The journey back to the kingdom was quiet and tense. After the destruction of the Woodland Mansion and Nier's cold demonstration of power, the players were left feeling uneasy. They had secured another relic, but at what cost? The balance of the game was shifting, and Aimi couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen.As the group approached Marcus's kingdom, a strange sight greeted them: the horizon was filled with smoke, and the sound of distant battle cries echoed in the air. Pillagers—an army of ruthless raiders—were attacking the kingdom. Word of the Woodland Mansion's destruction had spread, and the Pillager King, furious at the violation of their sacred stronghold, had declared war on the players.Aimi and Farah exchanged worried glances. "We just got back, and now we're under attack?" Farah asked, her voice tinged with fear.Marcus gritted his teeth, his grip on the relic tightening. "The Pillagers must have had a stronghold nearby. They're here for revenge. This is going to be a full-scale war."The Battle BeginsAs the players rushed toward the kingdom's gates, they were met with chaos. Pillagers swarmed the walls, their crossbows firing deadly bolts at the defending players. Fires raged through the streets, and villagers screamed as they fled from the attackers. The once peaceful kingdom had become a battlefield.Marcus quickly took charge, barking orders to the players. "Defend the walls! Don't let them breach the gates!"Aimi and Farah joined the fray, slashing through waves of pillagers as they pushed toward the kingdom's heart. Aimi's Skeleton Sword cut through the enemies with ease, but the sheer number of pillagers was overwhelming.Amid the chaos, Marcus faced off against the Pillager King, a towering figure clad in dark armor, his eyes glowing with fury. The Pillager King wielded a massive battle axe, and with each swing, he sent shockwaves through the battlefield.Aimi, fighting nearby, saw Marcus engage the Pillager King and knew this would be the decisive moment of the battle. But before he could move to help, a sharp voice called his name."Aimi!"He turned just in time to see a figure approaching—the Pillager Commandant, a brutal war leader who had been commanding the pillager forces. The Commandant was tall and menacing, his armor adorned with the trophies of his past victories."You're the one who destroyed our mansion, aren't you?" the Commandant sneered, his voice dripping with malice.Aimi clenched his sword, his heart pounding. "It wasn't me, but I won't let you destroy this kingdom!"The Commandant laughed darkly, drawing a massive sword. "We'll see how long you last, boy."Aimi vs. The CommandantAimi and the Commandant clashed in a brutal duel, their swords ringing out as they struck blow after blow. The Commandant was fast and powerful, each of his attacks pushing Aimi back, but Aimi refused to give up. He fought with all his strength, every strike aimed at protecting the kingdom and the people he cared about—especially Farah.As the battle raged on, Aimi's arms ached, and sweat dripped down his face. The Commandant's strength was overwhelming, and it seemed like the fight could go on forever. But just as Aimi began to tire, the Commandant struck with a devastating blow, knocking Aimi to the ground.Before Aimi could recover, the Commandant raised his sword for the killing strike—but at the last moment, a crossbow bolt whizzed through the air, hitting the Commandant in the shoulder.Farah stood behind Aimi, her eyes blazing with determination as she reloaded her crossbow. "Leave him alone!"The Commandant snarled in pain, but his fury quickly turned to something far more sinister. With a swift motion, he threw a smoke bomb to the ground, shrouding the battlefield in thick, choking fog. Aimi coughed, trying to find his bearings, but the smoke made it impossible to see.Suddenly, he heard Farah scream.When the smoke cleared, Farah was gone.Farah's AbductionPanic surged through Aimi as he scanned the battlefield, his heart racing. "Farah?!"He caught a glimpse of the Commandant disappearing into the distance, Farah struggling in his grasp. Without a second thought, Aimi sprinted after them, his legs burning as he pushed through the battle toward the edge of the kingdom.Marcus, still locked in combat with the Pillager King, caught sight of Aimi's chase and yelled, "Aimi, don't! It's a trap!"But Aimi couldn't stop. His mind was focused only on Farah—on saving her. He darted through the chaos, narrowly avoiding attacks from the pillagers as he followed the Commandant into the dark forest beyond the kingdom's walls.
To be continue ...