First Day of the Stampede, The North Wall

“What is the situation in the East Wall?” Mihr Orril asked as he gazed at the land beyond the wall. Monsters were gathering in the forest, and soon, they would come.

“The battle there had already begun. There were even Gigantelopes.” The aide reported.

“The heck? They are super rare!” Mihr exclaimed in envy. “Any drop?”

“Actually two of them. Lucy is really lucky.”

“Damn the North Wall, and damn that stupid Cross. Special mission my ass. He abandoned the Stronghold and now I have to battle.” Mihr complained silently.

“Wall Crushers are here.” The aide pointed at the big monsters. They looked like giant ants. Walking on six legs, these giants looked creepy. But the bigger they were, the clumsier they got. Other monsters were scuttling away from them or got smashed by their giant figures.

“Deal with it. I am not in the mood.”

“Yes, sir.” Aide saluted as he gathered the rest of the soldiers and guards. They jumped over the wall and stood against the giant ants. When the monsters were a certain distance away from their party, a rainbow of attacks formed in the hands of hunters. In the next second, all the attacks rained down on the durable exoskeleton of the monsters, and with an explosion, monsters were pushed back, most of them dead.

The aide was a guard hired by Mihr’s grandfather for him. He had a Water Elemental Superpower that allowed him to form mirages in the air to fool his opponents. He could easily trick monsters as most of them weren’t smart, to begin with.

Mihr watched them lazily from where he was standing and looked bored. Lucy got Gigantelopes, Porseila got Sloth Fangs. The Wall Crusher on his side were ants. Lousy, regular giant ants with no valuable orbs.

“Damn my luck!”

“Sir, monsters are done.” The aide ran back with cores. “No orbs.”

“Doesn’t matter anyway.” Mihr ignored the stretched hand and looked beyond the wall. “I hate the North.”

While Mihr Orril was in a foul mood, soldiers were clearing the opening and killing other, weaker Wall Crushers. While his own guards were leading them around. Ballistas on top of the walls were dealing with the avians who were trying to enter through the sky. Lucky for them, there were no Flying Pigs on their side. They wouldn’t be able to deal with them as finessely as Lucy did.

“Sir, Crying Pandas are approaching!” The Aide ran in panic, as he reported. Mihr swore loudly as he looked at the monstrous creatures bouncing towards the wall. They weren’t big, no. They were quite small. But their cries could already be heard.

“Get back. I will deal with them.” Mihr said as he donned his armor. He willed armor to seal his ears and pulled out a spear. The Holy Light from his arm moved to the spear and covered it fully. When the small fuckers were ten meters away from him, Mihr swung his spear in a horizontal wave, and the light left the spear. Like a tidal wave, it moved towards the monsters who were approaching while crying. Soldiers behind the wall were already covering their ears in pain. Some were bleeding from every hole in their heads.

The light slash clashed with little beasts and forced them back. Some were seriously injured but the battle had just begun. Unlike soldiers, Mihr’s guards were more experienced. They too sealed their ears and started to battle with their boss. Different types of attacks landed on monsters and riddled them with holes in no time.

“Fuck my luck! Today everything is shitty!” Mihr cursed as he kicked the core he fished out from the monster’s body.

Third Day, The North Wall

A core rolled over the forest until it stopped when a foot stepped on it. Mihr Orril raised his gaze from the core to the person who stepped on the core and took a step back when he saw the gruesome, small figure.

The creature looked like a human child, but the ugly ramus on its back looked monstrous. The eyes of the beast were nothing human either. Multiple pupils in each eye looked creepy. Mixed with the smile, it looked horrendous.

“Who the hell are you?” Mihr got his courage back and asked.

“No one you know.” The monster answered back. “You shouldn’t curse your luck though, it will make it worse.”

“What do you know about luck?” Mihr rebuked in anger.

“You have such a holy power. You should be more faithful, don’t you think?” The boy looked serious, but in one of those pupils, a careful eye could detect sarcasm.

“You sound like a Chanter. But you are a monster. Well, Chanters are monsters as well.” Mihr mocked back.

“That, they are.” The boy spat in disgust as he rushed forward. Mihr Orril raised his spear to intercept the approaching claw. When both clashed, Mihr felt his arm quaking.

‘Such power!’ He shouted in his heart as he formed Light Swords in the air. 24 of them floated on top of his head, while he swung his spear from air to ground.

Flying slash left the tip of the spear towards the boy. While two holy swords also flew towards the monster. Multiple pupils locked on every direction and dodged each attack with the fluency of a dancer.

Just as the monster was about to attack back, his eyes locked onto the empty space and smirked. In the next second, he turned his back to that area and looked over Mihr Orril.

“Why do you smirk?” Mihr Orril asked with a poker face. But in his heart, he was rejoicing.

“It is funny.” The monster answered.

“What is?”

“Your stupidity.” The boy answered as he arched his back. Bones on his back flew outward and tens of spikes flew towards the empty space.

“No!” Mihr shouted in panic but it was too late. The flying spikes started to stab people hiding behind the monster. The aide, who was controlling the mirage to hide the soldiers, was at the forefront and was stabbed in the heart. The spikes were too vicious and tens of soldiers dropped dead in a matter of seconds.

“Hehe, I am immune to illusions! The bright side of having these ugly eyes.” The monsters snickered as he pulled out a meter-long spiked from his back. He held it in his hand as he gazed at Mihr Orril.