Before they could leave, a powerful voice cut through the restless murmurs of the briefing hall.
"Alright, listen up, all of you!"
The room fell into an immediate silence as guildmaster Garrick Voss stepped forward. His deep voice carried across the hall, each word filled with authority. The grizzled veteran's towering frame and sharp gaze commanded respect, his presence alone enough to quell any lingering chatter.
Even the most seasoned adventurers straightened under his piercing stare.
"You all know why we're here," Garrick began, his voice steady yet firm. "A monster horde this close to town isn't normal. The knights have asked for our help, and we're going to deliver."
A hushed tension spread through the gathered adventurers. Some adjusted their gear, others exchanged grim nods. The weight of the upcoming battle settled over the room.
"This isn't some simple hunt," Garrick continued, eyes scanning the crowd. "We're dealing with an overwhelming number of monsters. They might not be powerful individually, but their numbers alone make them a serious threat."
A few adventurers murmured to one another, their expressions uncertain.
"That means you fight smart."
His voice sharpened, cutting through any hesitation.
"The knights will take defensive positions and hold the line." He gestured toward the armored figures standing near the side of the hall, their polished armor glinting under the lantern light. "Meanwhile, the adventurers will be deployed in coordinated strike teams."
Belle narrowed her eyes slightly, committing the details to memory.
Garrick turned toward the formation chart pinned to the guild's war table, tapping his finger against it.
"Frontline squads will engage first, disrupting the monster advance."
"Strike teams provide direct support and eliminate any threats that break through."
"Ranged units will maintain an elevated position and thin out the horde before they reach the melee fighters."
"Support teams are always on standby. Provide any necessary buff or healing to anyone needed."
"Finally, the knights' spellcasters will reinforce the formation with barriers and long-range magic. They will make sure that none of us will be affected by the overloaded mana."
Garrick's gaze darkened. "Do not break formation. Do not engage recklessly. If you rush in like an idiot, you're not just endangering yourself—you're putting your squad at risk."
A wave of murmurs passed through the crowd. Some adventurers nodded, tightening their grips on their weapons. Others swallowed hard, the reality of the mission sinking in.
Belle clenched her fist. This was more than just brute strength—it was a test of teamwork and discipline.
Kai, who normally brushed off warnings like this, actually looked serious for once. Even he knew this wasn't a fight they could afford to be careless in.
Garrick let the silence linger for a moment before delivering his final words.
"Move as a unit, watch each other's backs, and get the job done. Dawnstead is counting on us."
A ripple of determination spread through the hall. Some adventurers exchanged quick words with their teams, others double-checked their equipment. The atmosphere was still tense, but Garrick's presence had given them focus.
Belle took a slow breath, steadying herself before turning to Kai.
"You ready for this?" she asked, watching him carefully.
Kai rolled his shoulders, flashing a confident grin. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't make me look bad out there, alright?"
Belle smirked. "No promises."
As the adventurers finalized their preparations, a heavy realization settled in.
At dawn, the battle would begin.
A thin mist hung over Dawnstead's northern gate as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon. The cold morning air bit at the gathered forces, but no one shivered from the chill—only from the weight of the battle ahead.
The Dawnstead Knights stood in disciplined rows, their polished armor glinting faintly in the pale light. Each of them bore the mark of their order on their cloaks, their expressions hardened with resolve. In contrast, the adventurers were a more diverse assembly—some adjusting their gear, others tightening their weapon grips, their stances varying between confidence and unease.
The usual lively chatter of the guild was absent. Instead, whispered conversations floated through the ranks like a murmur before a storm.
At the head of the formation, Vice-Captain Gale Valtor surveyed the gathered forces, his sharp gaze scanning the distant plains. The reports had been clear—the monster horde was already on the move. They wouldn't have long before they engaged the enemy.
Behind him, guildmaster Garrick Voss crossed his arms, his presence alone reinforcing the gravity of the situation. Though he remained silent, his mere presence kept the adventurers in line.
A deep, commanding voice broke the tension.
"Knights of Dawnstead, adventurers of the guild—march!" Gale's order rang out, and with synchronized movement, the forces advanced.
The steady rhythm of boots striking the dirt road echoed across the open land. Cloaks fluttered in the wind, the shifting weight of armor and weapons filling the silence with metallic clinks and rustling fabric. The once-familiar fields beyond Dawnstead now seemed foreign, tainted by the impending battle.
Belle walked in step with Kai, their squad positioned among the mid-level teams. Though she had fought alone in the Forbidden Forest, this was different. This wasn't survival—it was war.
She stole a glance at Kai. As expected, he looked relaxed, his katana resting at his waist, his red hair loosely tied. But she wasn't fooled. His fingers tapped idly against the hilt of his sword—a habit she had come to recognize when he was restless.
Kai let out a long yawn, stretching his arms above his head. "Man, it's way too early for this."
Belle smirked. "You should've slept earlier."
"I tried." He sighed. "But knowing we're walking into a horde of monsters kinda makes it hard to relax, y'know?"
Belle's smirk widened. "So you do get nervous."
Kai clicked his tongue. "Tch. Don't twist my words."
Behind them, a few adventurers muttered amongst themselves.
"What kind of monsters are we dealing with again?" one asked.
"Various types," another answered. "Mostly goblins, direfang wolves, and armored boars. But the problem isn't their strength—it's their numbers."
"Tch. Sounds like a headache."
One of the older adventurers, a battle-scarred woman with a heavy axe on her back, glanced at them and scoffed. "First time in a large-scale subjugation? Don't think of them as individuals. Think of them as a tide. If you underestimate the waves, you'll get swept away."
Belle listened carefully, her fingers tightening slightly around the strap of her gear. A tide.
A low horn blast echoed from the front lines—an advanced scout's signal.
Gale raised his hand, signaling a halt. The entire force came to a stop.
A scout rode in at full speed, dirt kicking up behind his horse. He pulled to a sharp stop before the command unit, his voice sharp with urgency.
"Sir! The enemy horde has been spotted less than a mile ahead, near the river crossing."
Murmurs spread among the adventurers. The enemy was closer than expected.
Gale nodded, keeping his voice calm. "Numbers?"
The scout hesitated. "At least three hundred… possibly more. Various species—goblins, direfang wolves, armored boars."
Garrick frowned. "Monsters don't strategize like that."
A young knight stepped forward. "Could they be under the influence of something?"
"Mana overload," another knight muttered. "The scholars mentioned it, didn't they?"
Gale's eyes narrowed. The academy scholars had proposed a theory earlier—a phenomenon where unstable mana in the environment condensed unnaturally, triggering erratic behavior in magical creatures. Monsters exposed to it for too long could become hyper-aggressive.
"We don't have time to debate it," Gale said firmly. "We move now before the situation worsens."
With the enemy close, Gale and Garrick called for a quick strategic assembly. A large patch of flatland lay ahead, sloping gently downward toward the river—an ideal location to stage their assault.
Gale turned to his officers. "The knights will form a defensive phalanx on the western front, using their shields to block any direct charge. The adventurers will spread out along the center and east, launching the first strike. Ranged units, you take the rear—archers and mages, I want suppressive fire as soon as we engage."
He then addressed Garrick. "Your adventurers fight best in flexible skirmishes. Have them strike hard and fast, then fall back before they get overwhelmed."
Garrick stroked his beard. "Works for me. We don't do 'hold the line' tactics, but we sure as hell know how to hit where it hurts." He turned to the adventurers. "You heard him! Spread out in squads, don't get in the knights' way, and for the love of the gods—watch each other's backs!"
Movement rippled through the ranks as adventurers broke into small strike teams, their weapons drawn. Some of the more seasoned fighters tightened their gloves, adjusted their gear, and exchanged nods of silent understanding.
Kai exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "Alright," he muttered. "So we charge in, kill as many as we can, and try not to die. Simple enough."
Belle gave him a dry look. "That's your plan. I'm actually going to follow orders."
Kai smirked. "Orders or not, the real fight never goes according to plan. Just stick close, yeah?"
The march had increased its pace, the rhythmic crunch of boots against dirt the only sound cutting through the early morning silence. Despite the number of warriors assembled, an eerie stillness had settled over the battlefield.
Then, Belle felt it.
A shift. Subtle, yet undeniable.
It wasn't miasma, but something else—something unnatural. The air carried a strange weight, as if unseen threads of energy were twisting beneath the surface. Mana fluctuations—unstable and erratic.
Her silver eyes narrowed.
Kai, walking beside her, caught her change in expression. "What's wrong?"
Belle hesitated, her gaze scanning the horizon. "...Something feels off."
Kai blinked, glancing around. "Weird how?"
Before she could answer, Gale Valtor raised a hand. "Hold."
The entire formation stopped in perfect synchronization, armored figures standing tense and alert. A knight scout, panting from a hard sprint, rushed toward Gale.
"Sir! Something's wrong. The monsters aren't acting normal."
Gale's frown deepened. "Explain."
"They're… just standing there."
A murmur rippled through the ranks.
Belle caught glimpses of wary expressions among the adventurers. Monsters gathering in large numbers was one thing. But standing still? That wasn't normal.
A veteran adventurer scoffed, gripping his spear tighter. "What kind of beast just waits for us to get close?"
Another answered in a hushed voice, "Something that doesn't need to act on its own."
Gale turned toward Garrick, who had been silently observing. "Thoughts?"
Garrick's brows furrowed. "If they're not fighting each other, something is keeping them in check." His tone was grim, edged with wariness. "And that means we're dealing with something—or someone—controlling them."
Belle's fingers curled slightly, a flicker of unease threading through her thoughts.
She had felt it earlier. That shift. The way the mana in the air was behaving unnaturally.
Something wasn't right.
The knight scout spoke again, his voice tight. "We should be able to see them just past the next hill."
Gale exhaled sharply and turned to the gathered forces. "Weapons ready. We don't go in blind."
The command was clear. Shields were raised. Bows were drawn. Blades were unsheathed.
Step by step, they advanced, their boots pressing into the damp earth.
Then, as they crested the hill, they saw it.
And the battlefield was not what they had expected.
A vast expanse stretched before them—an open field of trampled grass, scattered with claw marks and deep grooves in the dirt. And beyond that… a horde.
Hundreds of monsters.
But they weren't moving.
Goblins stood frozen, their jagged weapons hanging limply in their hands. Direfang wolves crouched low, but they weren't snarling, weren't prowling—just staring ahead with eerie stillness. Even the armored boars, known for their restless aggression, stood unnaturally still, as if waiting for a silent command.
The usual sounds of a monster-infested field—snarls, growls, the clatter of weapons—were absent. Instead, an unnatural stillness pressed against the gathered forces, heavy and suffocating. It wasn't just fear. It was wrong.
A shiver ran down Belle's spine. She could feel it. The mana here was thick, condensed like a brewing storm. It wasn't moving naturally—it was being pulled, manipulated.
Kai exhaled sharply beside her. "Yeah… this isn't normal."
From the front, Gale raised a fist, signaling a halt. The knights obeyed instantly, their rigid discipline keeping them from breaking rank. The adventurers, however, exchanged wary glances, shifting uneasily. Whispers spread through the lines.
"The hell's wrong with them?"
"They're just… standing there."
"Are they waiting for something?"
A cold gust of wind swept across the battlefield, rustling through the grass. That was when it started.
A single goblin twitched. A sharp, unnatural jerk of the body—like a puppet having its strings yanked.
Then another. And another.
A direfang wolf spasmed violently, claws raking deep grooves into the dirt. An armored boar let out a choked, distorted grunt, its entire frame trembling as if trying to resist something unseen.
Belle's breath hitched. Something was wrong with them. Something was inside them.
Then, all at once—a scream tore through the battlefield. Not one. Hundreds.
The monsters convulsed violently, then charged.
It was like a dam breaking. The goblins screeched, their eyes wild with an unnatural frenzy. Wolves lunged forward, foam dripping from their maws. The armored boars bellowed, their massive forms barreling toward the front lines.
The stillness was shattered. The battle had begun.
End of Chapter 20