The Offensive

Dark beasts are considered abominations to the mystic realm. Wherever they go, they leave death and destruction in their wake. Of course, that doesn't mean they are the strongest among the dark tide—it's just that they are numerous. Among the dark creatures, dark beasts rank the lowest.

Above them are the Corrupted. Born from the corruption of sentient races, they are not physically stronger than an average human, but they are far more cunning. Like any sentient being, they can strategize, set traps, and deceive. They are the foot soldiers of the Dark Lord, responsible for manipulating and commanding dark beasts.

It is believed that when a Corrupted grows stronger, they evolve into a Wraith.

Wraiths retain a humanoid form, but beyond that, they are vastly different. Their bodies turn a solid dark gray, and their magical capabilities increase significantly. They can corrupt and tame savage beasts, transforming them into demonic beasts. Physically, they're on par with a warrior initiate, but their elusiveness and command over dark creatures make them far more dangerous. A single Wraith can control multiple demonic beasts, making them formidable opponents. If the Dark Lord is the commander, Wraiths are his generals. Some say only the Dark Lord can create a Wraith—but no one knows for certain.

As William recalled first time he read about dark beasts, the sky had darkened completely. Only a few stars shimmered faintly. The moon had yet to rise, and an eerie silence loomed. Even the crickets and critters had gone quiet, as if afraid.

A low growl echoed in the distance—followed by howls and roars. William, standing on the watchtower, caught the distant sounds before anyone else. The sentry beside him remained unaware.

"Blow the horns," William ordered calmly.

"Woo... woooo… wooooo... wooo!" the lookout responded, sending the signal across the walls.

"I'm heading down. Stay alert." William descended swiftly.

Atop the wall, William gripped one of the newly-forged long spears. Though crude, Hestia had ensured they were strong and sturdy. Tension hung in the air. The defenders waited.

"Warriors!" William called out, his voice firm and commanding. "Hold your spears steady. Stab the beasts the moment they reach the wall. So long as we stand together, with courage in our hearts, these monsters will never break us!"

The second wave had arrived.

The ground trembled as hundreds of dark beasts charged like a living tide. If they focused on one section, they could breach the wall like a battering ram. Thankfully, not even the Corrupted had enough control to direct them so precisely.

The warriors and old guards gripped their spears. As the tide slammed into the wall, they thrust forward. Steel met flesh. Beasts skin and hide could offer litte resistance. beast's momentum only worsened their fate, driving them deeper into the awaiting blades. The wall trembled, but held.

After a minutes or so as tide lost momentum as per planning half of the extraordinary warriors leaped over the wall, landing behind the stunned creatures. Their mission: to strike back. To take the fight to the dark tide. To eliminate biggest threat to wall.

William led the charge. While they avoided most beasts, beast in their way fell swiftly.

They reached the forest's edge—where actual threat were gathered-three demonic beasts.

Unlike dark beasts, these could breach or bypass the walls on their own. Had they joined the main wave, it would have been very difficult to deal with. That's what made Wraiths so dangerous. They could not coordinate the corrupted and dark beasts but could control demonic beast for a joint, devastating assaults.

By eliminating these creatures now, they could buy precious time—perhaps a day or two—to call reinforcements.

The three demonic beasts were a gazelle, a massive bull, and something resembling a wildebeest. But the Wraith was nowhere to seen. It must have retreated into the dense woods.

William assessed quickly. They couldn't plan for this beforehand. The number and type of demonic beasts changed everything.

The bull was the most dangerous—nearly twice the size of the wildebeest, with foot-and-a-half-long horns sharp enough to gut a man. The gazelle was fast but less threatening. The wildebeest was balanced, but still dangerous.

"Kilari, with me. We'll take the bull. Kancha, Lukas—pair off with a warrior each and handle the other two. Simon, lead the remaining warriors. Secure this area. No beasts should interfere with us and watch out for the Wraith."

"Understood!" the old guards replied in unison.

Of the fifteen in the offensive team, ten were warriors and five were old guard members, including William himself. He had ensured that each team facing a demonic beast had a veteran to lead and one to oversee the overall situation.

Kilari and William approached the bull. Despite its bulk, its speed and power defied logic. Facing it head-on was suicide. So they flanked. While one drew its attention, the other struck. They moved in perfect sync, dancing just outside the arc of its deadly horns or lithal kicks.

They had hunted many savage beasts before—this was no different. Slowly, they wore it down. Cuts opened along its shoulders and underbelly. Each drop of blood sapped its strength. Its movements slowed. Someone watching for afar might think that they were having easy time dealing with beast but tey would be surely mistaken. A single mistake, a slight delay could spell doom for them.

"Now," William signaled.

Kilari lunged, aiming for its left side. The bull twisted to retaliate. Instead of retreating, Kilari ducked low, spear flashing toward its eye. The beast, enraged, surged forward.

It was its last mistake.

William was already behind it. With a mighty thrust, he drove his spear deep into the creature's shoulder.

"OOOOOWWHHH!"

Its roar so loudly that their eardrums shook. It thrashed violently, but its front leg buckled. William and Kilari backed away.

The bull couldn't stand up anymore, crippled. Deep gashes marred its form. William signaled Kilari to withdraw. It would die soon—no need to waste more time.

Turning, William saw the gazelle was already down. Lukas had joined Kancha to finish the wildebeest. It was also on its last legs.

He approached Simon.

"Did you see the Wraith?"

"No, sir. It must have retreated deep in the forest. That's probably why we had an easier time."

"That's fine. We didn't expect to eliminate it anyway." William took a breath. "Did you see any other demonic b—"

He froze.

His eyes met Simon's. Both had heard it.

Wheeeeeetle…

A high-pitched whistle cut through the night—an emergency signal. Unlike the horn, this meant something worse.

The wall had been breached.

"Everyone, retreat! NOW!" William ordered, sprinting toward the wall.

His mind raced. How did they breach the wall? Warriors and old guards were still there. Have they reached the village center? The fallback defenses wouldn't hold. Was this a trap? Had the Wraith lured them out?

There had to be a second Wraith.

When William reached the wall, he found no breach but many other defenders were missing. Over half the warriors and every old guard member had gone.

For a split second he was confused, then he understood.

The south side. That's where the breach must be.

The lookout here had only echoed the whistle after hearing it.

William's jaw tightened. The situation had just gotten worse.

"Simon, stay here. Kilari, Kancha—take two warriors and follow me. Lukas, take four and reinforce the south wall!"

With that, he leapt down, sprinting toward the village square.

If the dark beasts had already entered, the villagers would be defenseless. John and Hestia were there—but they couldn't face a tide alone.