Chapter 10: The Siege of the Ratkin City

The crimson moon hung low in the sky, its light casting the world in shades of blood and shadow. Huǐ Yuān slithered through the chaos, his mist blending with the swirling auras of the monster wave. Ahead, the city loomed—a fortress of black stone, its walls towering over the forest like a jagged crown.

*The Ratkin City.*

The name came unbidden, whispered by the moon's energy. He didn't know how he knew it, but the knowledge felt ancient, primal.

The monsters surged forward, a tide of claws, fangs, and twisted forms. Wolves with fur like molten lava, boars with tusks wreathed in lightning, serpents with scales that shimmered like shattered glass. They roared, howled, and screeched, their eyes burning with the moon's crimson light.

Huǐ Yuān stayed back, his mist curling protectively around him. The giant bat perched nearby, its wings folded like a cloak of darkness. Its swarm circled above, their screeches a cacophony of hunger.

*Why aren't they attacking?*

The answer came as the first wave of monsters reached the walls.

The sky darkened as arrows rained down, their tips glowing with enchanted light.

A wolf leapt at the wall, its claws digging into the stone. An arrow struck its flank, and frost spread instantly, encasing the beast in ice. It fell, shattering on impact.

A boar charged, its tusks crackling with electricity. An arrow pierced its eye, and flames erupted from the wound, consuming it in seconds.

A serpent coiled around a tower, its scales deflecting the first volley. But a glowing arrow struck its head, and the creature convulsed as vines burst from its body, tearing it apart from within.

*Magic. Every arrow is enchanted.*

Huǐ Yuān's tongue flicked out, tasting the chaos. The monsters fell by the dozens, their auras snuffed out like candles. But the wave didn't stop. It couldn't. The moon's energy drove them forward heedless of death.

The crimson moon pulsed, and the predators began to move.

A massive bear with stone-like fur lumbered forward, its roar shaking the ground. Arrows bounced off its hide, but a glowing blue arrow struck its chest. Ice spread rapidly, freezing its legs. The bear roared, slamming its paws into the ground, shattering the ice. It reached the wall, claws tearing into the stone, but a volley of fire arrows reduced it to ash.

Next came a serpent with wings, its scales shimmering like oil. It soared above the walls, dodging arrows with unnatural grace. A glowing green arrow struck its tail, and the creature writhed as its wings turned to dust. It crashed into the courtyard, crushing Ratkin soldiers beneath its weight, but a swarm of armored warriors surrounded it, their spears glowing with light. The serpent thrashed, its venom melting stone, but it was overwhelmed.

*They're too strong.*

Huǐ Yuān's mist thickened, his core pulsing with unease. The bat shifted beside him, its glowing eyes fixed on the city.

*Why isn't it attacking?*

The moon's energy surged, and Huǐ Yuān felt the command—*attack*.

He slithered forward, his mist blending with the shadows. The arrows flew overhead, their enchanted light illuminating the battlefield. He reached the base of the wall unnoticed, his mist clinging to the stone like a living thing.

*Climb.*

His claws dug into the cracks, his body coiling upward. The Ratkin archers above fired relentlessly, their arrows raining death on the monsters below. Huǐ Yuān reached the top, his mist billowing over the parapet.

The archers froze as the venomous fog touched their skin. They collapsed, choking, their auras snuffed out.

*They're not human.*

The Ratkin were humanoid rats, their fur matted beneath armor, their eyes glowing with intelligence. They wielded bows and swords with precision, their movements coordinated and deadly.

*What are they?*

Before he could process the sight, a Ratkin in ornate armor stepped forward, its sword glowing with golden light.

The Ratkin warrior moved faster than Huǐ Yuān expected, its blade slicing through his mist. He dodged, but the sword grazed his side, the wound burning with holy light.

*Magic again.*

Huǐ Yuān retaliated, his fangs striking at the warrior's legs. The Ratkin leapt back, its sword slashing downward. The blade cut through his mist, dissipating it, but Huǐ Yuān struck from the haze, his venom seeping into the warrior's arm.

The Ratkin hissed, its movements slowing. But it wasn't done. Its sword glowed brighter, and a wave of golden energy erupted, forcing Huǐ Yuān back.

*Too strong.*

The duel dragged on, each strike met with a counter. The Ratkin's sword burned with holy fire, while Huǐ Yuān's mist corroded its armor. Both were battered, bleeding, but neither yielded.

The ground shook as the giant bat finally moved. Its wings unfurled, blotting out the moon. It landed on the wall, its claws crushing stone like paper.

The Ratkin warriors turned their arrows on the bat, but its hide deflected the enchanted projectiles. It screeched, a sound that shattered windows and sent soldiers tumbling from the walls.

Huǐ Yuān seized the moment. As the Ratkin warrior staggered from the bat's roar, he struck, his fangs sinking into its throat. Venom flooded its veins, and the warrior collapsed, its sword clattering to the ground.

*Finally.*

The bat's wings beat once, sending a shockwave through the city. Buildings crumbled, fires erupted, and the Ratkin defenses collapsed.

The monster wave surged forward, breaching the walls. The Ratkin fought valiantly, but they were overwhelmed.

Huǐ Yuān watched from the wall, his body healing rapidly as the moon's energy flowed through him.

*This is power.*