A New Threat

-----Yui's POV

During the course of our journey to the forward base, I had no idea where to go, only following Sicily and Lillian who were also following some adventurers who were ahead of us. Luckily enough, we were on the right path as we encountered a decent sized cabin just off the path where many soldiers and adventurers were gathered, along with tents just off to the side of it.

Mai: "Ah~"

Turning my head behind me, I notice Mai letting out a soft sigh of relief. Following her her gaze, I see that she was staring at the cabin. Actually, now that I'm focused more on the cabin, why is it that there's a cabin all the way out here?

Yui: "Mai?"

Mai: "Hmm?"

Yui: "You know this cabin?"

Mai: "Yes. It's been a long time since I last seen it."

It was then that I saw the adventurers in front of us, walking off the path to approach the cabin. Of course that meant that we followed before we eventually went inside. It was a decent sized building, housing what seems to be hundreds of weapons on many racks and shelves inside. A soldier then came out from one of the rooms around the corner, approaching us and the other adventurers. I could tell he was of a higher class, like a captain of sorts as his armor was different than the regular soldiers.

Captain: "Is this everyone?"

Soldier: "Yes sir."

Captain: "Take them out to join the others."

Soldier: "Understood."

The captain then looked at all of us who were gathered, eyeing us up like he was inspecting meat at a grocery store.

Captain: "Thank you for aiding us. If you need weapons, feel free to take what's in here, and good luck. Give them all you've got."

With his words, he goes back into the room, leaving us with the soldier who immediately started to lead us back out. Sicily and Lillian both decided to pick up a sword from one of the racks before we all followed the other adventurers and soldier out of the cabin.

This whole thing feels completely different then when I fought goblins in Pontia, this feels more like an actual war, with the entire thing filling me with nerves as I clench my hand around the hilt of my rapier.

Olivia: "Kind of scary, isn't it."

Yui: "Mmm. I don't even know what we're facing."

Olivia: "Maybe we should have brought Kaede with us."

Seems like I'm not the only one nervous, with Olivia also clasping her hands together as we walk side by side.

Sicily: "If things get bad, Mai will let Kaede know, right?"

Mai: "Correct. I wouldn't want Kaede to be upset."

Actually, didn't Mai say she could wipe out a kingdom if she wanted to? Maybe I should loosen up a bit, we should be fine.

After 10 or so minutes of walking, we encounter more tents with adventurers coming in and out of them as we walk past.

Onyx: "Oh hey! You were with us from the ride over."

Yui: "Ah, yes. Hello again."

Two familiar faces come out of the tent as we're greeted by both Onyx and Garnet.

Garnet: "You guys just arrived?"

Olivia: "Yes!"

Garnet: "Great. We'll come with you guys to the wall."

Yui: "Wall?"

Onyx: "You'll see."

The two of them join our group as we follow the rest of adventurers and solider further west. It didn't take us long to encounter the "wall" they were talking about. I expected the wall to be several meters high, but what even is this? It looks like a few good smashes will topple it down easily.

Soldier: "Alright! Get back to work!"

At a soldiers command, other soldiers began to pick up slabs of stone and wood, adding more to the wall as we watch from a distance.

Garnet: "Our job basically is to guard while the wall gets finished."

Lillian: "W-where are the monsters?"

Onyx: "Well just from the day we've been here. They only really attack at night, attacking in hordes of maybe 20 or to at a time. So we can only properly build this wall during the day."

Garnet: "Still though, they can attack at any-"

-

Suddenly, a massive ball of fire explodes on the wall, destroying all the progress that was made as the impact blows away a few of the soldiers that were caught by the blast. We were quite a bit away from the wall, but even from this distance I could feel the intense heat radiating from it. I can only imagine how painfully hot it would be for those soldiers, as they scream in pain.

Immediately, Olivia went and used her water magic, dousing the soldier that got sent flying in our direction with water to put out the flames, saving their life

Soldier: "T-thank you."

It was quick thinking by her as other mages who could use water followed suit, using their water magic to put out the fire on the other soldiers. The rest of the soldiers and adventurers rushed out as the smoke cleared.

Olivia: "I'll stay here and help out with the injured, you guys go!"

At her words, I give her a small nod before following through the wreckage with everyone else. There, I was met with a wide open area whilst behind the horde of adventurers in front of us. I don't see any-

Screams of pain could be heard at the front, braking me out of my thoughts. I couldn't exactly see what was happening since we were near the back, behind everyone else, but what's the deal? No one appears to be moving.

Mai: "Hah. I get it."

Lillian: "What do you mean?"

Mai: "I was confused why those people at the front were just standing there, letting themselves get killed. But it's because they can't see them."

Sicily: "What? And you're saying you can see them?"

Mai: "Correct. Undead to be precise."

During the course of our brief discussion, more screams could be heard at the front before slowly, we were getting pushed back by the people in front of us to retreat. But we, along with the other people at the back remained where we are, still unsure on exactly what was going on. It was when everyone had passed us that I could see, nothing... Just like Mai said, we couldn't see anything, but there certainly is something out there as my eyes spot roughly 10 bodies laying on the ground, blood beginning to pool up around them. "This is bad."

I spot something flickering off past the dead bodies, almost like sun reflecting off a plane of glass, but I'm not-

Mai: "Excuse me."

She suddenly pushes me to the side, moving in front of us as she extends her hand. It was then that a giant ball of fire was slowly revealed to be right where Mai's hand was before she flicked it away with a finger, sending it straight out to where the dead bodies were. With an explosion that was similar to the one before, many of the aforementioned undead became visible, flying in all directions from the sudden impact of the fire ball.

Mai: "That's all I'll do. You kids have fun now."

Not only me, but Lillian, Sicily and the other adventurers with us were speechless as the others who ran away came swarming back, charging back out to meet the enemy head on now that they've been revealed.

Yui: "T-thank you Mai, for-"

Mai: "Like I said, I don't want Kaede to be upset. Don't be careless again."

Yui: "Mmm! I promise."

I understand if it wasn't for Mai, I would've been killed right then and there. With my thoughts collected, I charge out there with everyone else with my rapier drawn, wanting to see exactly what we're up against.

Everyone followed Mai's guidance, using ranged magic attacks to attack an area to reveal more of the enemies before finishing them off with weapons. The undead ranged from zombie-like humans to skeletons that barely had any flesh left on them. This was not only the first time seeing monsters like this, but also magic that gives the ability to turn things invisible. Is this kind of magic unique to undead?

Lillian: "Sicily and I will reveal them with magic. Yui, take the front."

Yui: "Yes!"

Following the other adventurers, we join up at the front as we use the same tactic everyone else is using, with the mages revealing and the knights finishing them off. It was then that a gust of wind was brought down in front of me, revealing several undead that were now splayed out on the ground from the force of the wind. I swiftly deal with them, however I do wonder how exactly the proper way to kill undead, aren't they already dead? At the very least, I follow the same zombie movie logic by removing their heads in hopes that they'll remain dead.

Suddenly, a tremendous amount of force came from the left side towards the center of our force. I notice several people flying in the air only to come crashing down further behind everyone. It was there, where the force originated that there stood a tall being with horns coming out the side of it's head. I only caught a glimpse of it before more adventurers started to swarm it, only to be flung away just like the others. The power reminded me of Kaede and Marcus, able to just send people flying like that as I stand there in terror.

Then, another adventurer ran up to it, only for their sword to be stopped dead in it's tracks by this monster's hand before being skewered by it's sword. It was only then that I got to see it properly. It wore black armor, covering it's entire body, but the horns weren't from a helmet like I originally thought, but coming from it's skull instead. It's what I imagine what a demon would be in my old world as I find myself taking a step back before turning around with Sicily and Lillian, running back with everyone else.

Sicily: "What even is that thing?!"

Lillian: "I don't know!"

Nor did I. We continue to fall back in the opposite direction from that unknown monster, only to stop dead in our tracks as once again, the people in front of us started flying. Wait, weren't we just running away from that? Not only me, but all 3 of us turn around only to see that the monster was no longer there. Turning back around, everyone stood still as our escape route was being blocked by none other that that same horned monster.