put on the construct, unveiling the much stronger, meatier magic that powered the larger construct.
Angelique smirked. Finally! Now—
Before she could continue, a new shield spell snapped into place around the construct, muffling its magic once more and shoving the tracing spell off with such violent force, Angelique actually staggered a step.
How could—what—the mage didn’t just build these things and send them on their merry way. He’s actively feeding power into them!
Oswald climbed onto the back of the second construct—which seemed much more intent on Snow White than the first.
Fritz stabbed the construct in the arm, drawing its attention.
The construct tried to grab Fritz, its claws passing so close to the forester when he ducked through its legs, that it sliced through his leather doublet.
The construct pointed itself at Snow White again, until Oswald stabbed it in the back. He was nearly crushed when the creature pivoted and slammed its back into the side of the stone cottage—he slid down its side and dropped free just in time.
The construct’s antics shook the building. The roof trembled, and Angelique was pretty sure she heard some of the copper pots Fritz had meticulously hung on the walls fall with a loud clang.
“Why are these monsters so intent on smashing things with their backs?” Oswald grumbled as he scrambled out of the way.
Gregori, crouched behind the half-toppled pile of firewood, prepared to take his shot. “Aldelbert, get its attention and hold it somewhere behind me.”
Enraged by the knowledge that the black mage was feeding power into its creations, Angelique’s core magic churned inside of her. She clutched at it—keeping it under control as she scowled and tried to figure out what was the next move.
If we can’t figure out the constructs’ weakness, I’m going to have to forcibly cut the mage off from them.
Somewhere out in front, Aldelbert was harrying the first construct, dodging around its feet as it tried to kick him. “Gregori, I have its attention!” He turned and ran across the yard in a wide arc—the construct so close on his tail, it could almost scratch his heels with its claws.
“Run to me.” Gregori corrected his hold on the crossbow and lined up his shot as Aldelbert swooped back around in his direction.
Unaware of Gregori, the construct pounded after Aldelbert, the ground shaking from the force of its steps.
Gregori twitched his finger, loosening the bolt—which hit the construct in the left eye. It disappeared so deeply, only a tiny bit of the bolt’s red fletching poked out of the eyehole.
The construct roared like a mountain of rubble falling in on itself and clutched its eye.
Angelique relaxed minutely as she felt the foreign spell that protected the construct evaporate. “Yeah, I’d call that a weakness.”
“Aim for its eyes or mouth!” Marzell shouted.
Wendal chucked his daggers into its open mouth—making it fall to its knees and tip over like a chopped tree. Once it toppled—which made the ground buckle with the impact—Aldelbert jumped onto its jaw and speared it in its open mouth, destroying whatever spell powered it.
The construct shuddered, then liquified and lost all shape as the spell winked out. Like the first version of constructs, it evaporated into smoke, leaving behind Gregori’s crossbow bolt and Wendal’s daggers.
More tension left Angelique when the magic that powered the construct evaporated.
For all that the mage is reinforcing the constructs, it has one downside: they can’t easily reassemble them.
“Judging by its end, I would say these things are another magic-made work of the rogue mage,” Marzell said. “Which is at least a little encouraging. It means we’re not fighting against multiple black mages.”
“That’s wonderful,” Oswald grouched. “Great effort. Now if we could have a little help over here?”
Rupert jabbed at the remaining construct, standing between it and Snow White with Oswald and Fritz. “The second monster is still alive, in case you’ve forgotten,” he growled.
Angelique grinned as she and Snow White stepped back, following the curve of the cottage wall as the construct tracked their progress. If all we have to do is poke them in the eyes or mouth, perhaps I could use an unnoticeable splinter with my core magic…
Angelique flexed her fingers, but before she could release it, magic enveloped her.
It was the same vast, but ruthlessly numb and empty power she’d felt when tracking Evariste. The magic instantly spread, filling her throat so she couldn’t speak—couldn’t breathe.
It lazily drifted through her body, making her legs heavy and laden as she and Snow White staggered away from the construct.
It wasn’t a spell. The