Lance’s heart sank as the enormous beast emerged from the treeline, its guttural roar echoing across the fields. The creature was massive, its hulking form covered in jagged, scaly hide that seemed almost volcanic.

“RUN!” Olliver screamed, as he conjured a wall of earth that erupted from the ground in front of them. The barrier groaned under the force of the charging beasts but held just long enough for the group to start their escape.

The group didn’t hesitate. As one, they turned and bolted back toward the cart they had left hidden behind a rise in the fields. Kade, however, hesitated for a fraction of a second.

“What are you doing?” Felix barked, grabbing his arm and dragging him away.

“But it’s huge!” Kade shot back, frustration clear in his tone. “We could—”

“No, we can’t!” Lyra cut him off. Her sharp tone left no room for argument. “We’re outnumbered and outclassed. Get to the cart, now!”

The fields blurred past as they sprinted for their lives, the sounds of snapping trees and heavy footfalls closing in behind them. The beast wasn’t alone. From the corner of his eye, Lance caught glimpses of movement—dark shapes shifting among the wheat, some leaping forward on lithe limbs, others lurching like horrors dragged straight from a nightmare.

The gates of the town loomed ahead, and Lucas barely slowed as they crashed through. Guards rushed to close the doors behind them, their expressions a mix of panic and resolve as the distant roars of the horde drew closer. Without a word, Lucas directed the cart toward the mayor’s house, bringing it to a stop so smooth it seemed incongruous with the chaos surrounding them.

The group scrambled out, racing up the steps. Lance pounded on the heavy oak door. “Mayor Shindall! It’s urgent!”

The door creaked open moments later, revealing Mayor Shindall, his face lined with weariness but his eyes sharp and alert.

“What’s happening out there?” Shindall asked, his gravelly voice calm despite the urgency in his tone.

“Horde of monsters,” Lyra explained quickly. “They’re heading this way—fast. We need to evacuate the town and send a distress call to Arcane University!”

Without hesitation, Shindall turned back into the house, barking commands to his aides. “Prepare the evacuation bell. Draft the distress message—address it to Sentinel Command.” He grabbed a gnarled staff from a rack by the door and stepped outside. “I’ll see to the defenses myself.”

Stolen story; please report.

The group followed as the mayor strode down the steps, rallying guards as they formed a defensive line. The first of the monsters reached the edge of the town just as the guards took their positions. Shindall raised his staff, and with a sharp incantation, a surge of silver fire erupted from its tip. The blazing energy streaked through the air, incinerating a clawed beast mid-leap. Another advanced, only to be hurled back by a powerful gust of magic that sent it crashing into its companions.

“Hold the line!” Shindall commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos. He raised his staff again, striking down a writhing mass of tentacles that had breached the perimeter.

Arrows flew, and bursts of magic lit up the dusk as the guards desperately tried to hold back the tide. The initial wave was small—dozens of beasts that were swiftly dispatched by the well-trained defenders and Shindall’s precise strikes.

But then more came.

And more.

“They just keep coming,” Lance muttered under his breath, watching from the safety of the town hall steps. The guards’ bravado was slowly eroding as the waves of creatures seemed endless. The creatures seemed frenzied, as if driven by some unseen force, their grotesque forms relentless in their assault.

Inside the hall, the air was thick with fear. Townsfolk huddled together, clutching their loved ones as muffled booms and cries echoed from outside. The tension was palpable as each minute dragged on. Lance stayed close to his group, his mind racing.

“We can’t hold them off forever,” Bella said grimly.

As if in answer, the heavy doors burst open, and a guard staggered in, bleeding and barely able to speak.

“They’ve breached the east gate,” he gasped. “We’re falling back. I don’t think we can—”

The guard didn’t finish his sentence. A deafening roar shook the hall, followed by the sound of splintering wood. The beasts had reached the final defenses.

And then, as despair began to set in, a sound cut through the chaos: a horn, low and resonant, echoing across the town. Lance’s head snapped up, hope flaring in his chest.

“The Sentinels…” Felix breathed.

Moments later, brilliant flashes of light filled the night as teleportation circles opened in the town square. Figures stepped through, their armor gleaming and weapons ready.

“Form ranks! Push them back!” the Sentinel leader commanded, their voice cutting through the clamor like steel.

The Sentinels descended into the fray like a storm unleashed. Where the guards had struggled, the Sentinels excelled, their combined magic and flawless coordination carving through the horde with ease.

But one figure stood out even among them—a dark blur flickering across the battlefield. Lance’s breath caught in his throat as he recognized his brother, Elias.

At first, Elias was a methodical shadow, slashing through creatures with unnerving ease. But as the battle grew more intense, his laughter began to echo across the square.

And then he disappeared, moving through the shadows like a phantom.

Lance only realized Elias was behind him when his brother’s voice roared in his ear.

“This ain’t a Rank 2 anymore, brother!” Elias howled, his manic laughter chilling as he vanished into the shadows once more.

Lance barely had time to process the moment before Kade turned to him, his eyes wide with excitement.

“Lance!” he exclaimed. “You never told me your brother was so cool!”