42. Tide

——just around the end of the festival——

"Sir!" A soldier barged into the City Master's room with haste. Sweat trickling down his face with worry in his eyes.

"General, mind your image". The city master said sternly when he saw the General's sorry image.

"But Sir, this is no time to sit. A massive insect and undead wave has magically appeared outside the base city". The General lamented as he quickly announced in a hurry.

"What!" The city master slammed the table, turning it into powder when he heard the words.

"You incompetent fools couldn't even find the wave beforehand!" The city master roared at the general as he heard his words.

'What are we supposed to track when they appeared out of nowhere'. The general thought in his mind while keeping his head and not looking at the city master.

"Sir, we suspect that they have a space user among them. They just popped into existence at a distance from the base city". The general argued back as he rested his case.

The city master went quiet after hearing the sentence and massages his temples. "Call every general to the conference room". The city master said as he headed to the conference room.

After a while, all the high level generals were in the room except one as his duty was to give instructions to soldiers on the spot.

"So what are the enemy's numbers?" The city master sat down on the head seat as he asked.

"Sir, there are more than hundred thousand insects and undeads combined with a quarter of them being flying ones". A general report with dread in his voice.

The city master grimaced at the numbers as he heard the general's summary. "What do you think are our winning or stalling chances".

"Sir, we are looking at a 20% chance of stalling before help arrives and zero chance at enemy defeat and annihilation". The general said with a quivering voice.

The morale was at an all time low in the room at this point. Although, the situation on the walls of the city wasn't any better. The soldiers were in despair at the moment.

"Haaa, we'll have to pull other evolvers and fighters into the fray then". The city master sighed as he thought about the support that could be gained with the help of the others.

"What about help? Have you contacted the HQ?" The City Master asked as he straightened his back to get back into the game.

Just then the conference room door opened and a soldier reported. "Sir, the helpline and all communications have been disabled and cannot be sent out of the city".

There was an audible shake in his voice as he also knew how grim this news really was. He was also shaking in his boots whole thinking of this.

"Damn it all, Can't one thing go right today?!" The City Master stood up in rage as he tossed the decoration ball on the table across the room.

"Sorry gentlemen". After tossing the ball across the room. He regained his composure and sat down on the chair.

"Don't worry sir, we can understand". The generals flashed wry smiles but it did bring their nervousness down a bit.

"What's the ETA of arrival". The City Master asked.

"In about 30 minutes more sir". One general reported as the city master pinched the bridge of nose and thought.

"Alright, pass my orders and ask all the fighters and Evolvers in this city to assemble. Today's gonna be a long day". The City Master sighed and slumped into the chair.

——with Alex——

A soldier came running into the shelter as he stood at the door and shouted. "All the evolvers and fighters are to report to the Guard Mansion in 10 minutes sharp!" The voice resounded in the whole shelter.

"What! We are not leaving our children here!" The parents shouted back in outrage at the absurd order.

"The city is facing the threat of annihilation and is under military rule. There is no room for argument!" The retort given by the soldier shut them up for good.

Things had gotten out of hand more than they thought but they still weren't willing to leave their children alone.

"Tell the City master that Minamoto-no-Raikou will participate in this tide. So leave these people to protect the children here". Raikou got out of thr crowd as she said with calmness and majesty that affected everyone.

"Grayfia, you take care of Alex and the others. I will go ahead with Mamako". Raikou smiled back at Grayfia and gently picked Alex up and hugged him tightly then passed him to Mamako.

Mamako squeezed Alex tightly as there was visible worry on her face. She wasn't willing to leave her Alex here alone but with Grayfia, she was at least reassured.

"Be careful Ka-chan". Alex hugged tightly in return as he said with concern in his voice.

"We will". Both of them replied fondly as they started making their way towards the soldier.

Alex was clenching his fists hard as he looked at their retreating backs that slowly disappeared from his vision.

Grayfia noticed his pain and just picked him up in her embrace. She was equally worried about them as Alex.

"Don't worry, Alex-kun. They will be alright". Grayfia said in reassurance but a voice disturbed their emotional talk with crass tone.

"I won't be saying the same about you guys tho". A humanoid insect came from a hole in the underground shelter as he said.

"No need to call for support. This place has been isolated by us". The insect said as it moved it's claw like hands across the room.

As he said, the room started to flood with other humanoid insects. They stayed behind the intelligent insect that could talk and hissed at everyone.

Guess, they weren't all that intelligent as they were just hissing at the people inside while saliva was dripping from their mouths.

Alex was in despair as he looked at Grayfia who was holding him even tighter and his other friends in the room. The girls were trembling in their parent's embrace from the sheer bloodlust oozing from the insect monsters.

"Begin the feast". The insect said and all the insects sprang to action as they tore at the people there.