Hoxley had barely closed her eyes for half a moment before a hand was upon her shoulder, shaking her awake. Startled, she gripped her spear tight as she looked up to find Atticus standing over her. Instantly she noticed that the sun’s pink light had begun to show its influence against the edge of the night’s sky.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “Soldiers.” He said sternly to offer her a hand up. “Hundreds moving purposefully toward us from the far south field.”

  “H-hundreds? Are you sure?”

  “Without a doubt. Wake the others. We need to move, find a way out, and do it quietly.” Hoxley pulled on his hand and leapt to her hooves. Diligently she stepped from one to the next. And shaking them.

  “Wake up. Get your things and arm yourself, the enemy is close by. We have to leave. Wild eyes snapped to life and everyone began to hurriedly gather their packs and weapons. Once the witches were awake, Hoxley ordered Robert and Ignatius to check the other ways for exits. The pair mounted their brooms and whooshed away to the ledges of the second level on the north and east side before returning.

  “There are six dozen armed soldiers on the east side.” Said Robert. “Every other one is an archer.”

  “I observed the same on the North and west side.” said Ignatius. “We’re surrounded.” He said counting on his fingers. “More than seven hundred I’d wager.”

  “Seven hundred?” gasped Morell. “We barely fought seven and three war horses!”

  “What are we to do?” asked the prince.

  “There’s no time to fortify.” Said Atticus. “The openings in the ruins are too numerous for us to cover. They’ll seep in like water.”

  “Perhaps a secret escape route?” offered Loxo. “A way that witches might use to move around without being seen?”

  “If such routes do exist, they are unknown to us.” Said Ignatius.

  “What about the lower level?” asked Morell “Sculch is gone, could we not find a place to hide there?”

  “They have us surrounded.” Said Hoxley as she shook her head. “No one sends seven hundred troops to surround a place with no one in it. Curse my judgement. We should have left sooner or found a hiding spot in the tomb before now.”

  “It was my lightning that called them, wasn’t it?” asked Siouxsie as she rubbed the sleep from her eye.

  “It’s no one’s fault.” Hoxley told her. The soldiers have been following us since the beginning.”

  “What’ll we do now?” asked Robert.

  “If they’re smart, they’ll try and lure the prince out with promises of sparing the rest of us if he hands himself over to them without a fight.”

  “I’ve heard that story before.” Robert spit. “They’ll lie out of their undersides if it keeps them from having to rush a pair of fire slingers and lightning thrower. Sister? Do you think you could conjure another of those large bolts again It might be enough for them to keep their distance.”

  “I could try.” Said Siousie. She raised her arms in a “V” but no sooner than she did so her eyes crossed, her knees wobbled and she fell back on her ass. “Oww.” She said painfully. “I don’t think I have the strength to cast. I need fruit or sweets to get my strength back.”

  “No lightning, but we do have our fire and wind spells.” Offered Ignatius. “Perhaps if we-“

  “You in there!” shouted a man’s voice from outside the walls. “Can you hear me?! WE KNOW YOU’RE in there! we have you surrounded on every side and there is no escape!”

  “I’ll deal with this.” Said Hoxley, walking over to the lip of the window. Robert followed her. When they peered over the edge, they beheld what Atticus had said he’d seen; hundreds of soldiers, many of them archers poised in firing formations. A lone man in full armor stood with a shield and a white banner within shouting distance.

  “What do you want?!” shouted Robert before Hoxley could say a word.

  “WE’VE come to discuss the terms of surrender!” shouted the man. “YOU HAVE FOUGHT VALIANTLY BUT THERE’S no need for continued bloodshed!” Robert looked to Hoxley who in turn looked to the group of tired companions as they huddled around a woozy Siouxsie.

  “I cannot speak for everyone,” Said Hoxley “But I cannot in good faith give up the prince. They’ll take him and then come in and slaughter us in quick order.” Robert looked to the prince.

  “I’m not abandoning my friends.” said Prince Damron. “They’re going to have to kill me.”

  “Well, look at the stones on the royal boy.” said Robert, a little impressed. “I take it that’s a no from all of us?” he asked the faun. She nodded in agreement. “Then I’ll give them the bad news.” Robert took a step up and cleared his throat:

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  “I’M REALLY QUITE SORRY you’ve come all this way!” Robert shouted. “But we can’t accept your surrender!”

  “What?” yelled the soldier.

  “DON’T have enough people to take you all prisoner!” The soldier looked astounded and confused. “Is there anything else you wanted?” The man didn’t say anything but slowly turned about to walk away. “Hey, you! wait!” Robert yelled.

  “Robert? What are you doing?” asked Hoxley.

  “Just watch.” Said Robert. “I’ve always wanted to do this.” Just as the soldier turned back around to see what Robert was going to say next, the witch began to untie the front of his pants.

  “Robert, don’t you dare!” shouted Ignatius.

  “I don’t want the man to leave empty handed.” With that, the companions watched in surprise as Robert climbed up into the window in full view of the opposing army, turned about, dropped his trousers and pulled his cloak aside to reveal his full pale backside to Lord Baltus men and their emissary. “Here! right here!” He looked over his shoulder and smacked his buns at the man with the banner. “SEE THAT I HAVE SUMMONED A FULL MoooOOOOooON Just for you!” The emissary scowled and hurried back to the lines of his army. Loxo roared with laughter and fell over, clapping with glee at the audacity.

  “Wonderfully done!” the pirate cackled with hysterics. “Ha Ha! I’ve not given an enemy a full moon in years! I’d tip my hat if I had one to tip!”

  “Robert!” said Hoxley, grabbing him by his arm to yank him down out of view. “Stop this indecency at once!”

  “They’re here to kill us, Hoxley.” said the witch as he pulled his pants up and tied them. “Decency is long gone and showing them my underside is the least I can offer.”

  “This is hardly the time for comedy.” added Morell.

  “I believe it to be a perfect time.” Robert said as he raised his arms in a “V” to begin casting. “I’ll not give an inch to those sour milk smelling pig lickers.”

  “What’s our battle plan?” asked the prince. “If they all march in at once we’ll be overrun. We’re completely surrounded.”

  “Good.” Said Atticus as he pulled his sword. “Then we have them right where we want them and they won’t get away.” Ignatius’ face remained a mask of worry as he cradled Siouxsie.

  “We have another option.” said the witch. “But it may be dangerous.”

  “Oh? More dangerous than what’s put there?” asked Hoxley.

  “The Talisman of Lenfris.” He replied, reaching into his cloak and pulling out the other large black book. “It’s magic of the likes I’ve never used before. There may be a way to harness its hidden power and grant us a path out.”

  “You said it was dangerous.” Remarked Hoxley.

  “Very. But our situation has become dire and without Siouxsie’s magic to keep the enemy at bay, I believe we have no other options left. The book mentions teleportation; a path to another place. If I can use it correctly it may take us far from here.”

  “I like the sound of that.” added Loxo. “We should do that. I don’t know what it is, but if you can wave that broom about and take us far from this place, I cannot endorse it enough.”

  “How long will it take?” asked Hoxley

  “I don’t know, I’ll have to read the incantation to get it right.”

  “Then start reading. I will try and stall for time.” she said.

  “Too late,” said Atticus as a horn sounded loud and clear in the distance. “Look! They’re advancing!”

  “Robert, get to the window and put as much fire on the front lines to try and slow them down. Watch out for arrows.” Ordered Hoxley. “Do not allow yourself to get hit should they start firing.”

  “Gladly.” Nodded the witch as he cracked his knuckles.

  “Everyone else get away from the windows. Ignatius, if your talisman can do what you say it can then by all means use it. We are out of time.” Ignatius took the book in one hand and lowered his sister against the wall with the other. He then stood at the lip of the ledge leading down and opened the book to a later page. As Robert began throwing both insults and fire from the window, Ignatius looped the glimmering chain of the talisman about his neck and began to chant:

  “All things sacred, all things foul, grant me your attention now.

  Things on high and in the deep, rivers low and mountains steep.

  Open your gaze and hold your arms wide…I seek passage to the other side.”