John sighed in relief when he saw that on their side, they had warriors who looked strong enough to contend with the Black Wizard.
"Although the situation seems dire, there is still hope," Althea said firmly.
John nodded in agreement. When he had seen the massive enemy army outside, his first thought was that it was a hopeless battle. Soon, more knights, guards, and fresh recruits arrived and took their places along the ramparts. Bows and quivers of arrows were handed out to everyone. Even Althea, who was notoriously poor at archery, received one.
Suddenly, the Black Wizard began to move closer to the wall. Panic rippled through the defenders. A heavy pressure spread through the air, forcing even John to his knees. Then, as suddenly as it came, the pressure lifted.
A domineering knight clad in plate armor, riding a manticore, slowly advanced with his group to meet the approaching wizard.
As they passed him, John caught a clear look at the knight's face. He was middle-aged, with robust features, and his hardened demeanor alone revealed a man who had seen many battles.
Then the Black Wizard came into view. He appeared to be a handsome young man, no older than thirty, clad in engraved black robes that shimmered faintly with an unnatural light.
The Black Wizard laughed first and spoke, his voice echoing across the battlefield.
"Jorren, your king is bold indeed—bold enough to send men to strike our people in our own land."
The man, Viscount Jorren, snarled back, his voice thick with rage.
"Don't you dare place that accusation on our king! Everyone knows it is you who have coveted our lands for years. Is the Obsidian Spire not enough for you!?"
The wizard laughed again, this time without a shred of courtesy.
"Say what you like—it changes nothing. We have proof your people struck first. Yes, the Obsidian Spire desires your lands."
He paused, then sneered. "But not only us—the other wizard orders covet them as well. They should already be moving toward your major cities. We are simply doing our part here."
"What!?" Jorren's face paled. The news was staggering, and his first instinct was to retreat to the empire with this information.
The Black Wizard seized the moment to strike.
With a flick of his hand, a massive black fireball shot forth. Jorren, his mind clouded with turmoil, reacted too late. The blazing sphere struck, and though he managed to block with both arms, he was hurled backward, wounded. His manticore bore the brunt of the impact, collapsing with a pained roar.
"Where are you going, Jorren? Since you're here already, why not stay a while?" the wizard mocked.
The griffin knights immediately rushed to their lord's aid. A fierce battle erupted in the sky, knights on their mounts clashing with the Black Wizard. Yet the wizard proved terrifyingly powerful—within ten seconds, three grand knights had already fallen.
"Retreat!" Jorren cried, coughing blood as his men pulled him back behind the safety of the walls.
The Black Wizard, seeing their withdrawal, did not pursue. Instead, he raised his staff and sent a blazing signal into the sky. Moments later, horns thundered across the battlefield, and the enemy army surged forward.
John's heart grew heavy. From the walls, he saw the Black Wizard's army rushing forth. The fastest were the humanoid creatures scaling the walls. Behind them came beasts and humans charging with unstoppable momentum.
Farther back, towering battering rams and siege towers rumbled forward, while trebuchets loomed ominously in the distance.
Beside him, Althea gripped her sword tightly. Her eyes shone as she whispered in awe, "It's beautiful."
John glanced at her in disbelief. This girl is insane, he thought. She was only about fourteen or fifteen years old, and yet here she stood, staring at the enemy with admiration.
"FIRE!"
The commander's roar echoed atop the walls. Rocks and arrows blanketed the sky, crashing into the rushing monsters and soldiers. Many fell where they stood, but it was not enough to stop the momentum of the attack.
Soon, humanoid creatures began clawing their way up the walls. The first wave was repelled by arrows, but the second wave broke through and reached the top.
Fresh blood was spilled among the defenders. More and more creatures climbed, overwhelming the guards. Stones hurled by trebuchets smashed into the fort's black walls, but they held firm—the boulders shattered like eggs against rock.
Suddenly, multiple magic circles flared to life in the sky. Behind them stood figures in black and red robes marked with spirals.
A storm of magic followed: stone spears, fireballs, vine whips, air blasts, and lightning bolts slammed against the wall, finally cracking its surface.
The griffin riders gasped in alarm.
"Wizard apprentices!"
"Ballista, focus fire on them!"
"Griffin riders, intercept!"
John, hearing the first command to attack, quickly pulled an arrow from his quiver. But his hands trembled. He fumbled, loosing the arrow prematurely—it flew only a few meters before falling uselessly.
Althea, watching, couldn't help but laugh.
John heard her snicker, and shame and anger welled inside him. But this was not the time for anger. He breathed deeply, steadying himself.
He focused his mind and commanded his system. One point for Archery. Suddenly, memories of the art of archery filled his mind.
Archery: Level 1 (Awakened) (17/100)
Confidence surged. He drew another arrow, pulled the bow to its full arc, and released. The arrow shot forth with blinding speed—so fast even Althea's sharp eyes couldn't follow it.
The shaft struck a humanoid's head, piercing clean through and embedding deep into the ground beyond.
The monster never understood what happened. One moment it charged toward the wall, the next, darkness consumed it.
John's body, however, felt drained. His muscles ached, his strength fading rapidly. He checked his interface.
+3 Experience.
His bar now read 3/100.
Althea's sharp, disbelieving voice cut through the din. "What was that?"
John only shrugged, too tired to answer.
Seeing his condition, Althea shook her head. "It was a great shot, but I don't think you can do it continuously."
Ignoring him, she turned her gaze outward. Hundreds of humanoid monsters were already within the walls—it was only a matter of time before more climbed up.
She unsheathed the sword at her waist and closed her eyes. Her heart pounded fast, but it was not enough. With sheer will, she forced it to accelerate until it tripled in speed. Her mind sharpened, electrical impulses firing faster, doubling her thought process. Every muscle fiber came under her command. Her senses heightened fourfold.
What John did not know was that Althea was also in the process of morphing. If he could see her status, he would be shocked.
Name: Althea
Strength: 3.5
Agility: 4.6
Constitution: 2.6
Spirit: 4.1
And her stats were not stopping—they continued to rise.