"The monsters are coming!" shouted one of the adventurers.
All the adventurers, hearing the news, quickly grabbed their weapons and rushed outside the guild. Reychard and his party led the charge. "Quick!"
"Let's move," Nikos urged, and his group quickly followed at the rear.
The rumbling and roaring of beasts echoed through the town as the townsfolk scrambled to their homes, locking doors and shuttering windows. The town's army and the assembled adventurers hurried to their positions on the fortified walls.
From a distance, a variety of monsters could be seen on the ground, with some flying creatures joining the charge. Their menacing approach sent chills down the spines of many onlookers.
The sheer number of monsters made many adventurers doubtful.
On the front lines, Reychard stood before the others, drawing his massive sword from his back. His eyes were filled with focus, gazing at the marching monsters.
"Everyone! We've done this before," he called out, his voice steadying the nerves of those around him. "We stand our ground, and we fight to protect our home!"
The Lunar Vanguard party was ready, following their leader Reychard. Chloe, the mage, clutched her magic staff tightly. Thalion, the ranger, drew his bow, ready to strike, while Orion, their half-orc healer, concentrated fully.
Other adventurers steeled themselves, drawing their weapons.
Far at the back, Nikos and his group prepared. "Kill all the monsters that break through the front line. We will defend this town," Nikos ordered.
Liriel, Marielle, and Jarek readied themselves.
The night grew increasingly ominous, and the ground trembled under the relentless march of the beasts. They were approaching fast.
"Fight!"
CRASH! BAM! CLANG!
The monsters crashed into the town's first line of defense. Chaos erupted.
"For Oakheart!" Reychard roared as he leapt into the middle of the monster pack, activating his skills.
— Thunder Roar
Reychard boosted the morale and attack power of his allies in a large area, while many surrounding monsters became confused and turned their attention to him.
On top of the fortress wall, archers pulled their arrows in quick succession, casting their skills and raining arrows down on the monsters. Meanwhile, Reychard slashed through the beasts with his massive sword.
Screams, groans, and yells merged from both the monsters and the adventurers.
Chloe, positioned atop a nearby watchtower, fired her magic missiles with deadly precision.
— Multiply Spells + Flash Magic Missile
Each shot found its mark, piercing the heads of the advancing monsters. Her keen sight and precise skill thinned the ranks of the monster horde before they could reach the town's walls. "Keep them coming!" she shouted, her voice filled with fierce determination.
As Reychard felled one monster after another, a hulking orc appeared, roaring and swinging its massive arms. Reychard deftly dodged to the side, his blade flashing in the dim light as he slashed at the beast's exposed flank.
— Hard Slash
The monster howled in pain, but Reychard pressed the attack, his sword movements creating a blur of steel.
Despite the strong defense, some monsters managed to breach the front line. They charged with reckless abandon.
Jarek, with his immense strength, swung his greataxe in wide arcs, crushing bones and shattering limbs with each thunderous blow.
— Thunderous Blow
"Come on, brutess monstersh!" he roared. "Let'sh shee what you're made of!" His weapon connected with the skull of a particularly large monster, sending it crashing to the ground in a lifeless heap.
Marielle threw intermediate healing spells here and there to support her teammates.
Many other adventurers struggled against the relentless monster wave, sustaining wounds but continuing to fight.
— Healing Rain
Orion, the half-orc healer, called down a healing rain from the sky, drenching all the allies in a large area and quickly healing their wounds.
Thalion, the Lunar Vanguard ranger, darted in and out of the shadows, his daggers flashing in the dim light. He used his superior agility to slip between the monsters' defenses and strike with lethal precision.
— Deadly Strike
Each slash of his blades left deep gashes, weakening the creatures and making them easy prey for his comrades. He grinned as he landed a particularly vicious strike, the monster's blood staining his daggers.
As the battle raged on, the adventurers fought with a unity born of necessity. They moved as one, covering each other's weaknesses and amplifying their strengths.
On the back lines, many monsters breached the front defenses.
Liriel dealt with smaller monsters using her daggers and throwing knives.
— Venom Strike + Throwing Knives
Her poison attacks crept through the monsters' bodies, slowing their movements, which other adventurers exploited to finish them off.
Despite their efforts, the monsters were relentless, their numbers seemingly endless. For every beast they felled, two more took its place.
"Sir! There are too many monsters!" Liriel shouted.
On the other side, Nikos switched between his classes, slashing and cutting through the monsters. "Keep fighting them off, for now!" he shouted back, while thinking of a plan.
The relentless attack of the monsters began to wear down the adventurers. Their movements grew sluggish as fatigue set in.
On top of the fortress wall, the archers struggled against the aerial monsters. Then, from the night horizon, a line of flickering lights appeared in the distance. The sight froze many people in their tracks.
Suddenly, monsters began emerging from underground.
Screams of civilians filled the night air.
Nikos assessed the situation quickly. "Liriel, Marielle, stay close and protect the townsfolk. Jarek, you're with me. We'll cover the breaches!"
Liriel nodded and dashed towards a nearby civilians' houses, daggers at the ready. Marielle followed, her hands glowing with healing light. Jarek hefted his greataxe, ready to follow Nikos.
Nikos and Jarek charged towards the breaches, cutting down monsters left and right. The ground shook as they fought, each swing of Jarek's greataxe sending monsters flying. Nikos moved with deadly precision, his blade flashing in the dim light as he slashed at every monster in his path.
— Blade Dance
Nikos's movements were a blur, his blade slicing through the air with grace and power. Monsters fell around him, their bodies hitting the ground with heavy thuds.
Despite their efforts, more monsters continued to pour through the breaches. The adventurers fought valiantly, but the sheer number of beasts seemed overwhelming.
Reychard, seeing the dire situation on the walls, shouted, "Chloe! We need more support on the walls!"
Chloe nodded and began casting a powerful spell.
— Arcane Storm
A swirling vortex of magical energy formed above her, before she could unleash the skill a troll hit her body sending her fall out of the fortress wall, crashing to the ground.