All three, Roger, Theodore and Josh, dove out of the way, thinking the axe was meant for them. It wasn’t. The weapon sailed past where Theodore had been, slamming into the inky cloud of the Presence behind him. Lightning spread out on impact, the axe hitting something solid. Loch grimaced as a sharp pain burst into his head, the creature’s pain sent out to everyone.

  Beside him Harper stumbled a bit, but recovered, throwing a knife at Josh Hauser. The man deflected it with his long sword. He muttered a word that Loch was glad he couldn’t hear. No one called one of his daughters that. She appeared right in front of him, Josh barely getting his sword up in time to block her tonfa.

  Lightning crackled around the form of the Presence. After that one mind attack, the thing didn’t send out any more waves of pain, just the relentless pressure. Even with his Mental Resistance, Loch could still feel it bashing away at the edges of his mind.

  The smoke around the Presence started to fade, revealing the shape of the creature. It stood about seven feet tall and was incredibly thin, a black rope hanging against its form. The hood was up, writhing tentacles visible through the shadows of the hood, hanging down the thing’s chest. It spread its arms out wide as lightning crackled across its body. The sleeves of the robe fell back, revealing long fingers at the end of each hand, only three, the skin a dull purple color.

  Onyx returned to his hand, Loch rushing forward only for Roger to appear in his way. Loch stopped, blocking Roger’s swing with Bulwark. The weapon sent sparks of energy off the shield.

  “I guess we’ll get to find out who is stronger,” Roger said, swinging again.

  Loch blocked it, not attacking.

  “Why are you doing this?” he yelled at the older man. “Do you see what’s happening to the Clan?”

  “What do I care?” Roger answered. “They’re all weak.”

  He slammed his glowing sword against Bulwark, cracks spreading throughout the shield. Loch didn’t know what kind of Ability it was, but he didn’t want to block it again. He twisted to the side, swinging Onyx, Roger’s shield coming up to block. The older man grimaced as he was forced back a step. He smiled, like he was enjoying himself.

  “This is a new world. Survival of the fittest,” he said, lunging forward.

  Loch sidestepped the blow, seeing Theodore moving out of the corner of his vision.

  “They need our protection,” Loch said. “There is no survival of the fittest.” He slammed Onyx against Roger’s shield. “It’s survival of all.”

  “Bah,” Roger spat. “If they can’t survive on their own, why waste limited resources on ‘em?”

  His sword glowed, leaving a shining afterimage as it swung for Loch’s head. Loch pushed it out of the way, kicking out. Roger twisted out of the way, trying to slam his shield into Loch’s leg, but Loch was faster.

  A sharp jolt of pain slammed into Loch’s mind, different from the Presence. It was like needles jabbing into every part of his brain, cascading through his nerves. He stumbled back, barely aware of Roger slashing at him. Loch managed to twist, the blade cutting across his side, drawing blood, the pain of the wound mixing with that in his head.

  He turned, seeing Theodore with hand outstretched in his direction. He knew Theodore’s Class was called Mentalist, now he knew what it meant. Loch pushed back against the pain, feeling another jolt that staggered him. He barely got Bulwark up to block another attack from Roger, who was laughing now.

  “Not so tough, are ya?” Roger taunted.

  Loch couldn’t see Harper. He could barely see anything. Pain blurred his vision. The Presence was easy to find, more by feel than actual sight. It hadn’t moved. Loch shifted his angle, moving more toward the Presence, letting Roger push him that way.

  “I should have always been in charge,” Roger said. “Would have gotten rid of the dead weight. The whole place would be stronger.”

  “You would have let people die,” Loch growled, slamming Onyx’s hammerhead into Roger’s shield.

  He Activated Bash, the weapon glowing as it struck the metal. Roger’s knees buckled, the man bending under the strength of Loch’s attack.

  “Our job is to protect them,” Loch said, slamming Onyx down again. “Not let them die!” He roared, slamming the weapon down again.

  Roger fell under the pressure, hitting the ground. His arrogance faded, replaced by fear as he held the shield over him, protecting him from Loch’s wrath. Onyx’s hammer head came down against the shield, sparks flying from the impact, bolts of lighting spreading across the shield. Roger turned his face, avoiding one of the bolts.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Loch raised the hammer, ready to swing it down again. He Activated Bash. He didn’t want to kill Roger but he had to remove the man from the fight. Onyx came down, Loch bracing for the impact, Roger’s eyes wide in fear.

  Something heavy slammed into Loch, arms wrapping around his body, the momentum carrying him a couple feet to slam into the ground. Fists punched at him, battering his body as Bulwark and Onyx disappeared. Loch grunted, raising his arms to protect his face from the punches.

  One of the humanoids he didn’t recognize was sitting on him, hands raised to punch again. It seemed to be able to resist his Storm’s Touch boon. It was heavy, looking like a humanoid wolf but more wild. Covered in fur, there were patches missing, the skin red and blistered. The fist loosened, showing claws at the end of the hand. A couple were broken, but enough were long and sharp.

  Loch pushed up, getting some space, enough to Activate Bulwark, the shield appeared on his arm, smaller than normal. Loch pushed the energy saved by its smaller size, pushing out with the lightning field. The creature growled, hissing in pain as it was thrown off Loch. It landed on the ground, not bothered by the lightning, the force being the only thing that seemed to have hurt it.

  The monster pushed itself up, Onyx slamming into its snarling wolf head. It fell back, the axe disappearing, blood pouring out of the split skull.

  YOU HAVE SLAIN GROWLCLAW GNOLL

  Loch ignored the multi-colored sparks of Spirit that drifted into his body. He looked around for Harper, seeing her further down the wall, dodging attacks from Josh, two other humans and a redcap. Roger had moved back toward the Presence, Theodore standing protectively in front of the still unknown creature. More of the monstrous humanoids were spreading out, moving in to flank Loch, to separate him from Harper.

  He couldn’t let that happen.

  Another one of the Gnolls jumped at him. Loch lifted Bulwark, the heavy body slamming into the shield. He swung Onyx, cutting deep into the side of the monster as it fell to the ground. He left it there, moving closer to where Harper was. He threw Onyx, catching the redcap facing her in the back. The creature stumbled, hitting one of the humans, causing her to stagger, giving Harper the space she needed. She stabbed at the other human, twisting away from an attack from Josh. Leaping away from the fight, Harper ran to her father.

  “The gate,” Loch said.

  Harper nodded, leading the way. It was only about twenty feet away, but seemed like miles. She threw a knife, catching a strange humanoid in the shoulder. The creature was seven feet tall, skinny, with long arms that reached to its knees. Long black hair hung off the face, with no nose, scales covering the body.

  HOARFROST SAURIAN

  The thing looked like it was missing scales, patches of bright red standing out against the pale gray body. It walked with a limp, hissing at the knife in its shoulder. Onyx slammed into its chest, knocking it back into a Hob, the two falling to the ground.

  “Dad!,” Harper shouted.

  She had stopped, forcing Loch to stop. He looked toward the gate, cursing loudly. Monsters were blocking the entrance, waiting for them. He turned, seeing that they were surrounded. Harper moved up to his back, touching him.

  “Harper,” he said, calmly.

  “Dad?”

  “Run,” he said. “Now.”

  “Dad..”

  “Please Harper. Go get Piper and find somewhere to hide.”

  “Dad..”

  “Don’t argue..”

  Loch turned around, looking at the gate. He could feel something. One of the connections to his Bannermen, it was getting stronger. Not one, all.

  The monsters in front of the gate were thrown forward, falling to the ground or knocked rolling. One of them fell directly in front of the open. The large form of Brian Jefferson charged out, barely fitting through, large hammer swinging low. It caught a monster in the head, completely pulping that head, the body falling. Brian ran over the fallen human, bones breaking, the man spasming as Brian passed.

  And not just Brian, Brent and Trent ran out of the gate, spears leading. They spread out, charging toward the line of monsters. Further down the wall, Randy and Elora jumped off into a group of creatures, sword and fists swinging.

  Not just them. Drew and Davis leapt off the wall, landing on the other side, charging into the fight. From the gate came Jake Warrick, both swords glowing.

  Loch smiled, seeing his people push back the monsters, clearing space.

  He was the Warbreaker, the offense to fight the war and the defense to protect his people. But wars weren’t fought alone.