Village Center – The Chief's House
Inside the largest house in the village, a man patiently instructed his three-year-old son.
"You're doing it wrong. You should go from here to here—this is the correct way to write the letter," he said gently, guiding the boy's hand.
"But it looks the same, Dad! See?" the boy protested, pointing to his board.
"It may look the same, but writing it properly will help you write faster and avoid smudging the ink. Do you under—"
"Chief! Chief!" a voice suddenly rang out from outside.
Just as William turned to investigate, a young man burst through the door.
"What happened?" William was ready to scold him for barging in, but the panic on the young man's face made him pause.
"Chief... a dark beast! I saw a dark beast in the northern forest. I'm one of Instructor John's students—he sent me to warn you. He stayed behind to confirm it."
William's expression darkened, and his irritation vanished instantly. The forest to the north was supposed to be safe. A dark beast appearing there was unheard of.
"Describe exactly what you saw," William demanded. He must have mistaken it for a wild animal.
But as Gutis recounted his encounter in detail, William's doubt began to fade. The description was too precise, too consistent with what he feared.
If a dark beast is here, then a beast tide may be on its way. The village is in grave danger.
But how did they appear without warning? Did the northern stronghold fall?
A storm of thoughts surged through William's mind in mere moments.
"Chief?" Gutis's voice brought him back to the present.
It doesn't matter how they got here. What matters now is protecting the village.
William straightened. After a quick moment of reflection, he ordered, "Sound the emergency bell. Gather everyone in the central square. NOW!"
Gutis nodded and sprinted off.
"Isaiah, tell your mother to meet me in the square," William told his son. Without wasting another second, he left the house and made his way toward the training grounds.
They were only a hundred steps away. As he arrived, he saw the warrior initiates going through their evening drills under the watchful eyes of the Old Guard veterans. William clapped his hands sharply, drawing all eyes to him.
"Everyone! In front of me—NOW!"
Within moments, the trainees and veterans formed ranks, alert and ready.
"We're under attack. Dark beasts have been sighted at the northern edge of the forest. Prepare for battle. I want everyone on the fortifications within FIVE minutes. Take all spare weapons to the northern sentry post. The Old Guard will take command and organize the defenses. MOVE!"
He didn't soften his words. There was no time. These warriors had been trained for this moment. No one hesitated. Without question, they sprang into action.
With orders delivered, William turned toward the central square, thoughts racing.
What should I tell the villagers?
He couldn't hide the truth. They would learn it soon enough. But revealing the full extent of the threat might cause chaos. He needed to instill urgency—without igniting panic.
By the time he arrived, his wife, Hestia, was already there.
"What's happening?" she asked as he approached.
"Dark beast—north side," he answered grimly.
"What?! How could they appear here?" she gasped, her eyes wide. But she kept her voice low.
"I don't know, and it doesn't matter. We need to hold them off—at least for the first few waves. That'll give us time to come up with a proper strategy."
"Right," Hestia said, quickly pushing down her rising panic.
"We have the walls. They weren't built specifically for dark beasts, but they should hold—at least against the smaller ones."
"We'll need enough people to man every section. Some of these beasts can leap over the walls or climb them. And we can't let too many gather at once. We'll have to eliminate them quickly."
As the two spoke, more villagers streamed into the square. The emergency bell rang at regular intervals, urging everyone to gather. Within ten minutes, more than 1,500 people—about three-quarters of the village—had arrived.
William couldn't wait any longer. He climbed onto a raised platform and surveyed the anxious crowd. Raising his hand, he signaled for silence. Slowly, the murmurs faded.
"My fellow villagers," he began, his voice calm but firm, "I bring urgent news. We are facing a crisis—and how we respond will decide our fate. First, I ask you—do not panic. Fear will only make things worse."
He paused to let the words sink in.
"We are under attack by dark beasts."
The crowd erupted in gasps and whispers.
"SILENCE!" William's voice thundered across the square, amplified by sheer strength. The noise died instantly.
"Panic won't help us. Listen closely. If we want to survive, we must stand together. Alone, none of us can do much. But united—we can defend our home."
"I've fought these beasts before. They are no stronger than wild animals. Their hides can be pierced by our weapons. In fact, they're even easier to handle in some ways—they are reckless and predictable."
That much was true—for individual beasts. But in large numbers, their mindless aggression became overwhelming. They never retreated. They never feared death. Kill one, and another would take its place. Eventually, even the strongest warrior would fall to sheer numbers.
After settling the crowd, William began organizing villagers into units. Any able-bodied person with experience in hunting or fighting was assigned to man the walls. Hestia took charge of coordinating the rest—managing supplies, reinforcing structures, and preparing fallback positions.
Hestia was respected not just as the chief's wife but as a capable leader in her own right. William trusted her completely.
As the village prepared for the coming storm, every second counted.