The transmission ended.
For several seconds, Major Drek remained completely silent inside the cockpit.
Only the quiet hum of the aircraft surrounded him.
Below, the darkness of the forest stretched endlessly beneath the moonlight. What should have been a peaceful night had become something else entirely.
Something unnatural.
Drek stared through the cockpit glass.
The thermal display showed hundreds of figures moving below.
Orcs.
But they were not behaving like an army.
They were gathering.
Waiting.
At the center of the settlement stood the creature Drek had discovered earlier.
Black smoke coiled around its body like living shadows.
Drek slowly tightened his grip around the controls.
"System."
"Yes, Major Drek."
"Give me a complete battlefield analysis."
The holographic display expanded across the cockpit.
Numbers and symbols appeared one after another.
"Enemy forces detected. Living orc population: approximately four hundred and eighty. Corrupted deceased: approximately seven hundred and twenty. Additional unidentified energy signatures detected."
Drek stared at the numbers.
More than a thousand.
His expression became grim.
"Over a thousand..."
The system continued its analysis.
"Warning. Corrupted entities are exhibiting abnormal regeneration."
Drek's eyes narrowed.
"Meaning?"
"The destruction of a corrupted body does not guarantee permanent neutralization."
Drek leaned back slightly.
So even killing them wasn't enough.
His gaze returned to the dark figure.
The creature raised one hand.
Black smoke poured from its palm and seeped into the ground.
A corpse lying nearby suddenly twitched.
Its fingers moved.
Then its arm.
Slowly, the dead orc pushed itself upright.
Drek stared in disbelief.
"So killing them won't necessarily stop them."
"Correct."
Drek's eyes hardened.
"Then the target is the source."
"Confirmed."
Drek switched his targeting system.
A red square appeared over the dark creature.
"Target locked."
He placed his hand over the weapons control.
"Let's see if you can survive this."
He took a slow breath.
Then—
"Fire."
The aircraft released its weapons.
For a moment, the forest remained silent.
Then the night exploded.
BOOOOOOM!
A tremendous explosion ripped through the orc settlement.
Trees were torn from the earth.
Wooden structures collapsed.
Fire erupted across the battlefield, illuminating the darkness with an orange glow.
Bodies were thrown into the air.
The shockwave spread through the forest.
Drek watched through the thermal display.
"Impact confirmed."
He waited.
One second.
Two.
Three.
Then his expression changed.
Movement appeared across the display.
One figure.
Then two.
Then ten.
Dozens.
The corrupted orcs were standing again.
Drek's eyes widened.
"You're kidding me..."
The black smoke began gathering around the center of the battlefield once again.
The creature was still standing.
It had barely moved.
Drek stared at it.
Something about that darkness felt familiar.
The way it moved.
The strange energy surrounding it.
The unnatural distortion in the air.
Then memories began forcing their way into his mind.
The Korean Peninsula.
The year 2100.
Fighter aircraft tearing through the sky.
The massive Unknown spacecraft.
The white beam.
Explosions.
Screaming soldiers.
Captain Haymond.
Nicole.
Drek's breathing became heavier.
"No..."
He shook his head.
"This can't be happening again."
The system detected the change in his condition.
"Major Drek."
Drek looked at the display.
"Your heart rate has increased."
"I'm fine."
"You are exhibiting signs of psychological stress."
Drek's jaw tightened.
"I said I'm fine."
He forced his attention back toward the battlefield.
Then he saw something that made his blood run cold.
The corrupted army was moving.
Not randomly.
Not toward another settlement.
They were heading directly toward the elven village.
Toward Ushu.
Drek immediately returned his hands to the controls.
"System."
"Yes, Major."
"Plot their route."
A glowing line appeared across the holographic map.
Drek stared at it.
His expression darkened.
"They're heading straight for the village."
THE WARNING
The great village bell rang through the night.
BONG!
BONG!
BONG!
The sound echoed between the trees.
Elven warriors rushed toward the defensive positions.
Archers climbed onto the wooden platforms.
Mages gathered near the walls.
Families hurried toward shelters as frightened children clung to their parents.
Ushu stood near the center of the village with the CCD pressed against her ear.
She could still hear Drek's last warning.
The orcs were coming.
But they were no longer the orcs she knew.
Calthain approached her.
"Ushu, what did the Human Hero tell you?"
Ushu looked toward the dark forest.
"He said they're coming."
Calthain's expression became serious.
"How many?"
Ushu hesitated.
"I don't know."
She swallowed.
"But... it's a lot."
Several elders exchanged nervous glances.
An elderly elf stepped forward.
"Are the orcs attacking us again?"
Ushu slowly shook her head.
"I don't think they're the same anymore."
The elder frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Ushu remembered Drek's words.
The dead orcs... they're rising.
Her fingers tightened around the CCD.
"They're being controlled by something else."
Silence fell over the group.
Calthain looked toward the forest.
His hand slowly moved to the sword at his side.
"Then we will defend our home."
Ushu nodded.
But beneath her calm expression, fear was growing.
She placed one hand against her chest.
A faint warmth moved through her body.
The Power of Light.
She knew it was still there.
She had already used it against the Demonic Wolf.
She had pushed her mana almost to its limit during that battle.
Her power had returned slowly since then.
But it was nowhere near its former strength.
Ushu closed her hand.
"I'll use it only when I need to."
A young warrior standing nearby looked at her.
"Young Hero..."
Ushu turned.
"Yes?"
The warrior hesitated.
"Are you afraid?"
Ushu looked toward the forest.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she gave him a small smile.
"Yes."
The warrior looked surprised.
Ushu's expression became serious.
"But being afraid doesn't mean I should run."
THE FIRST WAVE
The forest became silent.
Completely silent.
No birds sang.
No insects chirped.
Even the wind seemed to have disappeared.
The elves waited.
Their weapons were ready.
Their eyes remained fixed on the darkness.
Then—
CRACK.
A branch snapped.
Every archer raised their bow.
Another branch broke.
Then another.
Shapes began appearing between the trees.
One.
Two.
Ten.
Then hundreds.
Orcs.
Their armor was damaged.
Their bodies were covered in blood.
Their eyes were completely black.
The first corrupted orc stepped into the moonlight.
An arrow was still buried in its shoulder.
It didn't seem to feel it.
Behind it came another.
Then another.
The forest seemed to be giving birth to an army of the dead.
One soldier whispered:
"They're here."
Calthain raised his sword.
"Hold!"
The orcs continued advancing.
The elves remained still.
"Hold!"
They waited.
The enemy drew closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Calthain's eyes narrowed.
"NOW!"
Hundreds of arrows filled the sky.
They descended upon the approaching army like rain.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Arrows pierced flesh.
The first line of orcs collapsed.
The elves cheered.
But their celebration lasted only seconds.
The fallen began moving.
One after another, the corrupted orcs rose.
Some pulled arrows from their bodies.
Others continued walking with arrows buried deep within their chests.
The cheering died instantly.
One elf lowered his bow.
"No..."
Calthain's expression hardened.
"Fire again!"
Another volley flew.
Then another.
The battlefield became a storm of arrows, screams, and blood.
The enemy continued advancing.
The first clash between the armies came at the wall.
Steel struck steel.
An elven warrior drove his sword through a corrupted orc's chest.
The creature collapsed.
The warrior breathed heavily.
Then the corpse grabbed his leg.
The soldier screamed.
"HELP ME!"
Another elf rushed forward and cut the creature down.
But three more were already behind him.
The soldier disappeared beneath the swarm.
Ushu saw everything.
Her eyes widened.
"No!"
She raised her hand.
Golden light erupted from her palm.
The blast struck the three corrupted orcs and sent them flying.
Ushu immediately rushed toward the wounded warrior.
She knelt beside him.
"Are you hurt?"
The elf looked down.
Blood was pouring from his leg.
"I... I can't feel my leg."
Ushu's expression softened.
She placed her glowing hand over the wound.
Golden light flowed from her palm.
The bleeding slowed.
But the wound did not completely heal.
Ushu gritted her teeth.
Her power was draining quickly.
"I'm sorry..."
The warrior looked at her.
Despite the pain, he smiled.
"Don't apologize."
He glanced toward the battlefield.
"You saved me."
Ushu's eyes became wet.
She nodded.
"Stay here."
The warrior grabbed her wrist.
"Young Hero."
Ushu looked back.
The warrior's voice trembled.
"Please..."
He looked toward the battlefield.
"Save them too."
Ushu stared at him.
Then she nodded.
"I will."
She stood.
The golden glow remained around her hand.
Then she turned toward the war.
THE SKY OPENS
High above the battlefield, Drek watched everything.
His tactical display was filled with enemy markers.
There were too many.
His weapons could destroy them.
But the creature kept bringing them back.
Drek switched systems.
"System."
"Yes, Major."
"Deploy ASD units."
"Confirmed."
Several Armed Service Drones detached from the aircraft.
They descended toward the battlefield.
Their weapons activated.
THOOM!
THOOM!
THOOM!
Explosions tore through the corrupted army.
The elves looked toward the sky.
They had seen Drek's technology before.
But they had never seen it used like this.
The drones moved through the darkness with mechanical precision, striking targets one after another.
The corrupted army's formation began to break.
Drek watched carefully.
"Good."
Then the dark entity raised its head.
It was looking directly at him.
Drek froze.
The targeting system suddenly flickered.
WARNING.
UNKNOWN ENERGY INTERFERENCE.
Drek frowned.
"What?"
The display distorted.
Static spread across the screen.
The creature disappeared.
Drek immediately checked his sensors.
"Where did it go?"
"No visual confirmation."
Drek switched systems.
"Thermal."
"Negative."
"Night vision."
"Negative."
"Radar."
"Negative."
Drek's heartbeat accelerated.
Then—
WARNING.
"Major Drek."
"What?"
"Unknown energy signature detected behind your aircraft."
Drek's eyes widened.
He turned.
Black smoke suddenly appeared behind the fighter.
The entity was floating in the sky.
Drek stared at it.
For a moment, everything around him seemed to disappear.
He remembered 2100.
The mother ship.
The Unknown.
The white beam.
His fallen comrades.
Nicole.
His father's voice.
The creature raised one hand.
Drek's eyes narrowed.
"...You."
The entity tilted its head.
Its black eyes stared directly through the cockpit.
Then it spoke.
Its voice was quiet.
Almost impossible to hear.
But Drek heard every word.
"Human..."
Drek's grip tightened.
The creature raised its hand.
Black energy gathered in its palm.
"System!"
"Defensive maneuver initiated."
The aircraft suddenly rolled.
A black beam tore through the space where the fighter had been.
It continued toward the forest below.
Trees vanished in a perfectly straight line.
Drek stared at the destruction.
His expression became grim.
"That wasn't magic..."
He looked back at the creature.
"That was a weapon."
THE WALL FALLS
Back on the ground, the elves were losing.
The defensive wall shook violently.
Cracks spread through the wooden structure.
Calthain shouted:
"REINFORCE THE EASTERN SIDE!"
A soldier shouted back:
"WE CAN'T! THEY'VE ALREADY BROKEN THROUGH!"
Then—
CRAAAAASH!
The wall collapsed.
Orcs poured into the village.
The battle moved into the streets.
Buildings caught fire.
People ran through the smoke.
Children cried.
Warriors fought desperately between burning homes.
Ushu stood in the middle of the chaos.
She raised both hands.
Golden light surrounded her.
"Heras..."
The light gathered.
Her breathing became heavier.
"Light of Heaven!"
A golden wave exploded outward.
Corrupted orcs were thrown across the street.
Several were destroyed completely.
Ushu stumbled.
Her breathing became ragged.
She placed a hand against her chest.
Her mana was draining rapidly.
"Not yet..."
She forced herself upright.
"I can still fight."
A corrupted orc suddenly charged from behind.
Ushu turned.
It was too late.
The weapon was already descending.
Then—
BOOM!
A drone fired.
The corrupted orc was thrown across the street.
Ushu looked upward.
The drone hovered above her.
A communication signal activated.
Drek's voice came through the speaker.
"Ushu, are you alright?"
Ushu touched her CCD.
"Yes!"
She looked around.
Burning houses.
Wounded warriors.
Bodies lying across the streets.
Her voice became quieter.
"But we're losing."
There was silence.
Then Drek answered.
"I know."
Ushu looked toward the sky.
Her voice trembled.
"Come back."
Drek didn't answer immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on the dark entity.
Finally, he spoke.
"I will."
The communication ended.
WHAT WAR TAKES
Calthain fought through the burning streets.
His sword was stained with blood.
His armor was damaged.
His breathing was heavy.
Then he saw a familiar face.
An orc stood in front of him.
Calthain froze.
Rakan.
His old friend.
The orc who had once helped build the village.
The orc who had fought beside the elves.
The orc who had protected them from the wolf creatures.
Now his eyes were black.
Dark smoke moved across his body.
Calthain's sword trembled.
"Rakan..."
For a moment, the corrupted orc stopped.
Something flickered within his eyes.
A small trace of his former self.
Calthain stepped forward.
"It's me."
The orc's mouth moved.
His voice came out broken.
"...Run."
Calthain's eyes filled with tears.
"Rakan..."
The darkness returned.
Rakan raised his weapon.
Calthain lowered his head.
He whispered:
"I'm sorry."
The orc attacked.
Calthain blocked.
Their weapons collided.
Again.
And again.
Finally, Calthain drove his sword forward.
Rakan collapsed.
Calthain dropped beside him.
He stared at his old friend's body.
Tears ran down his face.
"I should have saved you."
Around him, the war continued.
There was no time to mourn.
No time to bury the dead.
No time to say goodbye.
The living simply stepped over the bodies of the fallen and continued fighting.
TWO HEROES
Above the village, Drek's fighter descended through the clouds.
The tactical display showed enemy positions across the entire battlefield.
Drek opened the weapons system.
"System."
"Yes, Major."
"Give me everything you've got."
The system paused.
"Warning. Full weapons deployment may cause severe collateral damage to the village."
Drek looked down.
He saw the burning houses.
The wounded.
The dead.
Then he saw Ushu.
He immediately changed the targeting parameters.
"No."
He narrowed the target zones.
"Only the enemy outside the civilian areas."
"Confirmed."
The fighter released its weapons.
Explosions erupted along the forest.
The corrupted army was torn apart.
For the first time, its advance stopped.
Ushu looked toward the sky.
The fighter passed overhead.
She smiled.
Then she saw something behind it.
Her smile disappeared.
The dark entity was following Drek.
Ushu immediately touched her CCD.
"Drek!"
No answer.
"Drek! Behind you!"
Drek heard her.
He looked back.
The entity was already there.
Black energy surrounded the aircraft.
The cockpit shook violently.
WARNING.
SYSTEM FAILURE.
Drek grabbed the controls.
"Come on!"
The aircraft began losing altitude.
Smoke poured from one of its engines.
Ushu watched helplessly.
"DREK!"
The fighter dropped through the clouds.
For one terrifying moment, it appeared as though it would crash into the forest.
Ushu's heart stopped.
"No..."
At the last possible moment, Drek recovered the aircraft.
The fighter climbed again, barely clearing the treetops.
Ushu released the breath she had been holding.
Then Drek's voice came through the CCD.
"I'm still here."
Ushu touched the device.
Her voice was quiet.
"Drek..."
Drek looked down at the battlefield.
"I'm not dying today."
A faint laugh came through the communication.
Then his voice became serious.
"And you aren't allowed to die either."
Ushu smiled through her tears.
"Promise?"
Drek looked toward the dark creature.
Then toward the burning village.
"Promise."
The communication fell silent.
Below them, the village burned.
The forest was soaked in blood.
Above them, the sky had become a battlefield of machines, magic, fire, and darkness.
The two stood on opposite sides of the battlefield—
One in the sky.
One on the ground.
But both were fighting for the same people.
And neither of them knew the truth yet.
The creature they were fighting was not the beginning of the war.
It was only the first sign that something far worse had arrived.
The night had become a warzone.
And the forest...
was bleeding.