Grand House Hall, half hour passed.
Chaos swirled through the ballroom like a storm, whispers turning into frantic murmurs. The air was thick with fear. Everyone had heard the rumours—the city was under attack. But the real shock came when word spread that the main wall warning bell had rung for an entire hour without pause. It would only mean the attack was near and it might be heading to them.
Catherine and Emeline sat stiffly on a velvet couch, their expressions tense. Across from them, Emeline eldest son, Lawrence, calmly poured them drinks, his movements steady despite the unrest crackling around them.
"What are they on about?" Emeline asked, her voice laced with concern. "His Highness left so suddenly, and now there's talk of an attack?"
Lawrence raised a brow as he handed his mother a glass. "I don't know, Mom… but I heard the house knights were mobilized to the main wall. That's all I've got."
He shrugged, seemingly unfazed by the sudden shift in atmosphere.
Catherine observed the nobles shifting uneasily, their usual air of superiority faltering under the weight of uncertainty. "It's strange. Everyone seems… restless. The nobles especially."
"Hah! If this keeps up, we'll have full-blown hysteria in here," Emeline muttered, eyeing the growing unease in the room.
Then—
A sudden rush of footsteps thundered through the hall. The grand doors leading to the courtyard burst open, and panicked voices poured in, sending a ripple of unease through the crowd. Onlookers rose to their feet, their eyes locked on the commotion unfolding before them.
Then came the scream.
And right after—
BOOM!
A deafening explosion ripped through the night. The walls trembled. The chandeliers swayed dangerously. The ballroom plunged into chaos.
A bloodcurdling scream cut through the chaos—
"IT'S THE BEAST! IT'S A COOTIC!"
The panicked cry sent a ripple of terror through the ballroom. Gasps and shouts erupted as nobles scrambled to make sense of the situation.
The knights and guards stationed in the hall immediately sprang into action. Swords were drawn, armour clanked, they rushed toward the courtyard, their boots pounding against the marble floor.
At the same time, a group of robed figures—gray-cloaked mages—exchanged wary glances, their hands tightening around their staffs.
"Cootic? Are you certain?" one mage whispered to another.
"There's no mistake. A sound-based predator… its death screech capable of rupturing eardrums and stunning prey."
Realizing the imminent danger, the mages wasted no time. They began weaving a spell, their fingers tracing intricate patterns in the air. A glowing magic circle formed beneath their feet, swirling with complex symbols and protective sigils.
A shimmering, translucent dome expanded outward, sealing the ballroom within an invisible barrier.
FWOOOM!
The moment it solidified, an eerie silence fell over the room. The muffled chaos outside—the screams, the battle cries, the monstrous roars—could barely reached their ears.
The nobles exchanged anxious glances, their fear now trapped within the quiet, suffocating space.
Catherine heart clenched at the mention of the beast.
The Courtyard.
That was where her daughter, Kimmi, was supposed to be—dining and playing among her peers.
A cold dread gripped her chest. She had to get her daughter out of there. Without a second thought, Catherine hiked up her gown and sprinted toward the courtyard entrance.
"My daughter is out there!" she shouted, pushing past startled bystanders.
But before she could step through the archway, a line of guards blocked her path, their spears held horizontally.
"My lady, you can't go out there!" one of them said firmly, his spear handle pressing against her chest.
Beyond them, knights rushed in and out of the courtyard entrance, their faces grim, their bodies battered. It was the only area untouched by the protective barrier, the last line of defense before the chaos outside.
"Let me through!" Catherine demanded, her voice edged with desperation.
The guards did not budge. Outside the barrier, the battle raged—explosions and monstrous screeches barely reaching her ears through the magical muffling.
Her fingers trembled as she clenched them into fists. Kimmi was out there, and she was stuck in here.
Before she could force her way past, a gentle but firm hand grasped hers.
"It's alright, Cane," Emeline's voice was steady, though concern flickered in her eyes. She placed a reassuring hand on Catherine's shoulder. "The courtyard is heavily protected by the knights. Kimmi will be safe."
Catherine chest tightened, but Emeline presence grounded her. She wanted to believe those words. She needed to.
But before she could respond, another group rushed into the ballroom—this time, a wave of injured servants and guards stumbling inside. Gasps and murmurs spread through the bystander as they took in the sight.
Then came the knights.
One after another, they carried unconscious adults and children into the ballroom. Their uniforms were stained with dirt and sweat, but the most horrifying sight was the victims—blood seeping from their ears.
A grey-robed mages stepped forward, their voice lace with urgency. "Bring the injured inside the barrier—quickly!"
The knights wasted no time, hauling the wounded toward the protective dome. They pulled and dragged bodies without hesitation, whether they were adults or children. There was no room for gentleness.
As more victims were brought in, one of the knights let out a frustrated growl.
"Damn it! We can't even fight that thing properly! That screech—" He clenched his jaw, glancing at the bloodied ears of those he had carried. "It's too powerful. If we don't find a way to block the sound, we're sitting ducks out there."
Another knight nodded in agreement. "We need muffled headsets, earplugs—anything to protect our hearing. Otherwise, we won't stand a chance!"
A grizzled knight, likely their leader, turned on them with a sharp glare.
"Quit your whining!" he barked. "We don't have time for this! If you don't have earplugs, make some!"
With a swift motion, he grabbed a nearby tablecloth and began tearing it into strips. "Take these—tie them around your damn heads!" he ordered.
The knights hesitated for only a moment before springing into action. They rushed to the long dining tables, yanking at the cloth without care. Plates shattered, silverware clattered, bowls of soup spilled over expensive rugs.
The once-grand ballroom, already tense with fear, descended further into chaos as knights ripped apart table settings, sending roasted meats and pastries tumbling to the floor.
With makeshift ear protection in place, the knights steeled themselves, gripping their weapons tighter. Their captain gave a firm nod.
"Alright, no more excuses. We're heading back out there—NOW!"
Without hesitation, the knights rushed toward the courtyard, ready to face the beast once more.
But even reaching the entrance. Another group entered the ballroom, their movements urgent and heavy with exhaustion. Among them were more injured, their ears stained with blood, their expressions dazed. But as Emeline scanned the faces of those rescued, her heart skipped a beat—her daughter was among them.
Relief flooded her chest as she rushed forward, but the moment she turned to Catherine, that relief twisted into dread.
Kimmi, Catherine daughter was not there.
Emeline eyes locked onto Catherine face, and what she saw made her stomach drop—terror, raw and unfiltered, had taken hold of her friend.
Swallowing her own fear, Emeline quickly placed a hand on Catherine shoulder, squeezing it gently. "She'll be fine, Cane. You know your daughter—she will find a way." But even as she spoke, a pit formed in her stomach. She led Catherine to a seat, guiding her away from the entrance door.
Meanwhile, Lawrence stepped forward, his face hard with concern as he took his younger sister from the knight arms. He saw the tears in her eyes, though her cries were muffled by the barrier. He held her close, whispering something only she could hear.
The knights wasted no time. The moment they handed over the rescued, they turned back, heading straight toward the battlefield once more.
Leyla clutched at her brother sleeve, her small hands trembling as she looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. "Brother… the knights left Kimmi behind. She's still in the lawn!"
Lawrence stiffened, his jaw tightening. He did not respond right away, but the way his eyes darkened spoke volumes. There was a deep, unspoken weight behind his silence—a battle between duty, fear, and something else.
Leyla voice cracked as she continued, her grip on him tightening. "She saved me, brother… The bird almost ate me, but Kimmi stopped it. She protected me!" Her breath hitched. "She was bleeding..."
Lawrence took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm for his sister sake. He placed a steady hand on her head, comforting yet firm. But before he could say anything, a movement behind him caught his attention.
Catherine. She had been listening.
Her face was pale, her body trembling. And in her eyes—there was no hesitation, only sheer determination.
Emeline saw it too. Without a second thought, she threw her arms around Catherine, holding her back. "Cane, don't." Her voice was urgent, pleading. "You can't go out there. The knights are struggling as it is. If you run out there, you'll only make things worse!"
Catherine barely seemed to hear her. Her whole body strained as if she would bolt at any second. Emeline held on tighter, whispering, "Please, Cane…"
Before Catherine could respond—
BOOM!
A deafening explosion shattered their fragile moment. A searing ray of energy blasted through the ballroom doors, sending shockwaves through the room. Gasps and screams filled the air as the magical attack hurtled forward, only to be stopped inches away by an unseen force.
A translucent shield—cast by an unknown mage—shimmered under the impact, holding strong. But the sheer force of the blast sent knights flying, their armoured bodies crashing against marble floors like scattered dolls. Though bruised and bloodied, they were still alive.
Then, through the settling dust and splintered wood, the ballroom finally saw it—the beast.
Standing in the ruins of the grand entrance was a Cootic—a magnificent, yet terrifying, giant singing bird. Once adorned in a brilliant array of colours, its feathers were now charred, bloodied, and tattered. Smoke curled from its burned wing, its elegant form now twisted by rage and pain.
The nobles stared in horrified silence. The rumours had not done it justice. The creature was not just dangerous—it was a force of nature, and it had just set its sights on them.
A voice rang out above the panicked murmurs.
"Step aside."
The sheer authority in those two words sent a hush through the crowd.
An aged man with flowing blond hair, in green silk robe, with a green hue circle on his head and white staff on his hand.
Gasps rippled through the ballroom.
"It's him…" someone whispered.
"The Lord of Eigner."
"Our kingdom's Archmage!"
The murmurs grew frantic as the nobles instinctively stepped back, making way for the revered mage.
With an effortless tap of his staff against the floor, a surge of green flickering light shot forward, rushing through the shattered remains of the ballroom entrance.
Within moments, the ground rumbled. Thick, gnarled roots erupted from the earth, twisting and weaving together like living serpents. They sealed the gaping hole where the entrance had once been, forming an impenetrable wall of wood and thorn. The windows that overlooked the courtyard suffered the same fate—vines slithered upward, blotting out any view of the chaos outside.
The Archmage turned his gaze toward the fallen knights, his sharp eyes sweeping over their battered bodies. Then, as his piercing stare moved across the guests in the ballroom before finally landing on Catherine terrified face, his expression darkened ever so slightly.
He exhaled a heavy sigh.
"Guards!" His voice rang through the ballroom like a whip. "What are you doing? Get the guests out of here! Move the injured away from the walls—NOW!"
The room snapped into motion. Knights and servants scrambled to follow his command, hauling the wounded away from danger and ushering the frightened nobles toward the exits. The Archmage did not spare another glance as he stepped forward, his grip tightening on his staff.
Outside, beyond the thick barrier of roots, the beast screeched again.
Emeline understood what had happened—they had abandoned the courtyard.
Without a second thought, she threw her arms around Catherine, holding her in a warm, desperate embrace. Catherine sobbed, her body trembling as she clung to Emeline, her strength nearly gone. It was as if the weight of the moment had finally crushed her, leaving her weak and unsteady.
Emeline held on tighter, her own voice breaking as she whispered, "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"
Shadows crept where hope once shone, left behind, afraid, alone.
Meanwhile,
Somewhere on the courtyard, beneath the wreckage of broken tables and scattered banquet platters, a child trembled in silence.
The once-sweet dining setup was now a ruin of shattered plate and spilled fruit juice, the rich sweetness lingering in the air. Beneath one of the fallen tables, its white cloth draped like a ghostly curtain, a small figure curled into the shadows, barely daring to breathe.
"Calm yourself, Kimmi. Just wait. More help will come," she whispered, trying to steady her racing heart.
The bird had caused such devastation—surely, the entire castle guard had been alerted by now. She just needed to stay hidden.
The monstrous creature remained fixated on the roots, pecking and clawing at the thorny vines, searching for a weakness.
Kimmi stayed silent, curled beneath the broken table, barely daring to breathe.
Then—a faint sound reached her ears. A muffled sob.
Her eyes darted across the ruined courtyard. At first, she saw nothing. But scattered across the ground were children and a few unconscious figures, their small forms barely visible in the dim light. Some lay motionless, while others trembled in a daze, hands pressed to their heads. Blood streaked down their faces from their ears, staining their clothes in deep crimson.
Her breath hitched.
The bird abruptly halted its attack on the roots.
Its massive head swivelled, eyes narrowing as it glanced over its shoulder.
It had heard them too.
Panic surged through Kimmi heart. She pressed herself lower against the ground, barely peeking through the gap beneath the shattered table.
The creature tensed, muscles coiling beneath its bloodied feathers.
Then—with a single powerful leap, the beast landed near the fallen pergolas. The impact sent a tremor through the ground, silencing the quiet sobs.
The creature loomed over the wreckage, cocking its head as if listening. It waited.
WHOOSH!
A powerful gust erupted from its wings, tearing through the pergolas like brittle leaves. Tables, fences, and poles hurtled into the air, scattering across the field in a chaotic spray of debris.
A sharp cry pierced the night.
The children had been hiding beneath an overturned table—but now, their fragile shelter was gone. Wide-eyed and tear-streaked, they stared up in terror.
Something inside Kimmi snapped.
A deep, unbearable urge surged within her, demanding that she move—to intervene. Her instincts screamed at her to act, to throw herself between the children and the monster.
Her body trembled violently. A searing pain lanced through her skull, sudden and unbearable. Kimmi clutched her head as an intense migraine overtook her, her vision blurring with white-hot agony.
A whimper escaped her lips. She bit down on her tongue, trying to silence herself, but the pain did not stop. It only grew worse. Her limbs twitched uncontrollably, her body rejecting her refusal to act. She curled into herself, nails digging into her scalp. The unbearable pressure in her head felt as though something inside her was clawing to break free.
She gasped, sucking in sharp, ragged breaths.
'No. No, we couldn't do anything. we aren't knight. we aren't hero.' Kimmi tried to reason the urge. She tried to reason with herself. But the urge did not listen.
But it did not care. The urge wants to stand, to fight, to protect—it consumed her, warred against her fear and reason.
Tears welled in her eyes as she squeezed them shut. If she moved—she would die.
And yet—doing nothing felt just as unbearable.
The monstrous bird loomed over the children, its razor-sharp beak glinting under the moonlight.
It had found them.
And then—
Kimmi screamed.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
A raw, piercing cry ripped from her throat, so loud it echoed across the ruined courtyard.
The beast flinched, its beady eyes snapping toward the sound.
For a moment, it hesitated.
Kimmi panted, her entire body shaking.
Then—before she could stop herself—she shoved the broken table aside and forced herself to stand. She had revealed herself.
The bird cocked its head, studying her curiously.
"Fine!" she shouted, voice hoarse with frustration. "I hate you. I hate you..." Her words trailed into a mutter, fists clenched at her sides.
But she was not talking to the beast. She was talking to herself.
She hated that she had given in to the overwhelming urge that had forced her out of hiding. She was not a hero. She was not strong. She was just a weird child who had lost her sense of identity.
But she could be a distraction, she could buy time, and maybe—just maybe—the guards and knights would arrive before she was torn apart.
Her legs trembled as she locked eyes with the beast. Its sheer size made her stomach churn with terror.
But she forced herself to speak.
"Hey, you! Roasted bird!" she shouted, her voice cracking. "If you weren't already overcooked, I'd eat you alive!"
Intimidate Success
Silence.
The insult hung in the air, echoing across the areas.
The bird blinked.
Somehow, it felt insulted, though it did not quite understand what just the creature just said. An annoyed twitch rippled through its feathers.
Then—It lunged.
Kimmi breath caught in her throat. The ground shook as the beast charged toward her at terrifying speed.
"OH, CRAP—!"
Her survival instincts kicked in. She yanked her hands up, muttering the first thing that popped into her head.
"Art of Trickery—Sand Dust!" Kimmi yelled.
A cloud of dust exploded around her. Causing her figure to vanish within the thick dust of sand.
The beast, mid-dash, plowed straight through the dust cloud, missing her entirely. It skidded to a halt on the other side, talons gouging deep trenches in the dirt and rock. Whipping around, it eyed the lingering cloud of dust suspiciously.
Kimmi, now blind and choking on sand, flailed inside the cloud.
"WHERE DID ALL THIS SAND COME FROM?!" she coughed, eyes squeezed shut.
The bird, hearing her muffled complaints, eyed where the noise was coming from. With a powerful flap, it sent a fierce gust of wind toward the cloud—scattering the dust instantly.
Cootic was one of the few beasts with intelligence far beyond the norm—it had the ability to solve problems if needed.
With a powerful flap, it sent a fierce gust of wind toward the dust cloud—scattering it instantly.
Kimmi blinked.
And found herself face to face with the bird enormous, unblinking eye.
"Uh... Hi." she muttered, raising a hand awkwardly.
For a moment, the bird just stared at her.
Then—it pecked.
THUD! THUD!
"Noo!"
Kimmi yelped and backslide out of the way, the bird beak slamming into the ground where she had just stood.
She landed in a crouch, her heart racing and her eyes widened.
"Wait—how did I do that?!" she wondered.
The bird paused, just as confused as she was. Thought Kimmi just clumsily dodge the beast attack.
Then it tried again.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Kimmi sidestepped, rolled, jumped back—dodging every single strike effortlessly and stupidly. She was not even thinking about it, as if luck was on her side. Her body was just moving on its own. She stood there, stunned, as the bird let out an angry squawk.
"What… just happened?" she muttered.
And for the first time—a new feeling stirred within her.
Kimmi tried to process what had just happened, it felt like something had indeed protecting her. It reminded her of what had happened before with Ruben and Logan, but this time, it was not her missing her punch—it was the beast missing it peck.
A slow grin crept onto her face. "Hah! Too bad, bird! I have the protection from a god on my side!" She raised her arms dramatically, feeling invincible for all of two seconds.
The bird, understanding the insult immediately, flapped both its wings, sending a powerful gust of wind straight at Kimmi.
WHOOSH!
The wind hit her like a runaway carriage. She was hurled through the air, slamming hard against the remnants of the shattered fountain.
BAAM!
A sharp pain tore through her body as she collapsed onto the stone, blood splattering from her mouth. She gasped, a choked cry escaping her lips.
"Ow—Ow—Ow—Okay! I don't have the protection of a god… I got it!" she gasped in pain.
Then—
The pain vanished.
Kimmi froze. She had been on the brink of screaming, but now—nothing. The pain was gone, yet the blood still trickled from her mouth. She knows that, she was indeed injured.
"How…?" Kimmi bewildered by the outcome.
Internal Injury
A small voice echoed in her mind.
Her eyes widened. She had heard the voice before, it was the same eerie presence she had heard before. The one that terrified her deeply.
"I know you…" Kimmi whispered, pressing a shaky hand against her chest. "You were there before… weren't you?"
No answer.
Her fingers clenched into a fist. "Are you going to help me?"
Still, silence.
"Tell me! Tell me what to do!" she demanded, desperation creeping into her voice.
Still, nothing.
Kimmi exhaled through gritted teeth. "Fine! I'll figure it out myself!"
With a groan, Kimmi pushed up from the debris, ignoring the taste of iron on her tongue. Her body still felt fragile, but she could not afford to hesitate. Her legs wobbled, but she ignored the weakness. She needed to survive.
Her eyes darted across the field, scanning for anything that could be used to her advantage.
'Think, Kimmi. Think!' She to develop a plan to survive.
Then—
A faint whisper brushed against her mind. The words were distant, almost impossible to understand.
Art of Trickery—Stalk
Kimmi hesitated, then slowly repeated it under her breath. "Art… of… Trickery… Stalk?"
The moment the words left her lips, something changed.
A surge of power rippled through her, settling deep within her eyes. A strange sensation followed—both cold and warm at the same time.
Confused, Kimmi glanced at a nearby puddle from the broken fountain. Her breath hitched, her emerald-green eyes had shifted colour into a golden-ember.
Kimmi frowned. "What the heck was this?" She blinked in surprise.
Slowly, she turned her gaze toward the battlefield.
She saw a seven strange glyph hovered over the fallen bodies scattered across the courtyard. Some figures had no markings, while others bore similar glowing glyph. Even the giant bird has a glyph above it head.
She turned toward the wreckage of the pergolas, where the bird had previously found the children. Through the tangled debris of broken wood and shattered tables, she spotted a faint three mark glowing beneath it.
Kimmi shut her eyes for a moment.
Even in darkness, the glyph remained.
Her mind raced. 'These marks… They meant something…' She wondered.
Kimmi did not fully understand what was happening, but she knew one thing—those strange words she had spoken had triggered something. Some kind of magic. She could now see glowing glyphs floating above certain people heads, marking their locations.
Furthermore, not long ago, she had managed to summon a shroud of sand and dust, obscuring her from the beast sight. If she could cast the same spell again, she might just have a way to save the others.
A plan began forming in her mind.
"I can use the glyphs to find the survivors… and the sand dust as a smokescreen!" Kimmi thought excitedly. "This could work!"
Quickly, she scanned the courtyard. There were nine glyphs scattered across the areas—excluding the giant, angry bird, whose own glyph hovered ominously above it.
She scanned her surroundings—a tablecloth caught in the ruins of a shattered fountain, puddles of water glistening under the night light, and a heap of broken furniture alongside a fallen pillar in the courtyard corner, forming a natural barricade. Ideas clicked into place in her mind like pieces of a puzzle.
With a determined gleam in her eyes, Kimmi straightened her stance and raised her hand.
She was ready.
The bird charged toward her, talons digging into the dirt with every step. Kimmi held her ground, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Then—Her mind went completely blank.
"Wait… what was I supposed to say again?" Kimmi tried to remember the magic phrase she had used to summon the sand dust.
The beast was getting closer.
"Uh-oh." A cold sweat trickled down her brow.
The beast was few more steps toward her.
"I'm not ready yet!" she shrieked. "Art of Trick—Sand Storm! Art of Treachery—Sand Gust!"
She yelled random words, hoping something—anything—would happen.
BOOM!
A massive explosion of dust and debris erupted where she had been standing. The beast deadly beak slammed into the ground, leaving behind a gaping crater.
As the dust settled, the creature yanked its head up—only to find that it had missed again.
Kimmi stood frozen just beside the hole, paralyzed by fear. She had been an inch away from becoming bird food.
The beast turned to look at her, its expression almost comically shocked.
Kimmi stared back.
"Pfft..." She felt a powerful urge to laugh but managed to hold it in.
Then, without thinking, she thrust out her hand and shouted the one spell she failed to remembered.
"Art of Trickery—Sand Dust!"
WHOOSH!
A powerful gust of sand blasted directly into the beast eyes.
The giant bird screeched, flinching violently as the dust blinded it. It staggered and flailed, trying to shake the grit from its eyes.
Inside the swirling cloud of dust, Kimmi also suffered the consequences of her own spell.
"AGH—NOT AGAIN!" she coughed, rubbing at her face.
But this time, she was prepared. She had grabbed a wet tablecloth earlier, soaking it in the puddles nearby. She quickly covered her face with it, preventing the dust from choking her.
Taking advantage of the bird momentary blindness, Kimmi dashed out from cloud of dust, her eyes locked onto the glowing glyphs floating in the chaos. Before leaving, she had stuffed extra wet cloths into her shoulder—her emergency supply for her plan to work.
Her first target was nearby.
Reaching the glowing glyph, she found a woman—one of the castle maids—collapsed on the ground. Blood trickled from her ears, staining her uniform.
Kimmi sucked in a sharp breath.
"The screech…" she whispered, remembering the deafening sound from her earlier encounter. She guessed that must have been what knocked them out.
She glanced toward the giant bird, watching as it thrashed around in frustration. She had no idea how long the dust would keep it distracted.
Moving quickly, Kimmi covered the maid head with a cloth, making sure she could breathe safely. Then—
"Art of Trickery—Sand Dust!"
Another cloud of dust exploded around them. Satisfied with the cover, Kimmi drag the unconscious woman.
To her surprise, the maid felt light.
"Huh…?" Kimmi muttered. "Why is she so easy to carry?"
Kimmi had planned to drag the maid to safety, but upon realizing how light she was, she hoisted her onto her shoulder and ran toward a safe location as fast as possible. Though, given Kimmi height, it was more like an awkward shuffle—since the maid legs were still dragging along the ground.
As she reached the barricade, Kimmi gently laid the maid down, smoothing her bloodstained hair.
"It's going to be okay," she whispered.
A faint, muffled sound came from the woman lips, but Kimmi could not make out the words.
Something stirred within her chest—a mix of sadness, relief, and warmth. The overwhelming urge to act that had once disturb her had settled into a quiet harmony.
She took a deep breath.
"Alright…" she murmured, clenching her fists. "Now let's work together."
Kimmi was talking to herself—the urge. She now confident that she could now save the survivor and buy some time for help to arrive.
No longer bound by doubt or dread, she walks a path on thin thread.
The Main Wall
Beyond the castle and the chaos unfolding in the Grand House Hall, the true battlefield lay at the main wall of Limelight City. Under the pale glow of the flickering star and dust ring, destruction reigned.
The once-imposing barrier, built to withstand sieges and invasions, now bore deep scars—cracks splintered through its stone, and entire sections of the siege weapon had crumbled beneath the relentless attacks of giant singing birds.
Seven colossal Cootics circled above, their haunting melodies twisting through the air like a cursed symphony. Their piercing screeches sent waves of agony through the defenders, but unlike before, the knights and guards were prepared. With protective headgear and warding spells, they braced against the sound, their formation holding firm despite the relentless assault.
The beasts searched for an opening, their sharp eyes gleaming with predatory intent, but the cities defenders stood resolute, ready for any attack.
Despite their siege weapons and magical wards, the wall defences struggled to hold. Ballistae fired massive elemental bolts into the night sky, but the birds, swift and intelligent, weaved through the attacks with unnatural grace.
"DO NOT LET THE BEASTS REACH THE SIEGE WEAPONS!"
The command sent a fresh surge of urgency through the defenders. The knights and guards tightened their formations, shields raised, spears gripped with determination.
At the same time, the mages on the wall stretched their hands toward the sky, their incantations weaving together into a shimmering barrier. The protective magic flared to life just in time—an incoming energy blast from one of the Cootics slammed against the shield, sending ripples of light cascading outward. The blast dissipated harmlessly, sparing the ballistae from destruction.
But the battle was far from over.
A massive Cootic, its charred wings still smoldering, let out a bone-rattling screech and swooped downward, talons extended as it landed atop one of the wall towers. The stone trembled under its weight, debris crumbling from the impact. The defenders braced for another devastating attack—
THWANG!
A massive lightning bolt from a ballista cut through the air like a spear of judgment. It struck true, piercing clean through the beast thick neck. For a moment, its cry caught in its throat, its haunting melody dying mid-note.
Then—its body jerked, trembled, and with a heavy, lifeless thud, it collapsed, its wings twitching before falling still.
A stunned silence followed.
Then—cheers erupted from the knights and guards.
With spirits reignited, the defenders readied their weapons once more. The battle for Limelight City raged on, but now, hope burned brighter than before.
As the cheers of victory echoed along the wall, a heavy gust of wind suddenly whipped through the battlefield.
BOOM!
Another giant bird, even larger than the last, landed right in front of the barrier, its talons digging into the stone. Its massive wings spread wide, casting an ominous shadow over the defenders.
Then—its beak opened.
A vortex of energy swirled within its maw, the air crackling with raw power. The knights and guards braced themselves, realizing the barrier would not hold against a direct blast from such close range.
But before the beast could unleash its devastating attack—
A dark blur dropped from the sky.
CLANG!
A figure, clad in full armor, crashed down onto the beast thick neck with the force of a meteor. The impact alone dispelled the swirling vortex.
The Cootic screeched, rearing its head in shock—but it was too late.
With both hands gripping a massive war hammer, the armoured warrior twisted his body and delivered a devastating swing to the back of the bird skull.
CRACK!
The sheer force of the blow sent the beast toppling forward, its wings flailing as it crashed against the stone wall, nearly rolling over itself. The soldiers barely had time to react before the warrior leaped forward, raising his hammer once more.
"Art of the Moon Knight—Ignition Break!"
A surge of flames erupted from his weapon as he brought it down. The war hammer struck directly onto the beast head—
BOOM!
A fiery explosion engulfed the beast skull, obliterating it instantly. Charred feathers and scorched bone scattered into the air as the lifeless body slumped against the wall, its death sealing another hard-earned victory.
Not further away from the scene, another giant bird let out a final, piercing screech before crashing to the ground, its massive wings twitching in its last moments. Surrounding its fallen body stood a group of knights, their armour gleaming under the moonlight, each bearing a different emblem—warriors from various houses.
For a moment, silence reigned.
Then—the defenders roared in triumph.
"Knight Commander!" A guard gasped, still in shock.
A knight narrowed his eyes, watching as the armoured figure stood amidst the flames, hammer resting against his shoulder. The embers flickered around him, painting his steel-plated figure in an eerie glow.
He was an older man, bald with a greying goatee, his expression hardened like stone.
"Report." His voice was cold and sharp.
"Knight Commander, Sir! We were attacked by a Cootic, sir!" the knight reported.
Russel eyes darkened. "Tell me something I don't know, fool."
The knight swallowed hard. "Sir! There were at least twelve Cootics attacking the wall, sir. Six of them, including the two—" He pointed at the beasts beneath the Commander and the house knights before continuing, "—have already fallen, sir!"
Another knight rushed forward. "Lord Russel—Sir! One of the beasts crashed into the castle!"
Russel turned serious, the weight of the words settling over him heavily. "Are you certain?"
The knight hesitated for only a second before nodding. "Yes, my lord."
Russel exhaled sharply, his grip tightening around his weapon. "Damn it all…" He turned sharply toward his men, his voice cutting through the chaos.
SCREEEEECH!
The remaining Cootics, sensing the shift in battle, flapped their massive wings and launched themselves back into the air. Their eerie cries echoed through the night as they abandoned the attack, fleeing toward the distant mountains.
"They're retreating, sir!" a knight shouted.
Russel response was immediate.
"Keep firing!"
The remaining siege weapons—the few that had survived the brutal assault—turned their sights to the retreating beasts.
TWANG!
Ballista bolts soared through the night, illuminating the dark skies with streaks of lightning. Some of the projectiles found their mark, piercing wings and sending wounded birds plummeting from the heavens. Others barely missed, streaking past the beast as they disappeared beyond the mountains.
And then—it was over.
The beasts were gone.
For a long moment, no one spoke. The battlefield, once filled with the sounds of death and destruction, now lay eerily quiet.
Then, one knight raised his sword high into the air.
"VICTORY!"
A thunderous roar erupted from the defenders.
Russel's voice cut through the celebration like a blade. "House knights, why are you here?" he demanded. But before they could answer, he waved a hand dismissively. "No matter. Ensure the beasts are dead—I don't want a single one left breathing!"
"Yes, Knight Commander!" The house knights saluted in unison and set to work.
Russel, however, barely acknowledged them. His gaze was locked onto the distant castle. His jaw tightened. His grip on his war hammer clenched.
"One of the beasts crashed into the castle."
The report gnawed at him. He could not waste another second.
With a powerful leap, he vaulted over the battlements, his armoured plummeting toward the ground below.
THOOM!
The paved stone cracked beneath his landing. Nearby guards flinched, hands instinctively gripping their weapons—then quickly recognized him and snapped into a salute.
"Sir!" one of them called out. "The wall—"
"No time," Russel snapped. His eyes locked onto a nearby warhorse. Without hesitation, he mounted it, gripping the reins tightly.
With a single command, he spurred the beast forward.
Thunderous hooves pounded against the earth as he raced toward the castle.
The winged beasts retreat, the battle is won, yet beyond the wall—her fight's not done.