Camp was broken in a panic. Tents were abandoned, armor haphazardly donned, and horses harnessed with desperate speed. The light cresting the horizon had turned from the promise of a bright tomorrow to a harbinger of doom as the familiar nebulous golden glow crawled toward them.

　　"Impossible!" said one of the generals. "It must be miles across! They must have been sprinting flat out day and night to catch up to us!"

　　King Growlack set a steady pace for the group, but a few panicked riders charged ahead, relentlessly spurring their horses towards the safety of Dramir. However, they soon found themselves overtaken by the king`s group, their horses lathered and rebelling against the brutal tempo.

　　The true sun began to rise as they pressed onward. "Will we make it?" Jeremiah asked Allison, glancing over his shoulder towards their pursuers.

　　"If we do, it will be just barely. Don`t waste time wondering."

　　As the sun passed over their heads, Jeremiah began to recognize the landscape. The travelers shouted to anyone they passed to seek shelter or make haste to Dramir.

　　Shortly past noon, they heard the faint echo of a war horn far behind them. Jeremiah glanced back again to see that golden radiance arcing up into the sky, as though the sun was about to crash into the world.

　　"They`re at the hill!" someone shouted. "By the gods, they`re going to catch us!"

　　Jeremiah could see the tops of Dramir`s walls in the distance, their finish line. But the group was exhausted, and some of the weaker horses had fallen far behind the pack. The king commanded them to take a brief, tense break to water their horses and let them stretch. The animals bucked and stomped in frustration when they were remounted all too soon.

　　The wall grew and the golden haze rushed closer and closer, flowing through the forest like an avalanche. One of the king`s entourage produced a wooden tube and launched a smoke-billowing rocket that bloomed like a scarlet flower above their heads. A green bloom answered from the wall.

　　The ground trembled and tree trunks behind them snapped with wooden explosions. "The giants!" Jeremiah cried. The towering monsters glared at the fleeing travelers through the canopy of the forest, wading through the trees like tall grass.

　　Jeremiah dug his heels into his mount, but the tremors had given the horses all the inspiration they needed. They were close now—Jeremiah could make out figures atop the wall. The portcullis was open.

　　Horns sounded behind them. Jeremiah risked a look back. The golden cloud reached toward them, emanating whoops and war cries. A man-sized stone careened dropped out of the sky, crushing one of King Growlack`s men and raining clods of earth on the rest of the group. The figures on the wall waved at them frantically.

　　The ground shook in rhythmic seizures as the group reached the wall, through the tunnel toward the portcullis. A roar of rage filled Jeremiah`s eardrums to bursting, but his horse carried him into the city with the others. Metal screeched as the portcullis crashed down behind them, the slowest of their group crushed between the massive hands of the diving giant and the metal crosshatching that stopped them both. Jeremiah turned in his saddle to see the giant writhing as oceans of burning liquid poured from murder holes. With new flesh slowly crawling over charred, exposed bone, the giant crawled out from the gatehouse and escaped.

　　"Loose!" Trumpets blasted alongside the order. A resounding chorus of twangs as the wall archers shot at targets beyond the wall.

　　The travelers followed King Growlack as he wheeled his horse along a series of stone switchbacks leading to the top of the wall, as wide as the city`s thoroughfare and packed with archers shooting an eclipse of arrows. A dozen giants retreated below them, their backs black with arrow shafts. At the edge of the archers` range, the giants turned and jeered, but did not advance past the new siege line.

　　Delilah gasped. "Gods, look at them all!"

　　The narrow stream from the mountains of Nosirin had transformed into a flood, charging through the countryside. Men, horses, chariots, and giants raced with everything they had, never slowing, bolstered by golden magic. At the center of the advancing force was Vivica, gripping a podium atop a broad platform mounted on an armored giant`s back. As her army reached the range of engagement, the golden cloud began to evaporate. Vivica`s giant knelt down, and she collapsed. The giant tenderly handed her to the barbarians, where she disappeared into the crowd.

　　Good to know it wasn`t easy, thought Jeremiah.

　　The remaining giants sprang into action at once, lowering their trebuchet staves to the ground. Halflings and gnomes swarmed into the tarps.

　　"Shoot them down!" Bruno said. The archers on the wall had only seconds to make sense of this command before dozens of small race barbarians were hurtling toward them. The walls of Dramir weren`t as easily surpassed as Nosirin`s had been, and the giants roared in effort to give their ammunition the height and distance they needed. Not all of them made it.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

　　The archers were late, shooting at the bodies that landed in the city, crashing through roofs or stalls or down to the streets below. Despite the height of the fall and the rain of arrows, Jeremiah spotted survivors darting away.

　　"We`ve got saboteurs," said Bruno.

　　"And rabble rousers, assuming she didn`t already have people on the inside," said Delilah.

　　"She did," said Bruno.

　　"Come on, we need to report to King Hector," said Valen, turning his horse. "Your Majesty, we`ll see you to the palace."

　　King Growlack spat over the wall.

　　Dramir`s throne room was as resplendent as the palace itself, a marble-clad hall bedecked with banners and trophies of Dramir`s military victories positioned to remind the visitor, as they approached the gilded throne, of the power and influence of Dramir and its royalty. Today, the decor seemed a satire, with the uncrowned King Growlack standing beside King Hector the final punchline.

　　Colonel Valen finished his report to King Hector. The king sat on his throne in silence, surveying the dozens of worried faces that crowded his court. He glanced at the missive in his hand. Vivica had given the king one week to surrender the city before she would commence the attack in earnest.

　　"What`s the state of our army?" King Hector asked.

　　"Not strong." One of the officers. "We had committed a significant force to support Nosirin even before the last reinforcement. And this latest advance set upon us too quickly to summon the peasantry within the safety of the walls, which would normally constitute a significant portion of our defensive force. Even if we assume each of our heavy cavalry is worth fifty barbarians, they`re still grossly outnumbered. And that`s not counting the giants or the regeneration."

　　"Reinforcements?"

　　"One week isn`t enough time for anyone to marshal enough manpower and move it into position. Barad Celegald and Shabad wouldn`t even commit troops to Nosirin. Besides, approaching Dramir now would be a suicide mission." The officer sighed. "If this witch takes the city, she will be a mighty foe to dislodge."

　　The king slammed his fist on the arm of his throne. "Give me solutions! Options!"

　　Jeremiah stepped forward. "Surrender."

　　A rumble ran through the assembly. "Excuse me?" King Hector stood from his throne and descended the steps. He towered over Jeremiah. "Did you just suggest we open our doors and surrender Dramir?"

　　"Yes. Give her the city without bloodshed. Make terms for a peaceful transition. If she`s going to win anyways, you might as well limit the damage. Regroup and strategize with more time, resources, and allies." Jeremiah glanced at his friends. Bruno gave him a quick nod, but Allison and Delilah looked stricken.

　　The King looked at Jeremiah thoughtfully. "Necromancer&I wonder if we can`t use you to turn this around."

　　Jeremiah braced himself. "Your Highness, with all due respect, you said my obligation ended at Nosirin. I would ask you to honor your word."

　　"In our moment of need. What`s to stop you from allying with her once she attacks? Based on your suggestion, it even seems likely," said King Hector, looming over Jeremiah. His hand falling precariously close to his war hammer.

　　"Your Highness. I have spent the better part of a year serving the gentry and military of this city. I have worked to fulfill the stipulations of an unprecedented sentence as an effective slave of the city, I have acted as honorably as I could in the good faith that the city authorities honor their agreement, and now I ask that you extend that same faith to me."

　　The king was silent. Colonel Valen stepped forward, pushing Jeremiah aside. "Your Highness, if I may—Dramir is facing its most dire threat of the last century. Mr. Thorn is simply too valuable an asset to be released."

　　Jeremiah glared at the back of Colonel Valen`s head. Vivica can stop being right any time now. "Your Highness, if you renege on your promise, I will have no reason to continue to be a valuable asset. The truth is, I have no desire to continue to be a necromancer. I have already killed far too many people, made far too many mistakes. If you demonstrate that fulfilling my end of the deal is no guarantee that you will fulfill yours, then frankly I have no reason to continue to shoulder that burden."

　　This time it was Colonel Valen`s turn to glare at Jeremiah. The king collapsed onto his throne. He pressed a finger to his temple, closing his eyes. "Necromancer Thorn." The king sat up. "I desire for you to remain in the employ of Dramir`s armed forces and to defend this city with every mote of power you can gather."

　　Jeremiah had expected this, yet he was still disgusted.

　　King Hector sighed, stood tall, and recomposed himself, speaking with his utmost authority, "However, the honor of the crown does not care for my desires. I promised your freedom for involving yourself in Nosirin, and the crown must honor its promises." He stood again. "Jeremiah Thorn, I, King Hector, hereby absolve you of all crimes and punishments that have been charged against you. I declare you a free man. I declare Counselor Fortune to be absolved of all penalties and leverages resulting from her defense. You are free to re-enter the service of the crown should you so wish, and I hope that you will. But until then, I dismiss you and your associates from my court."

　　And just like that, it was over. The noose Jeremiah had lived with for so long was lifted away. He was stunned.

　　Delilah appeared by his side. "Thank you, King Hector. You are wise and just." She curtsied and elbowed Jeremiah. He bowed.

　　A guard ushered Jeremiah, Bruno, and Delilah from the throne room, Allison was permitted to remain. The door whispered shut behind them, and Delilah exploded. "We did it!" she cried, wrapping Jeremiah up in a hug.

　　"You`re a free man!" said Bruno, clapping him on the back.

　　Jeremiah pulled out a kicking and croaking Gus to share in the excitement. "Delilah, I can`t thank you enough for this, I couldn`t have done it without you. You too, Bruno."

　　Delilah waved her hand dismissively. "You earned this. You worked your ass off to prove you`re a good man."

　　"Can we go get drunk now? Please?" Jeremiah asked.

　　"Jay, we`re under siege, shouldn`t we—"

　　"Yes!" Bruno said. "Before anyone figures out they can jack up the prices!" He sprinted back and yanked open the door to the throne room. "Allison! We`re going to Corbyn`s!" He slammed it shut and soon all three were running into the night.