The Vanguard

"Damn that's ho- I mean, a lot." A man clad in a rusty armor whistled atop a tower.

The vanguard, the gateway that separates their world from what they consider the unknown. It stood proud, sealing the canyon with three thick walls that bore a dragon in its wake and now, it faces a wave of monsters spilling like mud out of the darkness itself. The sun began to fade and with it came with the noctems as tall as the trees that give shade to the little ones beside it as well as the beasts that were as wide as the boulders that blocks one's views to whatever's behind it.

The air was thick and heavy as the smell of rotting corpses filled their noses. The soldiers that manned the walls cannot help but falter as they tried to gaze what lies beyond the horizon. The monsters, the strays that they could easily hunt on their own spare time had gathered together and marched their feet in a singular roaring beat that made their voices appear soundless. They bore their fangs at them while some raised their claws as a group of black-feathered beings hovered around them in circles as if they were an army of their own, and there, at its center, lies a tall knight dressed in full armor that was as black as the coal that lost its flame.

"They're walking," one of the soldiers shouted with his voice shaking.

"Good, they're mocking us." The commander let out a nervous smile as he wiped the cold sweat off his forehead with his forearm.

"It's as if they were making themselves an easy target," one of the scouts said without taking his eyes from the telescope.

"Indeed, we've never really encountered a pack of noctems this many and what's more, it's like they had developed some brains to storm the canyon."

"I don't like the feeling of this…"

"Same, do we have any word coming from Tinora? Anything?" The commander said while gritting his teeth.

"N-none at the moment sir, none of our hawks has returned too."

Silence came upon them until the commander broke it with a sigh. He glanced at the darkness oozing ever so slowly towards the foot of their walls and said, "I sure as hell need a raise and a medal for making things work."

"Si-sir, what could you me-"

"Look, it seems like we can get ourselves some nice tea and come back only to find that they're still walking but let's not forget what they could do." The commander then raised the corner of his lips and followed, "Sure, they might be taking their sweet time but they might like, decide to run at us at any moment. I'm gonna need someone to deliver a message."

"Sir.' One of the soldiers walked up to him.

"Relay my message to every squad leader out there. Double the stock of arrows for the archers manning the first wall, get the ballistas aimed and ready and for the catapults, tell the others that we're gonna need a lot of boulders."

"Is that i-"

"Fill our spot with as many archers as you can from the second wall and compensate for their lack of numbers by using the ones sitting pretty on the third wall. Reinforce the gates and make sure that the barricades behind it are heavily guarded, use the ones who can use magic to make walls if you have to. Get the bombs ready so we could blow this place up when or if the time comes and lastly, make sure that the paths towards the second wall must be cleared off of any obstructions to limit the casualties if there comes a need for us to retreat."

'Understood." The soldier and the commander then shared a silent nod before the soldier ran off.

"So commander, how are our chances at surviving?" One of them said as she looked down with her brown silky hair swaying before the cold nightly wind.

"Well, do you want me to be honest Trisha?" The commander scoffed and turned his head to look at her with a self-conceited smile.

"Of course, I need you to be honest," she said with her voice bearing a stern tone.

"Well…" The commander straightened his back and looked around until he found himself taking a heavy deep breath. "It's about as high as me transforming into a magical girl that can harness the power of the sun."

"That sounds, oddly specific."

"Of course it is. I've finally found the time to pick up that book that's been sitting on my shelf for weeks now and also," he covered his mouth with his hand and followed, "we could really use some help from Tinora or at least the sun."

"Okay. Now, I want that book too!"

"Right? I was about to finish the last three chapters but stuff happened, we recalled

our soldiers from the remaining outposts..."

"That's-"

"And now we have this…"

"Yeah, we have this…"

They paused for a moment, only to hear the roars of the wave of black beasts beneath them. It was as if their tongue was taken out of their mouths. None of them dared to at least show their teeth as the sound of their march grew louder and louder.

The soldier that ran off earlier to deliver a message came running back. He glanced at the enemy at their side by accident and at that moment, his body froze up. His jaws chattered and his knees were weakened but to that, he took a deep breath, he closed his eyes and faced his commander shouting, "I-I have come to relay the message from the squad leaders that they're now all set and ready."

"Good job, you might have even bigger balls than me..." The commander drew a wide satisfied smile on his face. "Let's compare ours later but for now, can anyone tell me how many minutes to do we have left before they get in our range?"

"Fifteen minutes sir," one of the soldiers holding the telescopes replied. "Three if they run."

The commander, without a word, turned to the soldier earlier and said, "Sorry, it looks like I need you to send another message."

"Sir!" The soldier shouted while giving him a salute.

"Run around and get me those who can still cast a spell or two."

"Understood."

The soldier said before he ran off once more and with that, he closed his eyes and faced the crowd of monsters parading towards their gates. He took a deep breath through his nose as he gazed at the black knight walking among their ranks. He then took a slight pause after filling his lungs with air and with a roaring shout as might as the dragon that they had on their walls, he said, "Archers, get in line and take your positions! Get those ballistas sharp and snappy and for the catapults, load them boulders!"

The crowd around him cheered and as if it worked as a horn to signal their charge, the noctems that were just taking their time broke off into a powerful sprint while the others in the air zoomed towards them. They shook the ground with every roar and step as they stomped everything before them, may it be trees, grass or their own.

"Sir, I'm back and I gathered them as much as I could!" The soldier said as he knelt on the ground to catch his breath. He had about thirty men with him.

"Ready the magic missiles," Trisha said.

"Vanguard!" The commander shouted and everyone turned silent save for the beat of the monsters' steps that fueled the fire welling up in their hearts. "What are we?!"

"The first and the last bastion that fights to protect humanity!" The soldiers shouted in unison that rivaled the howl of their enemies. "We are the brave soldiers that walk in between the boundary of what is known and unknown, and we fight for the peace of our kings as well as to protect those who cannot pick up a sword!"

"And also, it's because we have no fucking choice!" The commander followed slowly as if he was joking but the crowd's roar got louder than ever and some even raised their blades and spears. "Mages, aim for those in the air and get me some fried chicken, for the men below, ready your weapon and brace for impact, and for our archers, ballistas, and catapults, make it rain!"