Stories of the Soldiers

The world had grown quiet around Boy as he was lost in his thoughts, his mind focused deeply in looking at the system. He opened and properly read the notifications that he had dismissed earlier, finally finding the time to read them now.

[Mission Complete!

"Trial By Fire", Unique Mission:

Defeat as many enemies summons as you can (Count: 42)

Defeat as many soldiers as you can (Count: 33)

Survive until the end of the battle (Completed)

Lead the summons and have they listen to you (Completed)]

[Reward: "Umbral Bind" skill unlocked (C), Skills Upgraded, 20,000 exp, 1000AP]

[Ding! Spirit Dash (D) -> Shadow Sprint(C): 

Short burst of speed for evasion or closing distance, leaving a brief afterimage. Range- 25m. (80AP) (0%)]

[Ding! Shadow Bite (D)-> Eclipsing Fang(C): 

A strong melee attack infused with shadow energy. (100AP) (0%)]

[Ding! Shadows of the Pack (D)->(C):

Summons 3 shadow clones to confuse enemies for two minutes. Clones are now able to use skills (300AP) (0%)]

[Umbral Bind (C):

Channels shadow energy into the ground, causing black tendrils to erupt around him in a small radius, ensnaring enemies. Range- 8m radius. (20AP/s)]

Boy exhaled slowly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as his gaze flickered over his new skills, 'I did not expect this at all. The war was brutal, but… I gained more from it than I expected.'

'Let's see how much closer I am now to evolving,' he thought as he mentally said, 'System, missions.'

[Missions Page:

"To the Draconic Path", Evolution Mission:

Defeat five creatures of equal or higher rank that wields shadow affinity (Not Completed)

Defeat one creature that contains the bloodline of a dragon (Not Completed)

Increase Strength to at least 50, Agility to at least 45, Endurance to at least 50, Intelligence to at least 35 (Not Completed)

Accumulate 5,000 experience through battle and survival (0/5,000)

Rewards: Unlocks Evolution

"Commander's Final Wish", Unique Mission:

Get the final message of Commander Darius to his family (Not Completed)

Rewards: Skill upgrade x2, 50 stat points]

Boy's golden eyes narrowed as he read through his missions, especially his evolution mission. A silent determination settling in his chest. Boy then moved onto his status screen, 'Status.'

[Name: N/A

Species: Shadow Hyena

Level: 11

Experience: 11,570/20,000

Rank: F+ Class 

Aether: 2820/2820

Base Stats:

- Strength: 31

- Agility: 35

- Endurance: 26

- Intelligence: 19

Unused Points: 60

Traits:

@#$%&*!@$^ (?)[Locked]Aetheric Sensitivity (F)Shadow Affinity (C)Pack Instinct (D)Telepathy (E)

Skills:

Shadow Sprint(C): Short burst of speed for evasion or closing distance, leaving a brief afterimage. Range- 25m. (80AP) (0%)]Eclipsing Fang(C): A strong melee attack infused with shadow energy. (100AP) (0%)]Umbral Bind (C): Channels shadow energy into the ground, causing black tendrils to erupt around him in a small radius, ensnaring enemies. Range- 8m radius. (20AP/s)]

Signature Skills:

Shadows of the Pack (C): Summons 3 shadow clones to confuse enemies for two minutes. Clones are now able to use skills (300AP) (0%)]

Evolution Path Progression (Draconic):

- Current Form: Shadow Hyena

- Next Evolution: Not Available]

'Wait… I've got 60 unused points?' he thought as he immediately brought his attention back to the stat requirements for his evolution- Strength at 50, Agility at 45, Endurance at 50, and intelligence at 35.

'I think I can do this…' he thought as he immediately began allocating points.

[Ding! Strength: 31->50]

[Ding! Agility: 35->45]

[Ding! Endurance: 26->50]

[Ding! Intelligence: 19->26]

'I cannot do this…' Boy thought, his head crestfallen as he thought he had enough, disappointment and sadness filling him for a brisk moment as he was so confident in his math.

But anyhow, he felt the changes he had done almost immediately, his muscles subtly tensed while his senses sharpened. 

He was now still below the requirements, but the gap was much smaller now. Just nine more points and then he would reach the threshold needed for evolution.

A flicker of anticipation stirred within him, but before he could reflect further, the sound of voices pulled him back to reality.

The voices of the soldiers, once background noise, became clearer as Boy tuned into their conversation.

The rhythmic clatter of hooves provided a steady beat to their words, but beneath the casual camaraderie, there deeper- a longing to hold on to the memory of the man they had followed into battle.

"Commander Darius was the only man I ever saw take on a whole battalion by himself, one of them laughed, shaking his head, "I still remember how cool he looked after defeating them."

"Ooh! Remember that other time when he led the charge against the raiders in the Northern Pass?" another chimed in excitedly, "We were outnumbered three to one, but with a single speech, he had made us feel like we were invincible and were destined to win no matter what."

The group erupted in hearty agreement, sharing tale after tale of Darius's exploits.

"I remember when we were stationed at the Coldfang Outpost," another soldier added with a grin, "We were cut off from supplies for nearly a week, and morale was low. Then Darius- he disappears one evening, right?"

"Oh yeah! I remember this! We all thought he had lost it. But turns out, the man had snuck into an enemy supply camp alone, took their rations, and left them a 'thank you' note," another soldier completed the story.

"Yeah, we feasted for two days straight!" the previous soldier reminisced with a fond look on his face.

A bursting laughter rippled through the group as they reminisced on their times with their wonderful times with their commander. But even, amidst the humour, there was undeniable reverence in their voices.

"I remember a different time," an older soldier spoke, his tone more somber, "I was fresh to the unit, barely past my initiation. We were ambushed and I was frozen in fear- couldn't even lift my sword. It was Darius that pulled me out of it, he shoved me behind him, and held the line long enough for the others to rally."

The other soldiers listened fervently, as a solemn and melancholic look appeared on the soldier's face.

"When I look back at it. There was absolutely no reason for him to save me. I was just another new recruit. I would be replaced eventually. But he made sure that no one was left behind," he finished.

Boy listened intently to the stories of the men and he found that his opinion of Commander Darius grew even more and more. It was clear that he had been more than just a leader- he had been a legend among them. The respect in their voices was undeniable, the admiration raw and unwavering.

"That's just how he was," the head soldier of the party added, his tone quieter but no less firm, "It wasn't about fighting or strategy. When you fought under him, he made you believe in yourself. I remember my first battle under him- I was barely holding my sword straight and was about to be finished off by an enemy soldier. He saved me and clapped a hand on my shoulder, and just said 'Stand tall, lad. The only ones who fall are the ones who stop standing.' I made it through that day with my first kill thanks to the confidence and belief that he placed in me."

One of the younger soldiers changed the whole tone as he nodded solemnly, "And now he's gone."

The words, though softly spoken and short, carried a heavy weight. The mood shifted, the energy dimming as the reality of loss settled over them.

"He didn't have to stay behind," one of them muttered, frustration edging into his voice, "he could have made it out with the others. He would still be-"

"But he isn't. And it was not through the choice of anyone else but himself," the head soldier interrupted, "And we must honour his choice by making sure that his sacrifice was not in vain."

A heavy silence followed, not out of agreement, but because the weight of their loss settled over them again. 

For every victory they recounted only reminded them that Darius was gone. But the way they spoke of him, the way they felt like they had to talk about him… It was clear that they still had not come to terms with it.

During all this, Boy remained quiet, listening carefully. He had not known the man long, yet Darius's actions had left a clear deep impression on him.

The way in which he was described, the pride he could sense in the words of the soldiers, all this made something stir in his chest- a foreign yet undeniable weight. 

The realisation that he had been entrusted with the final wishes of such a revered figure settled heavily within him.

He glanced down at his claws, flexing them slightly as he began to question. Why had Darius chosen him? What did he see in me? Would it not have been better to give the final mission to a human?

Just as the moment lingered, Boy's ears twitched. Something was… off.

The rhythmic sounds of the forest had faded.

No wind rustling through the leaves. No distant bird calls. Even the horses seemed restless, their ears flicking as if sensing something unseen.

He wasn't the only one who noticed. 

One of the soldiers frowned, shifting uneasily in his saddle, "bit quiet, don't you think?"

"Maybe the animals know something we don't," another joked, but there was a forced edge to his voice.

Boy's hackles raised, unease creeping up his spine. He inhaled sharply, his sense expanding, scanning for any disturbance.

There!

He found something- just on the edge of his perception. A scent, faint but acrid.

Then, before he could voice his thoughts…

A sudden shout split the air, followed by the distant but unmistakable cracking of fire.

A thick plume of black smoke curled into the sky ahead, blotting out the stars.

"Smoke!" someone shouted, "Something's burning!"

The tension snapped as in the next moment, the whole party surged forward, racing toward the source of the chaos.