Manman gazed into the distance. He spotted the Conjurer of Vines—Vanis, a Yellow Grade Fay known for his mastery of vine magic. Vanis was one of the army's five Yellow Grade Fays, excluding their commander, Toren. The other four—Kael, Elys, Lira, and Nex—served as squadron leaders.
Vanis had proven himself, saving the farmland from peril many times. His skills were particularly devastating in large-scale battles, turning him into a killing machine on the battlefield.
From his vantage point, Manman saw Vanis chugging a mana elixir. It replenished his reserves for a relentless onslaught of vines.
'But even this machine needs a lot of fuel to keep going,' Manman thought with a mix of admiration and concern.
Shaking off the distraction, Manman turned to the wall. He began climbing it to regroup with his team. His breathing was heavy but steady. From his vantage point, he could see his own team pressed against the edge of the defensive platform. They found themselves cornered, surrounded by ten to fifteen beasts.
A burly Fay, one of their strongest, swung his massive axe at the creatures trying to breach the dense vines. Beside him, the fire conjurer unleashed bursts of flame at the beasts scaling the wall. His projectiles incinerated some but failed to stop the tide completely. Another teammate, a Fay who could conjure boulders, hurled one at a group of creatures below. It crushed several with a resounding crash.
Manman reached the top of the wall and found three snarling beasts greeting him. Without hesitation, he charged at them, his movements sharp and deliberate. He had grown used to their fighting style.
So, he swung his spear in a wide arc at the first beast. It deflected its tail strike. In one motion, he thrust at its throat. The spear drove down through its body, carving a gash from neck to stomach. Black blood sprayed over him.
The creature let out a strangled screech before collapsing.
Turning swiftly, Manman faced the second beast. It lunged at him, its tail snapping like a whip. He rolled to the side, missing both the tail and its snapping jaws. He seized the chance. He drove his spear into its side. Using his strength, he dragged the blade forward, ripping a massive hole in the beast's chest. The creature staggered, blood spilling onto the platform. Then, it crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
The third beast, however, managed to land a blow. Its tail struck Manman square in the back, hurling him backward by a meter. He stumbled and nearly lost his balance, but he jabbed his spear into the planks to regain his stability. Gritting his teeth, he regained his footing and charged toward the last beast.
As the creature lashed out with its tail and jaws, Manman sidestepped the attacks with perfect precision. He thrust his spear forward, driving it deep into the beast's open maw. A sharp hiss escaped as smoke rose from its mouth, the fire enchantment on the weapon searing its mouth. The beast howled while thrashing in a desperate attempt to dislodge the spear. Manman held firm, twisting the blade. It sliced through its jaws, splitting them apart.
Withdrawing his spear, he aimed for the beast's torso, the easiest target to penetrate. His weapon punched through its soft flesh, and he drew a wide circle, leaving a deep, gory wound. The beast faltered but lunged at him in a final desperate charge.
As the creature neared, he struck with a powerful blow, cleaving its skull. The beast crumpled to the ground, lifeless, its blood pooling around him.
Manman exhaled with a deep breath, his chest heaving. Though the creatures were fast and ferocious, their bodies were soft and a major flaw.
Manman looked at his teammates. They were in a fierce battle, surrounded by ten snarling beasts. Between him and his comrades, however, stood two more of the creatures, their glowing red eyes fixed on him. Tightening his grip on his spear, he charged forward once more, determined to reach his team.
The first beast lunged at him. But Manman anticipated its move. He easily sidestepped its snapping jaws. Before it could recover, he thrust his spear into its chest. He twisted the blade to make sure it was a fatal wound. The creature let out a strangled cry before collapsing.
The second beast was a bit more aggressive. It snapped its tail at him like a whip. Manman ducked under the strike, using the opening to thrust his spear into its open mouth. Before the beast could lash out again, he swung his spear downward, severing its tail with a clean strike. The creature writhed in pain. With a swift, powerful motion, Manman decapitated it, ending the fight.
Manman paused for a moment, wiping the black blood from his face. He felt himself getting in sync with the beasts. He learned to predict their attacks and counter them. With the immediate threats neutralized, Manman sprinted toward his teammates.
As he approached, his heart sank. One of his comrades, Alzir, lay on the wooden platform. Blood poured from a gaping wound in his chest. Four other Fays surrounded him, their faces grim.
"Alzir!" Manman shouted, dropping to his knees beside his fallen teammate.
He searched Alzir's body for a healing elixir, his heart racing with anxiety. Panic clawed at him as he rummaged through the pouches and straps, his hands trembling. Alzir's breathing was labored. Each breath was shallow and strained, as if he were fighting for air.
Finally, Manman found the small red bottle tucked into Alzir's belt. He uncorked it with haste and poured it into Alzir's mouth, tilting his head back to help him swallow.
"Manman!" Benedict called in a sharp tone. He was the Blue Grade Fay on their team. He was skilled in fire manipulation. In the absence of higher-ranked officers, he was the de facto leader. "It's of no use. Take him to the infirmary now!"
Manman hesitated for only a second before nodding. He lifted Alzir onto his back, ensuring he was gentle despite the urgency of the situation. Alzir's body felt cold, his breaths coming deeper and heavier with each passing moment. Driven by desperation, Manman ran toward the stairs, ignoring the aches and pains in his own body. Adrenaline fueled him, overriding the fatigue of battle.
As he descended, Manman noticed the dwindling number of beasts in the vicinity. While some still prowled the farmland, the Fays were winning. Their efforts were turning the tide. It was a small glimmer of hope amidst the chaos. But for now, he concentrated on reaching the infirmary.
In what felt like an eternity but was only minutes, Manman arrived at the infirmary. The scene inside was grim—four Fays lay on makeshift beds, their bodies ravaged by the beasts. Deep puncture wounds, likely from the creatures' tails, and vicious bite marks marred their forms. One Fay's armor was crushed where a massive jaw had clamped down on him. His body was pierced through in several places.
Manman rushed to place Alzir on the nearest empty bed. A healer, his face etched with concentration, immediately approached and activated his skill. The Fay's hands emitted a faint glow, pulsing with life energy as he worked to stabilize Alzir.
"Step back!" another healer exclaimed, gesturing for Manman to leave.
Manman obeyed. He took one last look at his comrade, then exited the infirmary. His fists clenched at his sides as he walked out into the night. The battle still raged in the distance. For now, he took a moment to breathe and gather his resolve.
After a brief moment of respite, Manman ran atop the wall towards his team. The battle started to die down, and the last of the beasts was being taken care of. The other teams began to take their positions atop the wall. It encircled the farmland, covering about 50 hectares.
From experience, they knew the first wave of attacks was often followed by a second. Everyone had to stay vigilant, watching the forest. To their surprise, no new attack came right away. Manman glanced at his teammates.
"What a strange night," he remarked, his voice tinged with unease.
Benedict turned to face him, his expression grim. "I'm starting to believe these beasts have a leader," he muttered, frustrated. "Their attacks are more unpredictable. It feels like we're facing new creatures every day."
"Like they're learning," Diego added, his deep voice cutting through the quiet. He was the muscular Fay armed with a massive axe.
Everyone nodded in agreement. The creatures that had attacked earlier were unlike anything they'd faced before. Their attack patterns were different, more calculated, and each day brought fresh challenges.
Manman shivered as the air around them grew colder. The chill seemed unnatural, creeping into his bones. Benedict, noticing the drop in temperature as well, conjured a ball of fire in his palm to ward off the cold.
"There will be another attack," Diego whispered. His breath was visible in the frosty air as small puffs of vapor escaped his mouth.
His words proved true. A moment later, a large, lithe creature emerged from the forest's shadows. It stood close to three meters tall. Its head was long and snake-like. Its eyes glowed like shards of ice. Twisted, branch-like antlers sprouted from its jawline. Their frost-encrusted tips released a faint mist that chilled the air.
The creature's body had silvery, bark-like scales. Glowing, icy blue veins etched into them. Its long legs, tipped with clawed talons, left frostbitten scars on the ground as it moved. In the moonlight, the creature shimmered. It was both majestic and menacing.
Manman couldn't help but feel a mixture of awe and dread at the sight of the beast. Something interrupted his thoughts. Five more equally fearsome creatures emerged from the forest behind it. The ground beneath their feet began to freeze. Ice spread in jagged tendrils that crept toward the farm's walls.
The beasts howled in unison, their cries piercing the night. The sound began as a low, resonant hum, vibrating through the air like the mournful echo of a winter wind. The pitch increased in intensity, transforming into a haunting, otherworldly wail. The wail fractured into jagged crescendos. It was like icebergs splintering and crashing into the sea.
As the cries echoed, the same shadowy creatures emerged behind them. Their numbers had tripled, reaching nearly five hundred. These beasts moved with greater speed and ferocity than before. They used the icy ground to their advantage. Their claws skittered across the frozen surface, propelling them forward with terrifying agility.
Unlike the earlier wave, this time they encountered a stronger defense. Thick vines erupted from the ground. They snaked through the earth, wrapping around the legs of the charging beasts. Some vines aimed to ensnare and immobilize their targets. Others stabbed through their bodies with deadly precision. Large boulders, conjured by the earth-elemental Fays, hurtled at the horde's large creatures.
All around, the defenders unleashed their abilities. Streams of fire, bursts of energy, and a volley of arrows rained down on the advancing beasts. Many attackers fell before they could even reach the wall, and their bodies piled up in heaps. But their numbers let the horde push forward, despite their losses.