It had felt like an earthquake had hit. Everything shook violently for a few seconds before stopping.

What the hell was that-?

Just when I thought it was over, another explosion rang throughout my ears. This one more violent and loud than the other.

I stood up and looked at my surroundings, no one knew what was happening. I looked towards Rio who was sitting on the floor, hyperventilating.

“Hey!” I immediately ran over to him and crouched down besides him, “Hey! Are you okay?!” As I tried to speak to him, another explosion rang.

I had no idea what was happening. Was it a malfunction in a machine or something? Was it a monster attack? Was it an enemy kingdom attack? There was nothing I could think of. I had never written about an attack on the capital.

Shortly after, three more explosions could be heard before it went radio silent. Rio was vigorously shaking and there was mass confusion and screaming coming from behind me.

“Rio, Rio, look at me.” I tried to speak but it was like his eyes were lost in the void.

It was then I had a thought. ‘It feels like you got some sort of relaxant in your voice.’ I remembered Rachel saying that, and it wasn’t just her, even at the birthday, ‘It made me feel more at ease.’ My Heart to You, if it worked as I thought it did…

I stood up before quickly heading over to the microphone. Passing by the madness and crying that was happening besides me.

“Mommy, I’m scared!” I could hear a child scream as the mother held him in her arms.

“Are we being attacked!?”

“AH!”

I took a deep breath before grabbing the mic and starting to sing, “Listen to me, it’ll be alright. Nothings the matter, it’ll be a good night. Take it to heart, it’ll be alright.” After I finished singing, I suddenly felt nauseous, taking a step back as I wiped my nose.

Blood…? Why am I bleeding?

It went silent in the inn. When I looked back up, I could see people staring at me before they came back to their right state of minds.

“Leo’s right! Calm down, everyone!” A patron shouted as he stood on a chair.

I quickly wiped my nose clean before heading towards Rio, he seemed to be doing better now, “Rio, are you alright?”

“H-huh? Y-yeah. I am now, thank you…”

“Good, here, I’ll help you stand.” He nodded his head, and I grabbed his hand, helping him stand up. He had slightly wobbly legs, but at least they weren’t as bad as before.

“What happened?” He asked.

“I…don’t know.”

As I responded, I could overhear another customer screaming, “I need to go! Let me out! I need to check on my family!” He was shouting at people standing in front of him, blocking the door.

“Halen! Calm down! We don’t know what’s going on out there! You could die!” One of the people blocking the door replied.

“I DON’T CARE! Let me out!”

“Mr. Halen…” Rio mumbled as he looked at the altercation.

After hearing Rio mumble, I headed over to Halen and started to speak, “Why can’t Halen go out?” I asked.

“Leo! Thank you for earlier. It’s dangerous out there right now, I couldn’t tell while it was happening, but now, with my mind clearer, I know what those explosions were. Kangpounds. They’re A rank monsters that bang on their chest and make explosions.”

Another monster that I know nothing about…

“You can tell what they were from the sound of an explosion?”

“That’s right, the adventurers guild specifically said to stay out of sight from them. When they spot people, they bang on their chest and send an explosion there way. I don’t know why they’re in the capital though…”

“I don’t care! I need to make sure Becky and Lin are safe!” Halen shouted.

“…I think we should let Halen go.” I said.

“Leo!” Halen looked at me.

“Why? We’d just be sending him out to his death!”

“When someone wants to protect their family, who are we to deny that?” I understood what Halen was feeling, “But Jim, if Kangpound’s are the reason for the explosions, is there a reason why everyone, including you was so scared? You’re an adventurer, right? You’ve dealt with them before, no?” I asked.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“I…don’t know. You’re right, Kangpound’s probably aren’t the only ones out there. I think it’s some kind of mental magic from either a monster or…”

An enemy… I see… I think I might have a little idea on what’s going on now.

‘Dough Kingdom, the kingdom to the west of Plough. Their greediness costed them as they wasted their resources attacking another while not realizing demons were lurking.’

That was something I remembered writing. I didn’t specify who they attacked, but I guess it was Plough. That was the only thing I could think of. They’ll get eradicated by the demons shortly after, but this is something to deal with now…

“Jim! Let me go!” Halen was getting more angsty.

“Haah…” Jim sighed before stepping out of the way, “Alright, but, Leo, you should go with him.”

Huh?

“What? Why?”

“Just like how you cleared our minds, there’ll be more people out there. Even Halen’s wife and daughter. The kingdom won’t be able to help everyone.”

The kingdom obviously had a way to help the people, but it’d take too long. That’s what Jim was saying.

“Leo, please come with me!” Halen shouted.

I felt a tug on my hand, looking back, it was Rio, “Leo…I think you should go…” He hesitated while speaking, he probably didn’t want me to leave, but also wanted to help Halen.

No choice, huh?

“Alright, Halen, lead the way.” I replied and Halen started to smile.

“Let’s go!” Halen replied as Jim opened the door.

“…Come back safe…” I could hear Rio mumble as I left.

…

There was rubble everywhere. Just down the street, there was a destroyed building.

“This way!” Halen said as he ran, I followed him the best I could, but he was faster and had more stamina than me.

The streets were barren of people, I couldn’t see anyone as we ran.

After a few minutes, I was suddenly stopped as I ran into Halen’s arm, “Stop.” He whispered before hiding behind a wall.

“What is it?” I whispered.

“Monster.”

As he said those words, my heart started to beat loudly. I could feel it in my arms, legs, and head.

I scooted over as quietly as I could and tried to get a view of the monster while remaining hidden.

It was a tall, red creature. Its body was toned, and it walked like a gorilla. It had an overbite with teeth as sharp as husks rolling onto its face.

I tried to check its status, but nothing appeared. I don’t think I could check the status of monsters.

Halen tapped on my shoulder before signaling me to go a different way. He took us down an alley before we got back on track.

“Was that a Kangpound?” I asked while we ran.

“I don’t know.” He replied, it seemed like he wasn’t thinking about anything other than his family.

As we continued to run, I got a little bit more confused. Where was everybody? We hadn’t seen a single person, dead or alive on the way.

“My house is just over here.” Halen said, and a few moments later, he opened a door to a house.

We stepped inside and once he closed the door he started to speak loudly, “Honey! Lin?! Are you okay!?”

He didn’t receive a reply and he sporadically rushed up stairs and checked every room.

There was nothing.

“Were they out, maybe?” I asked.

Halen had a serious look on his face as he continued to think to himself.

“Halen?” I spoke.

Suddenly, he started to speak, “Maybe they’re at the shelter!”

“Shelter?” Was he talking about an emergency shelter of some sorts?

“They didn’t have any plans today, they must be there! Leo, follow me!”

“Sure?”

We headed back out and continued to run, we were heading further and further away from the Moonlit Inn. Into an area of the capital that I hadn’t been to before.

As we continued to pass by rubble and debris from fallen houses, my ears suddenly twitched as I stopped moving.

“Leo?” Halen stopped and looked at me.

I had thought I heard a noise from somewhere but the only thing around me were destroyed buildings.

“Uh…Never-” As I started to speak, I heard it again. It sounded like a muffled high-pitched scream. I wasn’t going crazy. I headed over to where the noise came from, a destroyed home.

“What’s wrong?” Halen asked as he came over to me.

“You don’t hear it?”

“Hear what?”

“I hear something coming from the rubble.” After I spoke, Halen looked around as his eyes started to widen and he began to realize something, “Hale bear? I think its saying?” I couldn’t quite make out anything it was saying. But if Halen didn’t hear it, was I just imagining it?

Suddenly, Halen ran into the rubble and started to throw the debris onto the street, “Help me!” He said towards me.

I obliged and started to dig as well, “Do you know something?” I asked.

“This is Barb’s and Martin’s house! The only one that calls me ‘Hale Bear’ is their daughter! Lisa! Can you hear me!? I’m digging you out now!” He desperately buried his hands through the rubble until his hands bled.

I followed along until eventually most of the rock was gone and the only thing left was a long slab that created an enclave.

“Lisa! Can you hear me!?” Halen screamed.

I couldn’t hear the high-pitched screaming anymore. The only thing I could hear was a soft, faint, ‘It’s dark…I’m scared…’

“I think she’s under this thing.” I said as I tried to lift the stone slab, but it didn’t budge, it was too heavy.

Suddenly, Halen put his grip underneath the slab and started to shout, “LISA!”

There was no way he could lift it, the slab was at least heavier than a car…Or so I thought, my eyes opened wide as I saw the slab starting to lift.

Halen screamed as his muscles bulged. Eventually the slab was lifted high enough that I could see under it, and sure enough.

A young girl with brown hair was lying there, a little bloody. She looked towards the sudden light with tears in her eyes.

“I see her, I’m going under.” I said as I stepped over some rubble and headed towards her.

Halen continued to groan as he arms shook, lifting the slab.

“Come on, you’re okay.” I carefully tried to pick the girl up before heading back out. After we were both safe, Halen dropped the slab and it cracked, making a loud noise at is hit the floor.

“Lisa, are you okay?” Halen took her from my arms and started to speak, he had a gentle voice and even though his arms were shaking he still lifted her. Lisa looked at Halen before starting to cry even harder and bury her head in his chest.

“It’s okay, Uncle Bear’s here now.” He patted her on the back. Lisa was probably no older than 10.

I looked at the slab that he just lifted before looking back at him. How in the hell did he just lift that…?

Halen Byers – 37

Skills –

Talents -

Stats: C

Strength: C+

Agility: D+

Dexterity: C-

Stamina: C

Mana: F

Yeah…No, it still doesn’t make any sense… It actually makes even less sense now…

“Lisa, can you speak? Do you know where Barb and Martin are?” Halen asked.

Lisa’s nose sniffed as she took her head away from his chest, “Mommy and daddy…? I don’t know…” She managed to say through her tears.

“It’s alright, I’m here now. I’m going to bring you to the emergency shelter now, okay?” Lisa nodded her head and Halen continued to speak, “Can you stand?” He asked.

Lisa shook her head, the rubble had probably gotten a bit of her legs.

“Leo, could you calm her down a little?”

“Yeah-” As I started to reply, I started to hear banging. A weird drum-like sound, and in the corner of my eye, I could see a tall, red creature looking at us.