Despite the wrinkles on his face becoming more apparent, Aaron remained unflinching. Sure his pride was bruised from the south and from the west. Coward, crooked, traitor. Some were warranted and some were not, he didn't care, he swallowed them all whole because this tactic was his own tactic, and he knew its strength and weakness. 

His decision to hold the line seemed to pay off when he saw four of his men arrive from the northwest tunnel. That elf peeked from her cover to shoot at the regrouping soldier but his sergeant's shield deflected the arrow and thus allowed his part to safely enter the barrier. 

Deep down, Aaron was relieved it wasn't an explosive one. 

[b][color=f7941d]"So what now?"[/color][/b] He shouted. [color=f7941d][b]"What now you dipshit! I will have you all buried! And you can hide or face your judgment! Go on and make my day! Useless piece of filth! Do your worst!"[/b][/color]


[color=fdc68a]"Oh, you bet I will! I even went so far as to make you a little present."[/color] Barked the inhuman tutor mockingly, still hanging on the edge of the floor.  [color=fdc68a]"SOME of us pay attention when we read things in the library, and got promoted to the royal court on MERIT, instead of who their daddy fucked. Oh, I am quite sure you paid a lot of money for that gaudy little pig-sticker you have, but I MADE my shell-- ALL. BY. MY. SELF. Now, I feel I must part company, Lord Dipshit. I have a tunnel to collapse."[/color]


Looking up, Aaron glanced at the red, spherical metal things hovering near the ceiling closer to the entrance, right above their head. How that thing could have gotten there and since when? 

Whatever it was, it didn't matter. He had his barrier. 

Still focused on the lingering danger, the navy shooter reloaded and aimed his weapon at Henri, but the Royal Tutor let go of his grip and splooshed back into the water with one hand still erected at the surface. 

Aaron watched how that metal sphere glows brighter, but then, another unexpected thing came; a fletched shaft with a glowing tip flew from the south and hit the sphere. 

Violent explosion shook that tunnel, shattering the wooden frame that supports the middle entrance and its surrounding masonry. Pieces of concrete and other debris started to fall from the collapsing ceiling, filling the passage until it was completely shut. But it wasn't all.  A splash of warm and rancid mud befell them, the barrier might have eased up the temperature, but it was still crap, and he was full of it, now inside out and Aaron was wide awake when that humiliation occurred. 

The constable coughed, swiping blood and a handful of black mud from his nose. The barrier remained undaunted however, in fact, it glowed even brighter... only for a few moments after. That instant strengthening had cost him a great deal of energy and imposed a heavy strain on his body. 

When the barrier began to shrink, Aaron knew he was in deep trouble. A bit too late for that, really. 

[color=f7941d][b]"Men! Retreat now!"[/b][/color]

It was the sentence he never imagined he would say.