The folks of the town didn’t seem to notice them.

The town streets of Adullam remained oblivious to their presence, and it seemed the people moved through them as if carried by the winds of time.

"So what? Are we in Israel?" William asked, still grappling with the enormity of the situation.

Kazi nodded, a twinkle of excitement in his eyes. "The United Kingdom of Israel, to be exact, during the reign of King Saul. We're at a frontier city."

William scratched his head, uncertainty etched across his face. "Meaning…?"

Kazi flashed a knowing smile and stopped a passerby, a man dressed in simple attire. "Hey, friend, what's happening? Who are we fighting?"

The man's eyes blinked at the unexpected query, but he quickly composed himself. "Oh! Have you not heard? The Philistines and their army are coming! We must prepare and reconvene King Saul’s forces! Everyone but the women and children must participate!"

Marta's expression fell as the weight of the historical context sank in. She stammered, "Oh. Um, um, I’m a female saint that can, uh, use magic in the name of the Lord, so can I come?"

She was surprisingly quick on her feet. The man's eyes widened with awe as he looked at Marta's attire. "Ah! Saintess? Yes, your garbs are…divine! Truly divine!”

Standing with a degree of confidence, the silver magic of her metal armour shined through. Once too large for her, the Milanese plate armour fit her like a true warrior. Without being able to see her Wizard Class, one would think she was a knight.

The man swept his gaze through each of them and grew more and more impressive. “Ah. All of you are very exquisite. We of Addulum would appreciate your assistance. I am sure King Saul will reward you handsomely.”

“Is there no general here?” William asked.

“Our only leader is King Saul and we will do what we must to obey him.”

“Got it. Thank you for your help.”

“If you wish to help us, meet us at the front gate. We will all be garbed and ready to fight.”

The man hurried off. So far, the Gate didn’t seem too complicated.

“I wonder,” Kazi began, fingers curled on his chin, “it said twice a day for forty days in the morning and evening that the Philistines will come. Is it going to be a cycle? Or a proper long-waged war?”

“Huh?”

“Ah, nevermind. I guess we’ll find out later.”

Beside him, Marta did some breathing exercises, nervous yet ready. William discreetly imitated her.

‘I can do this. I can.’

***

At the city's front gate, a gathering of informal soldiers awaited, their faces etched with determination and resolve. They stood in a loose formation, donning leather armour and carrying a motley assortment of weapons—swords, spears, and crude shields. Their chatter was hushed but purposeful, mingling with the clinking of metal and the shuffling of feet.

William, Marta, and Kazi silently joined the group of thirty soldiers. The soldiers glanced at the newcomers, some curious, others lost in their own thoughts of the impending conflict.

The leader, a weathered man with a steely gaze, addressed the group, his voice carrying the weight of command. "Today, we march to the Valley of Elah. The Israelites await our aid against the Philistine threat. Remember your training, stand tall, and fight with honour."

Their steps fell in sync with the resolute march toward the Valley of Elah. The landscape gradually transformed from pine-covered hills down to a flat area. Down they went till grass lay underneath their feet, fresh and fertile.

That was what the Valley of Elah was, apparently. Its length was impressive but it was not very steep. The smell of water wafted through the air.

The distant echoes of drumbeats and horns reverberated through the valley. Tension hung thick in the air, the weight of history pressing upon every soul gathered for the impending battle. There were hushes regarding the Philistine encampments.

“Wait, how is this going to work?” William asked in a low whisper. “Are we going to fight in a war?”

“Doubt it. The title of this gate was Players and the Goliath. It’ll probably be the same as the story: the Philistines will challenge the Israelites to bring out a champion. The intention is for us players to be that champion.”

Marta nodded along, specifically intrigued. William had never seen her so pumped up.

Adullam, the frontier city, was on a hilltop at the southeast of the valley. The walk was over an hour. Kazi was at the front, nudging the leader and pushing him towards the right direction. He seemed to know exactly where they were, throwing out names, places, the

“The king is here!”

Following that announcement, the group took a sharp turn. King Saul and his forces were already in position. A long horizontal line that faced the enemy encampment with fear. A stand-off between two armies of roughly one thousand men.

Squeezing to the front, William managed to get a glimpse of their fabled leader. King Saul was on horseback and decked in dark, fancy armour that would unquestionably be sold for a pretty penny at the Nebulous Bazaar.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

‘So that’s King Saul. Damn, he’s taller than I thought he would be.’

King Saul was well over six feet and broadly shouldered too. His horse was a size larger than his companions' as well as gift warped in silver armour. He wore a golden crown that glimmered in the sun. His expression was stern as if he was ready to kill at a moment’s notice.

‘Okay, now I get why it was a big deal. Why did this dude not fight Goliath?’

He was probably taller than William and the teen knew he wasn’t tall just for his age.

Across from them, the champion of the Philistines, was the great Goliath. What a beast he was and not in an insulting way. No horse, no hiding behind his allies. He stood tall and mighty, the end of his bronze greaves within the light stream of water, a sword in his right hand and a javelin in his left.

As if his stature alone wasn't intimidating enough, Goliath's heavy scale armour added to his appearance. Clearly, the giant could not only carry its weight with ease, but could also wield his tremendous weapon with effortless strength. The mere sight of the giant wielding two mighty weapons was enough to cause many warriors to tremble in fear.

King Saul took his time to observe the enemy. Every eye was locked on him. He was the only man powerful enough to face Goliath.

But the players knew in their hearts how this would play out.

King Saul spoke.

"As we all know, the fighting has lasted for far too long. Many have fallen on both sides. The gods do not desire endless bloodshed and misery, and I as the king, as the enactor of their will, agree.” King Saul looked down at his followers, his stare unwavering, then towards Goliath.

"Philistines! I extend a challenge! For the next forty days, morning and evening, we will send out champions. We will battle one at a time. We will fight one at a time. Any weapon may be used. Do you agree to these conditions!?”

His voice carried over to the enemy. The twenty metres of distance meant nothing, as if the gods were wanting the world to listen.

The Philistines didn't have to think twice before accepting the invitation to battle. They were on enemy territory: instinctively, they recognized their disadvantage.

"Agreed!" Goliath shouted back, sending shivers down William's spine. He barked out an order to his men. "Send the first soldier out for this evening's battle! Send out Philo!”

King Saul looked across his own troops, considering the many brave men that he could choose from. He knew that every man would be willing to fight the Philistines and he also knew that any man chosen would likely die. The reality was that the Philistine army was better equipped. In a war, the difference could be made for with tactics and territorial advantage. In a one on one, that was not the case. Equipment meant everything.

William understood that the players were supposed to volunteer. Even so, the colour of surprise appeared on him when he noticed Marta smiling at Kazi.

“Marta, you look excited. Care to go?” Kazi asked, grinning back.

“Yes!”

In the charged atmosphere of the Valley of Elah, Marta stepped forward. William could feel her heart in his own ribcage, pounding as she approached the king to his left.

"Your Highness," Marta began, her voice steady, "I come forth not as a soldier, but as a champion. Allow me to fight for our cause."

King Saul regarded her with skepticism. “A woman?” His piercing gaze fell upon Marta's attire—a suit of armour that caught the sunlight in a dazzling display. The king's eyes lingered on Marta's armour. His skepticism softened as he observed the aura of mystique that surrounded her. "Your armour," King Saul remarked, his voice filled with a note of intrigue, "it bears a quality that is unlike anything I have ever seen before."

With a swift and practiced motion, Marta summoned her Shadowshade Staff. From the perspective of the ordinary, it came from nothing. The king's eyes widened in astonishment. "Magic," he murmured under his breath. “Are you…a prophet?”

“No, Your Highness. I am a woman of faith,” Marta replied.

"What is your name, champion?" King Saul inquired, his tone reverberating with a newfound respect. “No, who are you really? Are you our saviour?”

Marta stood as tall as she could, her gaze meeting the king's with unwavering resolve. "I am Marta, Your Highness, and I fight for justice. I fight to invoke the power bestowed upon me."

King Saul nodded. He gestured toward the enemy lines, where the Philistine champion, Philio.

"Go, Marta," King Saul declared, his voice carrying across the battlefield. "Fight as our champion, and may the power you wield aid our cause."

A steely determination in her eyes, Marta strode forward, her staff held aloft, ready to face the Philio, the first champion of the Philistine army.

“She's really good at this role playing thing, eh?” William muttered to Kazi.

“She plays Dungeons and Dragons,” Kazi responded.

‘What do dungeons and dragons have to do with role playing? Am I missing something?’

[ Name: Philistine Soldier

Level: 15

Class: Amateur Swordsman ]

“To think they would send a magic woman to fight me,” said Philo. “I am honoured.”

Marta was taken aback by his manners. “I as well,” she replied. “Um, let us commence this battle of valour!”

“Let's!”

In the heart of the Valley of Elah, feet on water, the anticipation hung heavy in the air as Marta faced Philio. The tension crackled like electricity, the eyes of both armies fixed on the impending clash.

Philio charged toward Marta, his sword gleaming in the sunlight as he swung it with ferocious intent. But as the blade arced toward her, a semi-transparent black barrier shimmered to life.

Clang!

Marta's smile remained unwavering as she deflected the onslaught effortlessly, the magical barrier absorbing the force of each blow. The soldiers on both sides looked on in astonishment.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Seven strikes, and not even a crack. Philio, stunned and weary, stepped back. He needed to reconsider his options.

That was when the Wizard struck. Marta raised her staff, a surge of dark energy coursing through her being. A hushed murmur spread through the battlefield as she unleashed her spell.

“Super Shadow Bolt.”

No incantations were spoken, no visible gestures made. Marta simply called forth the words and created a manifestation of raw magic, of the System. The very essence of darkness coalesced into a swirling vortex of energy, gathering at the tip of her staff.

With a resounding force, the Super Shadow Bolt erupted from Marta's staff, a beam of black energy that blazed across the battlefield. The air crackled with the sheer power of the spell as it surged toward Philio. Its speed wasn’t all that impressive, yet there was nothing Philio could do, his mind going blank at the sight of. Block or dodge? Block or dodge? Block or dodge?

His thoughts overwhelmed him and the devastating black bolt struck Philio, engulfing him in a maelstrom of shadow and light. His form was blasted backward, sent hurtling through the air with an otherworldly force, crashing to the ground amidst a cloud of dust and debris.

Goliath gazed down upon his soldier, unfazed.

Silence descended upon the battlefield as both armies stood in awe of the extraordinary display of magic. Marta, her staff still aglow with residual energy, remained poised and steady. She inhaled, then exhaled and smiled.

The soldiers whispered in hushed tones. There was reverence and fear.

In that moment, Marta stood not just as a champion of the Israelites but as a saintess—a woman whose abilities transcended the boundaries of humanity and dipped into the territory of the gods. That was the thought of the common man. Even William, a player, was taken aback. He had unlocked a skill called Magic Sensitivity and was able to taste the intensity of her magic.

‘They were the same level. Their battle experience couldn't have been that much different either,’ William thought. ‘How did Marta get so strong!? That Shadowbolt was just...wow! Incredible...!’

A darker thought crossed his mind: how was she able to do what he couldn't? How was she was able to wield the darkness with such ease when he struggled to feel a spark of it?

Arms crossed, looking like a proud father, Kazi said, “I guess we're too strong.”