The night air was thick with tension as the first tremors of marching boots reached the village. The rhythmic clanking of armor and the distant creaking of siege weapons sent a chill through even the most hardened villagers. Shadows stretched long under the flickering torchlight, dancing like restless spirits waiting for the battle to begin.
I crouched behind a stack of crates near the village entrance, my gauntlet-clad fingers tightening around the handle of my mace. Soon, the enemy would break through, and we had to be ready.
"Positions!" Garrick’s voice was sharp, steady, carrying across the square without hesitation. "Archers, check your marks! Barricade team, hold steady!"
The villagers moved into their roles, but despite their determination, I could see the tremors in their hands, the uncertainty in their eyes. This wasn’t just a raid; this was survival.
Then, the first warhorn sounded.
A low, guttural bellow carried across the landscape, echoing off the village walls. Moments later, another, deeper horn followed. And then another.
Three signals. Three attack waves.
Damn it.
I gritted my teeth. The enemy wasn’t just charging in mindlessly—they were coordinating, adjusting their tactics based on our defenses. This was going to be harder than expected.
A flicker of movement near the tree line caught my eye. Then another. Shadows detached themselves from the darkness, armored figures stepping into the moonlight with their weapons raised.
The first wave had arrived.
Phase One: Luring Them In
"Hold..." I whispered under my breath, though my heart hammered against my ribs. "Just a little closer..."
The enemy advanced cautiously at first, their shields raised, testing for traps. Then, as if emboldened by the lack of resistance, they rushed forward.
I exhaled sharply. "Now!"
A cluster of villagers heaved at the barricades, letting them slip just enough to create a deceptive gap. The enemy saw the opening and surged toward it, their desire for a quick victory blinding them to the trap.
The first group pushed through—then the barricades slammed shut behind them.
Screams erupted as the spearmen lunged from the flanks, cutting down the trapped soldiers in an instant. Arrows rained from the rooftops, striking their vulnerable backs. Panic spread through the enemy ranks, and for a moment, it felt like we had the upper hand.
Then, something unexpected happened.
A deafening explosion erupted near the barricades, sending splinters of wood flying through the air. My eyes widened as I saw what caused it—one of the enemy mages had cast a high-tier spell, obliterating a portion of the defenses in an instant.
"Damn it!" Garrick cursed. "They’re adapting faster than we thought!"
Phase Two: The Siege Weapons and Mages
Torches flared in the distance as siege engineers moved into position. The first of the catapults groaned, its massive arm swinging back before launching a fiery projectile straight toward the village walls.
"Move!" I barked.
Lyle and his archers took aim. Arrows, tipped with burning oil, soared through the night sky. The first volley missed, but the second struck true—igniting one of the catapults. Flames roared, illuminating the battlefield.
Then came the real problem.
The enemy mages stepped forward, their robes billowing in the wind as mana crackled in their hands. Runes glowed ominously, and the air warped around them.
"Incoming magic!" someone yelled.
A bolt of fire shot toward us, striking a rooftop. The structure exploded in flames, embers raining down as villagers scrambled to put it out.
Gritting my teeth, I reached for my mana—only to feel the suffocating weight of the system’s restriction locking me down.
Damn it. If I had my powers, I could counter their spells easily. But like this...
Then another problem arose—one of the oil barrels meant to fuel our counterattack had been hit by an enemy spell, igniting prematurely. Flames spread dangerously close to our supply cache.
"Put it out!" Garrick roared as villagers scrambled to douse the fire. If we lost too many supplies now, we wouldn’t last the night.
I swung my mace and shattered a soldier’s skull, then turned to Garrick. "We need to take out the enemy mages. If I can get close—"
Before I could finish, a deep rumble shook the ground beneath my feet. My breath hitched as I turned toward the treeline.
The third warhorn. The final wave.
But something was wrong. The enemy wasn’t charging forward like the previous groups.
Instead, the treeline itself was shifting. No—something was emerging from it.
A massive shadow loomed beyond the trees, moving with a slow, deliberate force that sent a shiver down my spine. The soldiers near the front hesitated, as if uncertain whether to advance or retreat.
Then I saw it.
Towering over the battlefield, draped in thick, twisted armor that pulsed like a living thing, was a figure unlike any I had ever seen. Its face was hidden behind a jagged mask, its eyes burning with an unnatural light.
And then, as if to confirm my worst fears, the system spoke again.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: CANDIDATE QUEST HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED (OBJECTIVE: SURVIVE) (REWARD: ????)]
I slapped myself in the face. "Now’s not the time to freeze up."
The plan was slowly crumbling, and I had to adapt. I thought fast, my mind racing through possibilities before landing on one desperate strategy.
"Garrick!" I called out.
"What is it?" Garrick grunted as he drove his blade through an enemy soldier.
"We need to destroy the buildings and create a battlefield where their magic can’t easily reach us!" I said.
Garrick hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "Everyone, fall back! Destroy the structures as you retreat!"
As our allies slowly retreated, tearing down buildings to create an unpredictable battlefield, Garrick and I held the line. My mace crushed bones, my gauntlet enhancing every strike. I ducked under a halberd swing, drove my fist into an enemy’s chest, and sent the soldier sprawling. Another came at me—I caught the blade with my gauntlet, twisted the sword from the attacker’s grasp, and drove my mace into the man’s skull.
The enemy pressed forward, but the collapsing structures forced them to fight on uneven ground, slowing their momentum. I fought like a demon, dodging, countering, breaking through their ranks one step at a time.
Then, the monstrous figure in the distance took its first step forward.
And the true battle began.