EPS 26 Surprise attack

**The Fateful Morning**

That day, the atmosphere of Spring Colony was completely different. On a normally quiet morning, the entire population gathered in the central square of the colony, summoned by Kreig, their leader. The large tents that were usually filled with daily activities were now empty, and all eyes were on the simple stage that had been erected for Kreig to deliver his speech. Colony officials such as Dracko, Dann, Neved, and Natali stood beside Kreig, their faces serious, signalling that what was about to be delivered was no joke.

Kreig began with a deep and firm voice, drawing everyone's attention. 'We are on the verge of a great decision,' he said, his voice echoing in the cold morning air. 'After considering all possibilities, we have decided that Spring Colony must move. We can no longer stay here. There are too many threats, and we are getting weaker.'

**Panic Arises**

Hearing those words, a commotion began to arise among the residents. Worried whispers were heard here and there. Some people began to hug their children tighter, while others exchanged confused glances with each other. For most of the residents, the idea of leaving Spring Colony and moving to nearby Glory Kingdom was terrifying. They all knew that Glory Kingdom was famous for its harsh and oppressive policies.

'Are we going to end up enslaved by Glory Kingdom?' cried one of the citizens from the crowd, his voice trembling with fear. 'They are oppressors! Do we have to live under their feet?'

Kreig raised his hand, asking everyone to calm down. 'We know Glory Kingdom's reputation. But hear us out before you jump to conclusions,' he said, his voice remaining calm despite the worry in his eyes.

**Dann's explanation: Fertile Land Near Glory Kingdom**

As Kreig continued, Dann, the senior intelligence officer and informant, stepped forward. He was a man with a sturdy build and deep knowledge of the area around Glory Kingdom. 'The land here is barren,' he said in a tone full of seriousness. 'Every year, we find it increasingly difficult to grow wheat and rice. The crop yields are plummeting, every day is just a meal of Horned Serpent meat and we all know that if this situation continues, we will face famine. We have fought hard, but this is not a land that can sustain us forever.'

The people listened anxiously, but some of them seemed to understand the logic behind the decision. Dann continued, 'The land near Glory Kingdom is fertile. We can grow wheat, rice, and even vegetables there more easily. Here, every seed we plant requires a lot of water and fertiliser, but there, the land will support us.'

**The Growing Threat of the Horned Serpent**

Even so, the fear of Glory Kingdom still loomed large in many people's minds. A question arose from an elderly man in the crowd. 'And what about Glory Kingdom? Will they let us live peacefully near their borders?'

Dracko, one of Spring Colony's top officers and fighters, who had a stern demeanour and didn't say much, stepped forward to answer. 'There are bigger threats than just the Glory Kingdom,' he said, his tone deep and firm. 'The Horned Serpent is getting stronger every day. They come more often, and we, the fighters, are getting overwhelmed against them. If we stay here, we will all be consumed by them.'

Dracko's words added to the anxiety. Horned Serpents, the beasts that frequently terrorised the colony, were known to be a very difficult threat to deal with. Each of their attacks left wounds and death, and over time, more and more warriors were seriously injured in the effort to defend the colony.

**Tactical Plans and Diplomacy**

Neved, who was known as Spring Colony's wisest deputy leader, then added calmly, 'Numbers do not determine victory. Quality does. We will endeavour to negotiate with the Glory Kingdom. Diplomacy is the first resort. But if they refuse, we must prepare to fight. We have considered everything very carefully.'

'If we must fight Glory Kingdom, we will do so with allies from within,' shouted a citizen from the crowd, excitedly. 'They must also have people who are dissatisfied with their cruel rule. We can conquer them, make a fairer rule for all!'

Kreig smiled at the idea. 'Your thoughts are right,' he said, looking directly at the man. 'We will fight for something better. If negotiations fail, we'll be ready to take over.'

**Preparing for the Journey**

After making sure everyone understood the situation, Kreig began to explain their travel plans. 'Yin, Ima, and Kovacic are on their way with three large vehicles that will transport our belongings. The first vehicle carries members still in the hibernation phase, plants, medicine, and food supplies. The second vehicle contains items such as tents, weapons, and livestock. The third vehicle is for your personal belongings. Take only the essentials, as this journey will be tough.'

William, an experienced soldier, stepped forward and warned, 'This journey will take a week. The terrain we will be travelling through is very dangerous, filled with Horned Serpent territory. You must be prepared for attacks.'

Steven added emphatically, 'Don't just expect to be protected. You should also be prepared to protect each other. We are all family here, and family looks out for each other.'

Natali, who had been known as a quiet person, came forward and spoke, 'Don't feel like you're useless just because you can't fight. Practise healing magic or other skills that can help. Every effort will be worth it.'

Primo, who was standing next to Kreig, expressed his feelings, 'We all feel the same fear. But believe me, this place is no longer safe. The Horned Serpent is getting stronger, and we are getting weaker. If we stay here, we will lose more of our loved ones.'

**Explosions and Danger Signs**

Suddenly, there was an explosion in the sky. Everyone turned their heads and looked up, seeing white smoke billowing in the air-a distress signal. Kreig instantly realised what was happening.

'That's a signal from our team with the vehicle,' he said in a serious tone. 'They're under attack.'

Dracko and Dann immediately transformed into their dragon and raptor forms, flying towards the direction of the explosion at high speed. Kreig, Primo, and Neved soon followed, running as fast as they could to get to the location.

On the way, Ima, one of the TankCargo riders, contacted them through telepathic magic. 'We were attacked by dozens of Horned Serpents,' her voice sounded panicked. 'Our vehicle is damaged, we need help!'

Hearing that, Kreig immediately ordered Primo to speed up the pace. Primo used his *Speed Up* magic and ran with incredible speed, leaving Kreig and Neved behind.

**Battle Against Horned Serpent**

Dracko and Dann were the first to arrive at the location and immediately engaged in a fierce battle. Dracko swung his fire axe with tremendous power, slashing the neck of one of the Horned Serpents with a *Flaming Circle Slash*. Meanwhile, Dann in raptor form fired a volley of bullets from the Gatling Gun on his back, trying to slow down the Horned Serpent chasing the vehicle.

However, the sheer number of enemies began to overwhelm them. Dracko, who initially dominated the fight, began to be pushed back by the wave of attacks. Dann also had trouble aiming as the flying dust and sand interfered with his vision.

Just as Dracko was about to be attacked from behind, an electric spear pierced right through the head of the Horned Serpent that was targeting him. Dracko smiled, knowing that Primo had arrived. 'The main star has finally arrived,' he muttered to himself.

Together, Primo and Dracko began to attack with full force. Primo's electric spear and Dracko's fire axe became a deadly combination that quickly destroyed ten Horned Serpents in a matter of minutes.

Meanwhile

Dann, who was overwhelmed, shouted 'I need help here too' while dodging the Horned Serpent's attacks one by one, Kreig and Neved arrived to help Dann, bringing their sacred weapons-fire sword and light sword respectively-to destroy the remaining enemies. Ima, Yin, and Kovacic riding in a TankCargo joined the battle, firing their holy weapons in the form of Sniper Rifles attached to the roof of the vehicle, taking down Horned Serpents from a distance.

The battle ended in victory for the Spring Colony. They transported the Horned Serpent's remaining carcass into the TankCargo, burning the rest to prevent it from being eaten by other monsters that could disrupt the ecosystem and evolution of the region.

Ima Yin and Kovacic met Primo Kreig introduced Primo to them, telling them that Primo was the newly appointed leader of Spring Colony. Ima was amazed that Primo was not yet a teenager and had already been recognised by Kreig, and Yin and Kovacic congratulated Primo.

After getting acquainted with Primo, who was praised for his bravery at a young age, the group headed back to Spring Colony.

**Destroyed Camp**

With strong teamwork, all of the Horned Serpents were eventually defeated. However, as they headed back to Spring Colony with the TankCargo, they were faced with a devastating sight-their camp had been destroyed, their tents were razed to the ground, and signs of resistance were evident.