The world of Mythra was not as simple as it seemed.
To an outsider, it looked like a land of kingdoms, people, and power. But beyond the walls of cities and villages, there existed another truth, a harsher older rule that governed everything.
The law of the wild.
Between the great kingdoms of Brightshore and Wolfden lay a stretch of land known as the Neutral Zone. It was a place where no single ruler held full authority. No banners flew proudly, and no armies claimed it as their own.
Yet, it was far from empty.
It was alive.
Alive with monsters.
Unlike the controlled dungeons that adventurers often explored, these lands were natural habitats. Creatures were not summoned or contained they were born, they lived, and they hunted.
And most importantly…
They did not reward those who killed them.
Inside a dungeon, things were different.
Dungeons were mysterious structures, filled with magic and ancient systems. When a monster was defeated within one, it often left behind something valuable, mana stones, rare items, or even powerful equipment.
It was one of the main reasons adventurers risked their lives.
A single mana stone could be worth a fortune.
A rare drop could change a person's destiny.
But outside…
There was nothing.
A lone traveller once walked through the Neutral Zone, sword in hand, his eyes sharp with experience.
A beast charged at him from the bushes, a wolf like creature, fast and aggressive.
The man reacted instantly….
Steel clashed with flesh….
The fight ended quickly….
The creature fell…..
The man stood still for a moment, catching his breath. Then he lowered his sword and looked at the corpse,
Nothing…..
No glow...
No stone…..
No reward…..
Only silence....
"…As expected," he muttered, before walking away.
This was the reality of the wild.
Monsters outside dungeons were part of the natural balance. Killing them did not trigger any system or reward. It was simply survival.
And yet, these creatures were just as dangerous sometimes even more.
In the Neutral Zone between Brightshore and Wolfden, the dominant species were massive buffalo-type beasts. Strong, aggressive, and often moving in groups, they controlled large parts of the land.
Further west, near the Duskmire region between Brightshore and Forestfell, the situation was different. There, goblin tribes and other pack based creatures dominated the area, often attacking in numbers.
Each region had its own rulers,
Not kings…..
Not armies...
But monsters....
Because of this, travel through such areas was never safe.
Caravans, merchants, and even common villagers were at constant risk.
To deal with this, the Adventurers' Guild played a vital role.
Escort missions….
Guard assignments...
Monster clearing requests...
These were common tasks, often assigned to skilled adventurers. Especially A-rank and above.
Because anything less…would not survive.
Even the kingdoms themselves could not ignore these lands.
Though they did not fully control the Neutral Zones, they still had a duty to protect their people especially the small villages scattered near the borders.
From time to time, patrol units were sent.
Knights and soldiers moved through these dangerous areas, observing, controlling, and sometimes eliminating threats before they could grow too large.
But even then they could not clear everything. The wild always remained.
Near the northern edge of Brightshore's influence, a small village stood quietly.
Grimfang Village.
A place where beastfolk lived together,wolves, cats, dogs, and others far from the politics of kingdoms.
They were not rich. But they were not poor either. They survived,
Together....
But even here, peace was fragile.
Because just beyond the trees… The wild waited.
Watching...
The law of the wild did not care for kingdoms. It did not care for strength,
Or titles...
Or power...
Out there….
Only one rule mattered…..
Survive...Or be devoured….!!
Now, coming back to the story the forest trembled with chaos.
Branches snapped. The ground shook. The scent of blood spread through the air. And out from the trees Kai ran.
His breath was uneven, his body trembling, his eyes wide with fear. His clothes were stained with dirt and blood, his steps unstable as he rushed forward with everything he had left.
"Ring the bell!" he shouted, his voice cracking.
"Ring the bell! Monsters are attacking!"
His voice echoed through the outskirts of Grimfang Village.
Villagers turned…..
Confusion spread…..
Fear followed....
Kai stumbled forward, almost falling, but forced himself to keep moving.
"They're coming! A herd no… more than that! Ring the bell!"
At the centre of the village stood a tall wooden tower.
And within it,
A massive iron bell…..
It was not an ordinary bell…..
It was a signal…..
A warning…..
A call for survival...
The guard stationed there looked at Kai's terrified state for only a second then acted.
Without hesitation,
BOOM!
The bell rang…..!!!
A deep, heavy sound echoed across the entire village,
Once...…
Twice...…
Again....
The sound travelled far beyond the village, across the forest, across the neutral lands, even towards the borders of Wolfden.
Within moments, the peaceful life of Grimfang shattered.
Villagers rushed out of their homes.
Children were pulled close. Weapons were brought out. Every race within the village wolffolk, catfolk, dogfolk gathered near the central inn.
The air was filled with tension.
Fear…..
Uncertainty...
Kai finally reached the centre and collapsed to his knees.
"Grandfather…" he gasped.
The old chief stepped forward,
"What happened, grandson?" he asked, his voice calm but firm.
"Why has the bell been rung?"
Kai looked up, his face pale
"I… I was following him…"
The chief narrowed his eyes slightly,
"…Aragorn?"
Kai nodded quickly
"I wanted to see if he was a threat… if he had bad intentions…" his voice shook. "But then… they came…"
"Who?" one of the villagers asked.
"The buffalo beasts!" Kai shouted, "Not one… not two… a group!"
Murmurs spread through the crowd
"That's not normal…"
"They don't move like that…"
"Something's wrong…"
Kai continued, his voice breaking,
"They attacked us without warning… and… and…"
He clenched his fists tightly
"They killed them…"
Silence fell.....
"My two friends… they didn't even get a chance…" his voice dropped to a whisper.
Shock spread across the gathering.
Even the chief's expression hardened.
"Where is Aragorn?" the chief asked immediately. Kai blinked, trying to gather his thoughts.
"He… he stayed behind…" he said. "He fought them… alone…"
A ripple of disbelief moved through the crowd.
"Alone?" someone muttered
"And…" Kai added quickly, as if remembering something important, "that girl… the elf…"
He frowned for a moment, trying to recall.
"What was her name…?"
His breathing was still heavy
"…Jessy! Yes…..Jessy!"
He looked up, urgency returning
"She came just in time… she saved me… she's fighting too!"
The villagers exchanged glances.
Fear and hope mixed together.
The chief closed his eyes for a brief moment.
Thinking....
Calculating....
Then he opened them again.
Sharp....
Decisive...…
"Prepare yourselves," he said calmly,"If what you say is true, then this is no ordinary movement."
He turned to the others
"Get the non combatants to safety. Gather weapons. Stay alert."
The villagers immediately began moving. There was no panic only urgency. They had lived near the wild for too long to freeze in fear.
Far away, beyond the forest beyond the neutral lands ,tall stone walls stood like an unbreakable line.
The border of Wolfden...
Atop the walls, soldiers stood guard.
Wolf soldiers….
Dressed in deep purple armour, marked with silver insignia, their eyes sharp as they scanned the horizon.
The air was calm.
Until...
A sound reached them. Faint at first.
Then clearer.
BOOM…!!!!
The ringing of a bell. One of the soldiers froze,
"…Wait."
He turned his head slightly. Another ring followed. His eyes widened.
"That… that's a bell signal…"
He stepped forward, listening carefully,
"…Grimfang Village."
His expression changed instantly
"They're under attack."
Without wasting a second, he turned and rushed down from the wall.
His footsteps echoed as he moved quickly through the stone corridors,
"I need to report this now!"
Inside the command post, a figure stood tall.
A warrior...
A leader....
His presence alone commanded respect. Broad shoulders. Sharp eyes. A scar running across his face.
A wolf general…..
General Rony....
The soldier burst in and dropped to one knee.
"Sir! We've received a bell signal from Grimfang Village!"
Rony's eyes narrowed
"…Confirmed?"
"Yes, sir! Multiple rings..urgent pattern!"
Silence filled the room for a moment.
Then Rony turned his voice calm…..
Cold...
Decisive...
"Prepare the force "
The soldier looked up
"We move immediately "
Rony stepped forward, his presence heavy like a storm about to break,
"No delays "
"No hesitation "
His eyes hardened
"If Grimmfang has rung the bell…"
"…then something serious has begun."
The wind howled faintly across the borders.
In the forest, …..Battles were still unfolding...And now ,...The Kingdom of Wolfden had begun to move...…..