are moving into the valley,” Hoot said in a distracted voice. “They are nearly halfway through the plains and are approaching the forest.”

  “Alderas must plan to draw them in and then ambush them among the trees,” Silver offered quietly.

  Frank bit his lip. That seemed like a sound strategy from the council’s point of view. The trees offered plenty of vegetation for their Growers, and their Shifters would be more dangerous among the trees. They might also be able to attack the players from behind with the larger Tamer companions.

  Yet it was strange that Liam would commit to a frontal charge like that. It would leave his forces exposed from the flanks. And if they needed to retreat, the barren fields leading to the pass would provide little cover. Something felt off.

  “How many travelers are there?” Frank asked. He kept glancing at the chat server, hoping to find any indication that Liam might have planned a surprise attack. He found nothing. Only the normal general chat of a raid on the march. His eyes hovered on the locked channels, wishing he could see what was being said in there.

  “I… I’m not sure,” Hoot replied, shaking his head. “A lot, from what Archie can see.”

  Maybe I’m wrong. That sounded like Liam had committed most of his forces. Although, the bird was notoriously bad at counting.

  Silver glanced at Frank. “What are you thinking?” she asked.

  “It could be nothing…” He trailed off, deep in thought.

  “They are nearing the forest,” Hoot reported absently.

  What would Jason do in Liam’s position? Frank wondered.

  The travelers already had an inkling of the abilities used by the residents of Haven. Even if the hunting packs always ambushed and poisoned the travelers, they had seemed to know about the plants and the shifting abilities. Once a player died, they would be able to review the battle in the deathscape, and they had certainly gained some information if Silver and her crew had taken them hostage.

  That also meant that Liam would know he was fighting an incredibly versatile and mobile force. The forest would be a death trap for his men. This was fighting on the enemy’s home turf. So why the hell would he commit his forces to a blind rush?

  Frank’s eyes widened. Unless he wasn’t. Unless this was a distraction.

  “Hoot,” Frank said urgently. “Have Archie shift her attention. Look at the edges of the valley, not the force approaching the forest.”

  Hoot cocked his head owlishly, his brow furrowing. “Okay.”

  After a tense moment, he said, “I… I don’t see anything.”

  Frank bit his lip. Then he remembered the offhand comment that Liam had made about his air mages. They could only float – not fly. He had seemed really irritated about that point. Frank had assumed that it made mapping the valley harder, but that didn’t really make any sense. If the mages could rise high enough, they could see most of the valley. Which implied that there was another reason Liam had been upset.

  He could feel a weight settle in his stomach. God, I hope I’m wrong.

  “Check farther up the mountain,” Frank instructed. “They might not be flying. They might just be skimming along the ridge ringing the valley.”

  Hoot’s frown deepened as he concentrated. “What is this?” he murmured.

  Then his eyes widened in alarm. “Oh gods!

  “No! Fly, Archie!” Hoot shouted.

  The Tamer suddenly collapsed, screaming. He clawed at his eyes, howling in pain. His limbs convulsed as though he had touched a live wire – an electric current rippling up and down his body.

  The children looked panicked, staring at the group with wide eyes. Abigail was by Hoot’s side in an instant, her fingers touching his scalp and multi-colored energy winding around her fingers. The screams and convulsion slowly receded until the man was merely sobbing, still cradling his eyes.

 

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