"Alright guys we've done all we can..."
Icarus stared at their handiwork.
With their combined strength, the orphans had managed to rearrange the tall walls of scrap around a clearing in the scrapyard. There were only two ways in...
Stopping the beasts entirely was out of the question but he figured he could as least slow their approach. In the center of the clearing they had piled various spare materials and scrap to create a mound. Icarus hoped they could hide within it and evade the sharp eyes of the bird type creatures that would undoubtedly be flying overhead.
He would have liked to make more preparations, but Thalia assured him that it would be better to train their bodies instead. She explained that the Beasts would eventually find them anyway, so the defenses were only a supportive solution and not the main one. Icarus hated that she was right.
'That traitor! When I find her...'
Shaking his head, he turned to their weapons. Beneath him were six sturdy steel pipes. He had spent the better part of thirty minutes grinding them against other materials in an effort to sharpen the tips. They were crude, good for perhaps only a few strikes, but he was confident they could do the job.
He looked at the timer for the start of the next wave.
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Next Wave Start : 00:20
---
'20 minutes... its only a matter of time now. If we can make it through this then we can get in the city.'
A small hand grasped his pant leg as a high pitched voice broke his concentration.
He looked down at Zeke.
"Rus! You said Thalia left to go get some supplies right? Do you think she'll be back soon?"
Unable to look his little brother in the eyes, he stared off into the horizon.
"I don't know Zeke... I wish I could say yes. She said she might get caught in the crowds before the wave but that she would for sure be able to make it back. I don't know what's holding her up."
He turned to his other siblings who were standing nearby. Tears were already filling their small eyes.
"I know you all miss Thalia, but remember, she told us she wanted us to be strong. She knew that we were ready for this, even without her!"
Despite his efforts, the waterworks started soon afterwards and continued until five minutes were left before the wave. They only calmed down once Icarus promised to give them some cookies type rations back at the orphanage after everything was over.
In truth, he had no intention of returning back there once they were finished. He knew exactly where they were going next.
Icarus didn't like lying but he knew it would be the only way to get them focused for what was to come.
With five minutes left, he moved with cold-minded efficiency, placing the makeshift spears in everyone's hands and then covering them with scrap panels as they crouched down on the mound. He went to his spot at the bottom of the hill, covering himself as well. If things went south at least he would be the first one attacked.
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He glanced at the timer in his periphery.
00:00:10
The ten seconds took agonizingly long to pass. Even still, that wait was nothing compared to the eternity it took for Icarus to catch sight of the first Sever Beast. Looking through a crack in his panel, he could see the same midnight colored bird from the first wave. Only a few seconds later, the rest of the flock followed behind it. He saw them fly high towards the wall, only to be repelled by an a seemingly invisible force above the structure.
He saw other flocks doing the same at different points on the wall, but they suffered the same result. Even far away, he could hear a sound akin to hammer on steel. With each booming noise, the size of the flock was reduced. Icarus looked on wearily as the magnitude of the flock continued to recklessly fly into towards the wall. With each passing second, the loud hammering sound was increasing in frequency. Whatever it was, there appeared to be many of them.
Unsurprisingly, the horde gave up their efforts of getting over the city wall and instead focused their attention on the districts that lay on the ground. They descended quickly, creating a ghastly shriek as the combined squawks from the birds resonated with each other.
It didn't take long before the sounds of people's screams entered the air. Soon after, the familiar scent of blood followed. Icarus turned in his hiding spot to look at his siblings. They were staying still, most likely out of fear.
The carnage continued for many minutes as the orphans sat helplessly in their spots. Much to their relief, nearly all of the birds had landed, clearing up the skies above.
Relief and false hope began to take hold of Icarus's mind as he considered their situation.
'It's been a while... If we're lucky then we may not have to fi-'
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Icarus saw a creature enter the clearing. It stood on four legs, had pointed ears, possessed a long snout and would have been able to look him in the eyes. Its fur was thick and smooth, unlike the rats of the previous wave. That wasn't the only difference he noticed however; he could sense that the beast before him seemed more... predatory.
Beneath the creatures fur, he could see thick bands of muscle in addition to a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth. Clearly this beast was capable of more than just scavenging. Icarus watched it intently, unwilling to move despite his rapidly thumping heart. He desperately hoped that the creature would wander off the way it came. Instead, it only lowered its nose to the ground and began sniffing. Every few seconds, the beast would draw closer while keeping its nose to the ground. A horrifying realization dawned on Icarus.
'What the hell! This thing can smell me!'
It wasn't long before the creatures nose brought it to his position. Standing over him, it spun around rapidly before raising its head into the air and letting out a deep wail.
Taking advantage of the beast's lack of focus, Icarus sprang from his hiding spot and thrust his spear upwards, easily piercing the beast's skull and interrupting its roar.
Immediately after, his warden chimed in his ear.
[Congratulations Icarus, you have slain a Grade 1 Timber Wolf! Having killed a Sever Beast during a wave, you have been granted access to its critical information. Displaying now. ]
A red screen with white letters appeared in front of him.
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Timber Wolf (1)
- A mutated wolf with a strong sense of smell. Possesses increased physical capabilities. Some wolves engage in symbiotic partnerships with Ravens. Communicates to other pack members with long howls when at a distance.
---
Skimming the notification, Icarus's nearly dropped his spear as he read the last line.
'Oh no'
Several other deep howls pierced the air. There was a brief pause as they awaited a response. It never came of course.
Soon after, the howls resounded again, only this time they were far more frenzied than before and were moving closer. Icarus looked at his siblings in their hiding spots and signaled at them to stay still. It would do no good if they revealed themselves now.
The howls boomed once again, sounding closer than ever. He was sure they were in the scrapyard by now.
Affirming his suspicions, a dozen wolves burst through the two entrances to the clearing, fangs bared. It didn't take them long to spot the white haired boy who was now standing on the top of the scrap pile.
Ignoring the boy, the wolves ran over to their companion at the foot of the pile and nudged it with their noses. Icarus watched as the beast he stabbed remained unresponsive. He almost felt bad when the pack of creatures lifted their heads up towards the sky and howled.
'I'm sorry... I'm just trying to survive.'
Almost as if they could hear his thoughts, the wolves stopped their mourning and made their way up the mound.
In only a few seconds, Icarus found himself surrounded on all sides by twelve bloodthirsty creatures that were baring their fangs at him. Many of them stood over his siblings without noticing, much to his pleasure. Before the wolves could lunge at him, he jumped off the mound and over the beasts. While in midair, he shouted to his hidden siblings.
"DO IT NOW GUYS!"