We were up at first light and moving towards Fishhook. We hoped to reach the hamlet before the bandits. But they were already there when we arrived.

  The gates had been closed and there was a fierce battle as the local townsfolk sought to repel the bandits. The bandits had brought crude ladders and were wading through waist-high dried grasses to place them against the walls. With the cleric casting spells of fortitude and the bowman pinning down the defenders on the walls the situation did not look good. The giant warrior was urging his men forward and in the face of his anger they preferred their chances at climbing the walls.

  “Any ideas?” said Cassana.

  “Not really.”

  I looked at the battle raging and saw that it was just a matter of time until the defenders were overcome. They were simply too few and with little training. They lacked good weapons for defense having mostly swords and spears. I saw few bows or crossbows.

  “They won’t last long unless we can come up with something,” I said.

  “If only we hadn’t lost the stone!”

  My ears perked up.

  “What did you say?”

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  She looked at me and then looked away as if ashamed.

  “The gods turned from us. They took away our stone of defense.”

  “What is that?”

  She looked miserable.

  “I guess you should know. You have risked your life for a town the gods have forsaken. Towns on the borderlands are given a stone of protection that provides two magical guardians for their gates. These are high-level warriors, resistant to magic who can defend the town against attackers and monsters.”

  She sagged.

  “Since the stone was taken, monsters have come closer and closer to our town, and the bandits have increased until their boldness has brought them to our doorstep.”

  I could see a tear form.

  “I do not understand why they took our stone away. Since then, the travelers have stopped coming.”

  The pieces clicked together.

  “The gods did not abandon your people,” I said.

  Her head came up.

  “The bowman and his brother stole your stone and buried it outside in a field near their camp. They have been ambushing and killing travelers who come this way ever since.”

  I reached into my inventory and removed the stone.

  “I took this from them after they attacked me in the forest.”

  Her eyes widened. I held out the stone.

  “Is this what you lost?”

  Her head nodded just the smallest bit, then more fiercely.

  “If we can get this back into the chapel, then the guardians may return. If so, the bandits would stand no chance.”

  An idea formed in my mind.

  “I think I can get you to the wall and perhaps break the attack on the hamlet. Could you get over?”

  She looked out at the walls.

  “I might be able to use one of the ladders to get up.”

  She looked at me.

  “How are you going to get me close to the wall?”

  I reached out and grabbed a handful of the tall dry grass.

  “Fire.”