“This is but one spire, remember,” Seeker said. She stood staring back the way they had come, Chena at her side, snout blackened and retching as she cleared the ichor from her throat. Beyond them Pilgrim saw a mass of small dark figures emerging from the base of every spire in view. Although rendered ant-like by the distance, he could discern their shared direction. He had learned long ago how to swiftly estimate the strength of an approaching army and put the number of creatures now shambling towards them at well over ten thousand, and growing. Many perished in the fall, many remained.

“Priest!” he called up to the opening in the wall, putting all the authority he could gather into the summons.

For several long seconds there was no response then the cleric’s youthful face appeared in the opening. “Apologies!” he called. “Some fool decided to hide it!”

The rope ladder clattered down the wall an instant later, and Book lost no time in scrambling up. Maisha went next, moving with all the agility she could muster, though from the way her shoulders sagged when she reached the top, the effort had clearly cost her.

“After you, sir,” Player told her husband with a courteous bow. “I would never dream of separating Maisha and Kusiph. It’s my favourite tragedy.”

Kusiph nodded his thanks and quickly followed his wife up the ladder. Player turned to Pilgrim, his mask tilted at a questioning angle. “Consider this my thanks,” Pilgrim said, gesturing for him to go ahead.

As the Atherian scaled the wall, Pilgrim watched the approaching horde. Their number had swollen to what must have been over thirty thousand and the first were only moments from the ramp. Their shambling gait altered as they neared their prey, taking on a predatory speed.

“Go,” Pilgrim told Seeker, pointing to the ladder.

“You first,” she said. “Chena can’t climb that thing and I’ll need your arm to haul us both up.”

There was no time to argue the point so he rushed to the ladder and swiftly scrambled to the top. Seeker ran to grab one of the wooden struts whilst Chena clamped her jaws about another. The ravenous former denizens of the city crested the top of the ramp as Pilgrim, Kusiph and Player hauled the ladder up the wall. The weight of both Seeker and the hyena was not slight and both Priest and Book were obliged to add their strength to the effort. Clawed hands missed the beast’s dangling paws by inches as the pair were drawn clear.

“By the Risen,” Book gasped, groaning in relief as mistress and beast finally reached the opening. The horde’s combined cries rose to a feverish pitch as they both clambered inside. Pilgrim looked down to see them thronging the base of the structure in ever greater numbers, every face upturned, jaws gnashing and eyes filled with a uniform hate.