The message from the ruins stayed with Leon as they returned to the settlement.
They come at night.
Who were "they" exactly? The creatures from the river? Something worse?
Leon had no intention of waiting to find out.
---
The sun was already sinking by the time they reached the settlement. The last of the day's workers were stacking logs, reinforcing the palisade, while Garrick had a handful of guards still training.
Leon pulled up his system interface.
---
[Construction Progress]
Watchtowers (2/4 Complete)
Traps (5 sets placed)
Reinforced Gate (Construction started)
---
Not enough. It wasn't enough.
He turned to Garrick. "Double the guard tonight. No one sleeps outside the walls."
Garrick met his gaze, sensing his unease. "You think we'll be attacked?"
Leon glanced at the darkening horizon. "…I know we will."
---
Night fell.
The settlement held its breath.
Guards stood on the unfinished watchtowers, their torches flickering. The only sounds were the rustling of trees in the wind, the crackling of campfires, and the occasional nervous shuffling of the settlers.
Then—
A scream.
Sharp, panicked, cut off too soon.
Leon's blood ran cold.
"West side!" a guard shouted.
Leon and Garrick sprinted, drawing their weapons as more shouts and snarls erupted in the darkness.
By the time they reached the western palisade, they saw them.
---
Shadowy figures lurched forward from the tree line.
Humanoid, but twisted. Their limbs were too long, their skin pale and stretched, their fingers ending in black claws. Their eyes… hollow.
They weren't alive.
They weren't dead either.
They were something in between.
---
Ding!
[Enemy Identified: Hollowborn]
A cursed remnant of fallen warriors, resurrected by the land's corruption.
Abilities: Enhanced speed, clawed attacks, dark vision.
Weakness: Fire, decapitation.
---
Leon clenched his jaw.
"Archers! Light your arrows!"
The guards scrambled to obey, grabbing torches and setting their arrows ablaze.
The first volley loosed into the creatures—several hit, and the Hollowborn screeched, thrashing as flames consumed them.
But more kept coming.
Too many.
---
Leon unsheathed his sword. This wasn't a fight he could avoid.
Garrick charged first, meeting the closest Hollowborn with a brutal overhead swing, splitting its skull in two.
Leon followed, his blade flashing.
One step. One strike. Move. Don't stop.
He dodged a clawed swipe, countered with a low slash, severing a leg. The creature collapsed, and before it could regenerate, Leon drove his sword into its skull.
The Hollowborn convulsed—then stopped moving.
Weakness: Decapitation. Leon made a note of that.
But for every one they cut down, two more took its place.
---
The gate shook.
The creatures were slamming into it, their claws digging into the wood.
Leon's mind raced. They couldn't win like this. Not without heavier weapons.
He turned to the guards. "Break the oil barrels. Burn the ground in front of the gate."
A few men hesitated—then snapped into action.
Moments later, oil splashed across the dirt.
Leon grabbed a torch and hurled it.
FOOM!
Flames roared to life, engulfing the Hollowborn trying to breach the gate.
Their screeches filled the night as fire consumed them.
The remaining creatures hesitated at the fire's edge. A single, guttural growl came from the darkness—then, one by one, they backed away.
And just like that… they were gone.
---
The fires burned low. The settlement stood, but barely.
Two guards were dead. Another was wounded.
Leon wiped blood from his blade, breathing heavily.
This wasn't just some random monster attack.
This land was cursed.
And something—someone—was controlling those things.
Leon turned toward the darkness beyond the trees. He had a feeling this wasn't over.
---