12 Engage Now

Roko, Momo, Roland, Mikado and Varis all stepped out of the portal and into a forest. Not far from the edge of the trees was an old looking stone tower that poked high above the canopy. The group had been placed on an outcropping a few feet away and above the stone walls that marked the stone power's premises, allowing them to look down inside and see the small platoon of soldiers littering the grounds.

"That's a lot of people." Roland gulped, "Was this a group effort after all?"

"No." Roko said as he finished scanning the soldiers, "They're apparitions."

"How do you know that?"

"They don't have names."

"Spectral Soldiers." Momo said, surprised, "That's some high level magic. And so many of them at once too."

"I'd pay attention to the entrance." Mikado pointed to the door into the astronomy tower. On both sides of the door stood two giant stone golems. Its arm and legs were folded away so as to appear like pillars but there was an unmistakable face on them.

"Those are some pretty big golems." Momo frowned, "Spectral soldiers. Golems. Whoever did this is one powerful mage."

"What do we do?" Roland bit his lip, "We can't fight those golems AND those soldiers at the same time."

"We could launch some potshots from here." Momo said as she called up a few sparks of lightning from her hands, "Though we don't know what's waiting in the tower."

"It's not a good idea to waste our magic here." Mikado said, "You and Varis are our only magically inclined members."

"There's Roko too."

"Yeah. What can he do?" Roland rolled his eyes, "...Roko?"

"Got it." Roko said as he snapped his notebook shut, "We'll break through."

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Roland said.

"The golems are the only danger." Roko explained, "The soldiers' stats are way weaker than a normal knight. Your armor should have no problem defending against them."

"Again with these stats." Roland scoffed, "Are you saying I should actually believe these numbers that appear in your head?"

"Mikado and Momo, you're going to have to handle the golems." Roko continued, ignoring Roland, "Roland, you're going to keep the spectral soldiers away from the two while they fight."

"Wait, you want me to go up against that small army by myself?!"

"What about you and Varis?" Momo asked.

"We're going to need you to open a path for us to get inside." Roko said.

"So you're just going to abandon us and go into the tower by yourselves?"

"Roland, if you keep complaining you can give me your armor and I'LL take on the spectral soldiers and YOU can just go home." Roko snapped.

Roland look down and muttered something intelligible.

"How do me and Mikado scale against the golems?" Momo asked.

"Their constitution is quite high so it's going to be a battle of stamina. Their strength is high as well. I don't think either of you can take any more than three direct hits from them."

"You can predict how many hits we can take?" Momo blinked, "That's pretty impressive."

"That said, their dexterity is low so you should be able to outmaneuver them. The problem is those soldiers. They may not be able to hurt you but they can distract you enough to open you up for a critical hit from the golems. It's a layered trap."

"And it's my job to prevent that from happening huh?" Roland cleared his throat, "I got it. I'll keep those fakes at bay."

"Glad to see you've stepped up now." Momo smirked.

"There is a lady's safety at sake. I can't keep ridiculing whatever comes out of that ruffian's mouth no matter how valid they might be."

"Can you read inside the tower?" Mikado asked.

"My spell only works on living creatures." Roko sighed, "So I can't see inside the tower."

"So we still have no idea what's in store for us inside."

"That's why I'm going inside as well." Roko nodded, "Varis and I will get to the top of the tower however we can."

"Sounds good to me." Momo said as she stood up, "We'll try to take down the golems and help you two out as soon as we can."

"Then let's not waste any more time." Mikado said.

"You ready?"

The group split into two, with Roland and Mikado approaching from one side and Roko, Varis and Momo sneaking around the opposite side of the entrance. As Roko followed them behind the perimeter, he spotted what looked like a torn piece of paper with some sort of seal on it on the ground. Peeking around the wall, Momo and Mikado surveyed the area one last time before nodding to each other and drawing their swords. With a roar, they all charged into the courtyard, slicing down the soldiers closest to the entrance as the rest of the soldiers turned to face them.

"Lightning!"

Momo threw out a bolt of lightning at the still golems, causing them to unfurl their arms and legs as they stood up and began to stomp over to the intruders.

"Roko was right, these spectral soldiers can't pierce our armors at all." Momo said as she blocked a ghostly sword with just her arm bracers, "Everyone! We need to cut open a path!"

Clearing the soldiers around them, Mikado and Momo jumped at the lumbering golems and slashed at the golem's rocky body. The attacked with enough force to send the golems stumbling back a few steps to the side, opening a small route to the tower's door.

"Now!"

Varis and Roland pushed away any spectrals that tried to get in their way while Roko followed closely behind. Before passing the golems, Roland stopped and turned around to face the army of soldiers as Varis and Roko rushed past the golems and burst down the door into the tower.

"Good luck!" Momo called as she slashed at the golem again, drawing its attention back to her as it tried to chase the duo that entered the tower.

Roko took a moment to catch his breath before looking around the first floor. The first floor was completely empty with only a set of stairs that spiraled upwards further into the tower. Varis spent no time running to the stairs, forcing Roko to chase after him.

On the second floor, a large magical circle was laid across the floor.

"What's this?" Roko gasped as he caught up.

Wordlessly, Varis strode across the room to the stairs on the other side. As he neared the center of the circle, light began to shine out of the circle and a monstrous figure began to appear in the middle of the room.

"Is that a troll?!" Roko cried as a giant green monster stepped out from the light with a heavy looking club, "Sca-"

Varis smoothly drew his sword and in one stroke, decapitated the monster, letting it's corpse fall to the ground in front of him.

"Yikes." Roko winced as he stepped around the corpse, "I barely managed to get my spell in. I suppose this is what happens when you're vastly outleveled. Guess whoever did this couldn't summon any stronger monster than this."

Varis resheathed his sword and with Roko following behind him, they headed up to the next floor.

"Soon, my dear." The kidnapper breathed excitedly as he brooded over his boiling potion, "Soon the potion will be complete and we can be together forever."

"Please...don't do this." Corissa yelped as she struggled to free herself from her chains.

"I love you." The kidnapper said tearfully, "I loved you since I first saw you from that forest. Do you love me back?"

"I don't know you. Please, just let me go."

"No...no, I want you...I need you… I know. I'll add an aphrodisiac to the potion. Then we can become one with each other sooner."

Corissa struggled desperately against her bondage to no avail. Choking back tears of fear and despair, she quietly prayed for someone to come rescue her.

"Slow down." Roko said as he caught up to Varis on the third floor, "You can't just go setting off every trap you see. You could bring the entire tower down."

Varis didn't answer or even look back as he began climbing the stairs up to the fourth floor.

"Well, not that I can blame you." Roko sighed as he continued to follow Varis. On the fourth floor, the two stopped as they watched a large snake creature uncurl itself in the middle of the room. It turned to face them as it hissed threateningly.

"Scan." Roko said as he began to scan the giant creature, "...This isn't like any of the ones before us. This is a basilisk. You're not going to have an easy time with this one."

Varis drew his sword as he began to approach the mythical snake.

"Wait." Roko stopped him, "That basilisk is more or less an even match with you. If you fight it, you won't be able to make it up the tower in time for anything."

Varis just stared back at Roko silently. Roko knew he could speak but it seems even now, when it's just the two of them, he refused to just speak. It was impossible to tell what Varis was thinking behind his black helmet so Roko couldn't tell if he was waiting impatiently for him to get to the point or if he's quietly letting him finish.

"You run past it." Roko said, "I'll keep it off your back."

Varis turned around sharply as if in surprise though if he had any protests, he certainly didn't voice them.

"I'll be fine. You need to make it to your princess and save her for me. For all of us."

Varis looked down at Roko's arm that was still in a cast over the bite that he had received in their adventure in the woods a few days ago.

"Don't worry about me." Roko turned Varis to face the side of the room, "It doesn't hurt that much anymore. Anyway, it makes more sense for you to advance. I can't do anything if I get up there. You're the only one who can save her. Now go."

Roko pushed Varis forward. He stumbled a few steps before turning around to look one last time at Roko. Silently he turned back and began running around the basilisk to get to the stairs. The basilisk hissed loudly as it rose up to strike the black knight.

"Over here!"

Roko threw a large brick he had gotten off the ground at the basilisk's head. It bounced off the basilisk's head doing minimal damage but it was enough to get the snake's attention as Varis reached the stairs on the other side and ascended upwards.

"Snakes." Roko sighed as he drew his sword, "Why'd it have to be snakes?"