Chapter 50: The beasts' flock attack (5)

Charging out of the house and heading over to the center of the living quarter, Ramie and the group saw tenths of people running about with haste.

The night was especially bright, with countless stars and a gibbous moon hanging up in the sky.

Looking upward, tenths of dark silhouettes could be seen up in the sky screeching and circling right above the compound, as if they were vultures that had set their eyes on a prey.

"Whity says they know there are people here! They are marking us for hunt!" From behind Ramie, the anxious voice of Reem came.

After alarming the group, Reem hurried to inform the compound leader.

Hearing her words, the compound's leader face darkened. After which, he issued his orders to light up the torches.

Before, the orders were not to light up anything in nighttime, to avoid attracting the attention of the beasts. Now however, and knowing that the assault was happening anyway, and that the beasts goal was them, he ordered to bring out the torches, which were made using the oil from the carcass's of the buffalo beasts.

Shortly afterward, torches were lit throughout the central square, improving the vision clarity by a significant degree.

Some people came with large stacks of weapons and dropped them to the ground. Immediately, everyone rushed over and started picking up the weapons they are most familiar with. Ramie and the group did the same.

Most of the weapons were long spears, as they were the easiest weapons to use. Just point and thrust! Also, since no one in the compound actually had any weapon experience, the spears thus became the popular choice for most. Not to mention that the spears length gives the user a longer reach, hence a better range, allowing them to not get too close to the dangerous beasts.

Screech!

Screech!

Screech!

Screech!

Screech!

Issuing their version of war cries, the beasts started descending down at them with excited screeches, in anticipation for the incoming promising feast.

As the beasts dived down at them, Reem's face grew even paler: "This is bad! They are led by mid tier-2 beast!"

Like a clap of thunder, her words fell on the people's ears heavily, causing violent tremors of fear and anxiousness to rock their hearts.

Even the compound leader's countenance changed, as his body broke out in cold sweat.

He himself had energy ignition percent of only 2%, making him equivalent to beast that had just advanced his tier, meaning, he was comparable to weak low tier-2 beast.

It had to be said, warriors are originally at disadvantage when fighting beasts on the same level as them, especially beasts in the second tier and above. But now, he was actually supposed to fight a beast higher than him by an entire small level.

The entre course of this life and death battle was dependent on his fight with the tier-2 beast.

If he wins, the others would have a good chance to live. But, if he died, then, everyone here dies… as simple as that.

No one here aside from him was capable of confronting beast with that level.

Realizing the severity of the situation, the compound leader started shouting out some instructions. Following which, four warriors stood beside him, and two magicians stood behind the 4 warriors, to provide support for the leader in his fight.

Other than that, 20 other man with spears and Molotov cocktails stood with the leader, to support him in his decisive battle with the tier-2 beast.

In the square, and other than Ramie's group of 2 warriors, three magicians and the summoned beast, there was now the compound leader, 18 warriors, 5 magicians, as well as 80 individual of capable men and women.

In the square, almost everyone held spears, even the magicians. Some held Molotov bottles for support. As for the compound leader, he held a relatively long spear that was different from the rest. It was made completely of bones. The leader also held a large, square-shaped shield that was also made of bones. On his back, there was a quiver, carrying several bony spears. He intended to use those as throwing javelins.

Until now, the inhabitants had never faced assault on such large scale. They were very nervous, terrified even.

'They look like… vultures…'

Ramie's freaky eyes enabled him to see in the night almost as good as in the day. Hence, as the beasts dived down at them, and starting approaching closer and closer, Ramie was finally able to get a clear look on their appearance.

The beast general physical structure was greatly similar to vultures, with vicious eyes and very sharp claws. As for the standard size of the beasts, it was a bit larger than an average adult man.

Having seen the enemy, Ramie felt a great pressure in his heart.

The beasts numbered almost the same as them, which was very bad news, considering that the majority here were normal people with no life energy or magic. Also, this was the first time for anyone here to fight against this type of beasts. So, they had no experience in fighting them, which meant that there was no way to judge how this fight will go. Not to mention the biggest dilemma in this battle; which was the leading beast of this flock being stronger than the strongest individual in the compound, the leader.

Having conducted several training sessions, everyone knew what to do. Soon, in the living quarter's square, 9 teams gathered, including the compound leader's team. These teams gathered in one large circular formation.

The compound's leader team was formed with the compound leader as the main fighter, with 4 other warriors, 2 magicians, and 20 other individual for support.

As for the other 8 teams, each one comprised of 2 warriors as main fighters, with 7 to 8 people to support them, as well as one magician to support the entire team.

Etta was in one team with Reem, while Lance was in another team along with Neil's. Ramie on the other hand was alone in a third team.

The two warriors that were in Ramie's team had ignition percents of 10% and 18%, which made each of them comparable to low tier1 beast. They were among the weakest warriors in the compound.

However, ramie didn't complaint. He knew that other warriors didn't want him in their teams.

In fact, Ramie was fine with things this way, as during this week, and through his interactions with them, he found the two warriors in his team, which were actually brothers, very honest and simple. He had a good impression on the two.

At least, with those two warriors in his team, he wouldn't have to worry about being backstabbed for his gemstone.

Screech!

Screech!

Screech!

Screech!

As the flying beasts got in range, and upon seeing their preys gathering in a tight formation, they flapped their wings to slow down their descent, and then started screeching in intimidation, in order to scare off the preys into scattering, to make the hunt easier and more thrilling.

Locking his gaze at one beast, information appeared in Ramie's mind.

Tier-1 Beast

Name: Lammergeier

Innate Spells: none

Special notes: A beast that uses his sharp beak and claws to hunt his prey.

The artifact revealed to Ramie that this beast was normal beast and not a magical one, as it didn't have any innate spell.

However, instead of feeling relieved, Ramie frowned instead.

Normally, this was good news, as it meant that these beasts didn't have any spells that the group should be wary about.

However, as the beasts were close above, Ramie was able to sense that there were some beast among them that had magical aura, and not life energy.

Locking his gaze on one of these beasts, the stat screen appeared to Ramie.

Tier-1 Beast

Name: Magical Lammergeier

Innate Spells: Feather Blade

Special notes: A variant type of the Lammergeier, uses its discharged feathers to kill its prey.

Ramie felt unease, as it meant one more unknown variable to worry about. But right now, this battle was unavoidable. As such, he steeled his heart for the fight.

As the screeching flock got closer, and everyone was finally able to clearly see the beasts, the hearts of everyone fluttered for a second, before they gritted their teeth and prepared themselves for the fight.

Unlike the smaller beasts, the leading tier-2 beast scanned down at the large group of preys. And upon locating its target, its eyes shone with savagery before diving without hesitation.

Naturally, the target was the compound leader. Apparently, he was a worthy prey in the eyes of the beast.

As the beast dived at the compound leader, it brandished its claws.

Sensing the imminent danger of the rushing beast, the compound leader raised his massive shield, to block the attack.

Puchiing!!!

As the beasts claws pierced at the shield, a sharp sound rang out.

SCREECH!!!!

Seeing that its attack had actually been blocked, the tier-2 beast screeched in irritation.

As the beast stabbed down again at him, the compound leader waved up his large shield again, and managed to successfully block the second attack.

Whoosh!

It didn't stop there. He thrust the spear that he held in the other arm at the beast, wanting to take advantage of the chance to inflict a severe wound on the beast. He wanted to force it to retreat and put an end to this battle before it begins.

Screech!

Flap! Flap! Flap!

Letting out an angry screech, the beast flapped its wings three very quick, successive times, to avoid the sudden attack.

"Die…!"

Before the beast manages to evade, the compound leader rotated his life energy to its max, forcing his body to exert its maximum output of muscular power.

SCREEEEECH!!!!

With a splattered blood, the beast flapped its wing and gained some altitude, to create a distance between him and this dangerous foe. The beast could not believe that an opponent with an aura weaker than him was actually able to not only block its attack, but to land a hit on him in the process.

Seeing the sight, everyone was shocked. The leader had pulled off yet another miracle.

In a second, every ones blood boiled with excitement, and they started unleashing battle cries as their morals skyrocketed.

This brief confrontation of the leader gave them hope that this battle might not be as hopeless as it seems.

As the people cheered, Ramie wasn't feeling confident at all. His good eye sight enabled him to perceive much more details than others.

First, the injury of the beast wasn't deep enough to affect its battle performance, at least, not to an impactful degree.

Second, he could see that the compound leaders shield had cracks on it, which meant that with few more hits, the shield would shatter. And the defense advantage of the leader would go away, which would probably mean the end game for them.

All he could hope for now, was that this beast was stupid enough to make another mistake of such caliper, and allow the leader to land a killing blow this time… or that this beast would cowered and abandon this fight.

The next instant, Ramie's hope of a cowering enemy was shattered, as the beast dived again at the compound leader, ferociously. Apparently, the beast was coming for a pay back this time.

Like the previous time, the compound leader raised his shield to block the assault.

Puchiing!!!

Similar to the previous time, as the beasts claws pierced at the shield, a sharp sound rang out.

Everyone held their breath, anticipating the leader to repeat the previous feat, to finish the battle before it even begins.

The anticipated sight however… didn't come to be…

The crafty beast wasn't stupid enough to underestimate his opponent again, and give him a chance to counterattack. The moment the beast attacked the shield, it flapped its wing in a very violent and sudden movement, pushing itself upward to gain safe altitude, while simultaneously, creating an explosive current of wind at a certain direction, blowing away few people out of the safe formation.

Every ones heart sank at this development.

This beast was cunning one, and this was his retaliation for the injury.

Subconsciously, everyone knew… This was going to be a disastrous night…

…