Carl really wished he had a regenerate power. After his near death experience, all he got was a quick cup of coffee and a hug. Now he was staring into the frightened, hopeful eyes of every player left in Nassau. His cheek hurt. Well, most of his body hurt.

"OK," he said. "Drink and dip."

The players all choked down their awful tasting 'fight brews', then dipped their metal weapons in Rosa's vat of acid. Now they just needed to open the gate.

"Mason needs our help," Carl said. "Nassau needs our protection. This is our job, it's why we exist. The two trolls first. Then we go out there and do what we can. If you've got any questions, now's the time."

The players all shook their heads. Well, except Annie. After she drank her potion she seemed to shake or maybe twitch with her whole body, then she started making concerning growling sounds.

Still, she had her axe clutched in both hands and seemed ready to point herself in the right direction. That was about as much as Carl could hope for.

"OK," he said again, nodding to the civilian at the gate control. "Let's go."

The bent and broken metal frame of the now burning door creaked and swung aside. Without that strength, the two trolls pushed and rammed their way through the stack of wooden support beams, both stumbling inside with something like confusion.

Garet and Jason yelled and stabbed first, ramming both their longer weapons into exposed thighs with acid-coated spear tips. Then they leapt back, and everyone stared.

A little blood leaked from the wounds, then the flesh began to blacken like it was being burned, with no sign of healing. The troll roared in pain. Carl and the others cheered.

"It works! Kill the bastards!"

Carl waited until the others had them engaged and busy, then he Shadow Leapt behind them. With a grunt of effort and a giant push, he jumped up behind the first creature and sliced his Mirror Blade down the straps and fasteners on the side of the thing's breastplate.

He also struck flesh, and the thing twisted and elbowed him without looking, knocking him flying back to bounce to the dirt.

He rose with a groan, but smiled as he watched the already healing troll's chest armor droop and fall. That should do it, he thought.

The armor didn’t bother his blade, of course, but now the others could take it from there.

Getting up felt like a Herculean feat. But he had one more troll to expose, then he would stealth out and do what he could. It’s just one more time, he thought. One day of suffering and then I can rest.

As he readied himself for round two, he stopped and blinked as two young women ran straight between the trolls.

It took him a moment to recognize Seul-ki and Rosa. His mind seemed unable to comprehend what on earth they were thinking before they raced past him without a word. He shook his head, thinking maybe the poison was giving him hallucinations.

"God damnit," he muttered, preparing himself for another leap. "I'm too old for this shit."

* * *

Mason blocked another club swipe with his Sleeves, but still got knocked hard enough he slammed into a tree. It was sort of what he wanted.

Every hit hurt a little less. Every time he slashed or ripped flesh off a troll he felt himself getting more, getting deeper. But they just kept healing.

If he could have focused on one he could have managed it. But between the trolls and their handlers taking their shots, he wasn't sure if Transformation and Duality of Strength were enough to actually kill them all. Time would tell, but he wasn't sure how much time he had.

Finally he saw wolves flickering white and grey between the trees, leaping on goblins with gory enthusiasm. He was pretty sure he smelled Becky with them, hopefully protecting them. And he really hoped Seamus and Phuong were close.

He dodged and weaved through the slow, stupid, but relentless trolls, taking the time to slice down a handler who got too close before bashing his own head and shoulder straight into a troll's leg to trigger his powers. He shook off the pain as he backed away.

"That's right, keep hitting me," he said, "let's see who lasts longest."

Then he heard the gates of Nassau creak and crack open, and looked back when he had a moment to see players attacking the trolls. He grinned, but kept fighting, hoping Blake was handling himself alright nearby. If he'd had more time he might have dwelled on how things had changed that he felt comfortable letting him.

"Mason!" he turned when he heard a feminine voice come from Nassau.

Seul-ki and Rosa were running straight towards him. Rosa was carrying what looked like a pot of stew. Seul-ki had a flask in each hand.

That running out towards a goblin army as a civilian and a support was crazy he didn't bother saying. Instead he turned and sprinted at full speed towards Seul-ki.

"Two powers!" he shouted. "Duality of Strength and Transformation. Everything you've got. For as long as you can!"

A goblin handler yelled behind him.

"Those two! Bring them down! Now!"

Mason cursed himself for a fool, though he supposed it would have happened even if he hadn't shouted. He felt it in slow motion, knowing all he could do was keep running and hope he reached them...

A dozen arrows streaked past, straight on target. And by the look on Seul-ki's face, she didn't have a damn thing to protect them.

* * *

Rosa knew she should have thrown herself to the ground, or ducked, or something. But when the moment came she just stood there frozen, clutching her pot full of acid, cringing with her eyes closed. A very small piece of her brain told her casually she was probably going to die.

A series of sizzling and pinging sound followed, and Rosa opened her eyes to see a purple shield in front of her, a bunch of arrows flat in the dirt. She saw Rebecca at the edge of the trees, and their eyes met for a moment before Mason arrived.

"Be quick, Seul-ki, they'll follow. Rosa what the hell are you doing?"

Rosa forced herself to act. She put down the pot and pulled off the lid, keeping her face away from the deadly steam that rose out.

"It’s acid. Dip your swords, and the trolls won't heal. Or at least that’s what Carl said. Oh and drink those potions. They're...whatever, just drink them."

Mason raised both flasks and drank them one after the other without a word. As he did, Rosa actually took a good look at him.

He was wearing some kind of…green spandex, though it was mostly ripped to shreds. And his face...and underneath...she couldn't tell if he was covered in blood and bruises, or...were those scales?

"Um, Mason?"

"No time," he said, gasping as he finished the liquid and dipped his blades in the acid. Then Seul-ki put her hands on his arm, and a pulse of energy flashed.

Mason closed his eyes, and when he opened the already bright green irises shone with light, and his smile was vaguely terrifying.

"You did good. I’m impressed. Now run to Becky and the wolves. It’s going to get bloody here."

"The um, wolves?" Rosa said, but Mason was already gone. He sprinted back towards the trolls, practically bounding forward in leaps rather than run like a normal person. When Rosa tried to pick up her acid, Seul-ki grabbed her and pulled.

"Leave it. Just run!"

Half a dozen more arrows bounced and sizzled instead of killed her, and Rosa realized a terrible fact she had to accept: Mason's other lover, who Rosa had made a special song composed of curses for, had just saved her life for the second time.

PierceGrey

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