Tristan POV

"I ask again, where is your king?!"

The resonant voice of the red-furred monster rippled through the ranks of the human army, sending shivers down their spines. Tristan glanced to his side, finding Oswald just as dumbfounded by the unexpected turn of events.

"Did... did that monster just speak?" Oswald's voice trembled with disbelief, his gaze fixed on the advancing creature.

Tristan's shock slowly yielded to a growing realization, his thoughts echoing the cryptic words of the old man he encountered earlier. So, it was true after all. There exist monsters capable of conversing in our language.

Glancing back at the aged bystander, Tristan noted the mixture of confusion and unease in his expression. Even for someone who has witnessed it before, this inexplicable occurrence remains unsettling.

With a click of his tongue, Tristan refocused his attention on the red-furred monster. Although a myriad of questions and doubts swirled in his mind, the urgency of the situation demanded action. Without hesitation, he forged ahead, stepping forward to confront the creature, solitude his companion in this unprecedented encounter.

* * *

Thorian’s POV

Observing the young lad striding toward him with an unwavering resolve, Thorian couldn't resist a faint smile.

"Our lord, William Ravenwood, is presently absent," the youth proclaimed confidently. "He dispatched me, his son, Tristan Ravenwood, to oversee this expedition."

William absent? Thorian pondered, arching an eyebrow. Unusual. He's never been one to shy away from challenges. Perhaps there's some pressing matter that demands his immediate attention.

Locking eyes with Tristan, Thorian articulated his intent. "So, I assume as Prince Tristan, you wield complete authority over your retinue. Command them to withdraw within the city walls. We shall take charge of dealing with the guardians."

Tristan's eyebrows shot up in astonishment. For a fleeting moment, he remained silent, grappling to find his voice, which emerged hoarse with effort. "Why do you seek to eliminate the guardians? And how do you possess such knowledge?"

"Is that a concern of yours?" Thorian retorted dismissively. "Your sole task is to issue the retreat order."

A pause lingered in the air, Tristan struggling for words before managing a strained response. "I... I must confer with my advisors first."

Upon hearing the prince's feeble response, Thorian erupted into laughter. "It appears you fail to grasp your predicament, young prince. This is not a negotiation; it's an order. Any of my unit leaders could decimate your entire army. Spare your soldiers, spare their mothers the tears, and retreat from whence you came."

Thorian's gaze bore into Tristan's soul, the message crystal clear: if the prince hesitated to issue the command, their battalion would be ruthlessly slaughtered, leaving no one behind to mourn.

"I..." Tristan glanced back at his forces with horror-stricken eyes. "I order a retreat!" With unsteady legs, he made his way back towards his army.

Observing the humans preparing to return to the city, Thorian pivoted to head back to his own ranks. But just as he took a single step, an old, gravelly voice interrupted his stride.

"Wait, is that you?"

Turning back towards the humans, Thorian spotted his interlocutor. It was the elderly man he had spared earlier, now appearing robust and resolute.

So, you managed to survive, Thorian remarked, wearing a complex smile. Judging by your appearance, it seems you heeded my advice. Good for you.

"Are you that same white-furred monster from before?" the elderly man inquired. "Is it truly you?"

Thorian chuckled before gesturing toward his own fur. “Well, take a good look. As you can see, I am adorned in red.”

With no further words, Thorian turned on his heel and departed, rejoining his own contingent of monsters.

"Ah, the old man survived," Forlune commented with a chuckle. "I didn’t expect such resilience from someone so frail."

Thorian glanced back at his general. "As I've said, seemingly favored by the heavens."

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"We shall see about that," Forlune retorted dismissively.

Shaking his head, Thorian diverted the conversation. "Summon all the unit leaders. We must strategize on how to confront these Guardians."

"Immediately, my lord," Forlune acknowledged, his prior vexation now quelled.

Thorian watched Forlune's departure until the general vanished amidst the foliage, exhaling a sigh. Minor disagreements are to be expected, he reflected.

At Thorian’s directive, the unit leaders convened swiftly for a strategic meeting to deliberate on their imminent course of action. As the individual most acquainted with Locksley's layout, Thorian took charge of the discussion.

"Locksley, akin to our own Wolvendale, is a walled city with four gates aligning with the cardinal directions," Thorian sketched a circle on the sandy ground, demarcating the four gates for visual clarity. "The guardians will manifest at each of these entry points."

"Do you possess any insight into the strength of these guardians, my lord?" Omn inquired.

After a brief pause for contemplation, Thorian provided his assessment. "The guardians' strength varies based on their type. Some exhibit formidable durability but limited offensive capabilities, while others present the inverse. In general, I estimate their prowess to be three to four times greater than that of the Gilded Spiketail from the Third Floor."

"If they're indeed that powerful, perhaps a cautious approach is warranted, my king," Aqua suggested.

"Please expound on that," Thorian invited the blue kobold to elaborate.

Aqua nodded, addressing the assembly. "I propose we split our forces into no more than two groups. Each company should engage with one guardian at a time, focusing solely on its defeat before advancing to the next."

"Reasonable," Thorian acknowledged before glancing around the assembly. "Any objections or additional insights?"

"I find this plan quite sensible," Zogarth interjected. "Deploying a single company should suffice to vanquish a guardian while minimizing casualties. Since safeguarding this city isn't our primary concern, this strategy aligns perfectly."

"Excellent," Thorian acknowledged, scanning the group. "Any objections?"

"None from me," Lapis chimed in.

"Nor from me," Vivax concurred.

Observing unanimous consent among the leaders, Thorian concluded the meeting. "Very well, we shall proceed with this plan. Forlune's company, accompanied by myself, will secure the eastern gate initially. Following the eastern guardian's defeat, we'll transition to engage the one at the northern gate." Thorian directed his gaze toward Zogarth. "You'll hold the southern gate, thereafter advancing to tackle the western guardian. Is that clear?"

"Crystal clear, my lord," Zogarth nodded respectfully. "I will not disappoint you."

"Good," Thorian rose, signifying the end of the assembly. "Let us commence our preparations immediately."

As the group dispersed, Thorian's gaze involuntarily returned to Locksley's towering walls. Even from a distance, he discerned the presence of sentinels perched atop, keenly observing. Among them stood the young prince and his retinue.

Good, keep watching. Soon I will show you just what kind of power this world has to offer.

Time slipped away swiftly as Thorian stood watch, awaiting the celestial convergence of the moons at their zenith in the clear night sky. These two distant celestial bodies, typically apart, converged solely once during the night: at the stroke of midnight.

Thorian, accompanied by Forlune’s company, stood in anticipation, their gazes fixed on the heavens. As the two silver orbs aligned, an intense brilliance engulfed the sky, compelling Thorian to shield his eyes. When he dared to reopen them, a monumental beam of silver light struck the earth before them. Gradually, the luminance transformed into a serene blue hue, crackling softly before shattering with a resounding boom.

From the fragments of the shattered brilliance emerged an entity of profound magnificence: a colossal wolf, towering ten meters in height. Its very form seemed an interplay of lightning and shadow, fur aglow with ethereal energies blending silver and blue hues, remnants of the earlier shattered light dancing within its magnificent coat. Eyes infused with cerulean brilliance emanated an ancient wisdom, while crackling arcs of lightning traced across its snout, casting an eerie, captivating radiance around it. Each stride it took echoed like distant thunder, and arcane symbols pulsed across its awe-inspiring form, exuding a power that seemed to warp the fabric of reality itself.

In its imposing presence before Thorian and Forlune’s assembled company, the celestial beast held dominion over the night, emanating an aura of ancient authority. Despite its colossal form causing the ground to quake beneath it, there was a regal gracefulness to its movements, a divine elegance that defied its immense stature.

"Warriors, advance!" Thorian's command echoed across the battleground. In response, a torrent of kobolds, goblins, and orcs surged forward at his directive. Forlune, leading the charge alongside the warriors, plunged into the fray against this formidable entity.

The white kobolds unleashed blood-curdling screams, stunning the giant wolf momentarily in its tracks. Simultaneously, Omn and his fellow goblin elder, Jarv, blessed the warriors, enhancing their strength and swiftness. Blades aglow with multihued auras whittled away at the colossal creature, carving deep wounds upon its form. Forlune, with a feral grin, joined the savage assault, a whirlwind of crimson aura dealing blow after relentless blow upon the Guardian's body.

Seeking to deny the beast any respite, Saxum and the earth magi softened the ground around its legs, causing it to stumble and crash into the earth, swiftly hardening the terrain to ensnare and immobilize the creature. Capitalizing on this opening, Aqua conjured a colossal water ball alongside the other water magi, drenching the beast before following up with an icy barrage that encased parts of its form in a frigid shell.

Alacritas and the cadre of assassins refused to remain passive spectators. They surged forth as a blur of silver light, aiming precise strikes at the Guardian's vital points whenever an opportunity presented itself. Utilizing their unparalleled speed, they deftly maneuvered around the beast, delivering lethal blows to its neck and chest.

With each onslaught from Forlune's company, the colossal guardian's frustration heightened, its once blue-furred form now shimmering with an intensified azure radiance.

Observing this ominous transformation, Thorian's brows furrowed in alarm. "Retreat!"

But his command came too suddenly, too late. In an instant, a brilliant flash ensued as the giant wolf unleashed a thunderous howl, its body unleashing an immense shockwave of lightning that injured and repelled all the monsters assailing it.