Meanwhile, a hundred kilometers away, a disaster was brewing at a baron's castle. The Earl of Bell and his family were scheduled to visit for a hunting trip. The baron, eager to welcome his distinguished guests, had prepared a guard of thirty men, adorned the castle, and slaughtered livestock for their entertainment.
Dressed in shining armor and mounted on a white horse, the baron set out to meet his guests, unaware of the hundreds of vicious wolves quietly following him from the forest. Among these wolf packs, led by a mysterious witch, were twenty particularly formidable black wolves—shadow wolves.
The witch had warned Ironfang, the leader of the wolf pack: "If you fail the master's important task, he will tear you apart with his own hands." Reluctantly, Ironfang had agreed. The wolf pack's howls, echoing through the forest, piqued the baron's curiosity.
Unbeknownst to the baron, monsters and ogres were attacking his castle. Nestled on a high slope, the castle overlooked a rushing river, vast farmland, and scattered dwellings, presenting a tranquil scene.
Inside the castle, a festive atmosphere prevailed. Farmers, dressed in their finest clothes, helped prepare for the banquet. Despite the heavy taxes they bore, the feast promised a respite from their hardships. Men carried tables and chairs, while women busied themselves with kitchen duties.
A cow was slaughtered, its entrails eagerly fought over by dogs. However, this tranquility was soon shattered, turning into a bloody massacre.
From the forest, three towering, nine-foot-tall yellow-skinned ogres, wielding giant clubs, charged out, followed by over two hundred green-skinned goblins and a massive gray bear monster. They trampled the farmland and stormed towards the castle.
Inside the castle, two farmers were pushing a cart of horse manure when one suddenly stopped and exclaimed, "Look, what's that?"
"My crops!" another farmer cursed, his face paling. "Monsters!"
Panic ensued. The baroness, hearing the commotion, rushed out of her room. A maid approached her, gasping, "Madam, monsters are coming!"
The baroness quickly climbed to the city wall, saw the approaching horde, ordered the city gate to be closed, and led her children to a safe place.
The men worked together to secure the heavy doors, just as a violent impact shook the gate. Despite its sturdy construction, even the ogres struggled to break through immediately.
The bear monster pushed aside the ogres and slammed into the gate with its shoulder, causing cracks to appear in the bolts. The men desperately pushed back against the gate, their efforts hindered by the increasing cracks. Two men were injured, vomiting blood from the strain.
A stone fell from above, striking an ogre on the head. Enraged, the ogre grabbed a goblin and hurled it at the farmers on the city wall, causing further chaos. Seeing this, other ogres followed suit.
Finally, on the thirteenth impact, the bear monster forced the bolts open and squeezed into the castle, swatting away a brave farmer who rushed forward. The remaining farmers scattered, pursued by ogres and goblins.
At that moment, the baron was greeting the Earl of Bell and his party. The Earl, a robust man, arrived in a carriage, accompanied by knights, apprentices, and soldiers, their banners fluttering proudly.
As the baron conversed with the Earl, a whistle sounded, and gray wolves poured out from the forest. The knights responded swiftly, Viscount Kren displaying particular bravery. He fought the wolf pack with a cross spear, clearing a path for the group.
Earl Berencour ordered an evacuation, but the shadow wolves cut off their escape. Viscount Kren turned back to help, only to face the enormous wolf, Steelfang. In a fierce battle, Viscount Kren was tragically killed.
Earl Berencour fought desperately to break through the encirclement and eventually managed to escape with his family, leaving the infantry to fight and retreat under siege.
Returning to the castle, the baron witnessed the devastation of the farmland. Overwhelmed with grief and anger, he let out a roar. The castle gate lay in ruins, and his white horse paced nervously in the bloodstained ground. Dismounting, the baron muttered his family's names and rushed into the bedroom.
The bedroom door had been broken down, the secret room lay open, and his wife's body lay on the floor, blood flowing down the stairs. His twin children were nowhere to be found. "No!" the baron screamed, falling to his knees.
At that moment, several goblins, carrying jewels and coins, burst in, screaming and lunging at the baron. His eyes filled with murderous intent, he swung his sword in a sweeping blow.
"Your Lordship?" A knight approached Earl Berencour, inquiring about the baron's well-being. Although Earl Berencour had his suspicions about the baron, they were now greatly diminished. "Go in, stay vigilant," he said indifferently. A group of over twenty people rode into the castle, and Earl Berencour comforted his frightened wife and daughter, pondering the cause of the attack.
A wolf howl echoed from outside the castle, and a wooden hut suddenly collapsed, revealing a massive bear monster charging out. A knight warned his comrades and bravely charged forward, his cross spear piercing the bear monster's body. The bear monster swatted the knight and his horse away with a single blow. The wolf pack flooded in, and the group was caught in a pincer attack.
The bear monster killed the warhorse, and Earl Berencour leaped up, his sword piercing the bear monster's neck. As the bear monster fell to the ground and convulsed, Earl Berencour heard his daughter's cry for help. He swung his sword to kill several shadow wolves, attempting to rescue her, but a woman in a black robe appeared and struck him down with magic.
In the distance, Aflra was enjoying the coolness of the lake when she suddenly sensed vibrations in the ground. She stood up alertly and called for Phoebe and Kelly to hide in the woods. A group of goblins, cheerful and excited, were carrying two bound children. Aflra's eyes narrowed with intent to kill, and she decided to follow the goblins, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
After a brief rest, the goblins continued on their way, and Aflra followed them stealthily, ensuring the children's safety. She looked down from a tree at the unconscious girl, her resolve strengthening.