Corbin, his instincts screaming for him to go back, to rescue his friend and companion, hesitated for a moment. But his Etherwalker senses told him that to do so would be a fool's errand, a certain death sentence for both him and Kraven.
"We can't leave him," Soldier #2 said, his voice ragged with emotion. "He's our brother-in-arms."
Corbin's gaze hardened, his face a mask of steely resolve. "I know. But we have our orders. Caer Corbin needs us." Corbin and his squad, their hearts heavy with the loss of their comrade, Kraven, continued their retreat. But as they drew closer to the extraction point, a new threat emerged: a pack of howling, slavering Blighted Wolves, their eyes burning with hunger.
Corbin, his Etherwalker senses ringing with alarm, spun towards the pack, his weapon raised. "Form a wedge!" he shouted. "We'll push through them and make for the extraction point!"
The soldiers, their weapons at the ready, formed a defensive wedge, their eyes fixed on the approaching wolves. As the Blighted Wolves drew closer, their snarls and growls echoing through the ruined streets, Corbin's Etherwalker senses told him that something was different about these creatures. They were corrupted, yes, but the corruption seemed to be unstable, their bodies wracked with violent spasms and tremors.
"They're unstable," Corbin said, his eyes flashing with realization. "They're about to collapse."
The soldiers, their expressions hardening, fired at the approaching pack, the sound of their weapons a thunderous chorus.
As the Blighted Wolves fell, one after another, Corbin's Etherwalker senses picked up something unexpected: a faint, but familiar, pulse of energy.
"Kraven..." Corbin whispered, his heart pounding. "He's alive."
Without hesitation, he broke from the formation, sprinting towards the battle with the Etherlings. The soldiers, their shock quickly replaced with determination, followed closely behind.
Corbin, his Etherwalker senses leading him to Kraven's side, broke through the Etherling swarm, his sword blazing with Etherwalker power. Corbin, his sword cleaving through the swarm of Etherlings, reached Kraven's side, his friend surrounded by the writhing mass of creatures.
"Kraven!" Corbin cried. "Hold on! We're not leaving you behind!"
Kraven, his face smeared with blood and grime, his armor rent and torn, looked up with a wry grin.
"Took you long enough, Commander," he growled, the fire in his eyes undimmed. Together, Corbin and Kraven fought their way through the swarm, their weapons burning with fiery aetheric energy, cutting a bloody swathe through the Etherling horde.
The Etherlings, their numbers thinning, screeched and hissed, their skittering limbs frantic with rage and terror. But Corbin and Kraven were unrelenting, their bonds of friendship and camaraderie fueling their every strike.
The last of the Etherlings fell, its carapace shattering beneath Kraven's blade. Corbin, his chest heaving with exertion, helped Kraven to his feet. "You look like hell," he said, a wry grin curling his lips.
Kraven, his laughter tinged with pain, groaned. "Yeah, well, you don't look much better, Commander."
The pair turned to face the retreating soldiers, who had eliminated the last of the Blighted Wolves.
"Let's get out of here," Corbin said, nodding to his men. "Our work is done." With the threat of the Blighted defeated, Corbin and his squad, now reinforced with Kraven's burning presence, made their way back to Caer Corbin.
As they traveled, Kraven, his wounds tended to by the squad's medic, recounted the events of his fight with the Etherling swarm.
"They were relentless," he said, shaking his head. "If you hadn't shown up when you did, Commander, I'd be Blighted chow right now."
Corbin, his own wounds bandaged, chuckled.
Corbin, his eyes twinkling with amusement, replied, "Well, we couldn't very well let our best Firebrand go down like that, now could we?"
The squad, their spirits lifted by the banter between their commander and his friend, laughed heartily.
Kraven, still grinning despite his injuries, shook his head in mock annoyance. "Well, Commander, next time you want to take a leisurely stroll through a Blighted-infested city, you can count me out."
Corbin, his eyes sparkling with mirth, clapped Kraven on the back. "Noted, friend. Though, I must say, you seemed to be enjoying yourself back there."
Kraven, his bravado at full strength, laughed heartily. "Well, you know what they say, Commander. A Firebrand's never happier than when he's up to his armpits in Blighted."
Corbin shook his head, smiling fondly. "Ah, Kraven. Some things never change."
As they continued their journey back to Caer Corbin, the squad, buoyed by their recent victory, began to swap stories of their exploits against the Blighted.
Kraven, his eyes alight with memories of past battles, recounted his harrowing escape from a Blighted Goliath, his Fiery Touch the only thing standing between him and certain death.
Corbin, not to be outdone, shared a tale of his own, a narrow victory over a corrupted Aetherwalker in the twisted ruins of what had once been a grand cathedral. This had happened on yesterday, his first day in the wasteland. Of course he didn't mention how it was his first day.
As Corbin regaled his squad with tales of heroism and daring, the walls of Caer Corbin came into view, its once-mighty towers now a testament to the relentless march of the Blight.
The soldiers, their spirits lifted by the stories of their comrades, exchanged a look of mutual understanding. For despite the darkness and destruction that surrounded them, there was still hope. There was still a fire that burned within them, a fire that the Blight could never extinguish.
Corbin, his gaze fixed on the city walls, felt a renewed sense of purpose. As the squad approached the gates of Caer Corbin, their armor dented and stained with the blood of the Blighted, they were greeted by a small crowd of civilians.
"Commander!" cried a young woman, her voice thick with emotion. "You're back!"
Corbin, touched by the warmth of their reception, nodded in acknowledgment. "We are, my friends. And we've brought supplies to help fortify the city."
The crowd erupted into cheers, their joy mingling with the light of hope that had been kindled by the squad's return.
The squad, under the watchful eye of Commander Corbin, unloaded their haul of supplies.
Kraven, aided by Saskia, a cunning Etherwalker of Water Affinity, carefully laid out the spoils of their expedition:
- 2 boxes of medical supplies, including bandages, salves, and healing potions.
- A dozen vials of rare aether crystals, their shimmering glow offering a faint glimmer of hope.
- 3 crates of ammunition, enough to restock the city's armory.
- 10 crates of canned food & Grain.
- a sack of jewelry scavenged from the dead
Corbin, satisfied with their findings, turned to his trusted advisers, Kraven and Saskia and the new 2 who were Kraven's men.
"Well done, my friends," he said, a glint of pride in his eyes. "Your efforts will surely strengthen our defenses."
Kraven, his fiery nature undiminished, shrugged. "It's what we do, Commander.
Saskia, her cool demeanor contrasting with Kraven's bravado, added, "Not to mention, it was a hell of a fight. We'll need to ensure these supplies are properly distributed and stored."
Corbin, acknowledging Saskia's insight, nodded. "Indeed. We'll need to distribute the supplies quickly and efficiently."
He turned to the waiting civilians, who had fallen silent, their expressions a mix of anticipation and anxiety.
"People of Caer Corbin," Corbin said, his voice carrying over the crowd. "We have returned with precious resources that will aid in our struggle against the Blight."
The crowd erupted in a chorus of cheers, their spirits lifted by the promise of aid. Corbin, his eyes glowing with newfound determination, continued. "The Blight may test us, may try to break our will, but we shall endure.
"Our home, our bastion of hope against the darkness, shall be known henceforth as Caer Tempest, a name that reflects our unwavering spirit."
The crowd, caught in the swell of Corbin's words, chanted the new name of their city, their voices filling the air with a defiant cry of hope. As the crowd's voices trailed off, the chant of "Caer Tempest" echoing through the city's walls, Corbin turned back to Kraven and Saskia.
"We've got a lot of work to do," he said, his expression serious. "First things first, we'll need to reinforce the city's defenses. Kraven, I want you to oversee the distribution of the aether crystals to our defenses."
Kraven nodded. "On it, Commander."
Corbin then turned to Saskia.
"Saskia," Corbin said, his eyes fixed on his trusted adviser. "I need you to ensure the medical supplies are properly stored and rationed.
"There will be injured survivors in the aftermath of the Blight's onslaught. We need to be prepared to treat them."
Saskia, her face calm and determined, replied, "Of course, Commander.
"I'll make sure the supplies are secure and ready for use." Corbin, pleased with his advisers' quick response, turned back to the crowd. "People of Caer Tempest, we shall begin preparations for the coming battle.
"We will not fall. We will not yield. For we are the storm that shall sweep the Blight from our world!"
The crowd, their spirits soaring, cheered once more, their voices a tempest of defiance.
With his resolve renewed, Corbin set about the task of preparing the city for the battle to come. As Caer Tempest braced itself for the coming storm, Corbin, Kraven, and Saskia worked tirelessly to ready their defenses.
The citizens, galvanized by Corbin's words, joined in the efforts, working alongside the Etherwalkers and soldiers to reinforce the walls, restock their supplies, and tend to the wounded.
In the midst of the chaos, Corbin, his Etherwalker senses attuned to the ebb and flow of the aetheric energies around them, sensed a disturbance on the horizon.
"Kraven," Corbin said, his voice low and urgent.
"Kraven," Corbin repeated, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "I sense a disturbance in the aether. Something is coming.
"We need to be prepared. Make sure the iron ingots are distributed to the camp's smiths."
Kraven nodded, his expression grim. "You can count on me, Commander. What about the food supplies?"
Corbin hesitated, his gaze lingering on the horizon. "Give them to the people. They'll need the strength for what's to come, please notify Saskia that we need more people...at least 2 000 new people."
Kraven was shocked at the number, he came from a city of at least 2 000 000 people so 2 000 was nothing, he was shocked at the conviction his lord made. From a 100 people and direct wanting 2 thousand.
"Kraven, you fought well today, after you and Saskia finish with the new orders come to my office." Corbin said and turned as he left to the office. He was now planning to the bestow the Rank A genetic modifiers to both Saskia and Kraven. 1 hour later, both Kraven and Saskia came into Corbin's office.
Corbin, his Etherwalker powers stirring with a surge of intensity, turned to his most trusted allies, Kraven and Saskia.
"My friends, in these dark times, we must become stronger than ever before," he said, his voice resolute. "Kraven, I offer you the gift of a genetic modifier, infused with the powers of Fire. Saskia, I offer you the gift of a genetic modifier, infused with the powers of Water."
Kraven and Saskia, their eyes wide with surprise and gratitude, bowed their heads in respect.
Kraven and Saskia, their faces a mixture of wonder and apprehension, exchanged a puzzled glance.
"Commander," Saskia said, her voice uncertain. "I've never heard of such a thing. What are these... 'genetic modifiers'?"
Corbin, his gaze steady, replied, "Genetic modifiers are aetheric artifacts that can enhance your abilities as an Etherwalker. They can unlock potential within you that you never knew existed."
"And these will make us... stronger?" Kraven asked, his brow furrowed with confusion.
Corbin, his eyes filled with conviction, stepped closer to his two trusted allies.
"These genetic modifiers are A Rank and will do more than just enhance your current abilities," he said, his voice taking on a more urgent tone. "They will grant you a second Affinity, unlocking even greater potential within you."
Kraven, his eyes bright with excitement, exclaimed, "A second Affinity? That's incredible!"
Kraven and Saskia, the implications of Corbin's words sinking in, exchanged a glance, their expressions a mix of excitement and apprehension.
"A second Affinity?" Saskia said, her voice low with disbelief. "That's... that's unheard of. Isn't it?"
Kraven nodded, his eyes wide with wonder. "I've never heard of anyone with a second Affinity. If we can pull this off, we'll be the first in history."
Corbin, his expression grave, added, "And the first line of defense against the etherlings."