The first ghoul reached us in seconds.
It lunged through the mud with jerking speed, gray fingers clawing for Branwen's throat.
Her mace came down like a hammer.
Bone cracked.
The ghoul collapsed back into the water.
Two more splashed forward.
"Careful!" Xan snapped. "Their claws carry paralysis!"
Encouraging.
Rasaad stepped past me smoothly.
"Stay moving," he said calmly.
The first ghoul swiped for him.
He pivoted sideways.
The motion was effortless—precise, balanced.
His palm struck the creature's jaw with a sharp crack that snapped its head sideways.
The ghoul staggered.
Rasaad's heel swept through the mud and knocked its legs out from beneath it.
The creature splashed into the swamp.
"Footwork," he said.
"Like we practiced."
Right.
Practice.
The next ghoul came for me.
A week ago I would have frozen.
Instead I stepped aside the way Rasaad had drilled into me every morning behind the inn.
The ghoul's claws cut through empty air.
My sword came down awkwardly—but hard enough.
Steel bit into its shoulder.
It shrieked.
Not elegant.
But effective.
Behind us, Xan muttered something arcane.
A flash of blue light rippled outward from him.
"Try not to die before this helps," he said dryly.
Magic surged through my limbs.
The world sharpened.
Movements quickened.
Breathing steadied.
"Haste," Xan said.
Imoen grinned.
"Oh I like this one."
She darted forward, dagger flashing.
A ghoul spun toward her—
Too slow.
Her blade buried itself in its spine.
The creature collapsed.
Then the ogre mage laughed.
A deep booming sound.
"GOOD!"
It clapped its hands together eagerly.
"ENTERTAINING!"
The ogre raised one hand.
Arcane symbols flared across its fingers.
Then the creature vanished.
Just gone.
The swamp fell suddenly quiet.
Xan swore.
"Invisibility."
"Of course," I muttered.
Because why wouldn't the belt-obsessed ogre also be a spellcaster?
Minsc planted his feet in the mud.
"Come out, coward!"
Boo squeaked furiously.
The ogre's voice drifted across the swamp.
Disembodied.
Mocking.
"Perhaps belts from heroes will be finest addition to collection…"
Something moved behind Branwen.
"LEFT!" I shouted.
The ogre reappeared mid-swing.
Its massive fist smashed toward her head.
Branwen turned just in time.
Her shield caught the blow with a thunderous crack.
She slid back two feet through the mud.
"Helm preserve me…"
Minsc roared.
"YOU STRIKE MY ALLIES?"
He charged.
Most men ran through mud slowly.
Minsc did not appear to care about such limitations.
He barreled forward like a siege engine.
The ogre turned just as Minsc's sword crashed into its side.
The blade cut through belts.
Leather straps snapped and scattered into the swamp.
The ogre gasped in horror.
"THE BELTS!"
Minsc raised his sword again.
"EVIL MEETS STEEL!"
He swung.
The ogre staggered backward.
Meanwhile the remaining ghoul lunged at Xan.
The wizard froze.
"…oh no."
Its claws raked across the illusions surrounding him.
Mirror Images shattered like glass.
Xan stumbled backward.
"…well," he muttered, straightening slightly, "at least the paralysis does not concern me."
The ghoul raised its claws again—
Rasaad intercepted it.
Two sharp strikes.
One precise kick.
The creature collapsed face-first into the swamp.
The ogre bellowed again.
Its eyes burned with fury.
"YOU RUIN COLLECTION!"
It raised its hands.
Cold mist gathered between its palms.
Xan's eyes widened.
"That looks extremely unpleasant."
"Scatter!" I shouted.
The ogre unleashed a blast of freezing wind.
Ice ripped across the marshland.
Water hardened instantly.
Reeds snapped under sudden frost.
The blast missed us by inches as we dove aside.
Minsc stood directly in front of the ogre.
Covered in frost.
Still standing.
He blinked.
Then grinned.
"Boo says you fight like a dairy farmer!"
The ogre stared.
"…what?"
Minsc lifted his sword.
"Now we finish this."
Xan sighed quietly behind us.
"Yes," he said.
"This seems about right."
And Minsc charged again.