The peaceful days didn't last long, and one day the sky loomed ominously grey. A low growl came from the depths of the forest outside the town, the sound was like the awakening of an ancient beast, causing the animals of the town to stir, and the sound of chickens crowing interspersed with barking dogs broke the usual tranquillity.
The town's guard captain, Ebout, walked quickly up to the bell tower and looked into the distance with his hand on the pergola. His face sank. A black mist surged at the edge of the forest, as if a huge viper was coiled there. Distorted shadows could be vaguely seen in the mist, occasionally emitting mournful roars.
'Attention everyone! The defence facilities are activated! The first wave of the magical beast attack will arrive soon!' Ebute's voice travelled through the town through the horn.
The townspeople did not fall into panic. In the previous attacks, everyone had gradually learnt to work together. Blacksmith Tom lifted his calloused hand and welded the last piece of iron gate pins. He turned back to the villagers gathered around and shouted, 'Bring all the tools! Hammers, scythes, for defence!'
Elena stood in the centre of the town, her voice clear and firm, 'Doctors and apothecaries stay at the healer's house and prepare medicine for injuries and first aid supplies! Women and children retreat to the storehouse, young warriors follow me to guard the north gate!'
The townspeople moved in an orderly fashion.Vetril stood in the crowd and gripped the wooden sword in his hand. His gaze travelled through the chaos and landed on the twisting black mist in the distance. He remembered the teachings of his father, Gareth, 'The price of adventure is not only courage, but the tolerance for loss.' The words echoed in his ears as if they were a heavy alarm bell.
The first wave of magical beasts quickly approached the edge of the town. Ebute shouted loudly, 'All archers, prepare to fire!' Along with his order, a rain of arrows pierced the sky, cutting through the black mist and nailing into the front row of the magical beasts.
[Wraith Identification Panel
Name: Miasma Dog
Level: 5 (Low-level magical beast)
Description: Originally a tame creature of the forest, but under the influence of the Dark Giant Egg Miasma, it became extremely aggressive. Covered in creepy black hair, its eyes emit a scarlet glow. Fast, medium attack power, low durability.
Weaknesses: Light-attribute attacks have a strong restraining effect on it, its abdominal hair is thin, and its defence is weak.
Name: Black Mist Creeper
Level: 10 (Intermediate Magical Beast)
Description: The size of a centipede is like a centipede enlarged ten times, and its entire body is surrounded by black mist. It can release corrosive venom while creating illusions to make its prey kill each other.
Weakness: The red crystal in the centre of its head is its core, and the black mist will quickly dissipate after it is destroyed.
Name: Shadow Forest Predator
Level: 14 (Intermediate Magical Beast)
Description: Looks like a tiger, but has bat-like wings on its back. It possesses extremely high perception and hunting skills. Its speed and strength are multiplied by the miasma, and its thick fur is almost impossible to harm with ordinary weapons.
Weaknesses: a membrane around its ears, strong sound attacks may cause it to temporarily lose its sense of direction.
'Miasma Dog! Three o'clock, target number five!' A young scout shouted.
The guards quickly met the attack, blocking the pounces of the miasma dogs with their wooden shields while stabbing them in the abdomen with their spears. In the short battle, the townspeople showed an amazing ability to work together. Blacksmith Tom wielded his huge hammer and cracked the skull of a miasma dog with a single blow.
However, the victory did not last long. With an ear-piercing hiss, a huge Black Mist Creeper slowly crawled out of the forest. Its venom gushed out, corroding several wooden fences and forcing the guards to keep retreating.
'Elena!' Ebout shouted, 'Use your wind magic to blow the venom away!'
Elena quickly recited a spell and a powerful whirlwind coalesced between her hands, blowing the venom back at the creeps. The black mist was temporarily dispersed, but the creeper continued to push forward ferociously.
Just then, Gareth stepped forward. He took a deep breath and tried to channel the spiritual power of the Source Core within his body. The iron sword in his hand heated up slightly, then glowed with a faint blue light. He aimed at the reptile's head and stabbed it with all his might.
'Poof!' The iron sword accurately struck the red crystal, and the creeper's black mist instantly dissipated. The townspeople's morale was boosted by the sight, and they shouted, 'We can win!'
However, the sky suddenly became dim. A huge Shadow Forest Predator flew out from the depths of the forest and swooped down on the town's fortifications. The cheers of the townspeople were immediately silenced and replaced by a suffocating silence.
'Don't panic! Hold your ground!' Ebute commanded loudly, 'Aim your crossbows at its wings!'
The Shadowson Predator hovered in the air, ready to dive and attack. The townspeople try their best to attract its attention while Vetril creeps closer. He recalled the information from the identification panel and stared up at the predator's ears.
'Strong tone ...' Vetril whispered, and suddenly had an idea. He picked up a piece of metal and struck it hard. The vibration of the metal echoed through the air, and Gareth noticed a momentary delay in the Shadowson Predator's movements, and hurriedly called to the nearby villagers to cause a strong sound. Under the influence of the strong sound, the Shadow Mori Predator let out a hiss of pain and its movements became chaotic.
'It's now!' Ebute seized the opportunity and shot an arrow through its wing. The Shadow Forest Predator fell heavily to the ground and struggled a few times, while Gareth saw this and immediately attacked at the Shadow Forest Predator, and not long after the struggling Shadow Forest Predator finally stopped moving.
Looking at this scene, originally some fear in the heart of the villagers have cheered up, is their confidence is full.
But things were not that simple, just as the townspeople finally breathed a little sigh of relief. However, right in the midst of this short-lived calm, a roar that sounded like thunder suddenly came from the distance, shaking the ground slightly. Everyone was frozen in their movements by the sound, and fear spread rapidly.
A rhinoceros suddenly rushed out and crashed over without anyone reacting.
Only to hear 'Pang!' The rhinoceros crashed into the magic formation around the town, and under its constant attack, the magic formation gradually began to show some cracks.
At the clock tower in the centre of the town, Ebout anxiously picked up his binoculars. His face instantly turned pale, 'No... that's a "Cracked Earth Giant Rhinoceros"!A level 19 intermediate magical beast!' His voice was filled with unease.
[Magical Beast Identification Panel
Name: Rift Earth Giant Rhino
Level: 19 (Intermediate Magical Beast)
Description: Huge in size like a moving mountain, its body is covered with thick rocky armour, and the sharp rhinoceros horn on its head can easily tear through the strongest fortifications. Possesses a powerful charging ability, and its skin is extremely resistant to both physical and magical attacks.
Weaknesses: the vulnerable area at the base of the rhinoceros horn, and the gap between the scales on the abdomen.
When people finally came back to their senses, the giant rhinoceros' massive body cast a huge shadow. The earth seemed to shake with every step it took, and the surrounding trees were easily snapped by it as if they were insignificant weeds. Unprecedented fear surfaced on the townspeople's faces, some began to tremble, and there were even children hiding in their mother's arms and losing their voices.
'How can this ... this be blocked?' Blacksmith Tom gripped the hammer in his hand tightly, only to find that his palms were already drenched in sweat. His voice carried a hint of despair.
'Calm down!' Gareth realised that he couldn't continue to let it attack, his gaze was like a torch as he swept over the terrified faces of the townspeople, 'We've already blocked several attacks, even if it's a level 19 magical beast, we mustn't allow it to destroy our homes!'
Gareth raised the sword in his hand and said forcefully, 'Guards follow me into battle! The others immediately evacuate to the warehouse and prepare for support!'
With a command, Gareth led the guards to meet the giant rhinoceros. Seeing the crowd approaching, the Rift Earth Giant Rhinoceros let out a deafening roar, lowered its head, its horn flashing with a cold light, and violently charged towards them.
'Spread out!' Gareth shouted, leading the team to quickly disperse.
The speed of the giant rhinoceros' charge was astonishing, dust flew wherever it went, and the solid ground was torn through a deep crack by the rhino horn. Gareth rolled and managed to avoid the impact of the giant rhinoceros. He raised his longsword and slashed at the back of the giant rhinoceros with all his strength, but the blade merely cut through a layer of sparks and was unable to hurt its armour at all.
'Its defence is too strong!' Ebute shouted as he hid behind cover, 'Only attack its weak points!'
The giant rhinoceros flung its head angrily after an unsuccessful charge, its horn nearly lifting one of the guards off the ground. Gareth quickly stepped forward and blocked the fatal blow with his shield, but the huge impact shook his wrist and nearly made him lose his balance.
'Attack its belly with the crossbow!' Gareth commanded loudly, 'Distract it!'
The townspeople quickly aimed their crossbows at the giant rhinoceros from the rear. With a loud bang, a huge crossbow arrow broke through the air, heading straight for the giant rhinoceros' abdomen. However, the giant rhinoceros's reaction speed was astonishingly fast, as it jerked sideways, and the crossbow arrow only grazed its scales.
'Again!' Ebute clenched his teeth.
As time passed, the giant rhinoceros's rushes and swings caused tremendous damage, the town's outer defences almost completely collapsed, and the number of injured gradually increased.
The guardsmen's movements became sluggish and their morale began to slip.
'Can we hold out ...' a young guard muttered, despair in his eyes.
'Shut up!' Gareth roared, 'As long as we're standing, it won't be able to breach this place!'
He knew that the faith of the townspeople was the last pillar of the defence. The giant rhinoceros's repeated impacts exhausted him, and there was very little Mana left in his body, but he still stared at the base of the giant rhinoceros's rhino horn, searching for the slightest break.
Finally, the opportunity came.
After a charge, the giant rhinoceros lost its balance due to inertia, briefly exposing the vulnerable area at the base of its horn.
'Now!' Gareth shouted. He concentrated his last ounce of aura and threw his sword with force. The longsword drew a silver arc in the air and accurately pierced the base of the giant rhinoceros' horn.
The giant rhinoceros let out a painful hiss and violently took several steps back, its movements became sluggish and it seemed to have lost most of its strength.
'Quick! Take advantage of its injury!' Gareth shouted.
The crossbow fired again, and this time, the giant arrow pierced deeply between the scales of the Rift Earth Giant Rhinoceros' abdomen. The huge magical beast let out an earth-shattering wail, a low and mournful sound that seemed to penetrate everyone's soul. Its body shook violently, trying to shake out the crossbow bolt embedded in its abdomen, but every movement caused the wound to tear deeper, and blood gushed out like a small stream, staining the ground beneath its feet red.
The giant rhinoceros' movements slowed down, anger and pain intertwined in its scarlet eyes. It dragged its heavy body and turned around with difficulty, moving deeper into the forest step by step. The ground trembled with its footsteps, leaving deep bloodstains. The townspeople held their breath and watched the moving mountain gradually disappear into the darkness, no one dared to make a sound, as if they were afraid of attracting its attention again.
'It ... escaped.' Ebutt braced his hands on his knees and gasped for air, the expression on his face unable to hide his exhaustion and shock. He looked up at Gareth, a hint of disbelief in his eyes, 'Did we really make it?'
Gareth stood in place, the sword in his hand dangling to the ground, its blade stained with the blood of the giant rhinoceros. His chest rose and fell violently, sweat sliding down his cheeks. He stared at the direction the giant rhinoceros had left, and only after a long time did he slowly speak, 'No, this is not a victory. It is only retreating for the time being.'
The guards came out from behind the bunker one after another, leaning against each other. Their armour was covered in cracks, and their bodies were covered in dirt and blood. Some knelt on the ground, covering their injured arms and muttering thanks to a certain god; some sat down paralysed and looked up at the night sky, their eyes filled with the celebration of having survived the calamity.
'Great ... we're still alive.' A young guard muttered in a hoarse voice.
The townspeople poked their heads out from behind the distant fortifications, their nervous gazes gradually replaced by a flash of hope. Women slowly stepped out with their children, tears coming to their eyes as they hugged their families tightly.
'We held the town!' Blacksmith Tom's voice broke the silence. He raised the hammer, which had been deformed by the giant rhinoceros, high in the air and grinned widely, 'This place is still ours!'
A cheer erupted from the townspeople, but it was mixed with exhaustion and mixed emotions. It wasn't just a celebration, it was a release from the suffering.
Gareth dragged his tired body towards Elena, who was using the last of her strength to calm a few magic apprentices. He couldn't help but frown at the sight of her pale face, 'Are you alright?'
Elena looked up at him and barely managed to squeeze out a smile, 'I'm holding up. How about you?'
Gareth shook his head, glancing around at the wrecked streets and injured townspeople, and whispered, 'This is just the beginning, Elena. That thing will be back again, and with a stronger threat.'
Although the town survived the departure of the giant rhinoceros, fear still lingered in everyone's mind. Many began to fear that this was merely a prelude to a greater disaster.
The night was deep, and the crumbling town of Dawnsinger was silent in the moonlight. The air smelled of smoke and blood, and the cracks and debris on the ground told of the terrible battle that had just taken place.
Vetril sat beside a pile of broken barrels, holding a wooden sword that had been bent by the Wraith. His hands were still trembling slightly, and his chest was heaving violently. He looked into the distance, the trail of blood left by the giant rhinoceros snaking into the dark forest as if it were an endless wound.
He closed his eyes, and the image of the giant rhinoceros roaring came to his mind, the huge figure pressing down on his heart like a nightmare. He also clearly remembered the helplessness he felt when he hid in the corner, and the tired but determined back of his father Gareth as he charged into battle.
'I couldn't do anything ...,' Vetril murmured, his voice filled with self-reproach. He clenched his wooden sword so hard that his knuckles turned white from the effort, 'I was just a bystander.'
At that moment, a familiar voice rang in his ear, 'Vetril, what are you doing here?'
Vetril jerked his head up to see his father, Gareth, standing in front of him, clad in a tattered armour, his face covered in blood and dust. Despite this, those eyes were still sharp and intent.
'Father ...,' Vetril lowered his head, his voice slightly choked, 'I'm too weak to help.'
Gareth was silent for a moment, then slowly crouched down and met him at eye level, 'You feel useless, don't you?'
Vetril nodded, tears welling up in his eyes.
Gareth sighed softly and placed a hand on his shoulder, 'What did you do today?'
'I ... just watched from behind.' Vetril whispered.
'But you didn't run away.' There was a hint of tenderness in Gareth's tone, 'You didn't run away or hide in a safe place.Vetril, courage doesn't mean being fearless, it means choosing to stay even when you're afraid.'
Vetril looked up, a hint of faltering flashing in her eyes.
'My first time facing the Wraith was worse than yours.' Gareth laughed slightly, 'I was even chased around by a lowly Boar Wraith and ended up falling into a mud pit.'
'Really?' Vetril was a bit surprised.
'Of course.' Gareth nodded, 'But after that time, I was determined to become stronger. Not to fight, but to protect the people who matter. I know that you are the same.'
Vetril's hand gently brushed over the wooden sword, his eyes growing steadfast. He raised his head to look at his father, 'Father, I want to become stronger. I want to be like you and guard everyone.'
Deep in the forest, the darkness still churned as if waiting for the next conflict.