Van opened his eyes and got up, looking over at Yesi who had been patiently waiting in the corner while he meditated.

“I’ve found them, they seem to be in something called a rangers recluse. They’re held up there right now, though they can’t leave because they are surrounded by bandits and shriekers. I don’t know how long they can hold them off for…” he said worriedly, then quickly explained a few other landmarks to better get an idea of their location.

“Just our luck,” Yesi grunted, figuring out where Yassan probably was, then sighed. “Let's tell the commander, we’ll say it was one of your shadowy creatures that found them or something.” getting off the wall she was leaning on and walked to the door, only to pause right at the exit.

Turning back to look at him with a hard eye. “Oh, and if you are really planning to come with us, please make sure you don’t get sucked in by another Eros flower…” she said rather flatly.

Van blushed, remembering that not long after leaving the river, he somehow found himself blasted with Eros powder and ended up getting sucked off by a bloody flower because he was in too much of a daze. Thankfully, Yesi had time to prepare and wore a mask that filtered the pollen in the area, dragging him away and saving him. Even now though, he still felt conflicted about what happened to him… it was a very… novel experience…

Van cleared his throat a little and retorted, “You know you liked it…” giving Yesi a sultry look just to tease her. Referring to how Yesi helped him afterward…

Now Yesi blushed. Even after being saved from the flower, Van was still under the effects. So in order to help him get over it sooner… well…

“We… are not to speak of it…” she lightly hissed, turning around and walking out the door.

Van quickly followed, not wanting to be left behind, though oddly proud of himself as he felt like he scored some sort of victory.

Outside the two met with the commander, a high ghoul that seemed to be all hard edges and looked like she loved and hated her job in equal measure, it was clear she was someone who enjoyed a little challenge, though she also looked like she was old enough to want to retire. Which was something considering she must be very old to actually look old…

She gave the both of them a curious look as they approached, then asked them if they found anything using their shadow creatures.

“Yes.” Yesi said, taking charge, “they seem to be held up somewhere in the north. Van’s shadows can probably lead right there, we just have to follow.”

The fort commander grunted in satisfaction. “Good! Hopefully, enough of those bitches are there for us to kill to mean something… those bandits have been causing problems for us over these past two years and have only become bolder as time went on. It would be good if we can kill enough to make them think twice about calling this forest their home.”

She then grilled them for every little information they could provide, do they know how many bandits there were? What weapons were they carrying? What about the shriekers they seemed to have tamed? And plenty of more questions.

Van tried his best to answer them all, though he had to admit it was a little dodgy since the summons he sent ahead only now finally arrived. He was also getting worried about how late it was getting, and wondering if they would get there in time, getting a little antsy as the commander just continued to interrogate him for information.

After what felt like forever, but was just twenty minutes, the commander seemed somewhat satisfied with the information given and nodded.

“Alright, now the only thing to consider is how long will it take to get there…” She turned to Yesi. “Do you know the distance between here and your rangers' recluse? Do you also have permission from your superiors to divulge such information?” probably already aware of the importance that a ranger’s recluse was to the rangers guild.

Yesi nodded. “I’ll take full responsibility for this after we save my compatriots and charges, I hope you understand that we will have to burn the recluse down later.”

The commander nodded, fully understanding her reasoning. “Fine, now… how long will it take us to get there?”

Yesi thought about it, looking up at the sky, they only had a few hours of daylight left. “From what was described to me, it probably is about six to seven hours away from the fort… if we are to make it in time we will have to leave right this second.”

The commander nodded, then turned back to Van. “And you, are you sure there are only a dozen bandits and shriekers? No more?” asking not because she doubted him, but because it was her job to make doubly sure.

Van nodded. “I’m sure, I can share some of my senses with my many summons, and through them, I sense only about two dozen bandits and shriekers… sorry I can’t be of much more help…”

The commander shook her head. “You're more help than you realize. I’ve been demanding that the fort needs at least one competent mage, so having you around is greatly beneficial. Maybe after this, the people back home will see how badly we need one. Thankfully with Rosalyn in charge the fort system we have in place here has seen many renovations and we’ve been reinforced a bit as well, making the forest a lot safer until those bandits came along.” she grunted.

“You know Rosalyn?” Van asked, it must have come out sounding impressed because the commander looked rather proud.

“I’ve met her once. Amazing woman for an Ingrid, good head on her shoulders. Could use more nobles like her.”

This was pretty informative for Van, and he would like to hear a bit more, but the commander stopped herself, with a shake of her head.

“Sorry, now's not the time for this.” She then turned and began to yell orders in a loud booming voice. “Alright, ladies! I want this fort on high alert! Get to your stations! Release the hawks! I want that pulse crystal supercharged and ready for long-range communications! Get the secondary pulse tower up and running! I want my sergeants here, and I want them now! MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!”

And with her orders, a flurry of activity took the fort. The people at the pulse tower began testing their equipment to make sure the vespera communications network was online and working. The hawks released were flying high above the air looking down, they seemed to have some sort of helmet on them with spectacles that Van could only presume was to help them see even in bad lighting with a little wire with a pulse crystal hanging out the end to allow a connection to the handlers down below. Soldiers began to line up in front of the commander, about sixty-five of them, awaiting orders.

“Alright girls, we are doing a rescue operation and I’m going to need all of you!” the commander said, which earned a surprised look from her women since this was about fifty percent of their fort's strength.

“We have intel indicating that a group of about two dozen bandits, plus two dozen shriekers are sieging a ranger’s recluse about six to seven hours from here.” the commander began, earning a few murmurs of surprise from the soldiers, though most remained quiet, professionally waiting for orders.

“The plan is simple, go there, kill those daughters of bitches and sluts, and go home. We’ll have to do a forced march if we want to get there sooner, so be ready to bring stamina potions. There are a lot of shriekers, but more of us, so make sure to engage them with a partner to help cover for you, I don’t want any of you dying on me. You all have ten minutes to prepare… NOW GO!” she shouted, and the soldiers scattered.

Van was impressed by the commanding aura of the commander, and how the soldiers quickly reacted. And in ten minutes, just like she said, they had all returned and were ready to march to battle.

Van and Yesi led the way. Yesi used her rangers skills, and Van used his shadows to make doubly sure there weren’t any hidden surprises along the way. He was surprised by the good time they were making working together in tandem. It didn’t hurt that there was a bunch of women behind them ready to kill, their sheer determination creating a strong presence that egged Van and Yesi on from behind.

Van couldn’t help but feel powerful with such an army at his back, and like they could take on anything in their way… “Don’t worry Luna… Kella… Isa… Gwen… were coming for you… just please hold on for a little longer…”

---

When Luna first decided to go with Van east and explore the world a little, she did not think that exploring the world a little, or going on a little adventure, meant bad things constantly happening to you.

She was abused by Karmila and her daughters as a child, had her husband raped on the day that was supposed to be her wedding day, had her husband raped again when they went on an adventure to a forest, and had that forest literally blow up on her, and now was being waylaid by bandits and forced to hold up in a freaking tree fort…

Luna was beginning to think that there must be some gods out there taking great joy in her misery…

“If there are any gods out there watching… fuck you…” she said in silent prayer, a little afraid that maybe one was actually listening in and would retaliate, but feeling it had to be said.

“Hmm… why aren't they attacking?” Kella suddenly said from beside Luna, startling her. “It doesn’t make sense… they're just there… waiting…”

Luna looked over the railing down below. Supposedly the bandits couldn’t see them very well with the barrier up, but that didn’t mean they were safe… for it was clear that they at least knew where the barrier was, which did beg the question of why they weren’t trying to break in. their shriekers as well were just milling about, their handlers not far behind, though it looked like they wished to be.

“Maybe they are afraid of any hidden defenses beyond the barrier?” Luna thought aloud.

Now Yassan came to join them, answering Luna’s question as he peered at the threat below them. “No… Other than a few traps, the number one defense of the ranger’s recluse is its special barrier that hides this outpost from prying eyes. And prevents the occasional monster from just barging in… but given enough time, it can be dealt with… but…” Now he looked at the bandits just standing around doing nothing, a somewhat confused and worried look on his face as Kella finished his explanation for him.

“But they aren't doing anything…” Kella said, glaring at the bandits and wondering what they were up to. “They had hours to just send those shriekers to attack us. Maybe it wouldn’t have been in time for the reinforcements from the fort, but it would have been cutting it close… but they don’t… they just stand there… waiting…”

Silence took the group as they watched from above those enemies down below that did not do anything to prove their lust for blood or wealth. Nor did they show a desire to break into the tree fort anytime soon, some even going so far as to bring out a deck of cards and start making bets on the outcome.

Slowly a suspicious thought began to form in Luna’s head about what was going on. But before she could actualize it, she sensed her husband close by. Close enough at least to not need to concentrate to figure out his general direction. Her heart uplifted at the mere thought of her other half so close by, and she couldn’t help but exclaim happily with a smile on her face, looking into the distance at something only she could see...

“He’s nearby! Van’s coming!” then gave a lewd grin. “My second favorite type of coming!” then laughing a little at her own joke. She didn’t realize how much her heart ached from just being a single day separated from him. Though that may be because that’s what happens when two soul bonded stay separate from each other for so long without preparation…

Yassan looked at her oddly, like someone who just lost her mind. But Kella actually had mixed feelings on the matter. On the one hand, she was relieved that he was okay… on the other, he was putting himself in danger by coming here.

Kella then also tried to look in the direction of where Luna was looking but found nothing.

“They are just a few hours away,” Luna said, after noticing Kella looking around. “They should be here in two hours!” she said happily.

Yassan didn’t know how Luna knew, but he looked relieved because at least it seemed Kella believed Luna, and he felt that wouldn’t be the case if it wasn’t true. Just chalking Luna’s ability to sense her husband as some sort of special bonded accessory that some lovers and spouses wear.

After that, the three of them decided to tell the rest of the group that help was on the way, Luna saying she had a special way of feeling out her husband, though she wouldn’t go into detail on how.

Gwen and Isa looked relieved, but the other two ranger girls weren’t so sure… but at least some semblance of hope seemed to be instilled within everyone. After that they all largely agreed to continue watching the bandits below until the rescue party arrived, talking amongst themselves about what they may or may not be able to do to help once the people from the fort come to save them.

But something strange happened as the minutes ticked by. The once quiet bandits that did nothing but lay about slowly started to pick themselves up and run about. At first, the group had no idea what they were doing, but soon about half a dozen of the bandits just got up and left.

After that, the handlers began ordering the shriekers to attack the barrier. Said shriekers gave their ear-splitting shrieks of their namesake and went to town on the opaque shimmering field surrounding the tree fort. The places they struck turned the tell-tale signs of magical blue, indicating that there actually was a mana barrier there.

Soon, the six bandits that left returned with another dozen or so shriekers that joined their brethren in beating the shit out of the barrier, making Luna and the others pale at the bandit's reinforcements.

But again, something strange happened, now about a dozen or so bandits up and left, leaving only the handlers and tamers behind, who themselves were slowly inching away from the tree fort and their shriekers, almost as if they were ready to leave soon as well.

“What are they doing? Are they just going to leave?” Luna asked, confused by the actions of the bandits and worried as to what they were up to.

And she wasn’t the only one that was getting suspicious and a little scared of the almost forty shriekers streaming their torsos off as they tried to get in and at the tasty morsels inside.

Then the bandits did something completely unexpected, all but one fled. And that last one raised one of her rods up high, channeling aura and mana to a high degree as the tip began to glow a dull red light. This light seemed to affect the shriekers as right before everyone's eyes they began to change into a dull red color themselves, growing them bigger, stronger, faster, and more crazed…

The rod the bandits were holding continued to glow in power until it couldn’t handle it anymore and shattered. Once that happened, the handler booked it as fast as her legs could carry her. Praying that the shriekers didn’t notice her and that the last command to attack the tree fort and all those inside still held.

Now a small army of crazed shriekers that have been greatly buffed was attacking the barrier with reckless abandon. Their already black and pitiless eyes were now red and filled with blood lust.

“Those fucking bitches actually berserked them!” Kella exclaimed with fear, turning to Yassan and his rangers. “We have to overcharge the barrier! If we don’t, we may not survive until rescue comes!”

Yassan froze in fear and horror until his brain kicked in and he rushed deeper into the tree fort. “I’m on it!” he shouted as he ran to do as Kella said.

“Everyone else! Bring out your bows, and get ready to fire the second they break through! We have to hold them off!”

Isa, Gwen, and the rangers nodded, bringing out their bow and making themselves ready, except for Gwen who started enchanting everyone's arrows.

Luna though, still looked down at the rage-induced monster below her with fear. Not for herself, but for her husband that was coming to rescue her…

“Please Van… don’t rush in… stay back… stay safe…” she prayed silently, hoping that prayers would be answered…