The Battle Majestic (Round 4 - Magpie Skies)

Originally posted on MSPA by Dragon Fogel.

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There was a large, central area on the map. Lionel's path would take him right through it. That could potentially pose a problem; if they realized he was heading that way, they might send more Yaggs than he could handle.

As a result, he was doing a lot of doubling back. He wanted their reports to suggest he was heading in a different direction; hopefully, they wouldn't catch on until he was already securely at his destination. Granted, he expected there to be some sort of defense in that area, but he didn't need them stepping it up even more.

***

Jacob was not in the best of moods. He'd just taken an adrenaline shot, and he was already back to dealing with these big, dumb, hard-to-kill things. And also robots. He had more mana now, true, but that didn't mean he could just squander it.

"Where exactly are we going?" he asked Steven. Steven shrugged in return.

"I don't know. I'm just following the gloves."

Jacob groaned. Then he groaned even louder when he realized something.

"Didn't you say you had a map?"

"Yeah?" Steven paused as his gloves floated ahead; there was a rather discomforting scream a few moments later. Jacob wasn't sure he wanted to know the details, but he continued regardless.

"We could have had them point out where we're going! I could have made us a portal there! Or at least closer, depends on how far off it is... But now we need them to fight these guards and we're probably not going to get a very long break to let them point it out."

Steven unfolded the map.

"Well... Actually, we might be able to. Maybe. There's this big central area, see? If what we're looking for isn't here, then we'll have to go through there anyhow. And if it is here... well, we'll throw off the guards, at least?"

Jacob shrugged.

"I guess it's a plan. Get the gloves over here. <font size="1">Just watch, the place'll be flooded with guards..."</font>