Somewhere beyond the protective walls of Oakheart, deep within the eastern forest of the Avalorian Mountains, an eerie conversation unfolded between two creatures. Both humanoid in shape, the first had a single eye embedded in its forehead and a lipless, gaping mouth. Its companion, similar in form but endowed with six arms, exuded a confidence that clashed with the apprehension in the single-eyed creature's demeanor.

"Why did you have to attack their scouts?" the one-eyed creature berated, its voice a mixture of frustration and concern. "Now they'll be alerted, and they might send even more to disturb us. The timing was all wrong."

The six-armed entity scoffed dismissively, its body language oozing arrogance. "Why concern yourself with them? They are mere mortals, no matter how skilled or trained they are, they can't hold a candle to our might. We are not the same as the mindless creatures of old."

"You fool!" the single-eyed creature spat, its anger flaring. "They have no knowledge of us. That's precisely why it was so easy to catch them off guard. Weak or strong, we are not prepared to breach the wall. Eldric left powerful magic embedded within it, and his descendant guards it. His blood runs thick through her veins. Do you not understand the stakes?"

Defiance radiated from the six-armed creature. "All the more reason to draw her away from that wall and eliminate her on our terms. Or are you afraid?"

The tension in the air was palpable, and without warning, the single-eyed creature vanished only to reappear directly behind its six-armed counterpart. Swiftly, it struck the creature with a forceful punch to its back and then pressed its head to the ground, pinning it in place. "Do not dare challenge me!"

"Alright, alright, I was joking," the muffled voice of the six-armed creature could be heard from the ground. When it was finally released, both beings departed, disappearing into the shadows of the forest.

Unbeknownst to these two entities, their conversation had not gone unnoticed. A lone figure, hidden and patient, had observed their interaction. This observer, Dorian Vasil, was the second in command of the missing scouting team led by Halgrim. Dorian, a man of unassuming stature in his thirties with short brown hair, had been Halgrim's apprentice. He had hidden himself well, as his role of rat implied aware that he was witnessing something beyond comprehension. The creatures he had watched, the cyclop and the evolved hecantophile, defied known conventions. They were speaking in the common language and displaying intelligence that their kind had never exhibited before. The cyclops were supposed to be sensitive to daylight and couldn't open their eye during the day while the hecantophile was supposed to only rely on hearing as it had no eyes, but those 2 creatures had no such struggles. The hecantophile even had a set of two eyes.

Dorian knew he had to report what he had witnessed, but doing so came with its own set of challenges. He was a cautious individual, always positioned at the back of the team to detect ambushes. Halgrim's fate weighed heavily on Dorian, but he was powerless to alter it. All he could do was relay his observations—if he could make it back.

As he cautiously navigated the forest, he was acutely aware of the hidden dangers lurking in every shadow. The forest was alive with mutated creatures, corrupted by forces beyond understanding. Dorian moved quietly, his senses attuned to the forest's rhythm, avoiding whatever horrors the forest concealed.

Meanwhile, the two elite teams sent to search for Halgrim faced their own tribulations. About 20 kilometers from the safety of the wall, they were besieged by a menagerie of twisted creatures—bears, rabbits, rats, birds—all grotesquely altered. Their scouting mission devolved into a battle for survival against the relentless onslaught of these mutated monstrosities. Despite their training and determination, they were ultimately forced to retreat in the face of an immense behemoth, leaving them unable to perform their intended reconnaissance.

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Two days after the Halgrim's team dissapeared when the two scouting teams came back wounded, Freya gave the order to assemble the warriors and send an expedition beyond the walls. She would remain at the wall in case of anything while Kormac would lead the forces in the forest, their objective to reach the ambush point and establish a temporary base from wich they were supposed to prepare to extend further.

Within the confines of Freya's office, three concerned people gathered around a cluttered desk. Bryndor, Vlad, and Kormac huddled together, their voices low and their expressions tense.

"Perhaps it's time we bring this matter to the crown's attention," Bryndor suggested cautiously, his eyes searching for agreement among his companions.

Vlad's response was laced with irritation. "And tell them what? That we've lost an entire scouting team to the wilds, and our once accessible ambushed site is now swarming with those aberrant beasts? It's madness."

Freya leaned forward, her gaze unwavering. "Reporting is essential, but as of now, we're grappling with an information void. What can we tell them? Corrupted creatures acting with coordination? The Crown would demand answers we don't yet possess. Kormac have you picked who will go?"

Kormac, his fiery beard matching the intensity of his commitment, nodded in agreement. "I have personally picked 100 of the finest warriors I will personally lead them, Commander."

Vlad, the weight of responsibility visible in his weathered features, met Freya's gaze with conviction. "And my scouts are prepared as well, Commander."

"Very well," Freya declared, her tone firm. "Tomorrow, at first light, you shall depart. Yet, remember this: your safe return is my command. I won't tolerate any heroic sacrifices. We need to establish a foothold in that wilderness and gather information and answers.

With her directive issued, Freya leaned back "Dismissed. Get a good night's sleep, you'll probably need it." After the trio left the office, Freya stood up and went towards the window looking at the yellow moon. Her eyes shifted to her spear Silverwind placed in the weapon rack beneath Eldric's portrait on which his last words were written. 'For as long as my blood stands guard over those walls, they will never break.'

"Must I always stand guard and only send others to their death? Is this really what you would have done Eldric?" Muttered Freya softly while picking up Silverwind and headed to the training chamber. Once she arrived there she took her stance and started attacking a training dummy with precise and fast strikes venting her frustrations on it while thinking back to all the legends about Eldric and the commandments he left behind. Unbeknownst to her the runes on the handle started shinning weakly while her figure emitted a faint silver glow. But she never noticed it, with a bang the training dummy was flung backwards hitting the wall as she finished her exercise.

On her way to the sleeping chambers, Vlad came to her in a hurry. "Commander Freya, dire news. Dorian Vasil the 'rat' in Halgrim's team just arrived at the gates and he says he has dire news."

"Lead the way, Vlad." She replied. "I can't wait to hear what he has to report."

Once they arrived at the gates, they saw Dorian he was stretched on a bed, malnourished and with a broken arm and cuts all over his body.

"Your Dorian Vasil, the 'rat' from Halgrim's team right? Tell me what happened." Ordered Freya anxiously waiting for his response.

"Commander Freya, I bring dire news but others shouldn't hear them." Dorian motioned with his eyes towards the guards.

"Very well! Vlad you stay, the others leave the room please." Freya sent the guards and people taking care of him, away. "It should be safe now, go on, report."

"We were attacked by a mysterious creature resembling a hecantophile but this one had 6 arms and 2 eyes. It moved so fast we couldn't even see it. Halgrim and his men tried to make a stand but they were powerless against it and I escaped only because I was always hidden and the creature had no knowledge of me..." After Dorian finished reporting everything he saw and heard including the two creatures discussion he fainted from exhaustion leaving Freya and Vlad both worried. Freya called back the guards and medics to take care of Dorian and made her way back to the office with Vlad while ordering someone to go call Bryndor and Kormac to her office.