"Activate the barrier! Magicians, step forward! Intercept the incoming ranged attacks!" one of the commanding soldiers roared from atop the wall.
Mana crystals flared to life as a shimmering dome of translucent light enveloped the human fortifications. Gunfire rattled from the battlements, bright muzzle flashes tearing through the darkness.
"What the hell happened?!" another soldier shouted, panic in his voice. "How did no one notice this many approaching?!"
Beyond the wall stretched an endless sea of shadows. A vast army surged forward—thirty thousand strong. They weren't human. Pale faces, crimson eyes, and clawed hands glimmered in the moonlight. Most were low-ranking vampires, swarming with twisted rifles and jagged blades forged with dark mana. Behind them rumbled armored carriers and tank-like constructs—machines of war infused with blood-magic, their barrels glowing faintly as they charged spells instead of shells.
