"F*ck! Where do they keep coming from?" bellowed a man with a massive build, his voice a booming echo across the battlefield. Clad in intricate armor adorned with glowing sigils, Umar's frustration was palpable.
They had been fighting these Seedlings for nearly an hour, yet the relentless creatures kept coming, their numbers seeming endless. Sweat dripped down his face, and his breaths came in ragged gasps as the strain of battle and his rapidly depleting Willpower began to take their toll.
Just as fatigue threatened to overwhelm him, another abomination burst from the trees. The creature, no taller than a horse, had leathery wings sprouting from its back and a maw filled with razor-sharp teeth. When it was few meters from him, it let out a guttural screech as it lunged toward him, its jaws snapping inches from his neck.
Umar stepped aside at the last second, narrowly avoiding the beast's fangs. The sigils etched into his gauntlet glowed faintly as he clenched his fist and delivered a thunderous punch to the Rodrak's abdomen. The creature let out a choked cry, blood spraying from its mouth as it was flung several meters away.
"Finish him!" Umar roared.
His team, two men and a woman, all in their twenties, sprang into action. Books levitated slightly above their left hands, their pages fluttering as glowing sigils ignited into life. In unison, they unleashed fireballs that streaked through the air, colliding with the fallen Seedling. The explosion of flame engulfed the creature, leaving behind only a smoldering carcass.
At the beginning of the fight, the Willholders had easily defeated the Seedlings one-on-one. But now, the tide had turned. For some unknown reason, the creatures kept surging from the depths of the Ancient Forest, situated at a few kilometers from Duskwatch, the town they had been tasked with protecting.
"How much longer until reinforcements arrive?" Umar barked, his eyes scanning the trees for any sign of the next attack.
"They should be here soon!" replied the woman clad in light leather armor, her voice steady despite the chaos. The armor, though less imposing than Umar's, was reinforced with sigils designed for agility and durability.
Tyrese found Maha among the group, and together with the thirty trainees, they followed Sir Arras toward a teleportation array situated deep within the Church's domain. The array was located in a cavernous chamber beneath the main cathedral, its walls etched with faintly glowing sigils that pulsed in rhythmic harmony, like a heartbeat resonating through the stone.
These teleportation arrays had been meticulously constructed across the Four Kingdoms of Orion over the decades, their creation a collaborative effort by numerous Willholders. The sigils inscribed within the arrays were autonomous, designed to function independently of their creators as long as they were supplied with energy at regular intervals. Each array represented a masterpiece of ancient sigilcraft, capable of instantaneous travel between towns, a lifeline during emergencies.
The teleportation array in the Solhollow Church was no exception. The chamber housing it was vast, illuminated by sigil lamps that bathed the area in a soft, golden glow. The array itself dominated the center of the room; a massive circular platform carved from black stone with veins of shimmering silver running through it. Intricate sigils were etched into the surface, their lines glowing faintly in hues of blue and green, interspersed with swirling patterns that seemed to shift and dance when viewed from different angles.
The air hummed faintly with energy, carrying the scent of ozone and something metallic, a reminder of the immense power coursing through the array. Around the platform, several columns bore crystalline nodes at their tops, their purpose to regulate the flow of energy into the array. A translucent screen hovered mid-air near the control console, its interface displaying a map of Orion with active destinations marked in glowing points of light.
Upon arriving at the array, Sir Arras was greeted by several Sentinels already present. They stood at attention, their armor faintly reflecting the ambient light. "Greetings, Sir Arras," they said in unison, bowing their heads respectfully.
Sir Arras nodded in acknowledgment and raised his hand. "Is the array ready to transport us to Duskwatch?"
"Yes, everything is ready, Sir," replied one of the Sentinels, his voice steady. "We can depart at any moment."
"Good," Sir Arras said, his tone carrying an edge of caution. "Let's not wait any longer. Denzel, Alek, Ashanti, you're coming with me. I'd rather be safe than sorry; this situation doesn't sit well with me."
The three Sentinels responded in unison, "Yes, Sir."
Together with the trainees, they stepped onto the massive platform. The surface beneath their feet felt strangely warm, as if alive with energy, and the sigils began to glow brighter with each step they took. The humming sound grew louder, and faint vibrations coursed through the stone.
Sir Arras nodded to the Sentinel stationed at the control console. The Sentinel's hands moved deftly over the translucent screen, making the final calibrations to the array with practiced precision. Lines of glowing symbols shifted and rearranged themselves on the interface as the Sentinel selected Duskwatch as the destination. With a final press of a glowing button, the array came to life.
The sigils on the platform flared with fiery brilliance, their glow intensifying until the room was bathed in radiant light. The crystalline nodes atop the columns pulsed in unison, channeling streams of energy into the array. A faint, resonant tone filled the chamber, vibrating deep within the bones of everyone present.
In an instant, the light swelled to a blinding peak, and the group vanished from the platform as though swept away by an unseen current. The lingering hum of the array faded, leaving the chamber empty once more.
A few moments before Sir Arras and his group teleported to Duskwatch, Umar and his team were locked in a desperate battle. The Seedlings poured from the Ancient Forest like a living tide, their guttural snarls echoing across the open plain. Each time one fell, another emerged, its leathery wings spreading wide as it charged with mindless aggression.
Duskwatch, was a small town, barely more than a village, its size and isolation explaining why only four Adept Willholders had been assigned to defend it, despite its proximity to the Ancient Forest. It was ill-prepared for such an onslaught. The four Adept Willholders tasked with its defense fought valiantly, but their resources were stretched thin.
"Brace yourselves! More are coming!" roared Umar, his voice cutting through the chaos like a war drum.
He stood at the forefront, his massive frame a bulwark against the tide. The sigils etched into his armor glowed faintly, a testament to his dwindling Willpower. Behind him, the three Will Sorcerers prepared their next attack.
Siana extended her hand, the glowing pages of her levitating book stopping at a fiery sigil. With a sharp gesture, a ball of flame shot forth, lighting up the battlefield and colliding with a cluster of Seedlings. The explosion sent several creatures flying, their charred bodies crashing to the ground.
Mehki and Kato followed suit, summoning translucent spears from their sigils. Though crude in form, the weapons flew true, skewering the creatures that rose from the fiery wreckage.
The stench of burnt flesh and blood filled the air, smoke curled around the battlefield, obscuring the horizon, but the Seedlings kept coming, their leathery wings slicing through the haze.
With a ferocious roar, Umar surged forward, the sigil on his boots glowing as he moved with unnatural speed. He reached a struggling Seedling and delivered a devastating punch, the glowing sigil on his gauntlet flaring as the creature's skull shattered with a sickening crunch.
Another Seedling lunged at him; its claws aimed for his throat. Umar pivoted, a high kick connecting with the creature's jaw and snapping its neck. It crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Without pause, Umar slammed his fist into the earth, the sigil on his gauntlet blazing as the ground splintered beneath him. The shockwave sent the approaching Seedlings tumbling, their snarls turning to shrieks of confusion. A fireball from Siana streaked past him, igniting the disoriented creatures in a brilliant blaze.
Panting heavily, Umar shot forward once more, activating the sigil on his right hand. Razor-sharp claws extended from his fingers, and with savage precision, he tore apart the last Seedling standing.
He stepped back, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "I hope that was the last of them," he muttered.
But the forest seemed to breathe in response, exhaling a chilling wind.
The sky above them twisted, the light from the twin suns dimming unnaturally. Shadows stretched and warped, swallowing the battlefield in an oppressive gloom.
A roar echoed from the depths of the Ancient Forest, guttural and incomprehensible. It was not just sound, it was a force, a vibration that tore through the air and burrowed into their minds.
Umar staggered, clutching his head as pain lanced through his skull. His vision swam, and his knees buckled. Around him, Siana, Mehki, and Kato dropped to the ground, their faces pale and contorted in agony. Blood dripped from their noses and mouths as they convulsed, clutching at their heads as if to tear the sound away.
The roar seemed to speak, its cursed tongue heavy with malice, each word like a claw raking across their sanity. It felt ancient and malevolent, as though the forest itself had come alive to deliver its wrath.
Umar forced himself to his feet, his body trembling. His eyes darted to the trees, where the shadows thickened unnaturally. A massive silhouette began to emerge, its presence radiating dread.
"We are doomed..." he whispered, his voice trembling and eyes filled with horror…
The teleportation array in Duskwatch was housed in a large, fortified building situated at the edge of the town. Layers of protective sigils adorned its walls, glowing faintly with an ethereal light. Though smaller than the array in Solhollow, it was still vast enough to accommodate over thirty people at a time.
Duskwatch, usually a lively and bustling settlement, was unrecognizable. The familiar hum of daily life had been replaced by chaos. Screams echoed through the streets as people clutched their heads, blood streaming from their noses and mouths. Lifeless bodies lay scattered across the cobbled streets, staining the ground red. The sigils protecting the town flared with an intense glow, generating a translucent dome of light that trembled under the strain of an overwhelming force. It was evident that the defenses, though formidable, were not designed to withstand such a catastrophic threat.
In the midst of this chaos, the teleportation array inside the building activated with a brilliant flash of light. More than thirty figures appeared on the platform, Sir Arras, three Sentinels, and the group of trainees. The room, usually bustling with activity, was eerily empty; Umar and his team, who typically managed the array, were nowhere to be seen.
Sir Arras's face darkened the moment they arrived, his sharp gaze sweeping the room. The Sentinels flanking him exchanged uneasy glances, their postures tense. "Sir, something isn't right. We…" began Alek, one of the Sentinels, but his words were cut short as Sir Arras barked an order.
"Alek, operate the teleportation array and send the trainees back immediately. This place is too dangerous, it's worse than I imagined."
The trainees froze, confusion flashing across their faces. Some opened their mouths to question the sudden decision, but a bone-chilling roar reverberated through the air, silencing them. The sound carried an unnatural weight, laced with incomprehensible words that clawed at the edges of their sanity.
The trainees clutched their heads, their screams filling the room as blood began to trickle from their noses. Sir Arras acted swiftly, snapping his fingers. A sigil on the back of his armor flared to life, casting a protective field over everyone in the building.
"Hurry, Alek!" he commanded, his voice taut with urgency. "We don't have much time."
Alek wasted no time, sprinting to the control panel. His hands moved with mechanical precision as he calibrated the array. The sigils etched into the platform began to glow brighter, humming with energy. Moments later, the array flared, and the trainees disappeared in a flash of brilliant light, sent safely back to Solhollow.
"We move!" Sir Arras ordered.
Without hesitation, Sir Arras, Alek, and Ashanti dashed out of the building at feral speed, heading toward the source of the roar. Their movements were a blur, leaving only Denzel behind to rescue the remaining survivors in the town and transport them to Solhollow.
The scene outside was grim. Umar and his team lay on the ground, their bodies battered and trembling. The overwhelming aura of a massive calamity cloaked in darkness loomed in the distance, suffocating the air with its presence.
"I... I don't... want to die..." Siana sobbed, her voice barely a whisper. Tears mixed with the blood streaming down her face as she clung to the faint hope of survival.
Mehki and Kato were no better, their breaths shallow and uneven. Their hands twitched weakly toward their sigil books, but the oppressive force rendered them unable to concentrate.
As despair gripped them, three figures leapt across the battlefield, landing gracefully in front of them. The ground shuddered slightly under their arrival.
A warm, radiant light spread out from the figures, enveloping Umar and his team. The sensation was immediate, like the embrace of a summer sun breaking through a storm. Strength returned to their limbs, the voices in their minds ceased, and the relentless bleeding stopped. Minor wounds closed as the light knitted torn flesh together, pulling them back from the brink of death.
Umar struggled to his feet, his vision clearing as he stared at the reinforcements. Sir Arras stood at the forefront, his imposing figure radiating authority and power. Alek and Ashanti flanked him, their expressions calm but their eyes blazing with determination.
The sight filled Umar with a renewed sense of hope. "The reinforcements..." he whispered hoarsely. "They're finally here."