(Grrrr....)

A shadow evaded the arrow Veer shot in just a whim, darting out of the bushes, followed closely by its pack.

They were uncountable, emerging one by one from the dark, swarming the village from all directions like a living tide of darkness. Their forms were hazy, as if ink-black shadows had taken physical shape, and their lifeless, purple, pupil-less eyes glinted with hunger.

"Kaal... alert everyone!" Veer commanded, his voice steady with urgency. He stretched the bowstring, and an arrow of light materialized on his bow. The shot streaked through the air, piercing three shadows before exploding in a burst of light.

"On it!" Kaal replied, leaping onto the high tower. His small frame expanded as he took in a deep breath. Moments later, he unleashed a thunderous growl that reverberated through the entire village.

"GROOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWLLL..."

The growl echoed like a storm crashing down, shaking even the sturdiest walls. The village stirred to life. Soldiers scrambled to their posts, some falling out of bed in their haste. Fires were reignited, and weapons were drawn.

Kaal growled again, signaling the defenders to prepare for the onslaught.

Shadows surged forward like a relentless wave, their numbers seemingly endless.

(THUD! THUD! THUD!)

The orcs stomped into formation, their massive axes gleaming in the dim light.

Goblins scuttled to vantage points, their crossbows cocked and ready.

The dwarves formed a shield wall, their war cries echoing through the night.

"For the Flame of Life!" Elder Pina Flameforge bellowed, her halberd raised high, The soldiers responded with a deafening roar:

"FOR THE FLAME!"

At the heart of the village, the elves' leader raised her hands, chanting swiftly:

(Om-tath-gat-raksha-kavach-aham-advant-aham.)

The air shimmered as a glowing pyramid barrier enveloped the village. Her companions joined in, their voices harmonizing as they reinforced the barrier.

When the shadows collided with the barrier and stone walls, the weaker ones disintegrated on contact. However, the larger beasts clawed their way through, tearing holes in the defenses.

The war had begun.

A sea of shadow beasts in countless sizes and shapes clashed against the defenders: 171 humans, 1,890 goblins, 702 orcs, 7 forest elves, 320 dwarves, and one furball determined to protect their belief.

Children and non-combatants huddled in basements, their frightened whispers drowned out by the chaos outside.

"Goblins, now!" shouted a goblin leader.

The goblins sprang into action, their agility unmatched. They climbed trees and rooftops, raining arrows onto the enemy. Some leapt directly onto the beasts, stabbing with poisoned blades.

"KEEEE! DIE, SHADOWY DOGS!" a goblin screamed, plunging a dagger into a beast's neck.

Though poison had no effect on shadows, the goblins fought fiercely, oblivious to this fact.

The orcs charged next, their thunderous war cries shaking the ground.

"SHADOWS FALL TODAY!"

Their massive axes cleaved through the beasts, each swing leaving trails of ichor. One orc grabbed a shadow beast by its tendrils and slammed it into another, roaring in triumph.

The dwarves, unwavering in their defense, held the line. Their shields gleamed with runes, and their hammers struck with calculated precision.

Elder Pina stood at the front, her halberd slicing through the shadows.

"Hold the line! For the Flame!" she roared.

Beside her, Elder Sura swung a massive spiked metal ball attached to bronze chains. Each swing decimated scores of shadows. Though her stout frame and warm expression belied her age, her stamina was unmatched.

The forest elves, their senses linked through Forest, maintained the barrier. Every wound or exhaustion felt by one was shared and covered by all.

"Keep chanting!" their leader urged as they reinforced the barrier, healed the wounded, and used earth and vines to patch any damage in the defenses.

But the shadows were relentless, and the defenders were tiring.

Veer and Kaal defended the eastern wall. Veer's arrows, now imbued with urza, left trails of flames that engulfed the beasts they struck, creating fiery explosions.

"Veer-a, these things keep coming back!" Kaal shouted, his sharp teeth tearing through a shadow beast.

"Then we'll keep sending them back," Veer replied, his voice firm. "Just keep holding them off!"

Kaal leapt into the fray, his small yet agile body weaving through the chaos. His sonic roars shattered nearby shadows, giving the defenders brief moments of relief.

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

But their respite was short-lived. The shadows began to regenerate, their dispersed forms merging into massive, monstrous shapes.

At the northern gate, a massive wolf-shaped creature emerged, tearing through the elves' barrier. It stood taller than the walls, its body rippling with inky black tendrils. Its hollow eyes glowed with malice, and its presence exuded an overwhelming sense of dread.

"Hey Pina Human! The Shadow Lord is here!" a dwarf shouted, trembling.

Elder Pina Flameforge, wielding her halberd, rallied the dwarves.

"Hold the line! Don't let it reach the temple!"

The Shadow Lord snarled, its low rumble shaking the ground. Leaping hundreds of meters, it bypassed the dwarves entirely, landing among the elves.

The elves, focused on maintaining the barrier, had no time to react. The Shadow Lord struck with devastating precision, tearing through one elf instantly.

"No!" one elf cried as the shared pain of their fallen companion shattered their focus.

Shadow Lord instantly leapt on another elf, crushing him under its weight.

The barrier faltered, and the northern wall crumbled. Shadows poured in, destroying everything in their path.

Ripping and swallowing everything in the way.

Hope seemed lost.

The stampede of shadows surged toward the Flame of Life at the village's heart

Until—

(Sluuurrrppp... Kraaahhh!)

A fiery arrow pierced the Shadow Lord's shoulder.

Moments later, the sky lit up with countless raining arrows. It was as if stars descended, each striking true.

Veer stood atop the eastern wall, his white hair glowing like a beacon. His bow unleashed devastating volleys, scattering the shadows.

The Shadow Lord snarled, its form wavering. With a vengeful howl, it retreated, followed by the remaining shadows.

The Shadow Lord, now wounded and diminished, snarled one final time. Its form flickered like a dying ember, its tendrils retreating into the void. With a vengeful howl, it dissolved into the night, followed closely by the remaining shadows.

"Run, coward!" Elder Pina roared, gripping her halberd with her remaining arm. Bloodied and battered, she stood tall, defiant even as the village lay in ruins around her.

The battle was over.

The first rays of sunlight crept over the horizon. The darkness lifted, and the village stood in eerie silence, broken only by the crackling of dying flames and the groans of the wounded. This had been the longest night for everyone present.

The aftermath was devastating.

Three of the four walls were reduced to rubble, and over 80% of the village was destroyed. Fires smoldered among the remains, casting long shadows over the broken homes.

Casualties were heavy:

• 53 humans (12 missing)

• 2 elves (1 devoured)

• 70 dwarves (1 missing)

• 423 goblins (127 missing)

• 370 orcs (0 missing)

• 1,298 millet goblins (missing)

Despite their exhaustion, the survivors began clearing the wreckage, tending to the wounded, and burying their dead.

For six days, Veer worked tirelessly, aiding in the relief efforts. He carried rubble, patched wounds, and even assisted in repairing what little could be salvaged. The Flame of Life still burned, its glow a fragile yet enduring symbol of hope.

But on the sixth day, Veer realized it was time to leave.

The village would recover, as it always had, but he knew that if he didn't grow stronger, this destruction would repeat itself.

On the seventh morning, as the village stirred, Veer gathered his belongings. Kaal still hadn't opened his eyes since the battle. Though his breathing was steady and his wounds had mostly healed, he remained unconscious, perhaps fighting a battle within.

Veer sat beside Kaal, gently petting his fur. His usually stoic demeanor cracked, his emotions spilling over.

"If you were awake, you'd probably make a scene about this," Veer murmured, his voice soft. "But this journey... it's one I have to take on my own."

He left a letter for Kaal, tucking it into the furball's paw:

"Buddy, I'm sorry, but I have to go somewhere. Someone needs to protect the village in my stead, and you're the only one I trust for that. I'll be back in five years, stronger and better. Take care of everyone until then. See ya."

With one last look at the village he had fought so hard to protect, Veer walked away, leaving behind everything he had built, everyone he loved, and the one he had raised.

Fourteen days after the battle, Kaal finally stirred. Elder Sura, who had been keeping watch over him, was the first to notice. She read Veer's letter aloud to him, her voice trembling with sadness.

"That day, Kaal cried like a child," Sura would later recount. "And for that moment, he wasn't the monster he had once been."

Many seasons came and gone but veer still didn't returned.

For five years,

Kaal waited.

The Flame Festival was canceled in Veer's absence. The forest became increasingly dangerous, and the village, though rebuilt sturdier than before, never felt the same.

Kaal, once a lively and mischievous companion, grew quiet and withdrawn.

Every day, he sat at the village's edge, watching the road. Keeping his promise.

One evening, as the stars dotted the sky, Baba sat beside Kaal. The old man gazed up, his thoughts wandering.

"In these five years, many things have changed," Baba said softly. "The village has returned to its beauty. But what changed the most was you... You were always different, but now..."

Kaal didn't respond. His tired red eyes remained fixed on the horizon.

"Sometimes," Baba continued, "you disappear from my sight. You almost look human then..." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Must be my old eyes playing tricks on me."

The silence stretched, broken only by the rustle of leaves in the evening breeze.

Then, for the first time in five years, Kaal spoke. His voice, deep and trembling, was a mix of suffering and determination.

"Hey... oldy, " he said. His words were slow, deliberate, and eerily familiar.

Baba turned sharply toward him, his eyes widening in shock. Where once sat a round inky-black ball of fur now crouched a young boy—his face and appearance eerily reminiscent of Veer's when he left the village.

Except his Black hair and ruby red eyes glowed steadily in the light of the stars, filled with purpose.

"If he can't come back.....," Kaal said, his voice firm, "then I'll go to him....."

Thus began a new chapter—a story of 9 intertwined destinies, each seeking something greater.

A monster in human skin, searching for his family.

A missing guardian, who forgot to return.

A poor, lost girl, striving to be a hero with her talking sword.

A royal mage girl, seeking her destiny, accompanied by a loyal halberd knight.

A feral boy, searching for true strength.

Twin siblings, a mage and an assassin, with mysterious motives.

A summoner merchant girl, armed with uncanny business sense.

All destined to converge on one stage:

Arcane Academy.

The journey that began with a flame would burn brighter than ever.