Chapter 91: A New Threat

Chapter 91: A New Threat

Silvia's POV

The urgency in the soldier's voice sent a chill down Silvia's spine. Whatever was happening at the west gate wasn't just another skirmish. She sprinted down the stone steps of the watchtower, Dragon right on her heels. The city had barely begun to heal, and already, danger loomed once more.

When she reached the gate, Garrik was waiting, his face grim. "Scouts spotted movement just beyond the outer perimeter. A large force, moving fast. They aren't Titan's remnants."

Silvia narrowed her eyes. "Then who are they?"

A soldier handed her a looking glass, and she raised it to survey the land beyond the ruined outskirts of the city. Shadows moved across the distant hills, their shapes shifting in a way that was unnatural. A cold dread settled in her gut.

"This isn't an army," she muttered. "It's something else."

Dragon stepped closer, his eyes darkening. "They're not human. I can feel it."

Tarren arrived, panting from the run. "The scouts say they don't leave tracks. They appear, then vanish. It's like they're watching us. Testing us."

Silvia gritted her teeth. "We can't afford to be tested. We need to know what we're dealing with."

Garrik nodded. "Then we send a small team to investigate. We can't risk open battle—not yet."

Silvia exhaled sharply. "Then I'll lead the team."

Dragon frowned. "You just got through one war. You're not going on another suicide mission."

She turned to him, meeting his gaze with unwavering determination. "This is my city. I won't sit back and wait for whatever this is to strike first."

He growled, but there was no arguing with her once she made up her mind. "Then I'm going with you."

Garrik smirked. "Of course, you are."

Into the Unknown

An hour later, Silvia, Dragon, Tarren, and a handful of skilled scouts slipped through the city gates under the cover of night. The eerie silence beyond the walls was suffocating, the only sound being the crunch of gravel beneath their boots.

The further they moved from the city, the stronger Silvia felt the unnatural energy that hung in the air. It wasn't magic as she knew it—it was older, rawer.

Tarren whispered, "I don't like this. It's too quiet."

Silvia nodded, signaling for the group to slow their pace. The landscape around them was twisted—trees gnarled unnaturally, the grass brittle underfoot. Whatever had passed through here had left more than just fear in its wake.

Then, in the distance, movement.

Silvia raised a hand, stopping the group. Shadows flickered between the ruins of an old outpost, humanoid but distorted, their limbs elongated, their bodies shifting as if they weren't fully tethered to the world.

One of the scouts muttered a curse. "What in the name of the gods are those?"

Before Silvia could answer, the nearest shadow turned—its hollow, glowing eyes locking onto her. A low, guttural sound echoed across the field, and then the figures began to move.

Fast.

Too fast.

"Fall back!" Silvia shouted, drawing her sword.

Dragon shifted in an instant, his monstrous form colliding with the nearest creature before it could reach her. The impact sent a shockwave through the ground, but the creature barely reacted. It twisted unnaturally, claws raking across Dragon's shoulder, drawing blood.

Tarren loosed arrows, but they barely slowed the creatures down. "They're not dying!"

Silvia swung her blade, channeling magic through the steel. The flames licked across the creature's form, and for the first time, it recoiled, shrieking as the fire consumed it.

"Magic works!" she called out. "Use everything you have!"

The battle became a blur of steel, fire, and shadows. The creatures were relentless, their attacks unpredictable, their forms shifting with each strike. One nearly reached Silvia before Dragon tore it apart, his claws glowing with golden energy.

Garrik's voice rang through the chaos. "We need to move! We can't hold them off forever!"

Silvia gritted her teeth, her body aching from the intensity of the fight. "Fall back to the city! Now!"

They retreated, fending off the creatures as they moved. The city walls loomed ahead, their sanctuary within reach. But as they neared the gates, Silvia risked one last glance back.

The creatures had stopped. They didn't pursue. Instead, they lingered at the edge of the ruins, watching. Waiting.

A shiver ran down her spine.

This wasn't an attack.

It was a warning.

A Gathering Storm

Once inside the safety of the walls, Silvia turned to the council members who had gathered at the gate, their expressions pale with fear.

"These aren't just monsters," she said, breathing heavily. "They're something else. Something intelligent. And they're testing us."

Dragon, still in his monstrous form, shifted back, wiping blood from his arm. "Which means they're planning something."

Tarren shook her head. "If we hadn't had magic, we wouldn't have survived that."

Garrik crossed his arms. "Then we need to find out what they are before they strike again. We need knowledge. And fast."

Silvia nodded, already thinking ahead. "We prepare the city, double our defenses. But more than that, we find someone who knows what we're dealing with. If these creatures are what I think they are, then we've just entered a war far bigger than the one we just won."

Silence followed her words, the weight of them settling over the group.

As the wind howled through the broken city walls, Silvia tightened her grip on her sword. "We need a plan. We can't afford to be caught off guard again."

Dragon sighed, rubbing his temples. "I hate it when you say 'plan.' It usually means we're about to do something stupid."

She smirked. "Maybe. But doing nothing is worse."

Garrik grunted in agreement. "We should send word to the neighboring city-states. See if they've encountered anything like this."

Tarren nodded. "And we'll need more mages. If magic works against them, we need every spellcaster we can find."

Silvia exhaled. "Then let's move fast. If they were testing us tonight, I don't want to know what happens when they decide to attack for real."

A cold silence settled over the gathered council. Outside the city walls, the shadows still lingered, unmoving.

Watching.

Waiting.

The war wasn't over.

It had only just begun.