The Hedge Wizard

There was quiet from the living wall as Hump caught his breath. It seemed the damage General Korteg had dealt to it had left it truly wounded. Its arms had retracted and its many mouths were now silent. Hump remained on guard as the army of Alveron marched through the tunnel into the citadel, watching for a sign of life in case this was just another trick, but as of yet no such thing had been shown. At least for now, the citadel’s first layer of defence had been defeated.

Thousands of soldiers filled the streets within. Hump could see them through the breachers, their armour clinking and weapons gleaming under in the dungeon’s red light. Officers barked orders in all directions, their voices horse from the strain of battle. Siege ladders had been repurposed into makeshift barricades, hastily erected to help reinforce the area around the breach, while Chosen maintained blessings around the army against the constant barrage of catapults active within the citadel.

Hump’s eyes were drawn to a towering building toward the centre of the citadel as a blast of purple essence erupted. Count Daston flew through the air, crashing through the wall of the building, disappearing out of sight. The demon lord gave chase, General Korteg close behind. Dust and essence the only sign of their battle within before there was a second great explosion. Count Daston shot out the rear of the building, falling to the ground below. Their battle tore through the city with a force none could contribute. This was the strength of seventh and eight circle Chosen—the power to shatter buildings in their wake, yet the demon lord continued to match them alone. More than that, they were on the back foot and deep within enemy territory, surrounded by its generals.

On the ground, Lady Anara had made progress inside the citadel. Hump could see little from where he stood but for the blessings of Chosen radiating over houses deeper within. All around them, catapults and demons rained down projectiles, tearing apart their own structures as much as striking the ranks of Alveron. Throughout all of it, Nishari did not leave his side, alert and ready to fight anything that dared come close.

It was less than half an hour when Hump was dismissed from his role on the tunnel team, all five of them being reassigned to their usual parties. A group of lower circled Chosen would take over the role, with Aric taking over command. Their job was to ensure the army still had a way back out of the citadel if the wall reawakened.

In the meantime, Hump and his party would head into the citadel alongside Marcela. Orders had arrived. They were to destroy the catapults along the east fortification, and they had to do so before the blessings protecting the army wore down. He wondered if Countess Daston had foreseen this when she first asked him to go to Fort Nordric with her daughter. He wondered what else she may have glimpsed.

“You’re looking focused,” Bud said as they joined the tunnel queue with the Blackthorne Company. “What are you thinking?”

“Karlac will be in there,” Hump said. “He’ll come for me—for the book. I’m certain of it.”

Bud snorted. “Let the bastard come. Just one more demon to kill.”

Hump wasn’t nearly as confident it would be that simple.

“Not even the demon lord is enough to stop the army,” Emilia said. “What can one more demon do?”

“You’re right,” Hump said. “We’ll deal with it when it comes.”

“If it comes,” Dylan said. “Let’s ho—”

Hump let out a long, dramatic sighed. “Don’t say the ‘H’ word.”

Dylan gave a small smile. “Sorry. With any luck, Karlac will be as cowardly as all the other demons.”

Hump shook his head, muttering under his breath, “How many times must I tell you people?”

Marcela, her party, and the Sheercliff Company started into the tunnel, and Hump and the others followed a few steps behind. Nishari followed along at Hump’s heel, her head flicking from left to right trying to take in all the sights. Somehow, despite what she’d seen from the sky, she was more excited than afraid. Hump wasn’t sure if that was childlike ignorance, or wolf dragons simply craved the hunt that much. Either way, he was glad she wasn’t too frightened.

“I’ll keep my eyes peeled,” Celaine reassured him. “Don’t get separated.”

Hump nodded. “Thank you.”

As Hump marched through the tunnel that he had helped create, he sensed the rich power of the earth within. The walls were filled with it. Every grain was so infused with power that a faint bronze sheen was attached to everything. Combined with the blend of stone, metal, and crystal, it created a mesmerising spectacle of light. In only a few paces, Hump was inside the citadel walls. All that effort to create the tunnel, and all it earned them was a few paces.

Stepping into the citadel, Hump was surrounded by organised chaos. Marcela’s party had been directed to the left and he and the others followed. The area was cramped but the flow of soldiers was constantly moving as they advanced to the appropriate battle lines. Shouts and screams came from everywhere, faintly distorted by the many buildings that blocked Hump’s view of the still ongoing battle.

The immediate defenders had been pushed back but fighting was still present on the streets nearby. More pressing were the catapults. The citadel had a second layer of defences partially built against the mountain, elevating the fortifications above where Hump now stood. Catapults were free to launch their relentless bombardment on the area around the breach, and they did so with no regard for the buildings nearby. The blocky stone structures of the demons had been reduced to piles of rubble, their remains reminding Hump of the destruction atop Sheercliff following the destruction of the Seal of Osidium. Dust hung heavily in the air, mingling with the smoke from fires that still smouldered in the ruins.

Every few seconds, Hump would get the whiff of blood or something else foul. Death surrounded him. Many of the dead demons had been consumed by the wall, but even more littered the streets, their bloody corpses coated in clotted blood and dust, while their innards spilled out onto the street. Alveronian soldiers were tended to by healers and priests. Those still alive were dragged to an area to the right of the breach where they were tended to. With the demon lord’s barrier still in place beyond the citadel, there was no way to get them back to the encampment until it fell, so they had to do what they could to keep them alive now.

Hump ducked on reflex as a flaming boulder-sized projectile exploded overhead, shattering over a barrier blessing and sending flaming shrapnel across its surface in a wave of fire.

“Gods above,” Dylan said. “That nearly gave me a heart attack.”

“We’re to shut them down,” Marcela shouted. “There’s a road to the east that climbs the hill. We’re going to take these catapults out.”

Hump looked in that direction. The catapults protruded atop stone emplacements, created out of the same perfectly smooth stone as the other buildings. Magic had been used to create them. Behind them, the buildings appeared more refined, their facades betraying a sinister elegance. Following the hill upward, Hump’s eyes came to the squat black keep that loomed over everything. Built into the mountain side, it appeared so far out of reach. Faint light gleamed from the walls and Hump caught the shadows of movement—demons no doubt making ready upon its battlements. It was there they would find the dungeon core and bring an end to their time in this hellish place. Before that, however, they had work to do.

As Hump moved deeper into the citadel, the sheer scale of the place struck him. Each building was a multi-story block, likely with space to house dozens if not hundreds of people. He wondered how many demons they could cram into these places and why they would even bother.

Their objective was a ridge up a steep hill toward the end of the road they were now following. A wall lined the base of the ridge, providing support for the natural structure—if anything in this place could be called natural. Its surfaces were etched with runes, pulsing faintly with the red light of the dungeon. As they hurried onward, Hump saw similar runes on the roads and buildings, as if everything was part of one giant system.

It wasn’t long before the sounds of battle grew nearer. Shouts and banging weapons filled the air, a demon’s barked orders sounding louder still. As the front line came into view, Hump spotted a commander demon behind the lesser demons fighting, screaming for them to remain in place and fight. They were sheltered behind a barricade made from the destroyed structures nearby, and so far, it seemed the soldiers of Alveron were struggling to break through. When one of the demons backed away as an arrow struck the barricade beside it, there was a flash of light, followed by the demon’s head falling free. The commander screamed furiously, and demons stood their ground with terror on their faces.

The soldiers parted for Hump and the others as they approached. Combined with Marcela’s squad and the other Chosen in their companies, the demons stood no chance.

Hump pushed through the soldiers and came to Marcela’s side. The road was wide here, enough to easily keep the living wall stocked with supplies and troops. They had a clear view of the barricade up ahead, protected from enemy attacks by one of Len’s barriers.

“How do you want to do this?” Hump asked.

“Brute force,” she said. “We don’t have the time for anything else. Hump, Celaine, Teff, do you think you can take out that commander? The moment it falls, the rest will break and run.”

“Easily done,” Celaine said.

“If I may,” one of the soldiers said, stepping forward. “Some sort of magic protects the barrier. Our magic has been ineffective.”

“I can handle that,” Hump said. “You two kill the demon. Marcela, lead the charge following my attack.”

Everyone was in agreement.

“Form lines,” Bud ordered the Blackthorne Company. “Archers, save your arrows. We’re hammering our way through.” He turned to Henrietta. “Stay with the company if we move on ahead.”

She gave a nod. “You got it.”

Hump’s plan was simple. He could sense the strength of the magic at work in the barricade, it was nothing special.

Levelling his staff toward it, he gathered his essence, drawing upon the stone that surrounded him for material. He focused it into a dense shard, shredding the parts that were useless in a fine dust that fell to the ground while bronze power gathered. Tendrils lashed the earth.

“Titan’s Wrath.”

The obsidian shard shot forward like an arrow, piercing the barricade and embedding itself within the rock. It pulsed with disruptive intent, the magic over the barricade now forced to stand against Hump’s will. There was no fight in it. The demonic protections crumbled in seconds.

“Now!”

Nishari leapt forward and bellowed fire, roasting one side of the barricade. Demons screamed inside and the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. Ordinary stone now, the barricade fell to pieces before the might of the Chosen. Marcela hacked it apart with blades of water, Dylan ripped out entire chunks with sheer strength. They tore through their ranks like a storm. Bud was untouchable, a paladin of ice. Emilia’s blade whipped through their ranks. Celaine focused her arrows on the greater demon, felling it with a Power Shot through the eye.

As expected, the defences crumbled after that. Demons fled in terror, scampering off into remote alleys and buildings where they could, but most were chased down by soldiers.

Hump and the others left that task to the others. They were through, but there was still some distance to go. The road brought them to a steep slope of jagged steps leading up to the ridge above. Enemies were at the top—imps tossing fireballs at them, others throwing rocks. Fellspawn were forced down the steps as if their bodies might somehow slow Hump and the others, but they only tumbled down the steps, their bodies breaking from the fall. A fate Hump might share if he were to trip.

“Take to the skies, Nisha,” Hump said. “Tell us what you see up there.”

While she flew upward, Len raised another barrier before them and they advanced behind it. The enemy projectiles broke against it in flashes of fire and essence, but it showed no signs of breaking. The climb was steep, but the visions Nisha sent Hump from the sky gave him confidence. Other than the demons they could see, there were few defenders up here. It seemed the demons gambled on the living wall holding strong. It wasn’t long before they were in range of Celaine and Teff, the two archers bringing down a demon with every arrow and clearing the way for them.

At the top of the ridge, the first catapult was nearby, guarded only by a couple of lesser demons while some strange looking imps loaded the contraption. There was no physical ammunition. It was entirely magical. They put up little fight, and Bud sliced the arm of the catapult in half. There would be no more using that in today’s battle. The next two followed similarly, with only weak resistance along the way. The defenders appeared to have abandoned this section of the citadel, which left Hump suspecting most would be gathered to the keep built into the mountain.

The buildings were finer up here, constructed out of magic. Unlike the smooth, blocky buildings of the lower area of the citadel, they were etched with all sorts of engravings and gold, showing artworks of demonic gods and beasts. Runes filled the surface of many, particularly the doors where they functioned as locks.

They passed a particularly enormous one with grand black doors sealed with a runic formation and a depiction of a demonic face with a mane of fire. The building itself appeared made out of cubes, each connected at irregular intervals to create many different layers. It appeared impenetrable, but above all, it had clearly been designed as a symbol of riches and strength. In Hump’s short time there, he’d come to realise the demonic love of riches and status symbols might rival even that of the nobles back home.

Celaine pointed at something down below in the distance. “Is that a stadium?”

They all followed her finger to a giant round building made of stone, with an arena housed at the centre. Hump wondered what monstrosities were carried out in a place like this. What did demons watch for entertainment? Did they force slaves to fight? Pit monsters against each other? Or was there some theatre they cared for? Perhaps he’d never know.

They moved onward, coming to a marketplace that had been abandoned in a hurry. The stalls were still filled with food and ordinary wares—the kind of things Hump would expect to find in any market. Yet there were strange things too: heads of monsters and people on display mounts, glass jars of various organs packed in like olives, fruits that were slick with a layer of sticky residue that didn’t appear safe to eat.

As they moved through the marketplace toward their next target, Celaine stopped and stared at a section of crates in the shadows.

“Oh no,” she whispered. “Hump, give us some light.”

Hump swallowed, fearing what they might find as he cast Wizard Light. The yellow beam illuminated a network of alleyways formed with crates, each of them housing numerous people. Men and women were divided, along with children, and all of them looked terrified. They were thin and pale skinned, with eyes that looked like they’d hardly slept. They didn’t react at the sight of Hump and the others.

“We’re here to help,” Bud said, approaching the crates and cleaving open the closest lock, opening the door.

They did not answer. They didn’t even move, other than to flinch at the swing of his blade.

“Can you understand me?” Bud asked. “The army of Alveron has come. We will free you from this hell.”

“I think he’s real,” one of them said breathily, terror in her voice.

“Do not fall for their tricks,” another said.

“I am Bud of Blackthorne, sworn knight of Kelisia. A demon might be able to impersonate our faces and our voices, but could they do this.” Bud released the blessings of Kelisia, bathing the prisoners in divinity and its nourishing strength.

“We are slaves of Clan Darkbane.”

“Are you really here?” a young boy asked, hand going to his mouth.

Bud went down on his knee before the lad, resting a hand on his shoulder. “We’re here. The army of Alveron has come, and we will get you out of this horrible place and ensure the demons never trouble anyone again.” He looked over the gathered prisoners. “The demons will not get you now.”

It was then that the truth seemed to hit them. Some wept, others just looked on silently.

They were free.

“Wizard Humphrey, can you hear me?” Aldric’s voice came in Hump’s head, a connection formed through the use of a Whisper spell.

“I hear you,” Hump said back.

“Where are you? We’ve located a large group of warlocks near the red tower building beneath the black keep. Do you see it?”

Hump searched, finding the tower looming perhaps half a mile ahead of them. “I see it, but we’ve found a large group of human prisoners. They need help, Aldric.”

“Where are you?”

“We’re by the—”

The spell ended, a sharp pain flaring in Hump’s head at the sudden disruption.

“Touching, really, it is,” came a soft, wistful voice at Hump’s side.

Hump startled.

There, watching the scene unfold, stood Karlac. The same devil he’d seen through the portal in the dungeon node. He looked much like a man, but for his black wings and thin, winding tail. And his eyes… they smouldered like hot coals. Hump’s heart rate jumped, fear filling him. On the other side of the devil, Celaine stared with wide eyes. How had the demon come between them?