Tension did not come gradually that morning—it arrived like a thunderbolt splitting the sky. In the cramped kitchen of the Ashborne home, Kael and his mother had barely finished their modest breakfast of wheat porridge when a frantic hammering at the door resounded. The boy exchanged a quick look with his mother, setting aside his spoon. Mrs. Ashborne's eyes darted toward Kael, worry flaring before she pushed it down beneath maternal resolve.
Kael followed close behind as she opened the door to find a breathless villager, thick perspiration dotting his brow. "Monsters," the man blurted, voice trembling but not entirely lost to fear. "They're coming in droves from the northeastern fields—wolves and... something bigger. It's… too many. We need help."
Mrs. Ashborne stiffened. "Where's Joren?" she asked, referring to Kael's father, the village's dependable blacksmith.
"The blacksmith's at the forge, preparing weapons," the man said, swallowing hard. "But we can't do this alone. They've already torn through two outlying farms." His voice dropped, lower with dread. "It's… the biggest attack I've ever seen. Maybe bigger than anything Greenwood Orchard has ever faced."
Without waiting for further explanation, Kael gently placed a hand on his mother's shoulder. "I'll see Father at the forge," he offered. "You should stay safe here." He knew she would protest—her protective instincts reared whenever trouble stirred—but there was no time for placid reassurances. Kael needed to understand the scope of this new threat, and if it was as dire as reported, the entire village would soon be in danger.
The villager gave a curt nod, stepping aside to let Kael pass. The boy trotted down the dusty path, heart pounding with a mixture of apprehension and a cooler, practiced calm. Months of refining his synergy channeling had given him discipline over his turbulent emotions. Yet even that discipline could not stifle a tremor of unease: he sensed something beyond mere feral beasts.
He arrived at the forge to find a small commotion. Several villagers stood in a rough semicircle around Joren Ashborne, who was handing out sharpened spears and short swords from a battered wooden rack.
"This is all we have for now," Joren said brusquely, a smear of soot across his jaw. "Make every strike count." His eyes flicked to Kael, but no paternal greeting softened his expression. Instead, his father's gaze signaled a silent message: Be ready, but be cautious.
Kael nodded once, stepping up to Joren's side. Many of the village's men and women—even a few older teenagers—were present, grim-faced and armed with whatever they could hold. The tension was palpable. One older farmer, lines of exhaustion etched around his eyes, muttered about an unnatural wind carrying growls from the fields. Another insisted the pack was abnormally large for Greenwood Orchard.
A younger man, arms trembling from adrenaline, pleaded, "Master Ashborne, once these beasts break through the fields, how do we coordinate? We're… we're not used to such an onslaught."
Joren set aside a half-finished scythe with forced calm. "We'll form groups. Spread out to protect each entrance to the village. High ground is near the orchard's watchtowers—someone light the signal torches." He glanced meaningfully at Kael. "Get up there. See if you can keep watch for anything unusual."
Kael hesitated, knowing his father was indirectly placing him in a vantage point where, if he had to use advanced magic, he could do so more discreetly. "Yes, Father," he said quietly.
Before leaving the forge, Kael took a moment to gather something stronger than the typical wooden staff. Hidden beneath a stack of scrap metal was a slender metal rod he'd been forging in secret training sessions with his father. It was no masterpiece—just an iron staff with a small ring built into one end to fit minimal runes. It would suffice, especially with his synergy channeling.
He took off, weaving through the panicked bustle, his mind methodical despite the chaos. This is different from the minor attacks we've had… must be the rumored beasts near the orchard's outskirts. In the last months, he'd occasionally hunted small threats with local foragers, all while taking great pains to seem merely lucky or well-prepared. Now, those efforts to remain inconspicuous felt dwarfed by the reality: an entire pack of creatures—and worse.
A Flicker of Growth
He recalled the extensive forging and mana-training he'd done that morning, and a faint warmth spread through his limbs. The weight-lifting at the forge had tempered his constitution, and the repeated synergy experiments late at night had been pushing his boundaries.
Abruptly, an invisible ting sounded in the back of his mind:
[Notification]Through continuous forging and intense labor, your Constitution has increased by 1.
Kael felt the subtle shift. His breath came easier, muscles less fatigued as he sprinted. It wasn't a monumental change, but in moments of crisis, every improvement mattered. He pressed on, heart steady.
Atop the orchard's old watchtower, Kael could see the vast farmland, gently rolling hills, and the thinning rows of fruit trees. In the distance, a roiling shape of movement caught his eye—large silhouettes weaving between the orchard's boundary. His stomach tightened. Reports hadn't exaggerated: there must have been dozens, if not more, of these monstrous wolves. But overshadowing them was a massive shape, taller than the orchard trees, prowling behind the pack like a living siege engine.
Kael's pulse quickened. That's not a normal beast. Even from this distance, it reminded him of descriptions he'd read in ancient bestiaries of mutated direwolves. Possibly a dire alpha—if so, it spelled severe danger. The orchard fence stood no chance.
He unholstered a small spyglass—a half-finished piece Dorian Argent had once sketched for him through letter. He'd reverse-engineered the concept with his father's help. Though incomplete, it magnified enough to see the thick matted fur of the colossal beast, and the savage cunning in its amber eyes.
Another invisible ripple seemed to quake the air. Kael inhaled, forcing calm. He had to warn the others.
He pivoted, scanning for approaching reinforcements from the other side of the orchard. A second wave of smaller, swift creatures dashed across the farmland. They looked less like wolves—sleeker, with twisted horns or spikes along their backs. Perhaps mutated hybrids?
The watchtower's old alarm bell had seen little use in years, but Kael grasped the rope, giving it three hard pulls. The metallic clang reverberated through the orchard. Below, villagers turned their faces up in alarm. Shouts carried as they readied spears and shields, forming a shaky perimeter.
A Unified Stand
Kael hurried down the watchtower's ladder to find the improvised militia frantically setting up. His father barked instructions to a group of older villagers, placing them near a narrow choke point flanked by sturdy farmland fences. Meanwhile, an ex-adventurer named Brynn, who usually hid behind an easy grin, was uncharacteristically grave, distributing flasks of mild alchemic oil for torches.
"What do we do if that big creature charges us?!" someone shouted.
Brynn's jaw tightened. "We keep our distance. Try to separate it from the smaller beasts. If that fails…" He paused, voice trailing off. "We pray our lines hold."
Kael forced down a wave of apprehension. He stepped closer to Brynn. "I saw them from the tower. There's a huge alpha-like beast—maybe a dire variant. They also have some mutated outriders."
"That's bad news, lad," Brynn muttered, voice trembling only slightly. Then he nodded resolutely. "But we fight with what we have."
Kael tightened his grip on the iron staff. He was only eight, but none of the villagers seemed to question his presence. Over the past months, they had grown used to the quiet boy who was always in the forge or reading about runes. They respected his father and, by extension, believed Kael wouldn't be out here if he had no capability. None knew just how much power he truly hid beneath that unassuming exterior.
Looming Shadows
A low, guttural growl carried across the orchard, turning every head. Through the thinning morning mist, the monstrous pack emerged: wolf-like shapes with bristling fur, snarling muzzles, and eyes lit by savage hunger. And behind them, that hulking alpha. Its shoulders rose as though it sniffed the air, tasting the tension of frightened humans.
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A hush fell, broken only by the distant crackle of torches. Then, all at once, the pack charged, agile forms darting around low stone walls. Yelps and curses erupted among the villagers, spears quivering in unsteady grips.
Kael exhaled, stepping aside so as not to stand at the direct front. Maintain caution. Observe. Then act. If he revealed too much too soon, rumors could swirl beyond control. But if he did nothing, the carnage would be immense.
He tapped into Earth Channeling (Intermediate, Lv.4). With careful subtlety, he pressed one palm to the ground. Threads of mana seeped from his fingertips, traveling under the soil to raise small, uneven mounds. If the beasts tripped or stumbled, it would buy the villagers precious seconds to thrust with spears.
Sensing a further opportunity, he pictured a localized tremor that might disorient some of the incoming wolves without drawing too much suspicion. He whispered under his breath, "Earthen Snare," weaving it as quietly as possible. The ground shuddered near the orchard fence. Three of the front wolves yelped, struggling to maintain footing. Two tumbled, and the villagers' spears jabbed forward, ending them in short, brutal arcs.
System Notification
[Skill Earthen Snare (Intermediate, Lv.2) has gained significant synergy usage in combat!]Earthen Snare (Intermediate, Lv.3) – The binding power of earth increases, able to affect a larger area and hamper multiple foes more effectively.
Kael felt a faint thrill of progress hum through him. The skill had leveled again. But there was no time to dwell on that small victory. More wolves surged past the fallen, howling in savage unison.
Joren, at the forefront, hammered a beast's muzzle with a blacksmith's hammer, forcing it back. Another villager cried out as a wolf sank its fangs into his leather bracer. The man shook it off, bracing for another slash. Blood began to stain the battered leather, but he fought with surprising resolve. None of these villagers were stupid—they understood their lives depended on cooperation. They formed a rough line, preventing the beasts from swarming them entirely.
But the monstrous alpha was still prowling behind the pack, as though assessing. Its enormous head swung left, then right, before letting loose a thunderous roar that rattled the orchard. Kael flinched, pressing a hand to his chest. He felt the alpha's aura—like concentrated hostility.
First Casualties
A smaller wolf lunged for an older farmer near the fence. The man stumbled, parrying with a pitchfork. Although he wounded the beast, a second wolf leapt on him from the side. The farmer went down in a swirl of snarls and ragged cries. Kael clenched his jaw, forcibly keeping calm while several villagers rushed to drag the injured man to relative safety. This was no mere random scuffle—Greenwood Orchard was on the brink of being overrun.
He took a step forward, staff in hand, considering a more direct intervention. If we can't break their momentum, the entire line collapses.
He channeled Fire synergy, recalling that Ember Bolt (Intermediate, Lv.2) could be fired in quick bursts. He'd have to camouflage it amidst the flaming torches so no one recognized a fully developed combat spell. Closing his eyes, Kael manipulated the mana in his chest, shaping it into a small but potent flame projectile.
Then, with a flick of the staff, he sent a streak of ember-like energy arcing through the air. The bolt collided with a wolf about to pounce on a wounded man, setting the creature's fur ablaze in a flash. Its agonized yelp was lost in the general cacophony. The nearest villagers, seeing the momentary advantage, finished it with well-timed thrusts.
Kael nodded to himself. If he controlled the intensity and shape of his spells, onlookers might assume it was just a torch someone had tossed. He stepped back before anyone fixated on him for too long.
Gathering Storm
Unfortunately, though the villagers' stand slowed the main pack, the alpha hadn't even committed to a direct confrontation. Worse yet, from Kael's vantage, he spotted those mutated outriders circling to the orchard's western side. They were trying to flank the defenders. If they succeeded, the entire settlement would be in chaos.
"Rally to the orchard's west!" Joren bellowed, also noticing the movement. "We need people there, now!"
A group of five or six villagers broke off, rushing across the orchard paths, but they were too few. Kael stifled a groan. The defenders were spread too thin, forced to guess which side the alpha would choose for a decisive push. Meanwhile, the monstrous beast just stared, methodical in its savage cunning, letting the lesser wolves do the initial damage.
A Harrowing Preview
It dawned on Kael that the monstrous alpha might be more than a mutated direwolf. Its eyes gleamed with a sinister intelligence. Perhaps there was demonic influence or advanced monstrous evolution at play. But these were urgent theories for later. Right now, the orchard was a battlefield.
All around him, conflict raged. Snarls tore through the air, mixed with battle cries. Spears stabbed, jaws snapped. The orchard's grass stained red in places. Wooden fences splintered under the assault.
Through the swirl of violence, Kael darted from one cluster of defenders to another, discreetly aiding with brief Earth or Fire synergy. He put subtle illusions from Phantom Veil (Basic, Lv.2) to use, flickering a hazy distraction that let two more villagers land fatal blows on a cornered beast. A swirl of illusions was enough to confound it.
When the momentary threat receded, Kael raced to help a badly wounded man. Already, a few villagers with basic healing knowledge were triaging injuries, but the scale was overwhelming. Pained groans rent the orchard's peaceful atmosphere. The child mage's heart clenched at the sight—he'd wanted to avoid open conflict, but these people needed every ounce of help.
Signs of a Bigger Crisis
Then an earsplitting roar cut through the orchard, pulling everyone's attention. The alpha beast stepped forward at last, dwarfed only by the orchard's biggest trees. It sniffed the air, as if concluding the warm-up was over. The wave of savage wolves parted to let their leader pass.
A single stomp of its forepaw seemed to crack the soil. Fear rippled among the defenders.
"This… this is not normal," one villager whispered, his face gone pale.
Brynn, the ex-adventurer, swallowed. "Stand firm!" he shouted, though his voice carried a hint of terror. "If it breaks through—"
But the alpha did not charge. Instead, it opened its jaw and emitted a thunderous howl that rattled the orchard leaves and spurred the lesser wolves to renewed frenzy. The mutated outriders from the west also howled in response. The pincer was nearly set.
Kael's mind whirled. This is too large for a small village militia. We're going to get overwhelmed. He realized the orchard's defenders would be forced to retreat further into the village soon, or risk annihilation.
He clenched the staff, considering whether to unleash a more overt show of synergy. But that risked exposing him beyond any pretense. Fear for his father and the villagers gnawed at him, though.
As if sensing his dilemma, Joren Ashborne locked eyes with Kael from across the orchard. Sweat plastered Joren's hair to his forehead, but the flicker in his gaze said, Hold on. Not yet. He wanted Kael to keep that power in reserve, for a moment when it might truly tip the scales.
Kael exhaled shakily. "We need more help," he murmured under his breath. If only a wandering adventurer or traveling mage arrived in time… But no, that's too uncertain. We have to hold on.
A new wave of howls erupted—clearly more beasts were funneling in from behind the alpha's position. The orchard fence was in tatters, the farmland paths strewn with debris. The villagers, hearts pounding, realized this was only the beginning of a desperate battle.
A Momentary Lull… and an Ominous Future
The next few minutes passed in a chaotic scramble. Some of the lesser wolves pulled back to reorganize, leaving behind their fallen. The alpha paced slowly, each step an earthquake of dread. Around them, moans of wounded villagers mingled with the crackle of a few small fires that had sprung up from torches and stray sparks.
Though they had survived this initial clash—just barely—everyone understood the fight was far from finished. The monstrous alpha was simply biding its time. Already, second and third lines of snarling shapes prowled the edges of the orchard.
Kael found himself panting, sweat beading at his temples. He glanced at the small group near him. Some wore battered leather armor, others just ragged tunics. None were giving up, but their faces spelled exhaustion. "We need to regroup," he told Brynn in a hushed tone. "And possibly evacuate the wounded deeper into the village."
Brynn nodded, wiping blood from a cut on his own arm. "I'll spread the word. But we can't hold them off forever without reinforcements."
Kael bit his lip, scanning the orchard's perimeter. This was no minor incursion. It felt like a prolonged siege by savage beasts. We may last a day, or two at best, but if these creatures keep coming…
Somewhere behind, Joren's voice rang out, summoning a few men to reinforce the western side. Kael's heart twisted at the realization: they were all at the breaking point, forced to fight a superior foe with sheer grit.
Unresolved Danger
As the midday sun peeked through the orchard canopy, the alpha let out another bellowing roar. That monstrous shape perched on a small hill, glaring down at the battered defenders. There would be no easy retreat for Greenwood Orchard. The biggest threat they had ever faced was only growing stronger by the moment, with more mutated beasts converging from the outskirts.
Kael swallowed hard. This was not an attack that would simply vanish after a single skirmish. The entire village was in peril, with days or even weeks of strife looming. For the first time in months, Kael felt a genuine tremor of dread slither through his calm façade. We have to stand firm… or lose everything.
Yet he steeled himself. If the orchard needed a bulwark, he would do everything within reason to ensure they survived. He might not reveal the true depths of his power yet, but he had no intention of letting Greenwood Orchard fall.
Glancing at the monstrous alpha and the ragged, frenzied wolves arrayed behind it, Kael tightened his grip on the staff. It's only the beginning. And he braced for the vicious struggle sure to come.
Status Window (End of Chapter 37)
Name: Kael Ashborne
Age: 8
Talent: SSS (Hidden)
Core Grade: Red (Peak) — edging closer to Orange
Level: 12
EXP: 560 / 3000
Attributes
Strength: 28
Agility: 10
Constitution: 25 (+1 from intense forging labor)
Intelligence: 36
Spirit: 50
Free Attribute Points: 0
Trait
Sage's Insight – Heightens comprehension of spells and forging synergy
Synergy Channeling
Earth Channeling (Intermediate, Lv.4)Fire Channeling (Intermediate, Lv.3)Water Channeling (Intermediate, Lv.1)Air Channeling (Intermediate, Lv.1)Light Channeling (Intermediate, Lv.1)
Skills & Spells
Earthen Snare (Intermediate, Lv.3) – Enhanced area control via earthen bondsEmber Bolt (Intermediate, Lv.2)Stone Shield (Intermediate, Lv.1)Windflare Alarm (Intermediate, Lv.1)Warmth Ward (Basic, Lv.5)Phantom Veil (Basic, Lv.2)Static Lash (Basic, Lv.2)