A heavy silence hung over the town of Varella as the sun dipped behind the mountains, casting an eerie glow over the land. Though it was only late afternoon, the light had already begun to fade—swallowed by the ever-creeping corruption that tainted the air and painted the skies with sickly hues of violet and gray.
Inside the hastily fortified town hall, a sanctuary protected by multiple divine barriers, a group gathered. The tension was thick, and the air was heavy with unspoken fear.
Noah stood at the head of the table, his crimson eyes narrowed in focus. Around him were familiar faces—Olivia, the serene and ever-radiant Saintess, her hands folded in prayer; Scarlett, her crimson hair pulled back, expression cold and calculating; Lyra, standing silently beside Olivia, her ice-blue aura gently chilling the room; and Layla, leaning against the wall with a curious grin, her amber eyes flickering with excitement and madness alike.
Several senior priests and local knights had gathered as well, but it was clear—everyone was waiting for him to speak.
"We have no clear estimate of how strong our enemy is," Noah began, voice calm but authoritative. "From what we've faced so far, this isn't just a regular shadow outbreak—this feels orchestrated. It's spreading too fast, too deliberately."
One of the older priests nodded gravely. "We fear the corrupted veins are rooted beneath the town itself. We can purify the surface, but they keep reemerging…"
Noah turned to Scarlett. "I want your shadows at every boundary—north, east, west, and south. Set them to alert mode. If anything crosses, I want to know before it gets inside."
Scarlett smiled faintly. "Already done. I've summoned every shade I control. They'll cover the entire perimeter and relay everything back to me. But… if too many enemies appear at once, I might lose control."
"We won't let that happen," Noah said firmly, then turned to Lyra and Olivia. "You two will hold the broken eastern boundary. Olivia, focus on healing the injured and shielding the civilians. Lyra, reinforce the breach with ice barriers—if anything charges through, slow them down or impale them."
Olivia nodded solemnly. "Understood. The people need hope. I'll give them that."
Lyra's voice was soft but sure. "Let them come. They'll freeze in their tracks."
"And the priests?" Noah looked at the bishop present. "Any chance of offense?"
"Most of our holy mages can only sustain barriers or minor purification. We've lost many... but those remaining will support Lady Olivia and defend the chapel."
Noah clenched his fist. They couldn't rely on the church any longer. Even the letter Olivia sent out would take a day to reach them—and at least two more before anyone could respond, let alone arrive. They were alone.
"We don't have time to wait," he said, then looked at Layla. "How much corruption can you consume now?"
Layla smirked, walking forward. "More than ever before. It's like wine to me now. The more I devour, the more it feeds me… but it's dangerous." Her voice dropped. "If I lose control, I might hurt someone."
"We'll stop you before that happens," Noah assured her. "But for now, consume everything you can. Clear the air, the water, the soil. If we can cleanse at least one-third of the town, we'll have a safe ground to retreat."
Layla's eyes glowed as she gave a mock bow. "As you command, my dear Noah~"
Noah exhaled, then activated his skill. "I'll deploy my clones around the outer edges. They'll scout and signal if any massive horde approaches. We can't afford to be ambushed."
He paused, eyes scanning the room. Everyone was tired. Hurt. Some were barely holding on. Yet none complained. None hesitated.
"This place…" he murmured, looking at the town map laid across the table. "It won't fall. Not while we're still standing."
Within minutes, everyone moved with newfound purpose.
Scarlett vanished into the shadows, her army slithering through the streets like dark smoke, taking position.
Lyra and Olivia headed to the eastern breach—Olivia already chanting spells to bless the grounds, while Lyra raised icy walls, her breath frosting the air around her.
The priests gathered, drawing divine sigils on the walls and doors of homes, using everything they had left to protect the civilians hiding inside.
Layla stepped into the corrupted courtyard outside, her scythe appearing in her hand as tendrils of darkness twisted toward her.
A smile curled on her lips.
"Time to eat," she whispered, then plunged her blade into the corrupted soil. The ground shrieked—literally shrieked—as the corruption began to swirl and dissolve into her. The air around her turned clear for the first time in days, a pocket of purified space amidst a diseased world.
Meanwhile, Noah's clones blinked into existence at key points around the perimeter, scouting the landscape beyond the town.
And what they saw chilled them.
The corruption was getting thicker.
From the north, a dark mist churned across the trees. From the west, the rivers bubbled black. From the south, shadows twisted and writhed like serpents.
But it was the east—where Lyra and Olivia stood—that felt the most dangerous.
Something was coming.
A wave. A force.
And it would be here before nightfall.
-To be continued....