Edge cradled Rue in his arms, watching the sunrise as the wagons rolled their way across the jungle.

  The gorgeous display formed a sharp contrast to the grim expressions on his friends’ faces—thoughts filled with the battle to come. The golden fox sensed something was wrong, but he couldn’t figure out why everyone was so tense. Rue contemplated the matter before moving on to more important issues, licking Edge’s neck while demanding breakfast.

  “Okay, boy.” He pulled a snack out of his vault and fed it to his Companion, knowing this might be the last moment of calm either of them experienced for quite some time to come.

  At last, the expedition was nearing the border of the Ivory Plains. Another hour would see them to the boundary of the biome, and after one last push, they would finally be home. They didn’t know what had transpired in their absence, and their conflict with the Claws would soon reach its blood-drenched climax, but it still felt good to be leaving the oppressive heat and ferocious predators that were ubiquitous throughout the Sweltering Green.

  The trip had taken longer than they’d hoped, but the expedition had used the time wisely. The beasts had recovered from their malnutrition, and all but the worst of the warriors’ wounds had healed.

  The crafters and alchemists had whipped up a fresh batch of consumables and medicinal items, including some basic potions. Edge had asked Melchior for two—one to boost his Speed and another to bolster his Amplification. He transferred them into the shatterproof vials he’d been storing in his vault and then slid them into his potion bandolier.

  Over the last few days, everyone had gained some cycles while hunting beasts and an occasional monster. Combined with the experience they’d picked up during the battle below the mountain, several of their members had evolved to stage two—Jumo and Sasha among them. For his part, Edge had made considerable progress with Repel Water and the combined mode of All-Seeing Gaze. He thought he could use both skills in battle going forward.

  The Claws were still jamming all long-distance magic coming from this direction, so the expedition would have to wait until they drew closer to scout using Riller’s drone and their visual-enhancement skills.

  They needed to decide how they wanted to proceed before they ran into the Claws, so they stopped to confer while they were still obscured by the prolific growth. Once the wagons were parked and a watch was in place, Able had the leaders of the expedition gather round for a strategy session.

  “All right, people. We’ve made it through the jungle without losing anyone else, thank the gods. Since the jailbirds we defeated are heading into the plains instead of returning to wherever they came from, it’s safe to assume the gang still intends to invade the settlement. Thanks to Edge, Mel, Sasha, and Fox, we were able to kill Ella and Roth, but they still have Tiburón, Ripper, and at least one more elite in the field. We don’t know where Yussuf the Red is, but the Claws’ leader is certain to be joining them before long.

  “Based on what we overheard, the strike force that was besieging us represented a little less than half the Claws’ total forces. The army threatening the Puppet Town should be somewhere in the range of 150 cored warriors, although some of them were critically wounded during the battle below the mountain. That means we’re in for a fight against an army that’s significantly stronger than the last, but it isn’t all bad news. We have Earl and the handful of elites back in town, along with the rest of the peacekeepers and militia.

  “We haven’t been able to contact anyone in the settlement since they are blocking our skills—all of which points to another siege situation. This time, we’re in a position to deal with the problem directly, but we need to coordinate with the rest of our people before making a major play. We’re incredibly lucky to have made it this far with minimal losses, but engaging the gang head-on is a losing proposition without more information.

  In short, before we commit our forces, we need to gather fresh intel, then decide when and how to make our move—ideally without giving our position away in the process.”

  “The Claws know we’re coming,” Alice added. “If we enter the plains from this direction, their scouts are sure to be waiting. We should circle around and approach from another angle. It will add half a day to the trip, but at least we won’t be walking into an ambush and will retain the element of surprise.”

  “We can’t afford to wait that long,” Trapper argued. “But your point is well taken. I think we should break into smaller teams moving forward. Our scouts can sneak past the gang’s lookouts, surveying the plains while our elites approach the settlement under the cover of stealth. By the time the rest of the expedition is ready to make our move, we’ll have a better idea of what we are dealing with. Our crafters and support staff won’t last long if we’re engaged out in the open. It would be ideal if we can create an opportunity for them to enter the settlement, along with our wounded warriors.”

  “I might be able to sneak past the Claws and get word to Earl,” Riller volunteered. “Then signal you with flares and flags to let you know what the situation is like inside the walls.”

  “I wouldn’t mind taking a shot at Ripper or the other strike leaders before our armies clash,” Edge said as Jumo and Mel nodded emphatically. “Assassinating one of them would tip the scales in our favor. Even if we can’t seal the deal, it will serve as one hell of a distraction—maybe enough to get our noncombatants through the gate.”

  They discussed the matter for another half hour before coming to a decision. In the end, they decided to send Riller and a few other stealth specialists into the plains now. Everyone else would circle around, then the elites would advance while the others waited at the border of the jungle until the scouts reported the way was clear.

  After they were out of range of the jailbirds’ interference magic, Edge was hoping Sakura would contact him again and provide additional information that would inform their decisions. One thing was certain—sometime within the next 24 hours, the conflict with the Crimson Claws would come to a head, and this time, he wasn’t letting any of them get away.

  Little did Edge know, the series of battles that would determine the settlement’s fate had already begun.

  ***

  When Sakura Darted over to the northern wall and peered into the distance, a sight awaited her that filled her with dread.

  There was a small army of Claws heading toward the shattered gate. They were ready to take advantage of the confusion—enter the settlement and kill as many defenders as possible before they recovered. She pushed past her exhaustion and shut out the pain of her wounds, gathering all the information she could before the fighting began.

  While it was a bad situation, it wasn’t as hopeless as she’d feared. This must be the group that was hiding on the plains. I don’t see Yussuf or any of the strike leaders who were besieging Trapper’s team. As the defenders of Puppet Town came running from across the settlement, Sakura took a closer look at the damage Wraith’s crew had inflicted.

  The Dome was unpowered, and the northern turrets were gone, along with the gate between them. But the wall still stood along with the guard towers—a testament to diligent craftsmanship and valuable resources that had gone into constructing the amazing barrier.

  Of course, none of that mattered if the Claws invaded Puppet Town before its protectors could rally. The jailbirds would arrive in approximately five minutes—a group of 50 cored warriors by her rough estimate. It was only a fraction of the gang’s forces, but far more than the handful of peacekeepers patrolling the wall could handle.

  When Sakura used Sense Link to look through Earl’s eyes, she learned he was on the opposite side of the settlement, responding to an enemy sighting that was clearly a diversion with the clarity of hindsight. Even with his incredible attributes, it would take the sheriff several minutes to reach the northern approach—time Puppet Town didn’t have.

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  There were only a dozen defenders in position, who couldn’t hope to hold back the jailbirds who were racing toward the decimated gate with bloodlust clear in every crook of their features.

  Before Wraith’s team brought down the generator powering the Dome, the town had been safe from skills originating from outside its walls. But now the settlement was critically vulnerable, and the convicts were eager to exploit that weakness.

  While the bulk of their army assaulted the north gate, a smaller team was headed directly for the wall. If the Claws bypassed the barrier, they would have free rein of the town, and it would be a nightmare rooting them out.

  Sakura was battered, and bleary and her reservoir was running on fumes, but if the defenders couldn’t delay the jailbirds until reinforcements arrived, Puppet Town was going to fall here and now. She was surprised when Dialla appeared at her side with a magitech boltcaster clasped in her hands.

  “Here.” The mayor handed Sakura a pouch containing several medicinal pills and a mana seed. “From the emergency stores.” She swallowed them all, sighing in relief as her pain receded and magicytes began flowing into her tank. Then she picked up a bow from a nearby stockpile, and with Dialla at her side, the guards on the wall opened fire.

  “You need to get out of here before they reach this position,” Sakura said in between shots. “You’re not strong enough to go toe-to-toe with a stage-two warrior. They’ll take you out in an instant and deal a blow the settlement can’t recover from.” Dialla nodded as she let loose with her boltcaster, firing round after round at the approaching convicts.

  By now, several more guardsmen and hunters had joined them, doing everything they could to delay the inevitable. The defenders unleashed another volley of ranged attacks, taking some shots in return—although both sides were too far away to aim with any real accuracy.

  Their efforts killed four convicts on the approach and wounded several more, but that was all the time they had before the jailbirds reached the wall. While Dialla fell back to coordinate the militia, the Claws ignited their cores and started using their skills.

  Some Leapt onto the walkway, while others popped into existence as they activated a short-range teleport. One nimble woman was able to Climb the wall’s surface like a lizard. Within a handful of heartbeats, the defenders were fighting hand-to-hand as the protectors of Puppet Town fought and bled all around her.

  With reinforcements arriving in a steady stream, they were holding their own against the first wave, but it wouldn’t be long before the rest of the killers reached the ruined gate and the casualties began to skyrocket. More concerning still, Sakura didn’t see any of the Claws’ strike leaders, but there had to be an elite or two directing this attack.

  When she looked over her shoulder, she saw that the militia was rallying on the public green. They were preparing to deal with individual jailbirds who made it into town, since they weren’t strong enough to square off against the organized squadrons that were advancing using military tactics.

  By now, the melee had reached her position. Sakura Darted down the walkway to stab a Claw in the back—preventing him from unleashing a skill on a trio of watchmen. She twisted her sword to make sure the wound was fatal, then moved to the rooftops to provide support, since she wouldn’t last long engaging experienced warriors in hand-to-hand.

  The top of the wall was holding strong for the moment, but the skirmish was merely a diversion for the action taking place on the ground.

  A small group of guardsmen was standing in front of the missing gate while trading fire with the Claws’ main unit, but their efforts would only buy another minute or two at most. Sure enough, their barriers began failing as the defenders blew through their mana and their magitech devices ran out of aether. All too soon, the strike force would overwhelm them and gain unfettered access to the town.

  Once the gang made it inside, they would start slaughtering the uncored residents, and a lot of good people would die. Sakura watched as those brave men and women risked everything to hold the line, knowing that they were likely experiencing the final moments of their lives. Even when the strike force reached them, they refused to give up, pulling out weapons to engage the jailbirds in melee.

  For the next twenty seconds, the defenders held the line, fueling her hope that their efforts would be enough to let the town’s elites reach the breach in time. That hope was extinguished a heartbeat later, when two of the Claws’ strike leaders emerged from the press and ignited their cores.

  Oh fuck. It’s Tiburón and Blaze. There’s no way we can hold those two back.

  Sakura hadn’t known that Blaze had joined the Claws, but she recognized the man from his crimson leather armor and the copious burns covering every inch of exposed skin. But as dangerous as the fire-wielding elite was, Tiburón was even worse.

  A small group of militiamen had appeared to supplement the defenders outside the gate, but they were wheat before the scythe when facing the late-stage two warrior. She was shocked when Tiburón ordered his troops to fall back, proceeding alone while they circled around to attack the defenders atop the wall.

  The elite strike leader began activating skills, suffusing his body with a dense layer of mana while swatting missiles out of the air with his bare hands. Sakura knew the mountain of a man was a transformation specialist, but she hadn’t been able to discover the details of his skillset until that moment.

  The result was more horrific than she could have imagined. Tiburón’s features began to soften before his skin ran like wax. His frame widened and his arms extended—muscles bulging as the metamorphic magic rebuilt his body from the inside out. It must have taken an incredible volume of magicytes to power the high-rank skill, but the man had a massive reservoir and plenty of mana to spare.

  Talons extended from his fingertips, and curling horns rose from his head. Chitinous plates formed across his skin as his armor fell away—custom-made to come apart when using this skill. Worst of all, Tiburón’s jaw widened, and his teeth began to grow, forming a sharklike maw filled with row after row of serrated blades. That can only mean one thing. Sakura recoiled with disgust and horror. He’s planning to… eat his enemies.

  When the transformation was complete, a figure that looked more like a monster than a man stood in his place. He let out a roar and advanced as the defenders waited with terror twisting their features.

  Tiburón’s Metamorphosis was one of the most horrific skills Sakura had ever seen. But his hideous form was only half the story. Because that was when the man activated another power. Before her disbelieving eyes, he started sinking into the ground before disappearing completely, leaving the earth rippling in his wake. His name isn’t for show after all. He just turned himself into a gods’ damned land shark.

  “Get out of there,” she cried to the defenders outside the settlement. “He’s coming, and there’s nothing you can do to stop him. Fall back and regroup behind the wall. He won’t be able to pass below it.”

  A few of the guardsmen heeded her warning, but for most of them, it was already too late. Even with her keen senses, Sakura couldn’t track the man moving beneath the soil, which meant her allies had no chance at all.

  What happened next was like being trapped in a nightmare. With her ultimates on cooldown, she couldn’t do anything to help, and she couldn’t look away. The next wave of defenders would arrive in another few seconds, but they couldn’t hope to stop Tiburón’s rampage.

  If that wasn’t enough to deal with, Blaze and the rest of the Claws had nearly arrived at the base of the wall, and the people on top had little chance of holding them back.

  That was when the slaughter began.

  One second, an unlucky deputy was taking cover behind a boulder. The next, the strike leader emerged from the dirt between his boots. He felt the ground move and tried to get away, but it was too little too late. In between the drawing of one breath and the next, a massive maw snapped shut, bisecting the man in a great spew of blood.

  To Sakura’s disgust, Tiburón didn’t spit out the remains. He swallowed, devouring the guardsman’s body bite by bloody bite—gear and all. He must have several skills that let him eat whatever he wants, and I’m sure there’s a reason behind it beyond mere bloodlust. Sure enough, she could sense the jailbird’s core refilling as he converted the meat and metal into raw magicytes.

  Over the next thirty seconds, Tiburón continued his killing spree, claiming half a dozen lives one after the next. With each death, his power grew. Every time the defenders sent attacks his way, he slipped below the soil, letting the earth absorb the impact before emerging again. It was a grisly, heart-wrenching scene, but Sakura couldn’t do anything to help, so she turned away to deal with the other gang members.

  While Tiburón was busy decimating the guards outside, Blaze had climbed a siege ladder and stepped onto the walkway ringing the wall. He turned and let loose a fifty-foot cone of flame, turning three deputies into torches in the blink of an eye.

  He gestured as a flight of arrows came streaking toward him, reducing the missiles to cinders before they could strike true. Then he looked up at the archer in the tower and snapped his fingers while casting another spell. It wasn’t a projectile this time. Instead, the air ignited, creating a cracking pillar of flame that killed the woman instantly.

  Sakura fired some arrows his way, attracting Blaze’s attention before he turned his magic on the next group of defenders. She sensed mana gathering around her position and Darted to another rooftop… half a heartbeat before the one she’d been standing on exploded.

  Knowing that if she fucked this up, she was dead, Sakura pressed the attack, doing her best to keep Blaze from turning to the militia—who wouldn’t stand a chance against his potent magic.

  By this point, the Claws had circumvented Tiburón’s killing field and arrived at the ruined gate. More were swarming the wall, and some had already made it into town. In another few seconds, the bulk of their forces would be inside, at which point it would be impossible to remove them without a catastrophic loss of life.

  In short, the settlement was in dire straits, straddling the precipice of annihilation.

  There was only one man who could turn this situation around, and Sakura’s knees went weak with relief when she saw him appear, sprinting so fast his body was reduced to a streaking blur.

  A cheer arose from the defenders of Puppet Town as their last hope of living through the day arrived on the battlefield. “It’s Earl! Keep fighting—it’s not over yet. The sheriff is here!”