The Dire creeps once more rushed forward, and once again they were quickly disposed of by the three heroes guarding the Radiant Tower.

"How long will they push?! I'm sick of this tiptoeing back and forth!" growled Brewmaster in frustration, crushing a troglodyte with his flail.

"Who knows, at least while their Wraith King is here he isn't getting that much gold." Rattletrap spoke, frustration evident in his voice.

The Wisp chirped in it's otherworldly voice. They waited by their Tower for the next wave.

"Ember Spirit has returned!" announced the resuscitated Xin. "I apologise for my mistake. I let my guard down when I saw our victorious push."

"Whatever, just head top. There's creeps going to waste." announced Rattletrap.

"Indeed."

The Wisp hummed again, and using a tendril of light pulled some fleshy object out of a rift. The repulsive object opened it's mismatched eyes.

"Good idea Wisp, we'll go ward. I wouldn't walk alone at this time." stated Brewmaster. "Can you hold the fort Clockwerk?"

"Sure thing, just make sure to ward our forest. Furion wouldn't appreciate it if he got ambushed."

Mangix and Io turned and wandered into the jungle. Clockwerk faced the river once more. This time, when the Dire creeps appeared, they were unaccompanied by any of the heroes.

"Uh oh" thought Clockwerk. "This could be trouble."

Brewmaster and the Wisp ventured in the Jungle. They moved cautiously, but made good progress.

"So uh… you know where to place those things?" asked Mangix, trying to start a conversation.

The Wisp chirped happily.

"Of course…" sighed Brewmaster. The Wisp was not one to have a conversation with.

As they walked, Brewmaster heard a noise. The sound of high pitched jabbering emanated softly from a thicket a few metres off the path.

"Oho!" thought the Brewmaster.

"Io, what if you went ahead a bit and placed your ward. I'll just stop here quickly and catch up afterwards."

Io whistled and moved off. Grinning, Mangix squinted at the large thicket from whence came the sound of Kobolds.

"Ahaha, Kobolds often have a nice amount of loot. This can make up for my previous death!"

Abandoning secrecy, Brewmaster gave a chuckling roar and pounded into the thicket. Breaking branches indiscriminately, he plunged right into the centre of a group of squealing rat-like creatures. Still chuckling, the Brewmaster smashed his cask into the ground, knocking the Kobolds off their feet.

"Raaar! Ahaha!" laughed Mangix, as with his flail he shattered the skull of the lead Kobold while simultaneously dropping his cask on another, crushing it flat. One Kobold, either braver or stupider than the others, had evaded the initial cask smash and now leapt onto the Brewmaster's back. It dug it's sharp little claws into his skin and bit at the thick fur surrounding Mangix's neck.

"Ohoho! This one has spirit!" chuckled Brewmaster. Reaching around, he plucked the squirming creature off his back. Flinging it to the ground, he stomped it underfoot. Panting slightly, he surveyed the wreckage of the small campsite. Tucked away in one corner, some gold and treasure robbed from travellers and other monsters gleamed. Claiming the treasure for himself, Brewmaster hefted his cask above his head and drank deeply.

"Aaah, needs a refill." smacking his lips, the panda strode out of the campsite, kicking aside a wounded Kobold as he did.

Io whistled in a frenzied panic as it floated hurriedly away from the river.

"Come, deliver your essence to Nyx!" skittering rapidly behind the Fundamental, Nyx Assassin gave chase, rapidly gaining on the glowing orb. Raising it's claws, it stabbed them into the ground. The Wisp was struck by a spike, which passed straight through it. The guardian spirit gave a shriek, and it's light dimmed. Nevertheless, it pulled itself off the rock, and continued it's retreat.

"I will have my Vendetta, you sad excuse for a Fundamental. Come to Nyx I say!" laughing maniacally, Nyx followed the Wisp relentlessly. In desperation, Io turned and attempted to run through a group of trees. Cackling at the impending kill, Nyx followed suit. Immediately, the trees surrounding the pair wrenched themselves from the soil and threw themselves at the Assassin.

"What in the name of Ny-" hissed a startle Nyx, as the trees piled onto it, trying to wrench it's carapace off. Nyx Assasin activated his carapace, and the Treants were impaled and thrown off. Clacking it's mandibles in annoyance Nyx realised that the Wisp was now not alone.

"A good bait, Io." Smirked Furion. The Wisp buzzed angrily at the scarab.

"No matter, I will have my Vendetta you glowing coward." spat Nyx. "Until next time!" the Nyx Assassin activated it's invisibility. As it moved to leave however, a thicket of trees grew around it. Nyx was trapped.

Still invisible, Nyx called out. "And just what did that accomplish you rotting log!?"

Natures Prophet gave a bark of laughter. "Only this."

A sort of pot was tossed over the thicket. Nyx stared at the Dust of Appearance.

"Oh Nyx." it said, as the dust exploded in a choking cloud.

Wisp summoned it's glowing orbs and quickly floated to the other side of the grove. As the trees died and collapsed, it tethered to Nature's Prophet. The now easily visible Nyx was struck on two sides, slowed by the magical link of the tether, and struck repeatedly from the overcharged Furion and by the spirits of the Wisp. Needless to say, the unfair fight was over quickly.

"Guys! Guys!" Shouted Clockwerk over the mental link. "The entire team has disappeared from the map!"

Furion looked at Wisp. The orb of light seemed to look at Nature's Prophet.

"Let's get out of here." Wisp chirped in agreement and began floating away as fast as it could. Nature's Prophet ran and hid in a clump of trees. Channelling his teleport for the Radiant Fountain, Nature's Prophet saw the Wraith King stomp past a metre away from the grove. Halting in his tracks, the Wraith King turned his head and stared surprised at Furion.

Furion smiled, and was gone.

Meanwhile, Xin attacked the waves of troglodytes in the top lane. Despite dying once, he had managed to finally earn enough gold to buy the final component of a fantastic weapon. Turning from a Dire creep, he headed back to his Tower and to the Secret Shop. The creep toppled over, first one half, then the other.

"Shopkeeper!" called Xin. "I wish to purchase the Battlefury."

The greasy, obese man emerged from the store, smiling unctuously.

"Of course, great hero of course. How many components have you currently acquired?"

Xin spread the items on the counter. Only the Void Stone was missing. He also placed his primary blade on the counter.

"Forge them." Xin demanded.

"At once." replied the Shopkeeper, still smiling.

The Keepers, as favourites of the gods, possessed magic that no simple blacksmith could hope for. They did not just sell weapons, but imbued the magical properties of one weapon into another. Although Ember Spirit could have used the enchanted axe, he preferred his flaming swords. The Keeper imbued the magic of the Battlefury into the larger sword of Ember Spirit, increasing the power of the flaming blade.

"My thanks." Ember Spirit said with distaste, tossing gold onto the counter. In Xin's opinion, the slimy Shopkeepers were profiting dishonourably from this war, their wares indiscriminately to either side. They did not care what evil monstrosity purchased their goods, only for the coin that this brought them.

Xin left the Secret Shop, reflecting on just how "Secret" it really was. Every hero knew of it, and made trips there almost every battle.

"Really" Xin thought. "It's absurd what they'll say and do to attract clientele."

As he tested the edge of his newly enhanced blade he caught the noise of someone else coming through towards the Secret Shop. Sensing it couldn't be an ally, the Ember Spirit turned around and hid himself deep in the woods that surrounded the path that led to the Secret Shop. As he waited, he heard a creaking and inhuman voice. It was mumbling to himself.

"…Nyctasha… Nyctashaaa…" it repeated eerily.

"The Bane elemental!" Thought Xin. "It has the audacity to venture into our Secret Shop!?" Ember Spirit's lip curled. Here was a way to redeem the death he had suffered.

As the creature passed, Xin sent a fire remnant shooting off. It blazed to a halt in front of Bane, who recoiled in surprise.

"You seem to be a bit far from home aren't you?" Ember Spirit spoke gravely.

In a panic, Bane attempted to place a nightmare on the flame spirit. As soon as Bane moved however, Xin was already behind it, the remnant scorching Bane's back with it's blast. Xin immediately tossed his flaming chains onto the fiends which screamed in pain. Concentrating, Xin activated his flames, burning the nightmare creature. Trapped, it lunged forward and bit at air. It seemed surprised when the Ember Spirit gave no indication of any discomfort. Xin raised his blades, and in a flurry of motion struck the fiend in a series of blindingly fast strokes.

When he had disposed of the dark creature, Xin hurried from the place. He allowed himself a smile at the defeat of his enemy. Deciding to choose the path of safety, Xin sent a fire remnant into the stronghold and flickered to it. Walking back to the fountain, he met Furion.

"Well done. Those isolated pick-offs were just what we needed." Xin clasped arms with his ally.

"You as well, Ember Spirit." Nature's Prophet chuckled. "We are once again leading significantly."

"Uh, team?" Clockwerk sounded in pain over the mental link. "The Queen of Pain and Magnus came back. They uh…" he coughed "… they took the middle tower."

Furion closed his eyes. "Truly?" he asked, slightly dejected.

"Well, it was low already." said Clockwerk, speaking defensively.

"I understand." thought Xin. "We are on our way."