After three days of traveling, Aya and Nosil arrived in Eris, entering a town to the east named Roadtown.
"I'm tired. Should we rest here?" Nosil asked, weariness evident in his voice.
"Stop moaning," Aya snapped. "We need to get to the Eris capital."
"I know," Nosil sighed, "but let's just rest a bit."
Aya rolled her eyes. "Why did I end up with you and not the others?"
"Here, come here, look at this," Nosil said, pointing to a poster on a nearby wall.
"What is it?" Aya asked, curiosity piqued.
"We don't have to go to the Eris capital now," Nosil explained. "There's a recruitment campaign here."
Aya's expression softened. "That saves us some trouble," she conceded.
Aya and Nosil signed up to join the army, enlisting with a legion led by a predator named Niro. This legion gathered soldiers to send them to fight in the new lands.
Aya and Nosil successfully integrated into the legion, beginning their training and preparation to be sent to the new lands.
Aya made a reputation for herself to be known as the finger breaker, she had a habit of breaking the finger of anyone who dared to touch her.
In contrast, Nosil tried to be more cooperative, navigating the tense environment with a more amiable approach, but due to his wounded face, he was called a freak.
Among their unit, an interesting boy named Keni made a powerful impression. He hailed from a werewolf bloodline, originally belonging to a fang tribe from the Ram lands.
The guard approached Niro, his steps hesitant but determined. "Sir, I've received another complaint from a member of the 3rd squadron," he reported. "It's the ninth one in just two weeks."
Niro chuckled, a gleam of amusement in his eyes. "So, the finger breaker strikes again, huh?" he said, laughing.
The guard's expression remained serious. "But sir, if we don't take serious measures, we'll be known as the Fingerless Legion."
Niro burst into a fit of laughter, his mirth echoing through the hall. "Hahaha ha That's the funniest name I've heard in a while," he managed between laughs.
The guards exchanged uneasy glances. One of them muttered, "He doesn't care."
Another guard, bolder than the rest, stepped forward and asked, "So what should we do with the complaint, sir?"
"Ah, just ignore it," Niro replied with a dismissive wave.
As the guards turned away, shaking their heads, Niro's thoughts lingered on, "I know she's a handful," he mused silently. "But that girl's talent surpasses that of an ordinary soldier. She has a future in this army."
After a few weeks of intense training, the day finally arrived for the 3rd unit to join the front.
They were deployed to the new lands, a volatile region constantly engaged in skirmishes against soldiers from both the Fang and Kylian forces.
Nosil glanced around warily. "Who would've thought we'd end up defending Eris?" he muttered.
Aya, eyes darting nervously, hissed back, "Watch out, they could hear you."
Keni, interrupting their whispered conversation, strolled up with a grin. "Hey there, do you know how much farther we have to march? I'm kinda tired," he said, laughing.
Aya shot him an exasperated look. "Why ask me? I'm not in charge... duh!"
"Sorry," Keni mumbled, looking abashed.
Nosil shrugged. "We don't know either."
"Yeah, I guess," Keni replied with a resigned sigh.
Aya's expression turned serious. "Be aware of this guy. He's dangerous."
Nosill's gaze followed hers. "I noticed... he's different."
Just then, Saron, the captain of the unit and a formidable hunter, spoke up. "We'll arrive soon. From now on, stay alert."
The unit responded in unison, "Got it!"
As they marched, Nocil couldn't shake off the unease. "It's a bit quiet for the frontlines, don't you think?" he whispered to Aya.
She shrugged, her focus unwavering. "Doesn't matter... just focus on our mission."
Nosil sighed. "Yeah, yeah... you don't have to remind me every time."
The unit arrived at their designated location, tasked with defending the new borders with Kylian territory.
Saron stood tall, surveying the area. "Start building the camp," he ordered. "We will settle here for the time being."
The unit members immediately set to work, preparing the camp to serve as a military barracks for Iris.
Keni grumbled as he hauled supplies. "I hate this part... it sucks."
A nearby soldier looked up and asked, "At least we will be excused from the first guarding shift"
Keni sighed, wiping sweat from his brow. "Just thinking about having to dismantle all this afterward makes me sick." " I hate doing things twice" he added.
"Just do your damn job, will ya!" Saron interrupted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Hurry up, we don't have all day!"
Finally, after hours of labor, the unit finished constructing the barracks and began their work. However, a grave miscalculation put them in a dire situation.
Makal, an arrogant predator from the Kylian forces, pushed his troops deep into enemy territory. After just a few minutes of scouting, Makal discovered the new Irisian barracks.
Without hesitation, he decided to attack, trapping Saron's unit within their territory. He ordered his troops to eliminate them.
Makal's soldiers stealthily approached the barracks. Once they surrounded it, Makal gave the command to attack. "Let's show these bastards that messing with us is a grave mistake," he snarled. "Attack!"
Without warning, Makal's elite warriors, a higher rank than regular soldiers, launched their assault on Unit 3.
The defenders fell one by one under the strength of the attackers. Only a few managed to hold their ground.
Realizing the severity of their situation and feeling the presence of a predator among the enemy, Saron issued the order to retreat.
"Resistance is futile… we're only delaying our inevitable deaths… we must break out of this encirclement."
Amid the battle, Saron lost his bearings, or perhaps he had no choice, as Makal had ensured the only escape route led into Kylian territory.
"Quickly… escape in this direction!" Saron commanded.
The remaining soldiers ceased fighting and followed Saron, fleeing with him. The scene was chaotic. Aya and Nosil managed to escape too, followed by Keni. In total, 16 out of the original 42 soldiers survived.
Saron's primary concern was to save as many of his soldiers as possible, positioning himself at the rear to protect them. Yet, he desperately wanted to call for reinforcements.
Makal's troops finished sweeping the barracks and were ordered to pursue the fleeing survivors.
As the remaining team continued to delve deeper into Kylian's territory, Makal's warriors closed in on them from both sides. It was a brutal chase; any mistake could cost them their lives.
"Don't look back… pick up the pace!" Saron shouted, aware that the enemy numbers were growing and their survival was becoming nearly impossible.
In a fleeting moment, Nosil felt a boiling sensation in his blood, something that only happened when he recalled the events of fifteen years ago.
He realized that one of their enemies had participated in the past war and decided to stop.
In a rocky area, Nosil halted and turned around. Saron yelled, "What are you doing!? Don't stop, you fool!" But Nosil ignored him, causing everyone to stop.
Saron approached him and said, "We don't have time for this." He tried to drag Nosil away but was shocked by the heat radiating from his body. "What's wrong with you?" Saron asked, bewildered.
Aya approached and whispered, "Did you sense one of them?" Nosil's silence was enough of a confirmation for her. Some of their comrades demanded they continue moving forward.
Breaking his silence, Nosil said, "Useless… we aren't escaping… like insects caught in a spider's web"
He looked at them coldly and added, "Think… the web isn't the real enemy, it's the one who set it… We won't survive this unless we kill the spider"
Saron knew that what he had just heard was their only way out, but their strength paled in comparison to a predator. "Damn it, I know that… don't lose hope yet," he said, addressing his team.
Nosil replied, "I won't run… instead I'll cut off the spider's head." He added, "You can do whatever you want
Aya spoke up, "I'll follow Nosil." The two of them set off back towards the confrontation. The rest of the team remained undecided.
Keni said, "I'll follow the finger breaker and the freak" Saron interrupted, "Not you too." Keni replied, "We have no hope of moving forward… we have to go back or at least try" He then took off after them.
Facing the difficulty of making a decision, Saron began to hit his head. "Alright,… let's go back… try to avoid fighting as much as possible.
Remember, breaking through their ranks is tough. Even if one of us falls… keep moving forward." The team nodded in agreement, accepting the new plan.
As they ran, Nosil's blood began to boil, a sensation he knew too well, It was a sign that someone who had participated in the war fifteen years ago was near.
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