Lazheros had backed up just in front of Willow and Serna and half turned to the ranger, "Which weapon do you prefer to use, bow or sword? I can bless one which will allow you to harm them. Or better yet take out the necromancer in the back. I would gather he's prepared for ranged attacks, so getting up close and personal might give you the edge you need."

"Don't worry, Willow," The Shield Maiden activated her shield, "I won't let you down!"

"Bless the bow," The Prince commanded, "Even if he is prepared for a ranged attack, your blessing will give me the means to dispatch him."

Bless the bow Lazheros did with divine radiant energy made it glow in the ranger's hand. "Knock an arrow and it gains the special power of holy fire but the time is limited. Use it wisely."

The wights advanced as the Wall of Fire went out with two coming straight up the center towards everyone and two came in from the left and the right to flank them.

Serna extended the protection radius of her shield to cover her center, left and right flanks.

"I will!" Without a moment's hesitation, Willow fell back a few feet behind Serna's shield wall, nocked and arrow and let loose a shaft directly at the necromancer.

The necromancer saw in incoming arrow too late when he tried to dodge out of the way as the blessed arrow struck him in the shoulder. "ARRGHH! CURSE YOU!"

The wights charged the ranger in response to their master being hit with the arrow with swords swinging across, up and down in both directions with intent to kill Willow.

Alyson placed a Stoneskin spell on Willow just in time as the wights on his side slashed him only to hit the stoneskin instead. At the same time the ones to her left came in swinging their swords slashing downwards when the gauntlets activated out of sheer instinct deflecting one of the wights attacks. The remaining wight swung its sword down at her feet tripping her up. She lost her footing and fell backwards prone on the ground.

Caliaphy saw it happen and reacted by shooting a beam of light at the gauntlet on Alyson's left arm which was reflected right into the face of the wight. "Take that, you..you creepy blue-eyed freak!"

*********


"LOOK OUT!!" Both Gimim and Gruo shouted to the rest on the ground as a medium size tree was hurled at them where the giant stood.

All the dwarves ran around and took cover behind the boulders just in time when the tree hit with a resounding thud sending splinters of wood and bark everywhere. Dragolem jumped up and over as the tree came down but it was not enough for him evade a piece of wood catching him in mid section knocking back down to the ground with a sickening crunch.

Irzen went flat to the ground as the tree spun over him and slammed into Dragolem's mid-section. Looking back at the Draconic Elemental, The Swordsman grinned, "You okay, big guy? You're not going to let a little thing like a tree slow you down, are you?"

"Very funny, Irzen," Dragolem glanced up and saw another smaller tree being thrown at him and the swordsman. Reacting he shoved the drow to the right of him up near the boulders for cover.

Irzen rolled with the shove as he made it behind the boulder for cover.

Danvald shouted, "The giant is staying out of melee range! We need to close the gap another twenty feet!"

Thinbar pulled both handaxes back over his shoulders and flung them end over end towards the giant through the lower canopy of the trees. The weapons cut off some of the limbs that came down in a domino affect to the ground. The giant went down in a thunderous crash only to come up with rage towards the group.

"That did it!" Gimim gave Thinbar the thumbs up and opened up with his repeating crossbow into the lower torso of the giant.

Dragolem had rolled out of the way after he tossed Irzen and slipped into the shadows again.

While Irzen could not see Dragolem, the Drow knew the Draconic Elemental was up to one of his dirty tricks and readied himself for what might next happen.

The giant had come within striking distance of Danvald and Thinbar slamming its ten foot club against the loose ground caused both dwarves to be knocked prone. Gimim had reloaded his repeating crossbow and unloaded six arrows again into the lower abdomen of the giant opening the wound more.

***TWMPPH!! TWMMPH!! TWMPPH!!***

The giant roared in pain trying dislodge the bolts which only made it worse by pushing them further into its gut. "Stupid dwarves! I will enjoy crushing you to death a limb at a time! Capture them!"

Dragolem popped out of a nearby tree snapping the neck of one orc and disemboweling another. "The giant's got friends, Irzen!"

Just then the horns that Irzen and Dragolem had heard just moments before sounded in the valley once more. The horns were followed by the sounds of hooves coming through the thick brush and braying of mules and goats stampeding from both sides the party.