Boom!
To the east of Darkstone, amidst the mountains, the ground suddenly quaked.
Stones jumped, countless trees collapsed with a roar, and a miasma of dark energy hovered in the air, even obscuring the sunlight.
The entire mountain range was plunged into gloom.
Within that overwhelming evil aura, a colossal demon, standing a towering five meters tall, emerged.
Clad in heavy armor and wielding a crimson-hued battle-axe, its menacing face led the way.
Above its head sat a throne, upon which perched a humanoid monster.
With a face reminiscent of a human but possessing pointed ears, twin horns, and deep green eyes that gleamed blood-red, it bore an uncanny resemblance to the legendary vampire.
Narrowing its eyes, the creature's gaze traveled past countless trees, settling on the plains below. "Yomu, you better not deceive me," it murmured, turning its gaze back to the army behind.
There, as far as the eye could see, stood countless monsters donning armor.
Their forms mirrored that of humans, but with grotesque features, brandishing sharp weapons and exuding a palpable malice, waiting for the command of their leader.
"Advance!" The monster atop the beast commanded.
In the next moment, the gargantuan creature lifted its right foot forward, and the monsters trailing behind followed suit.
Soon, they emerged from the mountain range, venturing onto the plains, and steadily approaching Darkstone.
...
Inside the village chief's dwelling.
Sebastian, observing the indecisive village chief, couldn't help but inquire, "Village chief, what has the kingdom conveyed?"
"I've reached out to the kingdom. They will indeed send an army, but it will take at least three hours." The village chief's aged face bore an expression of helplessness as he added, "It's all my fault. I placed too much faith in the kingdom's forces, and now Darkstone is on the brink of catastrophe."
"Village chief, how long can the village hold out?" Sebastian asked.
"I'm uncertain, but I'll lead everyone in resistance," the village chief replied, his eyes burning with determination.
[You have triggered a special quest: Defend Darkstone]
[Defend Darkstone]
[Quest Description: The Legion of Cataclysm, minions of the Demon race, have appeared near Darkstone. You must resist their assault and hold out until the kingdom's army arrives to defend Darkstone.]
[Quest Requirement: Protect Darkstone's Central Crystal from destruction for three hours.]
[Quest Reward: Rewards based on individual contributions during the quest.]
[Quest Penalty: Level reset to zero.]
As the village chief voiced these words, a quest prompt echoed in the ears of every Darkstone player.
Shock painted their faces, leaving them rooted in place, struggling to grasp the reality before them.
Initially, they had considered fleeing into the wilderness or seeking refuge in other cities.
Yet, to their astonishment, this was a mandatory special quest.
Moreover, failure meant their levels would be reset to zero.
The revelation of this special quest shattered any remnants of escape plans, leaving players exchanging despairing glances with their comrades.
...
Inside the village chief's dwelling, Sebastian's face mirrored the shock shared by all.
He had initially sought guidance from the village chief, only to unexpectedly trigger this obligatory special quest.
For a moment, his emotions whirled in a tempest, leaving him at a loss for words.
However, the village chief gave Sebastian's arm a reassuring pat, saying, "ShepherdWind, let's face the enemy together."
"Cough, alright," Sebastian replied awkwardly, a hint of embarrassment evident.
Now, all paths of retreat were effectively blocked.
A sudden, urgent alarm sounded, chilling to the bone, resonating in the ears of every Darkstone inhabitant.
From the four corners of Darkstone, gentle beams of light surged towards the sky, forming a curtain that descended and enveloped the entire village.
The village protection array had been activated.
The Legion of Cataclysm had entered Darkstone's perimeter.
Standing at the doorway of the village chief's abode, amidst the frantic alarm, Darkstone plunged into sheer panic.
The NPC designs inherently feared the Demon race creatures within the Legion of Cataclysm, casting Darkstone into a state of upheaval.
Amidst the turmoil, Sebastian finally witnessed the protective strength the village chief had spoken of: A brigade of armored, determined kingdom soldiers who appeared in the streets, restoring order.
Simultaneously, a large contingent marched towards the village outskirts.
[village chief Announcement: All players are urgently requested to proceed outside Darkstone immediately and assist the guardian legion in repelling the invasion of the Legion of Cataclysm!]
The announcement resounded once more.
After a momentary daze, the six major guilds swiftly made their decision.
They were resolved to hold their ground for three hours, whatever the cost.
Soon after, from the Guild Hall, players emerged in droves.
They steadily marched towards the outskirts of the village, faces etched with determination.
Realizing that the course of events was irreversible, it made more sense to risk it all and go on the offensive.
To ensure that players wouldn't log off to avoid the impending catastrophe, the six major guilds made a united proclamation.
Players below level 10 were permitted to log off to avoid the crisis, but those level 10 and above were mandated to be on the frontlines, and reports on those shirking their duties were encouraged.
In these dire times, avoiding the battle might save one momentarily, but should the quest fail, offline or not, their levels would be reset to zero.
Thus, even players below level 10 opted to join the battle.
Even if they died and lost some levels, they'd be resurrected and live to fight another day – a much better fate than a total level reset.
In no time, the area outside Darkstone teemed with over five thousand players.
The leaders of the six major guilds took their positions at the forefront.
Sebastian was also present.
Upon spotting him, Rock Guild's leader, WindSovereign, approached and greeted warmly, "Guild leader ShepherdWind!"
This guild leader, who had once been so arrogant, had mellowed significantly after their encounter with the skyfire.