The next morning, minus Morgenferrin, they were all sitting around the table again, having much the same discussion as when Torsar’s group had arrived.

“We’ve killed a lot of them, but more keep coming,” Fawnlum explained.

“So let’s kill more!” Caitlyn offered.

“Aye!” Dreighton and Halrick quickly agreed.

“It doesn’t matter,” Fawnlum fumed, tapping the surface of the table with her finger.  “We’re not stopping that cloud from growing.  It’s actually gotten darker.  The tri-cleorps’ magic is still strong!”

“Their army can come through those magic doors at any time,” Sienna said, with a wave of her hand.  “They’re nearly at the threshold as it is.”

“So we see it coming,” Banacheck said, as he leaned back.  “Like a pending cave-in, where the dust has been falling from the ceiling for hours.  Balderdash if we can do anything about it, though.”

“Let the wizards figure that out!” Sienna offered cheerfully.  “Let us kill the ones we can see.”

Again came the words of agreement.

“While we’re fighting a limitless supply of enemies,” Fawnlum argued, “what will their magic do?  Will it turn the day to complete night, until their tribes can waltz right into this city?”

“Don’t start getting so glum,” Sienna admonished her.  “You’re the one who was so happy to kill so many to begin with.”

“Maybe that be their plan all along,” Guilwar offered.  “Looks like this big trade city –  which has its own strategic value, mind you –  will fall.”

That brought a grave moment, and everybody just looked at one another, at a loss.

Lucas spoke up.  “We can’t take the fight to them.  We don’t know how to open the doors.  So we don’t know how to keep them closed.  It’d be nice if the tri-cleorps could no longer use them.”

“Heh,” Bluntwerk chuckled.  “Only if ye’ve got ten thousand bear traps to put in front of ev’ry one o’the things.”

Honee asked, “What to do, then?  Help the wizards?”

Fawnlum turned to her own magical expert.  “Nepta?”

Lucas’ expression turned a shade colder as he was – albeit unintentionally – overlooked for counsel in magical matters.

“It would take too much research,” Nepta evenly replied.

“The much-learned wizards of this city, and the powerful elves of Castletree have been unable to affect the shrooms.  There’s nothing we,” she said, referring to their party, “will be able to do.”

Fawnlum’s moment was deflated.  Nepta had already been thinking about such a thing.

Fortunately, Fawnlum’s stubbornness never backed down for common sense.

“What if,” she began, speaking again to Nepta, “you were a cleric of a goddess of the moon.  In this shadow, the moon has not been seen for a year.  But you’ve pondered this foul enchantment during that time, and worked hard to still use your magic.  If you had moonlight again, would you have more power to affect those doors, perhaps?”

Nepta sat quietly, as if she was caught off-guard by such an idea.  She herself turned to Lucas.  “The powers of different gods come to their followers in all sorts of ways, yes?”

He gave a muted nod.

She looked back at Fawnlum.  “If I was wise to the clerical ways, and I had worked hard to adapt to the conditions,,….and of course if I had the favor of that goddess, then, I would have probably found a way to still use my magic.  So, yes, if I suddenly had the moon, and the light of my goddess shone down on me, my craft would probably be more powerful.”

“Excuse me,” Fawnlum said, quickly getting up, and walking toward the exit.  “We might have to stay in town a few more days,” she called over her shoulder.