Welcome to the Front Lines

Andre's ass ached with every bump in the road while riding his horse. Spending a day riding on horseback, with dirt under his nails and his face tanned by the sun, was not how he imagined becoming a villain. He looked to the side at Eldred, his mentor with gray hair, a symbol of self-control on his large black horse.

"Almost there, lad," Eldred rumbled, his voice hoarse from dust and shouting commands.

Andre peered through the distortion caused by the heat rising off the vast plains. In the distance, a rugged cut in the landscape stood out - the powerful outline of a fortress. However, the building he saw did not match the grand and impressive appearance depicted in the storybooks. Sections of stone were absent, like a child had smashed a sandcastle with a huge hand. The air was filled with thick smoke, serving as a continuous reminder of the ongoing battle within.

"Looks like a right mess," Andre muttered, the knot of worry in his stomach tightening.

Eldred grunted. "Been bombarded for four days straight. Reinforcements were supposed to arrive a fortnight ago."

They reached the top of a hill, and Andre took a deep breath. Below, the floor was covered in the remains of battle - damaged weapons, battered shields, and more. A nauseatingly sugary metallic taste filled his nose.

As they approached the castle gate, a figure emerged from the dust and rubble. A man, cloaked in white that had turned a grimy grey, his face etched with exhaustion. But his eyes, the colour of faded denim, held a spark of defiance. A phoenix, its wings outstretched in a defiant cry, was emblazoned on his cloak.

"Sir Eldred," the man rasped, his voice gravelly. "Thank the gods you've arrived. We were starting to think reinforcements were just a cruel joke." He gave a curt nod to Andre. " Andre, I presume?"

Despite the grim sight in front of him, Andre felt a flicker of pride and sat up straight in his saddle. "Indeed. We brought what we could."

The man's lips stretched into a tired smile. "Any help is more than welcome right now. I'm Ser Edgar, castellan of Fort Phoenix. Welcome to the front lines."

Sir Edgar guided them into the open mouth of the gate. Andre's senses were overwhelmed by the smells of sweat, blood, and an even more unpleasant odor of decaying flesh. Inside, the environment was complete disorder. Men with solemn and tired expressions cared for the injured in temporary shelters. Others were sharpening weapons, their actions showing signs of fatigue. Andre tallied approximately four hundred and fifty of them, each displaying the phoenix symbol - protectors of Fort Phoenix.

"Numbers are thin," Eldred muttered beside him, his brow furrowed. "Looks like they've been holding on by the skin of their teeth."

Ser Edgar nodded grimly. "We've been bombarded for days, then at night… things come."

"Things?" Andre said his eyebrow raised, his unease growing.

"Undead," Ser Edgar spat. "Orcs, goblins, even a damn ogre last night. Appear out of nowhere, driven by a hunger that chills the soul."

"We'll find the cause," Andre said, his voice firmer than he felt.

.....

Night descended, covering the fort in a deep darkness. Andre and Borin, an experienced soldier, stood guard on a deteriorating watchtower. Andre surveyed the dim forest with an increasing feeling of fear. He shouldn't be scared, he was going to become the villain, Mr Overpowered, fear shouldn't be in his vocabulary.

"You alright, kid?" Borin rumbled, his voice laced with concern. War could be clearly seen on his face that ran deeper than any map Andre had ever seen.

Andre forced a smile. "Just… taking it all in."

Andre felt a sudden, eerie coldness run down his back. The hair stood up on his arms, and a basic instinct urged him to act. Turning quickly, his hand immediately went to the hilt of his sword.

Borin, with his aged face looking serious, tightly held his own weapon. A faint growl, sensed more than audible, reverberated among the tower stones. It wasn't the roar of a living creature – it was the famished snarl of something long deceased, revived with a craving for living flesh.

After that, they emerged from the dark depths of the forest. A group of eerie creatures walk forward - Orcs with decaying skin, Goblins with glowing eyes in the dark, and a large Ogre trailing behind emitting a repulsive odor.

The army of the undead rushed towards the fort, their actions mimicking life in a disturbing manner. Andre's chest pounded with his heart's rapid beats. This was it.