The festival had descended into chaos.
Where once there was music and laughter, now there were screams and the clash of steel. Shadowed figures darted through the throngs, their jagged weapons glinting in the flickering torchlight.
Sang-hoon charged toward the source of the explosion, Kaelith sprinting ahead with surprising speed, his body wreathed in shadowy flames.
"Mira! Arden!" Sang-hoon shouted over the din.
"We're with you!" Mira's voice rang out from his left. She emerged from the smoke, her daggers glinting with frost as her Arctic Lupin snarled at her side.
Arden followed, his Saberwolf already tearing into one of the shadowy assailants. "Sh*t. They're everywhere," Arden growled, his tone grim but resolute.
"We have to stop them from spreading further into the city," Sang-hoon said, his voice firm despite the rising panic.
Kaelith leapt at a shadowed enemy, slamming into them with enough force to send the attacker sprawling. Sang-hoon thrust his lance forward, its mana-infused tip piercing through another foe, dissolving them into wisps of black mist.
"Focus on the civilians!" Mira called. "We need to get them to safety!"
Arden nodded, his Saberwolf snapping at an attacker who veered too close. "We'll hold the line here. You clear the square sh*thead!"
"Got it!" Sang-hoon replied, spinning his lance to deflect an incoming strike before vaulting over a fallen cart.
In the heart of the chaos, cloaked figures moved with a singular purpose, their steps calculated.
A figure emerged from the smoke, larger and more menacing than the others. His shadow-infused armor glimmered with dark energy, and a greatsword rested on his shoulder.
"The Vanguard is holding them off longer than anticipated," one of the cloaked figures hissed, their voice dripping with disdain.
The armored figure let out a low chuckle. "Let them think they're winning. The true target isn't here."
The smaller figure hesitated. "Then why waste resources here, Lord Malrath?"
"To test them," Malrath replied, his crimson eyes narrowing. "And to sow the first seeds of despair."
The square was a battlefield.
Civilians scrambled for safety as guards and tamers clashed with the Reaver's forces. The air was thick with smoke and the acrid tang of burning mana.
Sang-hoon raised his lance, deflecting an arrow aimed at a fleeing child. "Get to the barricades!" he shouted, motioning for a group of civilians to move.
Kaelith roared, unleashing a torrent of shadowy flames that consumed a cluster of attackers closing in on Mira.
"Thanks!" Mira called, her daggers flashing as she dispatched another foe.
Arden's Saberwolf tackled a hulking figure wielding a massive axe, its fangs digging deep into its opponent's arm. Arden followed with a blast of mana that knocked the attacker unconscious.
"We're holding them off, but this isn't all of them," Mira said, landing beside Sang-hoon. Her gaze scanned the battlefield, her Arctic Lupin snarling beside her. "Where's Elena?"
"Circling above with her Wyvern," Sang-hoon replied, his focus shifting to the edges of the square.
"But we need her here."
As if summoned by his words, a deafening roar split the air.
Elena's Wyvern descended like a streak of gold, its radiant energy illuminating the chaos. Elena leapt from its back, her spear spinning as she landed, driving it into the ground with enough force to create a shockwave that sent nearby enemies reeling.
"You called?" Elena said, her voice tinged with her characteristic sarcasm.
"Better late than never," Sang-hoon quipped, nodding toward her Wyvern.
"What's the plan?" she asked, falling into step beside him.
"We clear the square, then regroup near the palace," Sang-hoon said.
"Good. Let's finish this."
The coordinated efforts of the students and instructors began to take effect. Mira's frost-infused attacks slowed the enemies' movements, while Arden's raw power cut through their ranks.
Elena and Sang-hoon moved like a well-oiled machine, their combined techniques creating a devastating synergy.
"Arvendale's Strike!" Sang-hoon called, unleashing a burst of radiant energy that cut through a line of enemies.
"Inscription Three—Celestial Impale!" Elena followed, her spear splitting into three projectiles that skewered several attackers.
Kaelith darted between them, his flames striking with precision.
As the square began to clear, Sang-hoon's gaze shifted to the horizon. In the distance, he could see more shadows gathering, their movements methodical.
"This isn't over," he said, gripping his lance tightly.
Elena nodded, her expression grim.
The victory in the square was short-lived. The ground trembled as Malrath, the hulking figure from earlier, stepped into view.
His crimson eyes scanned the battlefield, and a twisted grin spread across his face.
"You've put on quite the show," he said, his voice deep and resonant. "But now, it's time for the real battle to begin."
He raised his greatsword, dark energy crackling along its edge, and pointed it toward Sang-hoon.
"You," he said, his grin widening. "You'll be my first."
Sang-hoon's heart pounded, but he stepped forward, Kaelith growling at his side.
"Let's see what you've got," Sang-hoon muttered, raising his lance.
The battle wasn't over—not by a long shot.