Leandra tightened her grip on Aether's reins, urging the Pegasus higher into the sky. Her keen elven eyes scanned the expanse below. The goblin encampment sprawled across the landscape like a stain, defiling the land that had once been lush and peaceful. The greens and browns of nature were interrupted by the discordant hues of makeshift tents and wooden palisades.

  Siege towers loomed amidst the sea of tents and shacks, monolithic structures of crude metal and dark timber. Leandra's heart sank as she saw goblins fastening formidable siege guns and Saka guns onto the platforms of these nearly completed engines of war. A grim conclusion formed in her mind: a full-scale assault was imminent.

  She committed every detail to memory—weapon types, the height of the towers, the estimated numbers of goblin forces, the layout of their command tents. Satisfied, she signaled Aether and began their descent back toward the fortress.

  As they approached, lookouts sounded horns, echoing off the walls. Leandra guided Aether into a graceful landing within the courtyard, where Captain Torvald Firebeard and a cadre of officers stood awaiting her report.

  Dismounting with practiced agility, Leandra strode forward. "Captain Firebeard, might I have a moment?"

  The burly dwarf, deep in tactical discussion over maps and scrolls, looked up with a frown. "What news, Leandra?"

  "They're nearly done constructing their siege towers—and they're mounting both siege guns and Saka guns on them," she reported, urgency sharp in her voice.

  Sgt. Ironheart’s eyebrows shot up. "Gods help us… Those guns could drop rounds right into our courtyard—expose our traps, kill the garrison outright."

  Captain Firebeard stroked his fiery beard, brow furrowed deep. "Then we’ll need to move faster than we hoped. Garrok, how long would the Gunsmiths and Engineers need to get those captured pieces into working shape?"

  Garrok rubbed the back of his neck, glancing toward Engvyr Gunnarson before answering grimly: "If we work through the night, and cut a few safety corners… maybe three days. Less, if we get lucky."

  Murmurs spread among the officers, tension thick in the air.

  Before anyone could suggest alternatives, Leandra stepped forward. "Then I’ll buy you those days," she declared.

  All eyes turned to her.

  "There’s no moon tonight. I can take Aether up high—far enough that I won’t be silhouetted against the sky. From that height, I can strike down on the siege towers and their construction crews, delay them, and cause as much damage as possible. Meanwhile, several of my guards will fire volleys from concealed positions on the ground to add to the confusion. If we make it seem like a larger attack force, the goblins may think we've launched a preemptive assault."

  Erevan folded his arms, eyeing her cautiously. "That’s a dangerous play. You’ll be exposed up there."

  Garrok, frowning in thought, nodded slowly. "If you’re going to do this, don’t use magic for the strike." He gestured toward the satchel hanging from his belt. "Use the bombs I made for you—the fuses are treated to stay lit even at altitude. You won’t light up the sky like a second moon the way a fire spell would. They won’t see you coming."

  Leandra gave him a wry smile, tapping the two rings on her fingers. "I'll consider that a request from my… intended."

  Tink groaned softly, covering her face with her hands as several enchanters nearby exchanged amused glances.

  Firebeard nodded. "Leandra, prepare for your mission. Garrok, see to the bombs. Erevan, work with your guards to arrange the support volleys. You strike after nightfall."

  He cleared space on the table, shoving aside maps and scrolls with little ceremony. "Now we need a plan to draw them into committing before those towers are ready to fire. Ideas?"

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  The officers murmured among themselves, weighing options with growing unease. Then Garrok cleared his throat, cutting through the debate.

  "I’ve a proposal. Risky—but it might be the only chance we have."

  Firebeard fixed him with a sharp look. "Let’s hear it."

  Garrok leaned forward, resting his hands on the edge of the table. "The orcs once used a bait-and-switch tactic against us—fake a retreat, lure our forces out into the open. It worked because it played on instinct: greed, opportunity, pride."

  He glanced around the circle, gauging their attention. "We send wagons and rangers out into the woods. Make noise, fire shots—stage a skirmish. Then pull back, fast, as if we’re fleeing. Let the goblins think they’ve caught us off guard."

  His voice dropped lower, weight behind each word. "One wagon feigns a breakdown at the gate. Keeps the drawbridge down, leaves the entrance exposed. If we bait them right, the goblins will chase hard, trying to force the breach before the towers are ready."

  Silence followed as the plan sank in. A few exchanged uneasy glances. Leandra’s eyes narrowed, calculating. Ironheart exhaled through his nose, grim but intrigued.

  "It’s a hell of a gamble," Firebeard said at last. "But it may be the best shot we’ve got." He turned to the officers. "Prepare the wagons. Rangers at the ready. We launch this at dusk."

  Before the meeting could dissolve, Ironheart raised a hand. "Even if the bait works, those towers could still be a death sentence if they get a chance to fire."

  Erevan, leaning on his staff, nodded. "Agreed. We have enough components prepared for several fire spells. While the goblins are distracted, we could strike from the air, burn those siege towers down before they ever fire a shot."

  Leandra stepped forward, chin lifted. "A good plan, Master Erevan—but let me propose a refinement."

  Erevan’s brow arched. "Go on."

  "Sending multiple casters will make them a target. But a single flier—a fast, low pass—could strike before they know what’s coming. One enchanter. One strike. One firestorm."

  The room stilled.

  Erevan met her gaze steadily. "Are you volunteering, Leandra?"

  "I am." She raised her hand, displaying the two rings gleaming on her thumb and forefinger. "Thanks to these," she added, voice softening slightly, "my fire magic has been… enhanced."

  All eyes turned toward Garrok. His slack-jawed look of embarrassment met with smirks and chuckles. Ironheart gave a slow, knowing nod. Tink groaned audibly, hiding her flushed face behind her hands. Nearby, the other enchanters traded amused glances.

  Erevan, expression unreadable but amused, simply said, "Well. That settles that."

  Firebeard’s grin returned, brief but genuine. "Good. We have the makings of a plan. But one more piece remains."

  He tapped a spot on the map, tracing a line beyond the goblin camp. "Hetman Petrovich’s forces are encamped just a day’s march from here, on the far side of the goblins. If we can lure the goblins fully into the attack—Petrovich can fall upon their rear."

  "A hammer and anvil," Garrok muttered, nodding. "Classic."

  "Exactly," Firebeard agreed. "But the goblins must be fully committed before the Hetman strikes. No half-measures."

  "I’ll ready a messenger to ride for Petrovich," Ironheart volunteered.

  Firebeard gave a curt nod. "Then it’s decided. We move at dusk. Everyone to their stations."

  Leandra felt the tension in her chest ease just slightly. Layer by layer, the pieces of the plan were falling into place. A desperate gamble, yes—but one worth taking.

  X---X

  The night sky was cloudless and dark, save for a scattering of stars. True to her word, Leandra flew high above the goblin encampment, Aether’s wings silent as shadows against the black.

  Below, the siege towers rose like the skeletal fingers of some grasping hand. Lanterns glowed dimly around the construction site, casting flickers of gold across the half-built structures. The goblin crews worked tirelessly, unaware of the danger circling overhead.

  Leandra reached into the saddlebag and drew one of Garrok’s bombs, lighting the treated fuse with a snap of the sparking rings on her fingers. She counted the seconds carefully, gauging the descent.

  Then, with deadly precision, she dropped the first explosive.

  The blast shattered the silence of the night. Fire and smoke roared skyward as one of the siege towers crumpled, timber splintering and goblin voices screaming in panic.

  The confusion only deepened as arrows hissed from the treeline, striking goblins scrambling for cover. Her guards, hidden in the shadows, kept up the volleys, never showing themselves fully, their arrows vanishing into the darkness after each shot.

  Above, Leandra wheeled Aether into a new pass, lighting another fuse, hurling the next bomb toward the munitions pile near a second tower. The resulting explosion was larger than she expected—the stockpile had been full. Fire erupted, spreading fast through the clustered tents nearby.

  Goblins shouted and pointed into the air, but in the moonless dark, they could see nothing. Panic gripped their ranks as chaos spiraled into full retreat in several sectors of the camp.

  Leandra made one final run, scattering two more bombs among the siege tower crews before banking Aether toward the safety of the fort. She didn't dare linger too long—the element of surprise was her greatest ally.

  As she glided back toward the fortress walls, smoke rising behind her, the grim satisfaction of the night’s work settled into her bones. She had bought them time. How much, she couldn’t be sure—but enough for Garrok and the smiths to ready their guns.

  Enough, perhaps, to give them a chance.