“We killed the enemy Ranger and Support. But the others are nowhere to be seen. Do you think Champion is okay?”


    Thalia’s question turned every head to her. Blanche quickly shook her head and turned back while Aurora fixed her glasses, pretending that she was thinking.


    “He is strong. He should be okay.”


    Artemeni answered with an upbeat tone despite her exhaustion.


    No one in their group was dumb. The fact that remaining enemy champions were nowhere to be seen meant that they were somewhere else.


    “We should retreat. We already took all the first and second towers. All we have to do is break from one side and get their nexus.”


    Aurora broke the silence first, her analytical nature driving her to strategize rather than dwell on the worst.


    Artemeni’s grip tightened on her weapon. "Then what are we waiting for? Let’s find Champion and take the fight to them before they can regroup."


    “I will join you after clearing out the jungle camps.”


    The other three narrowed their eyes at Blanche’s words. They exchanged glances, each one of them thinking that regrouping was more important. Yet, they were hesitant to speak up. Blanche wasn’t an Amazon warrior. Without Poyraz being there, none had the authority to order her without any rejection from her.


    Thalia’s brow furrowed, as she adjusted the grip on her staff. “Splitting up now… it’s risky. What if—”


    “We don’t have time to second-guess,” Aurora interrupted, her voice steady but sharp. “The longer we wait, the more time the enemy has to regroup. Blanche, just don’t linger. Finish quickly.”


    Thalia shot Aurora a mean look. They were not the best of terms but the mage wasn’t the one to step over her in front of other people, especially in a place like this.


    “I’ll steal their buffs and join you.”


    Blanche started to run to the jungle and disappeared from their sight quickly.


    Artemeni took a step forward, her battle-scarred armor catching the faint glimmer of the evening light. “I don’t like it,” she growled, her voice roughened by fatigue. “We should be sticking together, not running off like loose arrows.”


    Aurora sighed just to pause and realize why the Champion sighed all the time. So this is what he felt all the time.


    “I think like that too but without Champion, we can’t make her listen to us. It will devolve into pointless discussion and we will waste our time doing nothing. A bad decision is better than no decision.”


    Thalia gave Aurora a tired smile.


    “Is that what they say in the mage tower? We say the opposite at the temple.”


    Aurora met Thalia''s smile with a faint smirk. “Perhaps that’s why mages live longer. We act instead of praying for the right answer.”


    Thalia rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped her lips. “Let’s hope your impatience doesn’t get us killed.”


    Artemeni didn’t join their conversation, instead starting to walk towards the jungle. Artemeni’s steps were heavy, the wear of the battle evident in her every motion. She swung her spear onto her shoulder and turned back to the others.


    "Let’s just get moving. The faster we regroup, the less likely Blanche gets ambushed."


    Aurora nodded, adjusting her glasses. “We’ll head towards the enemy base. If we catch their defense weakened, we push. Otherwise, we find the Champion. Agreed?”


    “Agreed,” Thalia said, though her voice was laced with doubt. The cleric tightened her grip on her staff, her gaze darting to the shadows of the jungle where Blanche had disappeared. A pit of unease churned in her gut.


    The three started moving together, their coordination well-practiced despite their fatigue. As they passed the last wave of enemy minions Artemeni noticed the difference between ally and enemy minions grew once again. It couldn’t be helped. They lost three towers while the enemy lost 6. Artemeni’s gaze swept over the battlefield, taking in the ebb and flow of minions clashing. The enemy’s desperation was evident in the density of their reinforcements, but it was also a reminder of how quickly fortunes could turn if they didn’t maintain their momentum. She glanced back at Aurora and Thalia.


    "Keep your eyes sharp," she said, her voice low but commanding. "The enemy’s been quiet too long. I don’t like it."


    Aurora adjusted her glasses again, her analytical mind spinning. “They might be consolidating. If they’ve abandoned the jungle, it’s likely they’re reinforcing their base, likely with traps and barriers.”


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.Thalia’s eyes widened at the suggestion, her grip tightening on her staff.


    “Then we should push as fast as possible.”


    Artemeni shook her head.


    “We don’t have the minion advantage. They still have three towers left and we need minions to take them down.”


    “And our minions are being overpowered by theirs.”


    Aurora finished grimly. The trio quickened their pace, moving with caution but urgency. The path through the enemy jungle felt unnerving still, the usual hum of wildlife and distant battle cries replaced by an ominous quiet.


    …


    “Can you guys fuck off?!”


    Poyraz shouted as he dodged a massive piece of rock. It shattered against the second bottom tower, further damaging the structure. Poyraz glanced back at it, narrowing his eyes. He knew that it wouldn’t last for long. The enemy minion waves were too tough to be easily killed by him or the tower’s shots. The tower would go down which would spell not so good things for himself.


    After killing the ganker he was chased back to his own tower by the mage and the tank and now they were joined by what looked like their support as it managed to heal the mage.


    “Are they trying to focus on one lane and tear down our defenses?”


    After the second tower, they would only have one more tower to reach their base. If that happened it wouldn’t matter what tower advantage they held.


    “No matter how many cuts you give to the body it is useless if they cut your head off.”


    G?kb?rü let out a growl of agreement. For now, they were safe under their tower but with how formidable the enemy minions were, it was sure to go down at any moment. There was also the possibility of them diving him under the tower but honestly, he would prefer that. He couldn’t take down three of them by himself but with the tower’s help…


    Poyraz clicked his tongue. That was wishful thinking. They had no reason to do something that risky. The sound of another rock hurtling through the air snapped his attention back to the battlefield. He sidestepped smoothly, the projectile smashing into the ground where he’d just been. Dust and debris swirled around him, but his eyes remained fixed on his opponents.


    …


    Blanche watched the enemy ganker fight against a buff, crouched low in a bush to catch him off guard. She crouched deeper into the shadows, her eyes sharp as the enemy ganker wrestled with the jungle buff. She was taking in his movements, already planning how she would strike. Her focus honed in as the ganker delivered a heavy blow to the buff monster, the creature’s roar echoing faintly through the jungle.


    With that, she pounced out of the bush she was hiding. Her rapier came alive with lightning sparks as she thrust the weapon into the enemy ganker’s throat. The enemy ganker’s eyes widened as the tip of Blanche’s lightning-infused rapier pierced his throat, delivering a jolt that paralyzed his movements. His weapon fell from his grasp. Blanche''s expression remained cold as she twisted the blade, the sparks crackling like a miniature storm in her grip. The ganker managed a desperate gasp, his hand jerking upward as if to retaliate, but Blanche was already moving. She sidestepped with dancer-like precision, pulling her blade free and slashing across his side in one fluid motion. The enemy fell to his knees, barely alive.


    Blanche wordlessly drove her rapier through his chest before killing the jungle camp pivoting toward the nearest jungle camp.


    (The second bottom tower is destroyed. Your minions strengtens.)


    …


    Meanwhile, Poyraz grimaced as the second tower behind him collapsed with a deafening roar. The wave of enemy minions surged forward, their relentless march a stark reminder of his precarious position. The enemy mage and tank pressed their advantage, stepping into the tower’s remains with confident strides.


    ….


    Back with Artemeni, Aurora, and Thalia, the trio approached the bottom lane cautiously. The fact that only the second bottom tower went down meant that the enemy was there too. The trio quickened their pace, the jungle’s oppressive stillness amplifying every rustle and crackle of the underbrush. As they reached the edge of the jungle overlooking the bottom lane, they paused. In the distance, they spotted the destroyed second tower and a massive minion wave pushing towers to their last tower.


    “He’s still holding,” Artemeni muttered, looking at Poyraz shooting arrows from the range of their tower. “But not for much longer.”


    Aurora squinted, analyzing the enemy’s formation. “The mage is their main damage dealer. If we can take her out, the rest will crumble. The tank and support won’t hold without her.”


    Thalia nodded, determination setting her jaw. “Then we flank them. Aurora, can you keep the mage occupied? Artemeni and I will focus on breaking their formation.”