The sixth ward was in a really unfortunate location. It being Southeast, it was just on the border of the cliff that separated the forest from the rocky terrain below. I’d never been that far, and we were now in the fogged part of the mini map.

  Though, that was quickly diffusing in our collective vision. The giant boulder stood on top of a shale looking rock outcropping and Benji had to go slip-sliding up an unmaintained path to get to it.

  When he finally got there and twisted the key… nothing happened.

  He tried again, and still nothing.

  We were onto our final ten minutes before the debuff would settle permanently and we were all getting pretty anxious. Benji bent over, peering into the hole and couldn’t see anything. He yelled over for all of us to shut our eyes, and then he cast Blind.

  Blind: [Active] [Elemental Spell] [Domain: Light] Emit a flash of white-hot light at a target, blinding it and causing it to lose concentration. Can also be cast sustained to light up an area in darkness. Can affect allies (Mana cost: varies).

  A burst of white light erupted from Benji’s hand as he focused it on the Ward. A few moments passed and then Benji called out that he saw the problem. A few seconds after that, the familiar pulsing of the ward activating flooded the landscape.

  It was about dusk now, way past golden hour.

  We were losing light, fast.

  6/7 Wards Repaired.

  We rushed to the last one with five minutes to spare. It was the Southern-most Ward and at the very edge of the cliff that overlooked a crashing waterfall, spilling into the canyon below.

  To our dismay, there were a few dozen frog like humanoid creatures milling around the boulder. The three foot tall green-grey looking frogs had miniature halberds, scale mail, and one or two actually had full helmets.

  They took one look at us and screamed. Well, it was more of a glob or a blub… just really, fucking loud. Like the pod people but frogs. Five raised their weapons and started running, full tilt, towards us.

  Three in the back threw their hands out and shot a gooey, black substance on the ground in between us and their waiting front guard. In total, there were maybe twenty-four of them. Any other time, this might have been terrifying just with sheer number differentials.

  Right now, we just had a job to do and not much time left to do it. None of us wanted a permanent debuff, even if it went away when we hit Acolyte.

  “Benji, get to the ward and activate it. Maleena, go with him and watch his back. I’ll stay here with Greg and draw their attention,” Dane commanded.

  “There’s too many of them! There’s not enough time to take them all on!” Benji yelled.

  “We just need to get the ward up, and get inside. They shouldn’t be able to follow, right?” I asked, transforming back into my normal state.

  Being a Gazelle was great for speed and agility, but I couldn't really control the rest of my spells well in that form. I conjured my hammer.

  Summon Sledgehammer: [Active] [Conjuration] [Domain: Metallurgy] Conjure a 3 lbs high-carbon steel hammer that swings like a war hammer. (Mana cost: low).

  “Get down!” Benji warned, and then cast Blind.

  Blind: [Active] [Elemental Spell] [Domain: Light] Emit a flash of white-hot light at a target, blinding it and causing it to lose concentration. Can also be cast sustained to light up an area in darkness. Can affect allies (Mana cost: varies).

  At the same time, Dane cast Shield Wall to cover the ill effects of Benji’s spell.

  Shield Wall [Active] [Defense Spell] [Domain: Tactician] Cast a large, indomitable shield blocking slashing, piercing, and blunt damage. Minor resistance to elemental spells. Deals blunt damage on hit if you have a physical shield equipped (Mana cost: low).

  We all ducked behind the Shield as light erupted out towards the frog knight looking things. Halberds and shields were dropped, and some even crashed into each other. The five that had been running in our direction were nearly on us but missed their mark and careened off the cliff at our backs.

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  Then, Benji and Maleena were off… slipping into the shadows. It was time for me to make a spectacle of myself.

  I stood up from my crouched position under the Shield Wall and cast Furnace, my body lighting on fire.

  Furnace: [Active] [Elemental Spell] [Domain: Metallurgy] Engulf your body in flames as hot as your forge (Mana cost: moderate).

  “Hey frogger, come get me!” I jeered.

  I wasn’t focused on one particular frog for that shitty taunt to be accurate or anything, but it felt good saying it. Several of the front line of Frog Knights (I didn’t know what to call them yet) began marching forward, going single file to avoid the black goo on the ground.

  I turned to Dane and said, “Hey. I’ve got another stupid idea.”

  “What now?”

  “Think your Wrathful Strike could hit my hammer and not break it?”

  Dane smiled, catching on quick, “Let’s give it a shot.”

  Wrathful Strike: [Active] [Physical] [Domain: Wrath] Strike out with extreme force, greatly improving physical strikes (Mana cost: low).

  I softball pitched my hammer at Dane who smashed it away with a CRACK. His item, Dead Wrath, tripling the hit and sending it hurdling in a perfect straight shot towards the approaching single file line of Frog Knights.

  The sledge struck the first Frog clean in the face and instead of stopping there, it kept going. Green-black goo splattered everywhere as the hammer made a through-and-through between the Frog’s eyes.

  It hit the next one, and the next, and the next. In total, the Wrathful Hammer combo split ten Frog skulls before my flaming conjured weapon disappeared.

  You have slain a common Gort Aspet

  You have slain a common Gort Aspet

  You have slain a common Gort Aspet

  You have slain a—

  I minimized the notifications.

  There were several more coming in and I couldn’t afford to lose concentration now. Losing sight of Benji and Maleena, I checked my mini map and saw two blue dots approaching what looked like the Inactive Ward.

  We had three minutes left and there were still nine Gort Aspet left.

  The three casters in the back shot some more black goo our way, but we were still out of range. The six frontliners stopped their single file march to death, seeing their companions get dropped so easily.

  They formed a shield wall and screamed blood murder at us in a language I didn’t understand. I dropped Furnace and crouched next to Dane.

  “Wait, are these guys sentient?”

  “Not the time GZelle,” Dane hissed.

  “Right. Gotta do the murder,” I said, dragging out the gotta like a bored teenager.

  “You’re kinda cringey you know that?”

  “I babble when I’m nervous.”

  “Weren’t you a medic or something?” Dane asked.

  “Hallmark trait of anyone who works on a rig. The dumb jokes never stop,” I said, keeping my eyes on our targets.

  The six Gort Aspet holding their shields had stopped clamoring and I couldn’t see the casters anymore. Just when I was about to say something else, Dane cast Shield Wall again and pulled me under.

  Seconds later, more black goo came hurdling towards us. This time, slapping against Dane’s massive magical barrier and falling to the ground, sizzling.

  “Poison,” Dane said.

  I sent a hammer throw over top the Shield Wall and managed to knock one of the Gort Aspet off balance. His companions pulled him back up and locked him back in the wall.

  “Ideas?” I asked.

  “We just have to hold their attention until—”

  A big golden bright light erupted some hundred meters behind the fortified frog squad. The same pulsing emitted from the Ward and then grew in strength. The quick throb became a steady stream of light that washed over the hillside and came hurdling towards our enemies and us. When the light crashed into the Gort Aspet, they disintegrated. There was no black ichor smoke, no gross black goo explosion… just… dust.

  Dane turned to me, stood up, smiled, and said, “Well, that worked out.”

  7/7 Wards Repaired

  Quest complete!

  Congratulations! You have successfully repaired the wards of the Forest of Gene. This space is now clear. Return to the centrally located Master Ward Stone to select options for further fortification improvement.

  Congratulations! Debuff: Time Crunch, erased.

  Congratulations! You completed the Ward Repair Quest in under an hour. Each member of your party receives the permanent buff: Efficient.

  Efficient: All stats (mana/stamina/health) recover completely after a short rest.

  Crunch Time: Your stamina recovery time has greatly improved (+ 15%).

  Congratulations! You have completed a fundamental quest in the Forest of Gene.

  A reward has been deposited into your inventory.

  “Well, that was exhausting,” Benji said, loafing over to us.

  “Just in the nick. Well done, Benji,” Dane said, giving the smaller man a meaty pat on the back.

  “You guys say that here?” I asked, perplexed.

  “Yeah, you know Saint Nick?” Benji inquired.

  “Uhhh… sure I do. But I’m guessing he’s not a jolly old guy with a big white beard who gives out presents to kids who have been good, but is really the corporate mask for rampant capitalism?”

  “Can we get some food?” Maleena said, ignoring me.

  “I’m STARVING,” Benji agreed.

  “Think you can make us some more sandwiches, Benji?” Dane asked.

  “No more bread,” he said mournfully.

  “You guys really don’t want to hear about capitalism, do you?” I asked, mostly joking.

  “No!” They all shouted.

  “Fair enough,” I said.

  As I walked past the pile of Gort Aspet, I touched a hand on each I could find, looting the bodies. The stroll back to the Treehouse was an uneventful one, save for the hygiene drink I downed after the grisly looting task.

  The three were still talking about food as they went. And though I felt a big sense of accomplishment from completing the quest, I also felt sick to my stomach.

  There was so much gore.