The morning came with an end to the storm, and it was time to move. As soon as light began to come into town Garrett had groups of men searching the town and resecuring the gates. The wards that were supposed to signal if any creatures came over the wall or messed with the gates were all working. After the town was secure, I met some others near the gate to begin implementing our plan. The plan as it was called for Rune and I both having experience in using rune magic to travel down the borders of the wood and place special amplifying runes. As we prepared for this expedition Garrett detailed men to go with each person in two teams going in along both directions along the forest. My group consisted of one of the other hunters, a ranger, and 4 soldiers. The other group was Rune, a hunter, a ranger, and 4 soldiers. We would each choose one direction and go to predetermined locations and set up the runes. Asher was told to remain with the other hunters Garrett was not going to trust him yet. As we prepared to set out, Jay came down from the fort. He was clothed in light flexible pieces of armor and i could see he held the staff I had given him. He said he wanted to with the team going out toward the forest. There as a short argument where we all tried to dissuade him from going. Merrin even came down looking for Jay and tried to talk him out of going. He was adamant he was going on the mission, and he was joining my group. I had to smile as reluctantly the objections stopped and a horse was brought to Jay. We set out and turning right we moved towards the eves of the forest. It rode for several hours with sporadic stops to set up the runes. The runes were set in the form of a magic circle designed to amplify the power of purifying magic. While we travelled, we watched the forest on alert for any creatures. We occasionally saw movement deep in the gloom of the crimson trees. The smell of corruption and death was strong from the forest, but we saw none of the creatures directly. As we travelled Jay rode next to me and we talked mostly small talk. It was as we were finishing with the last rune and turning back to town that he asked about the nature of the bond we now shared. I told him that the bond created a connection between us the strength of the connection depended on the nature of our relationship. At the most powerful the bond allowed the participates to draw on the strengths of their partner as well as to sense where they are and the shape they are in. When he asked if our bond was that strong, I smiled at him and told him almost before I and kissed him.

  As we approached town we saw a scene of chaos. A horde of creatures were at the gate. From atop the walls men were watching the horde and shooting arrows down at them with an occasional blast of fire from Ignis or Merrin. I saw several individuals out from the main horde milling around and I had a thought we did not see any of these things on our trip out and now I knew why. So, they knew we left and decided to trap us outside so they can get us. I saw nothing of the other group they may be hunkered down on the other side of the horde, or they may already be dead. I was sure if we did not get back inside soon more creatures would come and drive us into the horde. Since we had not been noticed yet I got our group together and began planning. I pulled from my pack a bundle of runic arrows that I had prepared and handed them out to the people who had bows. I looked down at the rune stones I had on placed on a Lether strap on my wrist. We all got into position Jay, and I launch fiery magic and the archers loosed the arrows and all along the horde near us explosions went off. The horde broke with the explosions, and I could hear the shouts from the men at the walls. We loosed another wave of explosive arrows and magics into the horde. The horde was turning to come against us when we saw the other group appear they moved quickly to loose arrows from their side but could not bring the level of destruction we could. The horde milled in confusion for a time until the gates open and a group of soldiers with pikes and long spears moved out and the attacks from the walls were renewed. The horde routed and sped back into the forest in the face of the attack. As we came to the gate we saw that the men who had come out were looking at some of the bodies of the creatures and a group were trying to contain a trashing creature that had been brought down but not killed. They managed to pin it down and were discussing how to move it when I saw archer come to them. He was sneering as he inspected the creature it had the shape of a wolf instead of a deer but still had the bloody skinned look to it. Asher bent close to inspect the creature saying it did not look so scary now when the creature reared and spat a glob of black blood at Asher. It took him full in the face, and he fell back sputtering as he tried to clear his face. There were joking laughs that he should not get to close that were stopped the Garrett came out. He ordered the live specimen brought in and confined in a cell in the prison building attached to the fort. He also ordered that several of the more intact bodies be brought in also. Apparently, Atlas desired to study the creature to better understand what they were. We went to Garrett and told him of our mission success. He told us that the creatures came shortly after we left and they thought us dead. He told us that there were some injuries during the fight but no deaths. I saw the hunter go and help Asher up and gave me a clean cloth to clean his face and we retreated into town.

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