Bartlett and Eliani ran through the courtyard to catch up with Grant and his companion. The half-elf mage had already dismissed his spectral horse, but did not enter the castle immediately. They were waiting for the two to catch up.

  Once they were close enough, Grant pulled something out of his satchel. It was a vial of potion, topped with a cork. The content’s liquid color was like a ripe green apple.

  “Bartlett!” he called. “Catch!”

  Bartlett barely had time to react when Grant called him, reflexively raising his hand to catch the vial. He did not need to ask what was in it, only the fact that he knew Grant would not give him any bad potions in a serious situation. Considering his personality, he wasn’t much of a prankster, so Bartlett did not need to ask.

  He immediately drank the potion. It tasted sweet, like liquid candy, with a bit of a sour aftertaste. Moments later, Bartlett felt himself rejuvenated, as if he had had a good night’s sleep. But it didn’t end there. He also felt more alert, more reactive.

  Grant gave a similar vial to Eliani, who also drank it without question. She yowled, experiencing the same sensation Bartlett felt.

  “Whoa!” exclaimed Bartlett. “What’s in that potion?!”

  “Rejuve. Spiked,” said Grant with a wink. “Don’t worry. I made sure you’re not gonna crash after this is over.”

  “Crash? What in god’s name are you….”

  An alarm bell from within the castle rang, alerting them.

  “I’ll take point!” cried Eliani. “Don’t stay too far behind!”

  “I’ll back you up,” said the librarian, taking off her glasses and put it on a space near the ornament. Before Eliani could protest, the librarian said, “This isn’t my true form.”

  “Then you’re….”

  “You have seen how we fight. This time, let us fight together as allies,” said the librarian. “Unless you take issue with that.”

  “I don’t,” said Eliani. “But you better keep up.”

  “Don’t mind me.”

  The two ran side-by-side, leaving Bartlett and Grant behind as they followed at their own pace. Grant had summoned his staff and sword in preparation for a potential battle. Bartlett unsheathed his sword and prepared his round shield. In front of them, Eliani and the librarian started to engage the guards, as if out of random.

  But after their experience, they knew this was not a random act. He looked again, and sure enough, the guards shed their disguises to reveal their real visage, that of reptilian humanoids.

  Eliani was following the librarian’s direction, as she cast a spell that made her able to identify which one of them were enemy disguised Sybarians. She joined the fight, at first similarly armed dagger, but soon revealed her true appearance in a dramatic fashion.

  Her human disguise did not peel off graphically like the others, but instead it shed like cracked paint, accompanied by a light bathing her body. In seconds, her human form was replaced by a lean and tall Sybarian, covered in reddish-brown scales, complete with frills that flared open like a snake’s hood, except hers was wider. Her hiss, coupled with her flared frills, gave her an intimidating look.

  The Sybarians, who disguised themselves as guards before, hissed back before they ripped their human skins off as a form of challenge. Eliani and the librarian engaged then in melee, swords matching daggers and claws matching claws. The librarian revealed a further surprise when she appeared to be spitting a substance towards a nearby Sybarian, which sizzled and causing the Sybarian to hiss in pain. It was a distraction that the librarian took, in which she stabbed the Sybarian in the head before splitting it open like an oyster.

  Eliani managed to stab one of her opponents in quick succession before kicking him aside. Soon, alarm bells rung all over the castle, along with someone shouting, “The king is in danger!” Eliani was the first to react, running towards a nearby gate guarded by guards that could either be disguised as Sybarians or real people. There was chaos, with guards fighting one another. The Sybarians cleverly stayed disguised to create confusion.

  Behind them, Bartlett and Grant were ambushed by guards coming from a split corridor. Bartlett stayed behind his shield, parrying the attacks before hitting the guards with his sword’s pommel, unsure who’s real or who’s not. Grant was also unsure, as he did not know any spells that could reveal the Sybarians.

  One of the guards was then attacked by another, but was immediately defended by his fellow guard. To everyone’s shock, the guard revealed himself in a dramatic fashion. His human form literally exploded to reveal a blue-scaled lizard person underneath. He pushed back against his opponent, challenging him with a hiss.

  “Claude?” asked the guard the Sybarian defended.

  “Sorry, my friend,” said the Sybarian. “I’ll explain everything when this is over.”

  “Hey,” said Grant. “If you’re done with the sappy scene, focus!”

  The Sybarian ‘Claude’ challenged when it for an attack, only to find himself impaled by a spike coming out of Grant’s sword hand.

  “Tell me who is who,” said Bartlett. “I don’t know who’s Sybarian or not!”

  “You have to ask our leader,” said ‘Claude’. “She knows the spell to remove their disguises. I’m just one of her agents.”

  Soon, most of the guards shed their skins, revealing their true, reptilian visages, complete with tail and maws. Instead of working in concert to attack the non-Sybarians, they fought one another, creating chaos that caused complications to the heroes’ attempts to reach the throne room.

  “Well, that’s your answer,” said Grant. “We can’t stay here!”

  “I’m with you on that! But how are we supposed to get to Ellie?! We can’t get past this brawl!”

  “I have an idea.”

  Without hesitation, Grant blasted away one of the Sybarians, apparently out of random. This caused the commotion to stop, turning all the Sybarians towards him.

  “I’m on your side! Keep them back!” he shouted.

  ‘Claude’ cried, “Listen to the mage! Keep them at bay!”

  The Sybarians became more coordinated to keep their opponents away from both Bartlett and Grant, who ran through while also defending themselves from Sybarians that slipped away from the melee. They reached Eliani and the librarian, who were trying to open the locked door.

  “How did you know which is the enemy?” asked Bartlett as Grant prepared a spell.

  “I guessed.”

  “You what?!”

  “I’ll explain later.” He faced the two women. “You two! Stand aside!”

  He finished preparing his spell and immediately pointed the crystal tip of his staff at the door. A blast of pure kinetic energy blew the door inward, just moments after both the librarian and Eliani cleared the door, with the librarian tackling the human guard that was in her way.

  Eliani stood up first, helping the librarian on her feet.

  “You’re pretty good,” she said. “What’s your name, Sybarian?”

  “Lizelith,” said the librarian short. “And you, Kal’Adre?”

  “Eliani Adjani,” replied Eliani. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”

  Grant walked towards the heavy doors, made from native Manarithian oak tree. He forced them open with the same kinetic blast he used against once of the Sybarians, only more powerful. The forceful opening of the heavy double doors knocked anyone who was unfortunate enough to be in its path, throwing them several feet across the room. The kinetic force was not powerful enough to violently open the doors, something Grant considered to prevent unnecessary deaths.

  Everyone in the corridor immediately ran into the throne room, finding it full of guards and Sybarians fighting one another. They soon noticed a conspicuous portal made from a slain guard’s blood and innards, the product of a demonic magick. From within the portal, more Sybarians came out, wearing armor that could be best described as minimal when compared to the Manarithian guards, consisting of only of a chest plate and groin plate over their own scales.

  “Do you really go into battle in that?” asked Grant towards his frilled Sybarian ally, causing her to fluster in bewilderment.

  “Our scales are as tough as chainmail! We don’t need to encumber ourselves with heavy armors like the ones your soldiers wear! I swear it's not because we want to dress that way!"

  "We dressed that way, and you never complained," butted in Eliani.

  “I'm just making a joke, alright? Geez, why are you two so butt-hurt about it?”

  “Enough of that! Look! They’ve opened a portal to their main force in Tarin. If we delay, this throne room is going to be swarmed by reinforcements. We must deal with the portal first.”

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  “Protecting the monarch is also important,” said Bartlett. “Our efforts will be for naught if both dies.”

  “I agree.” Eliani then brandished her shimmering daggers. “Which means we’ll have to be serious. I’ll rush towards the portal, Bartlett prioritizes the royal family’s safety, and Grant supports me while finishing off those I left behind. Lizelith, warn your soldiers not to get in our way. Then help me.”

  “Right,” said Lizelith.

  “Noted,” said Bartlett, raising his shield.

  Grant cast five spectral swords, each levitating around him and pointed forward.

  “Let’s dance,” declared the mage with a smile plastered on his face.

  They all went to work, and they did it perfectly.

  Eliani went in first, brandishing her daggers against the Sybarians who hissed at her. The shimmering daggers were not just for intimidation, as they shone brightly, like a flash of light that blinded the Sybarians. They all instinctively covered their eyes, giving Eliani the chance to dash in and, in quick succession, killed three Sybarians. Her right-hand dagger pierced the first Sybarian, one wearing nothing but a loincloth, through his ribcage and into his heart. She pulled it out effortlessly, wasting no time to stab the second Sybarian through his throat and cut it open. Again, she did this with no considerable strain on herself.

  She reached the third, who recovered from the stun flash, but was not quick enough to retaliate. His attack went wide. The cheetah woman immediately ducked, got herself close, and stabbed both of the Sybarian’s thighs, causing him to hiss in pain. Eliani then showed how dangerous she was, even without her daggers, when she opened her maws, baring her sharp, feline fangs. She dug deep into the Sybarian’s nape and twisted her head. There was a loud, audible crack, and the Sybarian went limp.

  Her plan worked. Her violent way of dispatching her enemies caused the other Sybarians to become intimidated, distracting them. Lizelith was glad that they were on her side, before she signaled her allies to back away with a chirping noise, a Sybarian call only her allies would understand. They all immediately fought against their opponents in keeping them away from the heroes, before joining Eliani in the fight.

  Lizelith was no less brutal when it came to fights. She may be one dagger short, but she effortlessly danced around the Sybarian soldiers, utilizing her corrosive spit and her tail whip. Her lethality with her dagger matched Eliani’s, and she knew where to strike, owing to her knowledge of Sybarian physiology. The two fought the foot soldiers to a standstill, back against one another, a signal telling each other that they were allies.

  Bartlett got to work next. He held his sword with both hands and started rushing towards the throne, facing Sybarians who were trying to get to the prince. But instead of attacking them like a common soldier would, Bartlett made use of his specialty: countering. Keeping himself in momentum all the time, Bartlett dodged the first predictable attack: a sword swing. He then parried the attack with a well-placed blade position, yanking the sword away from the Sybarian. Before the surprised Sybarian had a chance to use his claws, he stabbed him in his neck.

  At least five more Sybarians barred his way. His earlier observation made it clear that they fought like a beast, so he would not expect any complicated techniques. Still, unlike Eliani, he was a human. He had no beastly reflexes or combat training since he was young. He couldn’t risk himself by rushing in like her. He had to play it safe using his shield on his back to prevent back attacks and sword held in two hands to increase lethality.

  He kept his momentum strong, maintaining a light footwork to weave away from danger, whether it was from sharp claws or from swords. He made use of feints, attacks that would seemingly go wide, only for him to stop before he attacked and, using his light footwork, twisted around to gain momentum to decapitate his opponent. It was risky, with his back exposed to his opponent. That was what his shield was for. That was what Grant’s barrier was for.

  Grant kept his eyes on Bartlett, aware of his high-risk, high reward fighting style. He was confident with his ability to cast a barrier spell quick enough without preparing it, while mitigating the fact that the quick cast spell was weak and easily shattered after one attack. He could make it his priority to maintain the strength of the barrier in combat, but he hated being relegated to support.

  This was the reason why his combat technique as a mage was unorthodox, combining his streetwise personality and his mastery of spells.

  Grant was no elemental wizard. His affinity to nature was poor, even after ten years of being exposed to the druidic ways. That did not mean he was useless as a mage, for he compensated it with conjuration spells. The spectral swords protected him from attacks he couldn’t react fast enough, like the one time one of the swords clashed with a Sybarian trying to ambush him after slipping away from Eliani’s relentless assault. Grant immediately took control of the sword, using his fingers to move the sword. He guarded well against the Sybarian. He even managed to use another sword to defend himself against another Sybarian.

  While this was happening, he ran towards the Sybarian, who did not expect him to rush towards him, given that he was a mage. However, Grant showed that he was no mere mage, as he fearlessly punched the Sybarian with a strong hook, causing the Sybarian to reel in pain. It was no mere punch, as Grant cast a spell that not only augmented his fists but also made them release a kinetic force that was intended to hurt instead of kill. A light punch to the head could severely concuss his opponent. A stronger discharge could kill them.

  Unlike his friends, he did not wish to kill without a good reason. He wasn’t going to dissuade his friends, not when they already were in the midst of battle. Doing so would only disrupt their teamwork. Besides, there was no point in questioning these invaders, not when they were clearly out of their minds being corrupted by dark magick only Grant could sense.

  The half-elf mage saw Bartlett running towards the throne, being halted by five Sybarians, their armor suggesting that they came fresh out of the portal. Bartlett engaged all five but soon found himself on the defensive as they fought him with skills beyond the grunts that he had been fighting earlier. He kept evading and parrying them, but no matter what he did, he couldn’t retaliate despite scoring some hits.

  Grant prepared for a rescue, but he, too, had his own problems. From the portal, several Sybarians shot magick bolts towards him. His spectral swords were not fast enough to deal with them, and he had no time to cast a barrier, so he resorted to taking cover. He directed two of his spectral swords to engage the mages, but he kept his distance. The portal was too dangerous to approach, not with Sybarian warriors pouring out of it while hissing menacingly.

  Bartlett did not know Grant was preoccupied, and only realizing this when his opponent’s dagger struck him in the arm. His chainmail took the brunt of the damage, but that was a warning that they were in trouble. His worry was soon allayed when Eliani engaged and successfully killed one of the more experienced invaders, followed by Lizelith killing another.

  Eliani was certainly the more dangerous of the two, for the remaining Sybarian became cautious when she joined the fray. His caution and worry were justified when Bartlett and Eliani silently nodding towards one another and attacked him in unison. This time, the soldier was forced on the defensive when the two fought him as a team, using one another as both a shield and a distraction to attempt a kill. They succeeded, culminating in Bartlett stabbing then decapitate the Sybarian in one swift motion.

  The commotion in the throne room drew more soldiers in, which could turn the fight chaotic. It had been minutes since they started the battle, but the Sybarians did not let up, and their inhuman resilience, only matched by beast people, would only tire the mostly human soldiers and turn the tide of battle for the worse. Grant, knowing this, immediately turned his attention to the portal. He looked around, trying to find fellow mages, but found only one: the wizard of the castle himself, who was already killed during the first wave of invasion. His youth suggested inexperience, but it could be because he was ambushed.

  Grant was not one to curse his luck. His mind was already running with alternatives while he rummaged through his coat, hoping to find a solution to their current predicament. He glanced at both Eliani and Bartlett while evading attackers and defending himself with his spectral swords.

  At the same time, one of the Sybarians managed to graze Eliani, who retaliated with a kick. She looked at her wound, her blood caking her fur. She realized something was wrong with Grant, as both she and Bartlett had not been protected by the mage’s barrier for a while. She glanced towards where Grant was and found the mage moving around defending himself. She immediately took action in protecting her teammate by quickly pulling out three throwing knives, all of which with shimmering metal similar to her daggers, and threw them with great accuracy towards a Sybarian that was menacing Grant.

  Several things happened. The knives hit the Sybarian’s unprotected arm, causing him to reel in pain. Then, his arm started to bulge, followed by an explosion that took his arm and a chunk of his body. The explosion caused everyone to become drawn to the screaming Sybarian, who screamed in both pain and shock. Even Eliani was shocked, as it did not happen before.

  “The fuck did she make her knives out off?” commented Grant, before realizing what she could do. “Wait. That’s it! Ellie, the portal! Shoot the portal!”

  Grant hoped her arrows were also tipped with the same metal, and for Eliani to realize what he meant by shooting the portal. Eliani silently nodded and prepared her bow and arrow. The tip shimmered under the light, much like her daggers.

  She glanced at Grant, who met her feline eyes. They silently understood each other’s intentions. She trusted Grant as much as she trusted Bartlett, even after ten years had passed. She trusted that he would come up with something to protect her as she disengaged from the Sybarian commander she and Bartlett had been engaging together and started running towards the portal.

  Her speed and agility made her able to clear many of the Sybarians on her way, but it was one of Grant’s scrolls that truly helped her. He pulled out one of many scrolls that he considered situational, as it could only be used in specific situations and only when it would not prolong the battle. He threw the scroll behind her, not wanting to sabotage her attempt to end this fight.

  The scroll hit the floor, opening it in the process. A bright flash engulfed the room, temporarily blinding those who were not expecting it. It was more intense than Eliani’s shimmering daggers. Eliani silently thanked Grant before she pulled out her bow and quickly prepared an arrow while still running. One of the Sybarians, affected by the flash, became her jumping pad as she jumped high towards the ceiling to find her target: the portal at the end of the room.

  It was a big target, so she did not need to carefully aim. All she had to do was to shoot the arrow before anyone noticed. Silently praying to the goddess of hunting, she fired. The arrow silently whizzed through the air, metal shimmering as it reached near the top of the portal, the best target to aim for without anyone intercepting it.

  It went through the portal, and for exactly four seconds, nothing happened. It was long enough to cause worry.

  But the gambit paid off. Exactly four seconds after the arrow went through the portal, the portal started to glow. Everyone saw this, especially Eliani, who was closest to the portal. Acting quickly, Grant used four of his spectral swords, melding them into a translucent spectral shield that covered Eliani as she landed near the portal.

  Then the portal exploded, releasing a blast powerful enough to throw the Sybarians off their claws. Bartlett positioned himself to shield the person he could protect: the prince of the kingdom, along with his severely wounded father. Lizelith and her allies took cover behind some pillars, but some were caught by the blast and got thrown to the wall.

  The blast force did not linger, and the structural damage was minimal. Eliani was thrown away by the blast for being too close, but most of the explosion was mitigated by Grant’s shield. Many of the enemy Sybarians were heavily affected by the closing of the portal, especially the ones wearing a different armor style or none whatsoever. Some were outright killed, followed by black smoke seeping out of their body.

  Bartlett saw a nearby Sybarian convulsing before vomiting an unknown black substance. His earlier appearance, that of heavily muscled person, was reduced to a gaunt, sickly Sybarian close to death. He growled as he looked towards Bartlett, slowly walking towards him. Bartlett pointed his sword towards him while Eliani, recovering from her mild concussion, walked back to the sickly Sybarian.

  She was going to finish the Sybarian off, but then she saw the Sybarian's eyes. She sighed and sheathed her dagger. This act caught Bartlett by surprise.

  “What are you doing?!” exclaimed a bewildered Bartlett.

  “He has surrendered,” she said. “His eyes do not show aggression.”

  “He could have feigned it!”

  Eliani put her hand on the Sybarian. He did not react. She then pushed him aside gently. Any strength he had just to stand was gone as he fell to the side. Eliani walked to the Sybarian and further confirmed her assessments by listening to the Sybarian's breath.

  There were none.

  “I doubt it,” she concluded.