The Purlikins settled into a small cove in the endless maze of the Ashen Canyon just as the sun finished confiscating its last gifts of light from the land. They didn't have any methodology when choosing their hideout. They were simply desperate for shelter and couldn't afford to be picky.

  After Lucy tricked them into aggravating the sword antlered elk, they were forced to retreat. It was a powerful beast, and they only managed to fend it off. Ingrid was becoming painfully aware of their limited firepower. The Purlikins had spent their entire life in pursuit of academic mage craft, and now they were seeing just how unfit they were to be in the throws of battle. But for what they lacked in firepower, they made up with cunning. They simply had to play it smart and not let emotions get in the way.

  The cave was dark and damp with uneven ground, a truly ill-fit place for their research. But that didn't stop them. They placed a barrier to shut out any water and contaminants, then began making makeshift equipment from spells stored in the latest pages of their spell books: beakers, magnifying glasses, desks, chairs, paper, pencils, anything a working academic could think of. By the time they were done setting up, the cave had become a right and propped laboratory.

  Ingrid sat by the winding path to the entrance. Her eyes followed her comrades as they put the finishing touches on their lab. They placed a small shrine holding the spell book of their fallen sister-in-arms. It sat higher than any other structure, embedded in a spiraling tree they had grown in her honor.

  "We wasted so much time, but..." Ingrid held a satchel of the spiteful crystals in her hand. Her stoic and determined face wavered under exhaustion. "We were on the move all day..."

  Another Purlikin approached her; she was older than the rest and had the caring eyes of a mother. It was Belor, the only senior wizard who was willing to come along on this absurd mission.

  Belor wiped off her sweaty brow with a soft smile, clearly strained from the labor of setting up the lab. "You must be tired," she huffed, "you should get some rest. You haven't sat still since yesterday."

  Ingrid waved her away dismissively. "I'm fine, Belor. We can't afford to take it slow right now."

  The motherly mage stepped into Ingrid's personal space. Her gentle face was now harsh and stern, light wrinkles highlighted her facial expression, making her seem even more unhappy.

  She leaned in to speak in hushed tones. It was time for a motherly lecture. "We're not 'taking it slow,' child. If we run ourselves ragged, we're bound to make a mistake. Either we will end up botching the research, or one of our enemies will overrun us. Don't forget that we don't know anything about those women in blue."

  Ingrid looked at their equipment and then the exit. "And if we're attacked in our sleep?"

  "Child, consider us at war. A soldier must sleep, or they are as good as useless. There's always a chance something could go wrong. But that's just life." She pinched Ingrid's cheek and pulled on it as if she were a baby.

  "Ow! I get it, Belor, I'm not a child!" Ingrid cried, swatting away the older woman's hand. "You don't need to coddle me."

  "Why not? Your mothers never did. They were too busy passing on their generational hatred. Showing you motherly love is the least I can do. I'd feel awful if something were to happen to you in your current state."

  "You talk about generational hatred as if you don't hate the Opazyr?"

  "Hate is a strong word, darling. I have my grievances with them, but I hardly know the women who live in that marble palace."

  Ingrid crossed her arms and assaulted Belor with a judgemental look. "Then why did you join us?"

  "I've watched every one of you girls grow up under homes of pride and arrogance. You've been made to hate the Opazyr by those who came before you, and that's one thing. But now you've chosen to act, and not one of the people who instilled that hatred has joined you on your mission. If I didn't join you, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night."

  Ingrid rolled her eyes. She didn't like where this conversation was going. "The elders didn't join because they couldn't. All the travel, all the danger. It would do more harm than good," she argued.

  "Nonsense!" Spat Belor. She turned around and drank in the sight of her comrades. Some were setting the groundwork for their experiments, others were mourning the loss of their friend. "Naesha!" She hooted, her sharp voice bouncing off the cave walls until they became booming.

  Naesha shot up from her resting position. She neatly knocked over the memorial and had to wrestle with it desperately to keep it upright. "Y-yes, ma'am?!"

  "What is the Greatest asset to a mage?"

  "Our mind! Ma'am," barked Naesha.

  "That's right, and the mind only ripens with age. That means a wizard's magic only gets better over time, and yet our most seasoned minds are not with us, are they?"

  Ingrid's eyes became sharp with suspicion. "What are you getting at? Are you calling the elders cowards?"

  Belor tilted her head to the side, lowering her glasses so she could make real eye contact with the young wizard. "You listen to me, young one. I have known your parents and the other elders since before they developed breasts. I'm not calling them cowards. They ARE cowards. We've always been too afraid to take back what was ours. Let's not try to revise history."

  She let out a long, tired sigh and placed a loving hand on Ingrid's shoulder.

  "I know that being in our fifties may seem geriatric to you young chickens. But I can assure you that an old mage is more than capable of holding their own. Your elders have grown complacent and are afraid to take action. But they also have wisdom and knowledge. So listen to the elder that has both the brains and the balls when I tell you that you need rest."

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  Naesha approached with careless swagger, punching Ingrid in the arm with endearment. "Just listen to her, Ingrid. You've done a lot. You scouted out the place before us and then doubled back and stuck through all the violence. I'll keep watch outside if it helps you sleep better."

  Katelyn appeared from behind Naesha, causing the redhead to nearly jump out of her robes.

  "I can help keep watch as well. Those who remain can assist Ingrid in developing purification methods." Katelyn stated blankly.

  Belor clasped her hands and swayed back and forth with love, "Wonderful! I'll set up a protective barrier while we work. That should be all the protection we need."

  Ingrid passed around a hesitant stare to each of the wizards before her. All three stared her down, their eyes begging her to concede. She threw up her hands, giving in to the insurmountable peer pressure piling on top of her. "Fine, I'm gonna go to bed. If I die in my sleep, we're going to have words in the afterlife!"

  Belor smiled softly as Ingrid stormed over to a corner of the cave. Katelyn followed close behind her, insisting that she use her strange spells to craft her a decent bed to sleep on.

  "Maybe these kids will reclaim the city after all." She mumbled, swiftly returning to her aids to get the barrier constructed.

  Little did anyone know of the pocket mouse sitting in an unlit pathway to the entrance. Its scaly body blended into the surrounding stone, and its eyes glowed ever so softly with mana.

  It watched the Purlikins carefully, relaying everything it saw and heard to a greater power.

  The crypt keepers sat in their dimly lit hideout. They were quiet, each one looking towards an uncertain future. They huddled together by the fire as a hot pot of stew boiled away. The entire cave smelled of meat and broth, as this particular stew had been boiling for weeks, a forever stew, as they called it. It was the easiest way to cook their food. It was better than simple rations, for some the samey flavor it offered day after day was wearing down on their psyche.

  "By the gods, I want to go home," croaked Linette. "I want a soft pastry and a good book."

  "Just a little longer," assured their leader, Hiri. "I know it's been a rough time. But this is our job. Once we handle Azylith, we can handle the spirits in the soil. Once we do that, we are home free."

  They continued to discuss their woes and concerns, which amounted to little more than a gripe session, spewing the same things they had all said a hundred times before. Everyone knew nothing would change about their situation, but complaining gave them some sense of agency. But in the center of their circle, cutting through the chatter with all the efficiency of a dull blade, was an unusually large spider lowering itself on a strong, girthy line of silk. Its gray, armored shell was a clear giveaway to its true nature.

  "Feeling homesick?" A deep voice resonated from within the spider. It was Azylith, piloting the creature from her crystal lair. The spider awkwardly pivoted to face Hiri, a clear sign that Azylith was struggling to control it.

  "A little, but it's nothing we aren't used to dealing with. Is there something you need?" Hiri leaned in and placed her chin in her palms.

  Linette and Nulara crowded around her to get a better look at the strange spider.

  The arachnid bounced on its web, accenting the mischievous joy in Azylith's voice. "That I do! I've located the base of one of the invading groups. The wizards have held themselves up in a cave deep in the middle of the canyons."

  "What about the Opazyr?" Hiri asked.

  "I was able to track them down to the east, but they destroyed my vessel before I could find out where they were hiding."

  Hiri scoffed, "How do you lose track of someone with all those animals at your disposal?"

  "Silence." The spider reared its fangs, which dripped with a bright blue venom that almost seemed to flow with its toxicity. "I don't want to hear insults from someone who's never done it. Taking over a vessel isn't easy. I can only control one at a time, two with limited motor function. When I manage to find their hideout, I'll let you know. But let's focus on the easy prey for now-"

  She cut herself off, bouncing on the silk thread as a memory burst into her conscious mind.

  "Oh, actually, I do have something on the Opazyr. Near the entrance to the canyon sleeps a lone Opazyr knight. I don't know when they arrived, but it would be best to cut them off before they make contact with their allies."

  Nulara perked up, pushing her weight onto Hiri to lean closer to the spider.

  "I'll do it! I've already beaten one of those noble freaks, and I can do it again?" Her grin stretched from ear to ear; her teeth looked sharp, like those of a carnivore. She had tasted the blood of her foe once, and she already wanted more.

  Hiri was quick to throw her ravenous subordinate off of her, accidentally tossing away Linette in the process.

  "Get off me!" she barked.

  The leader stood up, her posture firm as she became the largest presence in the room. "We'll act on the information accordingly, Azylith. Thank you."

  The spider tipped itself, mocking a human bow. Its eyes lost their faint blue luster, signifying that Azylith was no longer in control. Confused and left to its own instincts, the spider climbed its silk thread back into the dark reaches of the cave ceiling.

  Nulara popped up from being thrown on her back. She crossed her arms in a bid to temper her impatience. "So, when are we moving out?"

  Hiri's head snapped to Nulara, her brow furrowed and her lips pursed with irritation. "We'll leave before dawn. We've been up all day, we'd need to rest a little before we try to assault the enemy."

  She turned her head to her subordinates patiently sitting around the flame of their stew. "I want everyone in bedrolls A.S.A.P! We'll be striking it out to catch those mages when they're the most vulnerable."

  Nulara slapped a rabid hand on Hiri's shoulder, leaning over her with a ravenous grin. "You're gonna let me handle the Opazyr, right?"

  Hiri shook her head in disagreement. "I think it's best if you stay with the group. There's no reason to be taking one-on-one fights right now."

  "So you're going to let the Opazyr rally and become an even bigger problem?"

  "We outnumber them, Nulara. Let's not waste that advantage."

  The red-headed crypt keeper swiveled in front of her superior, her smug, cat-ish grin tugging at her nerves. "Is it really an advantage? As long as we're in a group, it won't be easy to catch them. We only caught them today because they were waiting for something, and by we, I mean me, of course. Even Azylith is having a hard time pinning them down."

  Hiri knew she was being manipulated to a degree, but with everything that was going on, she felt like her hands were tied. She had to do what was best for the group as a whole. "Alright, Nulara, you win. You can go after the Stray Opazyr. But you'll be going alone, and I still want you to get four hours of rest."

  Nulara shot to attention and hit herself on the head with a salute. "Aye, aye, captain! I won't let you down!"

  Without giving Hiri any time to respond, she darted off towards her bed, disappearing into one of the deep dark tunnels that houses her personal chambers.

  One of the keepers folded her arms and scoffed. "Are you really going to let her go alone, Hiri?"

  Hiri rolled her eyes. "I don't want to, but it's better that way. She'll either pick off an enemy or learn a valuable lesson in humility."

  "And if she dies?"

  Hiri's face was stern but sullen. "Look, I care for each and every one of you. But we're all grown women here. If Nulara wants to run off and chase glory, that's her own prerogative. I can only lead if you guys allow it. If she doesn't come back tomorrow, then that will simply be the consequence of her own actions."

  She sighed, looking down at the hunter's pot with exhaustion. "Let's just focus on getting this job done so we can leave with as few casualties as possible."

  She dismissed the rest of her team, watching as they all dragged themselves to their beds. "We need to end this... Quickly..."