The jagged beak of a harpy struck the runic shield with the force of a falling anvil. Vance braced his boots against the uneven stone floor of the cavern and pushed back. The kinetic shock traveled up his arms and rattled his teeth. Blood and loose feathers blew into the dark tunnel as the flying monsters threw themselves against the defensive wall.
Commander Torin stood shoulder to shoulder with his ruler. The mortal officer gritted his teeth and angled his heavy iron barrier to deflect another diving scavenger. The skirmishers of Stormpeak were failing. They were mountain hunters accustomed to throwing axes and taking cover. They were not heavy infantry designed to hold a static chokepoint against a mythological swarm.
"They are breaking the second rank," Torin yelled over the chaotic
