Lyra swung the wooden 'club' on her hand at the monster's head, causing it to miss it's direction and dove headfirst to the wall.
_Crack!
The wooden club broke into two. The creature stood up; it touched it's head and looked at the tiny human. it's eyes wide in surprise.
Blood?
This small thing was able to hurt me?
It ignored the man standing dumbfounded on the door.
With surprise came rage. It bent it's lower leg and sprung at a surprising speed. It was like it was previously having fun, and was now serious – no, angry. It went directly for the kill.
Lyra barely had enough time to shield her face. As she was flung away, no pushed away.
She fell to the floor. An ugly wound on her left hand. But the pain barely registered in her brain. Only one word repeatedly rang in her head.
'Father.'
Indeed, just before she was cut in two her father pushed her away.
'He is in trouble.'
She looked up only to see a pair of green eyes staring back at her. Eyes reminiscent of that of a snake.
"Amazing. I wonder if you are one too."
With that, her vision went blank.
Outside, The night was thick with an unnatural darkness, pressing down on Herville like a suffocating shroud. The town's usual serenity had been replaced by pandemonium. Shadows twisted and writhed, the once-familiar streets now filled with fear and destruction.
From the heart of the chaos, Evan and his father fought with relentless determination. Their breaths came in short, sharp bursts as they maneuvered through the wreckage. The strange magical device they had painstakingly built over months was their only hope. The device, a complex contraption of metal and glowing runes, emitted a powerful beam that pulsed rhythmically.
The grotesque creatures seemed to emerge from every shadow. They leapt and clawed at anything in their path. Their guttural growls and shrieks cut through the night air, mingling with the screams of the townsfolk.
_No, please. Aargh!
Disturbing Shrieks awoke the townsfolk from there slumber. Alas! It made no difference. The creatures which had operated on a low-key. Now, spread their unrestrained aura. They were now unhinged
Herville was dyed in blood.
In the distant, a man and his son ran out of a house panting frantically. The man looked back to the house. A female scream echoed deep inside the building.
_Aah
He shivered. The screams started echoing everywhere. Houses rose up in flame. It was terrifying.
They had to run
It was then...
He froze. Something was behind him. He could feel it.
Slowly turning around, he saw it. It covered his vision. It's maw to be precise. It bit down.
A headless corpse fell down
-----
David, a young adventurer swung his sword with precision, each strike amplified by a red aura coating his sword. A lady, beside him, shot arrows, unceasingly as she kept pumping mana to her bow.
They were young around seventeen years old. Both wore adventurer's gears, there bodies were covered with leather armor. The boy had a sword, and the girl used an arrow.
The creature before them was quite nimble, yet a few arrows were deeply embedded at it's tight and back.
"Abi! Keep your distance. Don't let it come close." David shouted. "Target it's neck."
An arrow tore through the air and precisely struck the abomination's neck.
The creatures hissed and recoiled at the arrow's impact, but it's ferocity remained unabated.
It jumped toward the girl
But was met with a slash to it's stomach. The pain made it retreat.
"David, duck!"
David ducked as a creature swiftly passed where his head was until a second ago.
"Thanks."
"You are welcome. I think we have more problems now"
"Right? Let's take care of this ugly motherfuckers."
-----
Amid the clash of steel and the cries of the inhabitants. Fire broke out on several houses adding more to the unfolding chaos. Chaos slowly spread.
Guards were alerted.
The town's defenders—guards and militia—had rallied, but their efforts seemed futile against the onslaught. The creatures were too numerous and too ferocious. Swords clashed against claws, arrows were deflected, and axes struck only to be met with more bloodthirsty opponents.
There were other hidden players in this seemingly Chaotic battle. Their intentions hidden beneath the chaos.
Events driven by an agenda. People disappeared from their homes most of them children. The snake people used the fight as a cover for their real intention.
The guards fought valiantly, but their numbers dwindled rapidly. The guards moved with purpose, using their all to keep the creatures at bay. The glowing blue beam struck at the beasts, buying precious moments for the townsfolk to flee or regroup.
[Flame Dome]
Controlled fire encircled one of the monsters. The caster was a young woman, Rose. She smiled.
"Finally caught you, you bastard!" She laughed triumphantly.
The smile was wiped out of her face when she saw a mangled bundle of burning mass of flesh jump at her, clawing at her neck. She saw her life flash in front of her eyes.
But a spear pierced the creature in the nick of time, changing its trajectory. And she ended up getting a milder injury.
A long burning scar ran through her stomach. The trajectory wasn't completely changed. She looked around it was utter chaos the creatures were stealthily gaining an advantage.
She bit her lips and rejoined the battle.
She was injured but determined, joined the fray with what little strength she had left. Her wound burned, but the adrenaline coursing through her veins kept her on her feet.
The bloody battle continued.
Finally, the guards' resistance began to wane. With their numbers exhausted and their spirits broken, they were forced to retreat. The creatures, however, were relentless, pressing their advantage as they wreaked havoc across the town.
Yet, despite their efforts, it felt like an unending tide, each wave crashing more violently than the last.
The creatures were, in total, a little more than sixty. Restricting them was difficult, but killing them proved even more difficult.
Rose was a talented caster. She awoke at 16 years, considered a late bloomer. Awakening was known to be best between 12 and 18 years. An awakened could now use mana or Qi, inner, depending on the one they were more attuned with.
In general, those talented in Qi, become 'warriors'. Casters are those more attuned to mana, they were known as mages. Awakening successfully automatically places you a tier above common people, both in wealth and status.
How far the difference is depends on your talent and hard work.
Since awakening, Rose never felt a wall too difficult to overcome.
That is... Until today.
Her mind was in a mess. The fatigue, fear, and partial guilt for those that had died was finally getting to her.
She shook her head to regain focus as she dodge to the side. A long claw brushed past her neck by the skin of the teeth.
The voice kept whispering that she was going to die here. Like a nobody... Forgotten.
She served her hometown as a guard against stray magical beasts. She dreamed of one day moving out and finding what faith had for her.
But...
"Am I going to die here like this?"
She looked around.
She was surrounded. No ally in sight.