They were shouting again. Loud vicious shouts.

It didn't happen often, maybe only once or twice every other month. But when they did happen, he knew the monster and the banshee were back.

The banshee was loud, her shrieking like daggers that pierced through the walls. He could hear it so clearly from his room, and even clearer from the tops of the stairs.

The words weren’t even directed at him, but he knew how powerful they were. They were mean and angry shrieks, all directed at the monster.

But the monster was big and strong. It didn’t matter how much the banshee shrieked, or how lethal the words were, it always ended the same way. The monster would hurt the banshee, and her shrieks of anger would turn to cries of fear.

It would always make Caleb feel small, weak. He hated the violence.

When the chaos ended, when the monster had fallen asleep the banshee would come for him.

Sometimes he’d get away in time, back to bed. And sometimes he wouldn’t. When he wouldn’t the banshee would find him. Sometimes she’d cry. Sometimes she’d whisper sweet words to him. And sometimes she’d hit him. She’d hit him till he was crying too, then she’d pick him up and whisper the sweet words anyway.

“I’m sorry sweetie. Please don't tell anyone” the banshee would whisper “Mommy’s sorry”

[Tutorial Alert: Your location – The Southern Endagon Caves – is currently under attack]

Caleb woke up drenched in sweat, the silk of his clothes sticking to his skin. He pulled them off, coughing hard as he stumbled out of bed, his chest tight with panic. He slipped and crashed to the floor, his side throbbing harder for a moment as he groaned, rolling onto his back.

The message on the screen still blinked at him and he finally registered it, realising what it meant.

“No” he said, sitting up. “Crap. No, no, no”

He quickly scrambled to his feet and threw the door to the corridor open. He could hear the sound of the first panicked shouts in the distance and his heart sunk.

“T-tutorial check” he muttered harshly.

[Tutorial objective: Survive]

[Time left: 22 hrs 17 mins 46 secs]

“It’s only been four hours?” he said surprised. That was bad. If he’d been asleep for four hours that meant the last attack had been ten hours ago. So they got attacked every ten hours? So there’d be two more? But was there even a regular timeline set up for the attacks? What if it was just random?

It didn’t matter. The place was currently under attack, and from the shouts around him he could tell it was worse than .

The door across the hall opened and Sierra stepped outside wide-eyed. She looked at him, then to his armbands, the markings on them glowing slightly. He hadn’t even noticed himself playing with the weapons magical weight in his mind.

“D-do we really have to fight again?” she said.

“I think so”

“Fuck” she muttered. She rushed over to Kana’s room and the door swung open as Kana poked her head out wide-eyed. Sierra slipped past her as Kana looked to both of them. Caleb saw the fear in her expression, but also hints of determination. She wouldn’t be fighting.

Before he could say anything Ryan stepped out of his room, the door slamming against the wall hard. He scowled as he stepped into the hall and clenched his jaw

“What a fucking joke” he muttered, clearly annoyed. Sierra stepped out of Kana’s room and handed Ryan and Kana their sleeves. Caleb watched as they all pulled them on, frowning at Kana. Then Sierra cursed loudly, clenched her fists tight then let out a breath.

“Let’s go” she said, her voice hard.

“Shouldn’t we wait for someone” Ryan said.

“I remember the route. It’s better if we just get this over with” Sierra said, before starting in a jog down the corridor. The others glanced at each other, then followed, catching up quickly as shouts echoed from further away, screams amongst them this time too.

Together the group exited the corridor and stepped into a rush of chaos as people rushed through the corridors a few even carrying or leading along children. A few looked to them and pointed upwards as they cried at them to help. Caleb felt a sudden pressure, the expectation in the civilians’ eyes desperate.

Sierra ignored them, and pushed past a few, as she made her way against the tied. A few shouted and the crowd gave way parting as they allowed them to pass. They reached a set of stairs and rushed upwards, before turning onto an empty corridor that Caleb recognised slightly.

He coughed as they continued to jog, his side throbbing painfully. He pushed past the pain and momentarily looked to Kana, before frowning.

“Kana?”

[Yes?]

“What’re you… you don’t have t-”

[It’s ok. We stick together]

He frowned confused.

“But… I thought you said you didn’t want to fight?”

“What?!” Ryan said.

“Ryan leave it” Sierra said, still looking forward. Ryan glanced back at Kana before looking forward as he shook his head.

[It’s fine. I thought about and I can’t leave you guys to fight on your own. I won’t fight with you, but I have a shield. I can protect]

Caleb’s eyes widened slightly, but he nodded at her as they continued forwards.

Seems a lot riskier than just fighting, he thought. I guess she did seem serious about it from the start.

Suddenly a loud roar reverberated through the floor, the bass carried well underground. The group skidded to a stop as they all looked to each other wide eyed.

“That didn’t sound like goblins! What the fuck was that?!” Siera shouted, the fear in her voice clear.

“I’m sick of this shit already man. I wanna go home” Ryan muttered angrily, grabbing the sides of his head as his breaths grew heavy. Kana only stayed silent

Suddenly a group of the silk soldiers rushed past, led by the man who’d bagged them when they’d arrived. He slowed and turned to them, relief

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[Come with me]

[You must come, must you not?!] he said, his tone slightly accusatory. The others all looked to each other, remembering Lady Avanessa’s words then started forward, joining the group. The squad took a different path this time, rushing forward through the halls before they entered a larger room filled with other squads.

The soldiers turned and cheered as they saw them, and Caleb felt his chest grow even tighter. Their group rushed through the crowd towards the end of the room as all the other squads parted for them.

They reached the front and came to a stop by a flat wall covered in the strange markings. Caleb looked to the others, all of them just as confused as him.

[Fight! Ire! Sand fall! Release!] the man they’d followed suddenly shouted loudly. Suddenly the wall in front of them glowed, and then fell into the ground. The roof fell with it and Caleb stepped back as sunlight washed over all of them. The roof had fallen at an angle, and now served as an incline that led to the surface.

The soldiers all rushed forwards into the day and the teens quickly followed too. Their feet stomped against the sand as they climbed then emerged into the open. The soldiers looked around for a second, slowing as they searched for the threat.

Then they heard a loud roar behind them, a lot closer to the village. The group turned to find a large – almost eight-foot-tall – hulking green orc. It was covered in red tattoos and wore dense fur as clothing.

It stood by the village wall. Bodies and blood lay at its feet, with only a few of the silk soldiers left, standing far away. It roared at them before stepping forward, crushing the remnants of a body underfoot.

As it looked upward, one of the silk soldiers tried to dart in toward it, but the monster simply turned and kicked them, obliterating the soldier into red mist. There were gasps from the crowd, but Caleb only stared silently in horror. The orc roared again, looking around as it beat its fists against its chest.

[G-go. Fight] the leader of the squadron said, turning to them as he stepped back.

“You want us to fight that?!” Ryan said, wide eyed.

[Yes. You… you have to] the guy mumbled. The orc roared again and rushed towards a few soldiers who tried to turn tail, only to be crushed underfoot.

“Nope. Just... nu-uh. No fucking way” Sierra said.

[Y-you have to!] the guy shouted, pointing his sword at them. The other soldiers around all gasped, looking back and forth between the group and their squad leader.

“You’re insane!” Ryan cried.

[You have to! It’s here because of you!] the man retorted.

[Stop shouting!] someone cried.

But it was too late. The orc had turned to them, and with a roar of fury, rushed towards them as fast as it could. The group split in two, everyone. The orc roared as it kicked and swung its fists, sprays of blood and body parts flying all over the place.

The soldiers cried out in panic as everyone raced away, and Caleb’s chest grew tighter with panic as fear. A hand grabbed him and pulled him along as he stumbled, keeping him from being knocked over by the rest of the crowd.

Ryan pulled him closer as they moved, shepherding him in front of him as the girls ran ahead. Caleb glanced back, and watched the orc decimate another person with an arm the size of a log.

Then there was a shout of fury, and Caleb looked to the side, Lady Avanessa emerging from the sand floor with her troupe. She spotted the orc and rushed towards it without hesitation, raising her golden sword as she charged.

The monster turned to her and roared swinging a hand wildly. She leapt into the air unnaturally high, skipped past its arm with a single step and slashed at its face cutting its eye. The monster stumbled back as she landed, crying out in pain. For a moment, you could feel the panic lift, the entire crowd’s morale shifting.

Lady Avanessa looked to the rest of her soldiers, then to the group of teens.

[Deities! Fight with me! You must!] she shouted. [The rest of you, lock up the village!]

The soldiers cheered in assent then gratefully all rushed away as their leader went back to attacking the orc with her twin swords. The group of four looked to each other, and then steadily started to back away from the fight, watching it with a twisted curiosity.

[This is crazy] Kana muttered.

Avanessa fought against the orc with a speed and grace, cutting at the orc then narrowly dodging it’s heavy handed attacks. Caleb noticed now her movements were almost too fast to be human and her skin glowed softly along with her sword.

Magic, he thought. And she expects us to fight alongside her?

Suddenly the orc roared in frustration, and with a foot kicked up a spray of sand. Avanessa managed to dodge the spray but was blinded to the orc’s movements. It swung wildly with a large arm again and the Lady cried out, the large orc knocking her back with a powerful fist she couldn’t avoid.

She hit the sand and skidded but didn’t get back up. Then it turned to them. There was a moment of silence, then roared to the heavens, before rushing forward. It was slower, it’s legs cut deeply by Avanessa's sword. It gave the group enough time to dodge out the way as it leapt for them, crashing to the floor hard.

But the orc clambered to its feet quickly and turned to them, still roaring. Caleb and the others got a face full of its breath, the stench of rotting meat, and iron. It smelt like death, a smell that was more than terrifying. Then orc rushed toward them again, roaring like a wild beast.

“Shit!” Sierra cried as they all rushed apart separate. But before it could reach them, a golden sword flew through the air and cut into its side. It roared, slapping it away as it spun to see Lady Avanessa lying on the floor, bleeding heavily. It shrieked, the sound filled with frustration and immediately charged toward her, drawn to its immediate opponents almost like an animal. Avanessa made no attempt to move, still to wounded from her injuries.

Caleb stared wide eyed. She’d treated them somewhat coldly, but that didn’t mean she deserved to die. She’d just saved their lives after all. There had to be something he could do. Anything. But like always he remained frozen, staring passively as the beast charged away from him.

Then a shield suddenly soared through the air and hit the monster in the back of the head. The monster stopped and turned back, roaring at them as the others all turned to look at Sierra, now shieldless and wide-eyed. Then it charged them.

They dived out of the way again, separated down the middle. But this time it swung a meaty hand for Ryan and Sierra. It missed them narrowly then stumbled and fell to one knee. Sierra and Ryan scrambled back up off the ground and Ryan kicked his loose shoe off at the monster, which bounced off it’s head.

It roared and reached for him again, narrowly missing as Ryan fell backwards to avoid it. But as he fell the beast stood, towering over him and Caleb’s heart dropped.

Instinctively, just like Sierra, Kana threw her shield at the back of the monster’s head. It hit a point Avanessa had slashed and the monster cried out gripping at it’s neck as it stumbled sideways, it's raised foot narrowly missing Ryan.

But then it turned to them, it’s eyes were bloodshot, and its body language different. It stared at him and Kana then jumped. It was too fast for Caleb to realise what was happening. But Kana reacted in time. She slammed into him from beside and then he was on the floor. She lay atop him, shielding her and then the ground reverberated as the orc landed and brought it’s fists down, spraying them with a copious amount of sand.

As it roared again, Kana rolled off him and stood. It took Caleb a moment, the shock overwhelming. Kana pulled him to his feet as she cried out in panic, the orc reaching for the two of them. He simply stared at it in shock, and then he was on the floor, Kana having pushed him out the way yet again

He looked back up quickly and watched as the orc grabbed Kana’s arm with a sickening crunch. She shrieked in pain as she was yanked back, her arm practically folding in on itself as dribbles of blood oozed from between the orcs fingertips. Caleb’s world seemed to freeze as the orc roared, lifting Kana off the ground, screaming in agony. It raised her high, roaring as it prepared to slam her to the ground.

It was going to kill her. She was going to die, just like that. She’d never see her cats again. Never see her mom or Grandpa. Her life would be over, all her dreams, goals and aspirations. All because he’d been too slow to react, twice. Too afraid.

He roared louder than he ever had before, the sound powerful, guttural. The orc hesitated for a moment glancing at him and then he was on it. He stabbed his sword into a wound in its side with as much force as he could and it gasped in pain as the sword met it’s insides.

It stumbled sideways, dropping Kana, as the sword was violently ripped from Caleb’s hands. He fell to the floor hard, face planting against the ground. He pulled back from the ground, gasping as his hand and face throbbed. Then he looked up. The orc had fallen to the ground, holding it's side as it moaned in pain.

Then it groaned loudly, rolling over. It’d landed on its own arm awkwardly, exacerbating the injuries Avanessa had already caused. Now one arm hung limply on the floor as it still clutched desperately at the wound he’d stabbed.

But it sat up anyway, roaring at Caleb, it reached for him and grabbed his leg between a thumb and a finger, enough power in its grip alone to twist his ankle. He cried out as it started to drag him along and squeeze at his leg, then it let go roaring in pain. Sierra had stabbed it in the back, deep into the spine. It tried to turn to face her, but its legs flopped somewhat uselessly, and it fell atop her.

Then Ryan was on it, stabbing it repeatedly in the side of the head with Avanessa’s golden sword. Caleb stared in shock, as the orc’s body went limp, breathing heavily as he stared at the horrific sight.

“Shit!” Ryan cried, stepping back as he dropped the sword, his white silk completely drenched in blood. He quickly rushed over to Sierra pulling her out from under the orc. Sierra thanked him before the two rushed over to Caleb and Kana.

Caleb struggled to breathe, holding his hand to his chest as he clutched his leg. It was broken or fractured. And his face wasn’t faring much better. He had hit the floor pretty hard. But still he rolled over, looking to Kana. She lay on the floor unconscious, her arm a limp mess of blood, bone and flesh.

He looked beyond her to the soldiers as they rushed forward, exchanging shouts as they looked to the fallen orc, Lady Avanessa and the teens. He blinked and rested his head against the sand, suddenly feeling lightheaded. He felt hands on his back, lift him Ryan and Sierra helping him up.

“Help Kana” he mumbled, clutching his nose as he leant on Ryan. Sierra nodded and rushed forward, the fear written clearly on her face. Ryan supported him as his consciousness started to fade.

“You okay?”

“No. This really fucking hurts” he mumbled.

“Help!” Ryan shouted. “He needs help”

Caleb tried to say more, tried to look to Kana to see if she was ok, but his body was already failing him. As his mind started to drift away he felt the magical weight of his sword return to his sleeve.