The volunteers made firewalls on each side of the path in the village until they walked the path down to the seaport, the mountain wall was buzzing with tree canopies covering the path.
The path was designed for trade and merchant wagons, making it easy to traverse by foot. The villagers won't have a problem to walk the path.
The tree canopies were wide and thick, and the branches were quite strong shall gave them enough protection from the harpies. The harpies can't get through strong tree branches and the thick canopies. The only concern was the point in the seaport between where the trees ended to the abandoned warehouse, an empty sandy field.
The villagers will be exposed. There are no flammable objects they can burn at the side of the walk to the warehouse.They had to push through.
The seaport was bathed in the bright light of the sun, with a shimmering surface that caught every ripple and sparkle of reflection. Fishing boats lined the docks, bobbing up and down in unison as they were lulled by quiet waves. The air smelled salty but fresh; seagulls cawed menacingly above while small crabs scuttled between barnacle-covered pilings below. Onshore there were simple buildings made of roughened wood planks with thick walls to ward off dampness from the ocean breezes.
The harbor was small and cramped, with just a few warehouses and storefronts hugging the shores. A couple of docks jutted out into the waters, just enough for one or two boats to tie up at each one. Crates of wooden boxes are piled up in both of the docks. There were a few piers poking out as well, lonesome figures in an otherwise empty sea view. No grand architecture here: everything was rough-hewn but utilitarian — made only to serve its purpose without any fuss or flair.
The narrow path between the seaport entrance and the abandoned warehouse had grown over with weeds. The broken glass sparkled like diamonds in the fragment of evening sunlight that slipped through a crack in the trees above. A broken lamppost leaned against a ripped wooden fence, its light still blinking oddly despite being out of use for years.
A disturbing scene was displayed near the dock. The corpse of a hobgoblin was still impaled. as if the last time Aden and the others left the seaport for the last time.
Aden stepped around piles of stone that had come loose from nearby buildings, and he trod carefully across earthen mounds at either side to keep his footing steady on this rugged terrain.
Oliver went back and joined Aden's team,
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The rear column of villagers had finally reached the courthouse ruin, their footsteps echoing off the charred remains of the once-proud structure. Ahead, the vanguard was almost upon the road that would lead them to the safety of the seaport, their faces etched with a mixture of exhaustion and hope.
The firewall crafted by the recon knights and volunteers had devoured the wooden planks and buildings that lined the Seren street, leaving behind an open space filled with smoldering remains and charred debris. Waves of heat wafted through the air, creating a blaze so hot and intense that it was visible even from a distance, like a beacon guiding their path.
Aden took a moment to glance behind, his gaze sweeping over the once-vibrant village that had been reduced to smoky ashes and destruction by the relentless flames. The fire had taken its toll, leaving nothing but ruin in its wake.
Just as the front column of villagers began to enter the descending road to the seaport, a deafening screech pierced the air, shaking the very foundations of the structures around them. The villagers recoiled, their hands clamped over their ears in a futile attempt to block out the ear-splitting sound.
"Gah! My ears!" Aden cried out, his voice laced with pain as the piercing shriek felt like a thousand needles rupturing his eardrums. "What the hell was that?"
The ear-rupturing screech was followed by an intense gale that whipped through the air, sending people stumbling in its wake. The gust was unbelievably powerful, its ferocity seeming to come from the heavens themselves.
"Everyone brace yourself!" Captain Willem shouted, his voice barely audible over the roar of the wind.
All around, people were almost knocked back by the sheer strength of the gale, clinging to whatever they could for support. It was a force unlike anything they had ever encountered before, one that left them in awe and terror of its might.
The sudden gust of wind quickly dispersed the firewall, spreading burning materials all throughout the area. This created a wildfire that was much larger and more uncontrolled than the carefully crafted barrier set along the side of Seren Street.
Aden tried to get a grip on a nearby wooden beam, his fingers curling around the charred surface with all his might. But the force of the gust was too great, and he found himself blown several feet away, tumbling across the ground in a tangle of limbs.
"The firewall was dispersed," he gasped, staring around him in disbelief as fear gripped his heart like an icy vice. "What kind of force could have done such a thing?" His mind raced with questions, and a thousand possibilities ran through his head. Whatever it was, he knew it was powerful – and dangerous.
As if in answer to his unspoken query, a gruesome sight descended from the sky, slicing through the clouds of smoke and fire like a knife through parchment. Aden's breath caught in his throat as he witnessed the arrival of a being, unlike any harpy he had encountered before.
This harpy was different – her presence ominous and intimidating, her eyes gleaming with pure wickedness while her powerful wings beat with an overwhelming intensity. It was as if she dared anyone present to challenge her authority, her menacing figure etching itself into the memory of all who laid eyes upon her.
Aden recalled the silhouette he had seen the previous day, a prominent harpy descending upon the half-demolished courthouse with a regal presence. This creature before him now was undoubtedly the same, but up close, her aura was even more oppressive, more terrifying.
As she surveyed the scene below, her gaze seemed to pierce through the very souls of those gathered, daring them to defy her dominion. It was a presence that promised only death and destruction, a harbinger of the horrors yet to come.
⁕⁕⁕
The prominent harpy descended upon the scene, her massive wings beating with a force that seemed to shake the very air itself. In a single, terrifying motion, she unleashed a powerful gust that dispersed the firewall, exposing the villagers who had sought refuge behind its protective embrace.
Everyone was left breathless, gasping for air as the force of the harpy queen's wing beats seemed to suck the very oxygen from their lungs. For a moment, people were suffocating under the weight of her oppressive presence, their chests heaving as they struggled to draw breath.
When at last the captain found his voice again, he called out, his words laced with urgency. "Everyone all right? Has anybody hurt?"
The villagers were a pitiful sight, huddled together in shock and pain, their faces etched with fear and confusion. Some gasped for air, their lungs burning as they tried to fill them with precious oxygen, while others had already regained their senses, only to realize the sinister presence that now hovered above them.
"Lord save us," Father Edgar trembled, his voice barely above a whisper as he gazed upon the terrifying creature flapping its mighty wings above them.
"It's her!" Ser Percival hissed, his voice quaking with undisguised dread. "It's the queen."
Ser Parcival's grim declaration sent a chill through the ranks of the defenders. "White wings. Yellow streaks. Tiara-shaped feathers – it can only be the harpy queen," he proclaimed, his tone grave. The sight of her filled everyone with dread, for she was known to bring destruction and chaos wherever she went. All they could do was hope that this time, somehow, it would be different.
The villagers were frightened like never before, their eyes wide with terror as they beheld the queen of the harpies before them. Just as they began to collect themselves, the harpy queen spread her wings once more, readying them for another onslaught.
"Don't tell me," Aden thought with dread as he saw her sinister eyes fixed upon the unsuspecting people below. She was about to unleash another powerful attack, and they were all sitting ducks in the middle of the desolate street, with nothing to shield them from the harpies' wrath.
Without the protective firewall, they were vulnerable and defenseless as they stood in the middle of the road, exposed and helpless before the might of the harpy queen. Her aim was unerring; another attack was sure to come.
One flap from her wings had been enough to disperse the firewall along the street. Now, with her sights set on the villagers themselves, the damage she could inflict would be catastrophic.
"Incoming!" Aden warned, his voice cutting through the tense silence.
"Everyone get down!" The captain shouted, his command echoing through the ranks.
But it was too late.
"No! Please!" The villagers cried out in fear as the queen of harpies let loose her howling winds, cutting deep into the defenders and ruthlessly slaughtering innocent villagers alike.
"Guaah!" The sound of their screams filled the air, a deafening cacophony that echoed through the village, mingling with the sickening thud of bodies hitting the ground.
Five people died in that single, devastating attack, with many more left wounded and bleeding, their cries of pain piercing the hearts of those who survived.
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