Two days ago, the battlefield was loud and wild. Soldiers fought hard to stop monsters from getting to the capital. Shouts, the clash of swords, and growls filled the air. The soldiers were tired and sweaty, but they kept going, facing one wave of beasts after another from the far-off forest.
Commander Roland Welles led the Atlas forces. He walked into the battle and shouted, "To arms! Get into defensive lines now!" His voice was loud and steady. The soldiers heard him and moved fast, making rows to meet the next attack.
The fight was rough. Swords hit claws, and the yells of hurt men mixed with monster snarls. Then a huge beast came out—a centaur with skin that glowed like hot lava. It ran forward, crushing everything under its feet.
"Shoot at the big one!" Commander Roland called out. His order pulled the troops together. Hunters with magic bows stepped up. Their arrows struck the beast's soft spots, and after a tough fight, it fell. The soldiers cheered, but more monsters came from the dark, and the battle started again.
In the middle of it all stood the heroes. They gave hope to everyone. Valer fought with great skill. His sword glowed as it sliced through monsters easily. Jin stood strong next to him, like a shield. He used his golden gloves to block hits and smash enemies with hard punches.
Arden Starward, the hero leader, shouted to the troops. "Hold the line! Help is coming. We can't let them reach the city walls!" His voice was calm and sure, keeping the soldiers steady. Jin smashed two monsters into each other and yelled, "These aren't normal monsters. Something's making them act this way." Arden looked concerned but stayed focused. "We'll deal with that later. Right now, we guard the city."
Commander Roland kept the soldiers in order. "Change places! If you're hurt, watch the camp. Everyone else, back to fighting!" His words let the tired soldiers rest for a moment and get ready again.
After hours of battle, the monsters were beaten. The soldiers looked around. The field was quiet now, except for their loud breathing. Commander Roland stood in front of them. His armor was dirty and bloody. "Rest now. We don't know what's next. This was just the first day." The soldiers sat down. They were worn out but not broken. They knew more was coming, but for now, they could get ready.
After a While
The air felt heavy and tight as night fell over the battlefield. It was the first night of the war. Tired soldiers sat close to small torches. Their weapons lay next to them. Some held onto wounds that were quickly fixed. Their eyes looked heavy and worn out. The battlefield was dark now, quiet after the loud day. But the silence wasn't peaceful. It felt like something bad was coming.
Commander Roland stood at the front. He looked out at the dark forest far away. His hand held his sword tight. His jaw was stiff. "Stay sharp," he said loud. His voice broke the quiet. "Something feels wrong."
Then a howl cut through the night. Loud footsteps followed. The ground shook. Big, scary shapes came out of the dark. These weren't like the wild enemies from before. These ones felt strong and mean. Their glowing eyes looked smart. They moved like they had a plan. At the front was a huge beast. Its skin was black, like burned wood. Sharp spikes stuck out from its shoulders.
The soldiers got scared. "What are those things?!" one yelled. His voice shook. "Hold your place!" Roland shouted. His voice was strong. "Make a line! Archers, get your bows ready!"
The soldiers moved fast. They forgot how tired they were. Fear made them quick. They put out the torches to hide. The moon gave a little light. Archers shot arrows. The arrows flew like fast stars. Some hit the creatures, but the monsters didn't care.
The first monsters crashed into the soldiers. One looked like a wolf but was much bigger than a horse. It jumped forward. Its claws broke shields like they were nothing. Soldiers yelled as they fell back. Another creature looked like a person but had long, twisted arms. It swung them fast with spikes. Anyone near it got knocked away.
The heroes ran into the fight. Valer went for the big wolf thing. His sword glowed with a strange light. He yelled and hit its side. The blade cut in deep. The monster screamed but swung its big claw back. Valer jumped away fast.
Jin ran in too. His gold gloves shone in the moon. He hit the ground hard. A big shake stopped the monsters for a moment. "Go for the leaders!" he yelled to the soldiers.
Arden stood in the mess. His body glowed a little. He lifted his hand. "Be strong!" he said loud. A wave of power came from him. It made the soldiers feel better. They stopped looking scared and got ready to fight.
Hiyori moved smooth through the battle. Her staff glowed soft. She stopped by a hurt soldier. Her voice was calm as she fixed him. "Go back to camp and rest," she said. Then she went to help another.
The fight went on. A huge roar came from everywhere. A new monster stepped out of the dark. It was bigger and worse than the others. It had four strong arms. Each held a big weapon. Its fire eyes stared at the heroes. "Gods help us," Roland said quiet. His face went white. "That thing isn't normal." Arden pulled his sword. "Heroes, with me!" he yelled. "We stop it together."
The heroes got close. They didn't give up. Valer and Jin went to the front. They blocked the monster's hits with strength and speed. Magnar stayed back. He said words for a spell. Bright marks floated around him. "Keep it busy!" he shouted. His voice stayed steady.
The fight with the big monster was hard. Every hit was strong. The heroes were tired but kept going. The soldiers around them held their spots. Seeing the heroes fight made them braver. After a long time, they beat the monster. Magnar's spell hit it right. A light beam went through its chest. The beast roared one last time and fell hard.
The battlefield got quiet. Only heavy breathing and torch sounds were left. Roland looked at the mess. His face was serious. "We made it through the first night," he said low. "But this is just the start."
The soldiers started helping the hurt ones. Their bodies shook from being so tired. The heroes stood together. Their faces showed they were worn out, but they wouldn't quit. Arden looked at the sky. A tiny bit of light showed morning was coming. "Rest if you can," he said soft. "When the sun comes up, the fight starts again."