The war against the unspawns had many names. The official one was The 2nd War of God. But elsewhere, it was known as the Exseed War. Or in lesser circles, The Quiet Invasion.

The Quiet Invasion never caught on as the name was said to undermine how severe the battles were. But it was named so, as unlike conventional battles, there were no sound of clashing swords of whizzing arrows. No steel on steel or steel on blood. Just crackling flames and people screaming. Unspawns did not interact with the physical world the same way. Theirs steps did not crack. Their swings did not whistle. The only time you knew you were being attacked was when you heard the cracking of your ribs.

Pempe was nine when the war came to its end. Back then, he did not realize what was happening. At least, not long until the battle was over. For the most part, he stayed hidden in his home and only glimpsed the world outside through curdling screams.

“Grandmama,” he asked out. “What's happening?”

The world outside their house sounded like a natural disaster. A raging inferno broiling through or a storm washing over. It was not a battle. Just an everyday terrible day. His grandmother, a spirited 65 year old nurse on a cane, hobbled quickly from one point in the building to another, hurriedly bringing supplies of food and water to the storeroom he hid in.

“It's all fine,” his grandmother replied, her head popping out the corner of the doorway with a smile. “Everything will be fine.”

He still worried. He wasn't scared, just worried. “Where are mom and dad?”

“They'll be back soon. Until then, I want you to stay in here, okay?” She began closing the storeroom door.

“Wait!” he yelled, and she paused. “Grandmama, where are you going? Aren't you staying with me?”

She smiled. “I'm going out there. People need my help.”

“But... isn't it dangerous?”

The old woman giggled and opened the door again. She knelt down next to him and patted his head. “Of course it is. But you want to be a good Spellblade when you grow up, right?”

He nodded.

“Then remember this. If you want to help people, always run towards the screaming. That's where help is needed the most.”

“Isn't there someone else? Why must it be you?”

“Of course there's someone else. But someone else won't always be there. And it's always good to have more people helping than less.” She ruffled his hair. “You're a good kid, Pemp. I'm sure you'll understand once you're older.”

***

“Pempe? Pempe!”

He jumped. The world came back to him as he retook in the scene of the tunnels and the booming cheers from the outside. Winter had come and gone. The air in the tunnels were starting to thicken with humidity as they transitioned from winter to leaf and soon to sear. A sweet muddy smell of life for the season seeped through the wall as freshly melted snow misted the air.

“Sorry,” he replied. “I was... somewhere else.”

Opposite him was Kingston, who looked on with raised brows. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Just, a little out of it.”

His friend smiled. “I spoke with Sik Rehiy. He said that if you're really that uncomfortable with calling the shots, you can sit that responsibility out. I can take over for you.”

“Really?” Pempe replied, surprised. “Do you want to?”

Kingston laughed. “Not really. Giving orders is not really my thing But someone's got to do it, if not you.”

Pempe chuckled. “You really know how to give a pep talk.”

With a shrug, Kingston replied, “Not much pep needed for you. So I just talk. I figured you'll be able to make a decision.”

Pempe sighed. His thoughts wandered back on his grandmama. She survived the war and passed away peacefully in her sleep three years after. Even towards the end, she continued to help with the reconstruction efforts. She served soup to the displaced and homeless, and continued to help as a nurse advisor in hospitals. Throughout it all, she maintained that she helps because someone else won't always be there.

“I'm fine,” Pempe finally answered. “I can do it.”

“That's the spirit. Now perk up. From what it sounds like, we're about to be going up soon.”

The crowd outside roared again. More and more people had been flooding into Rubicum. At the turn of the season with the start of the quarter finals, every inn in the city had been booked and campsites on the outskirts a amassed.

“There's a lot more people now,” Kingston voiced aloud.

Enneya Devini walked up to their side and joined the conversation at that opening. “It's the quarter finals now. Everything up to this had been warm-ups. I think almost every Spellblade on Tearha is here.”

“So no pressure?” Pempe asked.

“None. Unless you're the one leading the team and a single mistake will cause all our training to go to waste. So, me, no pressure.” She grinned.

He bubbled. “You sure know how to make me comfortable.”

She shrugged. “I do my best.”

A scream echoed down the tunnel corridors and out. The terror in its tone pierced their souls and sent a familiar shiver down their spines. The entire class turned to the direction of the noise further town the dark.

“What was that?” Pempe exclaimed.

They realized quickly that the shouting happening outside were no longer cheers. Instead, they carried a terrified tonal shriek. The normally booming voice of the commentator had also gone quiet instead of just being drowned out by the crowd.

Nos – who had been sitting against the wall – ran his hands over the ground as it shook. “Something's stomping.” He got to his feet and looked deeper into the corridor. “Everyone–”

Pempe loaded a seed into his gun and finished, “Battle stations.”

Bellowing dust was what they saw first followed by a bright flash of flames. The creature barrelled through the corridor and skidded into the junction without a noise. A dangling net covered what was the outline of its 'face'. Six large stubby footprints stamped the ground through its translucent feet which were bent like wolves. A long, coiling body snaked around the corner. Its 'face' opened up and a dark, starry, trans-dimensional insides revealed itself.

The unspawn charged. Pempe fired his unique ammunition which exploded the moment it left the barrel of his gun. Spindly vines opened like a web. Sharp extensions pierced through the circular tunnel walls and ceilings, creating a vine-web which sealed in the corridor.

He yelled a command. “Outside! Now!”

Everyone ran for the exit that lead to the field. Kingston and Four swapped with Pempe and Seks to provide cover fire for their range impeded classmates. The creature slammed into the vine web with its stubby arms to pull away the magically enhanced trap that blocked its path.

“Seks, earth cage! Four-Chan! Pulverize it!” Pempe shouted.

Once outside the tunnel, Four created five pillars of light and readied her turrets. Seks ran up to her side, turned back to face the tunnels and once the last of their classmates cleared, fired a series of shots at the tunnel walls. Earth spike exploded into grills as the unspawn broken free of the vine webs and continued its rush forward, only to be halted once again by its new prison. Four fired and a hail of light showered into the tunnel, some shots blasting off chunks of dirt and catching up clouds of dust.

The pillars of light diminished with each shot. And even when she was emptied of magical ammunition, Four continued to hold her guns out, away from akimbo.

“Is it...” Four began but stopped short of finishing her sentence, afraid to jinx the outcome.

The dust clears and the tunnel was left in ruins. Spikes and blast craters littered but the creature was gone. Defeated back to where it came.

Together as one, the class breathed a sigh of relief before noticing the noise around them and turning to face the field.

It was chaos. Spectators had retreated into large clumps of huddled masses within the stands while guards surrounded them in protective walls. Spellblades jumped at and pushed back trickles of unspawns small and big.

“What's going on?” Shimona exclaimed.

Trini replied, “As if I'd know.”

A voice boomed overhead and announced, “This is Consort Rubi of Rubicum. All civilians are to proceed to their nearest shelter tunnels. Any available Rubicum Forces Spellblades are to mobilize and push back the unspawns. Mercenaries, you will be compensated in the aftermath and I humbly ask for your assistant in defending the unarmed in this time of crisis. The students of Aleynonlia's Academy are to clear a path to the station and help in evacuation. Follow the lead of your teachers if you find them.”

“Well,” Lua voiced. “You heard the lady. Let's get going!”

Before they could move from their spot, Rubi continued, “Class C, stand your ground. I'm coming to you.”

Quinton looked to his sister. “She called us out. Why?”

Ishumi translated, “Our epitaphs.”

Everyone exchanged nervous glances. Pempe worried. Wast that it? Were they the cause of the attack? They had not been able to do anything about their epitaphs up to that point, so why were they suddenly being thrust into the fray? Things were spiralling out of control and his classmates looked to him for guidance. He knew as little as they did about what was happening but he put up a brave face anyway.

“I don't know what's going on either. But this is likely the moment we've all been preparing for since we've got numbered. We still don't know what's in store for us and it's going to be a rush. But I say we find out, head on.” He pumped his shotgun. “We all know know first-hand, the damage the unspawns are capable of and I think that's why most of us chose the path of Spellblade instead of whatever else life would have prepared for us. We wanted to fight so the horrors of the war never happened again. So if this is really on us, then like Lady Rubi said. We stand.”