It was early spring when the note from the lord arrived at the village. It was a letter informing Sir Egbert that a big horde of monsters was on collision course with Rivervalley. After a moment to comprehend the danger he called for his oldest squire.

“Balin!”

Called the knight.

“Go to the village and warn everyone of the danger. I will start preparations for the task ahead of us. Now move!”

Balin knew the danger they were all in. A monster horde could easily kill everyone in the village if they aren’t ready in time. He had to warn the people. Looking back, he overreacted considering the time they had left. He didn’t even bother to take of the chain armor that he wore for practice and ran. He left the small fort that his master lived in and sprinted towards the town square. He ran towards the river bifurcation around which the village was built. Out of breath he arrived his destination. While he took a moment to catch his breath at the tannery, Rose the witches apprentice approached him clearly in a good mood despite the strong smell from the tannery.

“Balin hey, why are you running like an idiot in full gear around? Did you f’ck up and Egy sent you on a punishment run again?”

Balin caught his breath and quickly said.

“Monster horde… on collision course with village… I have to warn everyone!”

Rose quickly lost her cheeriness.

“Wait! You’re serious. Sh’t. Go warn everyone in the town center! I’ll help you by warning the people here.”

Rose turned around and entered the tannery. To warn the people there. And Balin kept running. As he approached the town center the ran into other friends and acquaintances. He told all of them the same bad news. Their reactions varied. Some like Rose went to help spreading the message others ran home to see if their family is ok and some broke into panic. When Balin reached the town square he shouted out loud.

“In less then a month a horde of monsters will attack the town. Everyone stays calm! We will inform you of the what will happen. But please tell everyone what is going on and don’t panic!”

At first there was a moment of confusion among the villagers. Then one woman from the small crowd asked.

“How do you know that?”

Balin took a deep breath and loudly answered.

“I am Balin. I am the oldest squire of Sir Egbert and my master has gotten a letter from Lord Conway. In that letter he wrote that a horde of monsters is on collision course with the village. Sir Egbert has already started to take the necessary steps to keep everyone safe. But I am asking everyone here to not panic and follow the plan that we are making right now. So please: Don’t panic!”

As Balin was shouting his message into the crowd the people got louder and louder until Balin was barely hearable and despite Balin’s orders they started to panic. From everywhere a ton of questions were asked such as.

“How many monsters will be there?”

“What type of creature will the horde consist of?”

“What does Sir Egbert plan to do?”

And many more. At first Balin tried to answer to as many questions as he could, which didn’t go as well as he hoped. Realizing that this was a hopeless endeavor, Balin didn’t even bother to try and calm the people down and left the place as soon as he was done. Sneaking his way out before someone could approach him and ask him questions that he couldn’t answer. So Balin made his way to his family’s home at the end of the village. As to be excepted only his mother and youngest sister were around. His father was probably still working as a scribe for Sir Egbert and probably won’t come home due to the upcoming emergency.

“Say Balin! Do you know what that commotion outside is all about? Since an hour all that I’ve been hearing from outside is people running around and yelling.”

His mother asked her son. So Balin repeated what he has told everyone for the last one and a half hours.

“A monster wave is coming. And I just warned the people here on order of Sir Egbert. I just wanted to come quickly to you and make sure you know. Chances are that I won’t come home a lot in the coming weeks since in addition to training I now also must help with the preparations for the attack.”

“Will you be ok?”

“Yes, I probably will. After all that is exactly what I’ve been training for all those years. Now I must go and report back. Love you.”

Balin hugged his mother and left making his way to the fort. When he finally arrived Sir Egbert was already expecting him. Both Balin and the second younger squire Dilan were brought into a room a bit by the side of the main areas. It was the records room.

“Listen you two! I want you to check how much money we have. We need to buy all the help we can get. No matter the price. If we want everyone to make it. So, I want you to help here and look for everything that can be cashed in as soon as possible. Once we have decided what kind of services we will get I will send you and some others to get what we need. This will be a long month. Now move!”

Two weeks later. One week until the attack

Balin and Dilan just returned from a longer training session. Ever since the note arrived the two squires did more anti monster and group tactics exercises then they are used to. Balin’s father was standing in front of a large chart filled with various bottles and kegs.

“Hey over here! I need your help if you aren’t too tired. I need one of you two to get Madame Mine. We’ve got a few loads of supplies that need to be checked. Can one of you two get her? I would go myself, but we have more stuff that needs inventorying.”

He started to walk way as he yelled in an almost sarcastic manner.

“Thank you.”

Both youths were tired from running around with heavy gear for the last two hours. So, without even having to say anything they made a short game of rock paper scissor to see who would have to go and get the witch.

Half an hour later Dilan came back with the middle-aged witch and her apprentice. Balin showed her where the tonics and potions were stashed, while an out of breath Dilian showed his friend the finger as he left since he was still unhappy over picking scissors instead of paper.

“These are the potions that were ordered?”

Asked Rose.

“They better be. According to Dad they cost us over one hundred aguri. I have trouble even imagining that much money at once.”

“They better be worth it.”

Said the witch.

“The emergency taxes nearly bleed us dry. Those dumb potions better all be worth it. Rose”

The witch pointed to a chest filled with tubes of balsam.

“Test these over there please. I will start over here.”

The next few minutes Balin mostly stood around while the two women were experimenting with the various mixtures. Until Rose mumbled.

“What the f’ck.”

“Watch your mouth!”

“Sorry Mother. What I wanted to say is that this Ichor is weird. Here smell it!”

She gave her mother the tube. The witch sniffed it shortly, closed her eyes and proclaimed.

“You are right. Although the color is shimmers golden the smell is wrong. There is a distinct lack of Moly in there.”

“What does that mean?”

Asked Balin from the doorframe out.

“Hmm oh right you can’t know that. Ichor is a potion that you can put on wounds to… well not quite heal them but close the wound so that you stoop bleeding out. It also helps the body to make more blood to replace the blood lost.”

“And that Moll stuff...”

“Moly is a key ingredient, very expensive. It also has a very strong smell that even most un experienced alchemists can recognize. I hope that this was just a mistake. Rose, we must dig through all the tubes with Ichor and find all the ones that miss the Moly. I hope this was just an accident and that the rest is ok.”

The women went back to work sorting out the rest of the inventory. Sadly, it ended with Rose kicking and breaking a valuable looking bottle.

“This can’t be f’cking possible. Those ASSHOLES ripped us of.”

Balin wanted to calm her down. But it was pointless.

“What is going on? Madame Mine could you please tell me what is going on!”

The woman explained tired and defeated.

“One fourth of the Ichor bottles are useless, there is no shamrock in any of the Lionsbrew containers making it essentially poison and the pain relief medicine is literally colored wine. And that is just what we were able to quickly find. Based on that we have to assume that most here is just trash.”

“I’ll report this immediately to Sir Egbert. Please keep checking the things! We will need everything that we can get.”

The witch left out a sad sigh and continued her work. Balin left to do as he said. It took him a moment to find Sir Egbert as he wasn’t in any of the main areas of the fort where he usually resigned. Instead he was in the stables where he was cleaning Sunrise, his favorite horse.

“Oh, hey Balin. Good that you came here. I was going to call you soon anyways, so I might as well tell you now that Lord Conway has agreed to send us support troops to help us fortify the area. But he also ordered a ban on leaving the village for the people for the time being. Don’t ask me why. I barley understand the reason. Something about reinforcing the area and supplying the troops. Shouldn’t be too bad with the lord’s men here.”

“Sir, I come with bad news.”

Sir Egbert turned around to face Balin quickly became more serious.

“What happened? Tell me!”

“The big shipment of medicine that we got turned out to be…”

Balin was struggling with finding the right words.

“a big part of it was… is trash.”

Sir Egbert stamped on the ground and threw the brush he was holding against the wall, scaring his mount. He took a deep breath to calm down from his outburst of anger.

“Ok… this isn’t… as bad as we might think it is. After all the lord’s men are coming. And some of the mercenaries that we hired should come in the next few days. Yeah… all is ok… Balin! Keep me updated on everything that happens. And tomorrow morning you will go to the town square and tell the people that the lords soldiers are coming and that they must stay here. Alright? Got it? Good. You are excused. Go to your chambers and we’ll se tomorrow. After all Gabriel supplies aren’t the only ones we paid for help. If the rest delivers without a hitch nothing too bad will happen.”

One week later. Two days until the arrival of the horde

Everyone was on the edge. According to the calculations in about two days the horde will arrive and attack. But they weren’t ready. A small group of sorcerers drew some magical lines and runes to help defending. Some erected invisible walls for some short time others exploded on contact and a third kind emitted a loud sound and light as a warning signal, in case that some monsters were flanking the village and attacked from an unexpected angle. Balin and Dilan had to memorize the positions of every single one of the runes. The one who was the most on the ropes was clearly Sir Egbert. The Lords men were nowhere to be seen and the mercenary band that they hired for extra support was nowhere to be seen. The knight and his two squires were doing some last weapon exercises before the chaos starts. Right now, Sir Egbert was sparring with Dilan, while Balin watched from the sides.

“God dammit Dilan. Hold your lance correctly! If you mess up, we can all DIE in a few days. So. concentrate!”

Sir Egbert was yelling at his son. Castigating him for a mistake that he didn’t make. Both Balin and Dilan knew that Dilan didn’t make a mistake, but Sir Egbert was not in a state where he could fairly judge the exercises. Dilan was about to complain when Balin’s father entered the training area.

“Hey Egsy! Do you have a minute!”

“What? I told you NOT to call me that!”

The knight barked at his brother, intimidating the newcomer.

“Some guys from the mercenary group we hired just arrived. They wanted to speak with you.”

“Finally, some good news. Bring them here!”

“Of course.”

Shortly after the scribe came back with six people. They were all armed. Three were wearing chain mail and melee weapons while one had a large bow around his shoulders and the last two were carrying staffs.

“Thank you for answering our call for help. I know that a dangerous horde is approaching us but don’t worry you. The rest of the money that we owe you will be giving to you and your group.”

The guy with the large bow was the one to answer. He stepped forth and said.

“That is what I wanted to talk to you about. There is no rest of the group. Our other 16 members all decided that the risk was not worth it, so they just decided to sack in the money but to not come. Me and my friends here”

He pointed at himself and his five companions.

“We decided that we can’t leave you all to die. Especially since we have already taken the money and request. We are sorry that we can’t do much more and apologize on behalf for our traitorous companions.”

The mercenaries bowed their heads in shame, but it wasn’t enough to satisfy the knights anger. As Sir Egbert cramped his veins with fury he took a deep breath and said while suppressing his anger and frustration.

“Alright. Balin and Dilan go and discuss the plan with the mercenaries. I will stay here and… do some exercises and will think things… over.”

The knight turned around and decided to vent his frustrations on one of the trees nearby but as he started to smack the tree with his pole the man with the bow yelled one last message.

“I also have a message from the hero of three front. For reasons we don’t know he won’t come to our aid. I am deeply sorry.”

A loud cracking sound was heard as Sir Egbert’s pole broke from the abuse. The knight started to throw the pieces of broken wood at the other people at the trainings area while screaming.

“Get the F’CK out of here! Everyone! Leave NOW! ...”

Everyone left the man to rant and rage on his own as they fleet the rocks that he started to throw when he had no pieces of wood left.

“What is his problem?”

Asked one of the chain mailed mercenaries.

“We are going to risk our lives to help him only to get yelled at what a dick.”

Answered one of his friends. But Dilan tried to put it into perspective by explaining.

“Normally he isn’t like this. It’s just that a lot of the help that we have hired or asked for just didn’t come to help. He is scared. The way it seems this will be a death sentence. And the town isn’t allowed to evacuate due to Lords orders.”

“Great we have accepted a suicide mission. Well if we are going to die in two days anyways how about you give me a blowjob Anne? Since you and Sasha aren’t together anymore you might as well.”

“Suck it Thel!”

The clocked magician answered.

“Come on I asked first.”

They continued they friendly banter as the man with the bow turned to Balin and Dilan and asked them.

“So, what is the game plan? Do you have any information that can be of use for us?”

“Hum oh yes. In my room I have a map with magical traps and warning runes. You should take a look at it! I already learned the positions of every single one. I’ll go get it wait in the common area.”

Dilan ran of to get the map while the bowman said.

“Thanks. Where will you guys be during the fight?”

He turned his head to Balin and Balin’s father who has been as usual quiet for the whole conversation. It was Balin’s father who explained it.

“I won’t be able to help you during the fight. I have some old wounds which I is why can’t do much for you, except for tending your wounds from time to time. But as squires of the knight Balin and Dilan will be able to help you guys in combat.”

He lifted his left sleeve where a big scar from the elbow to the shoulders was visible.

“Wow that is a big scar.”

Said the man.

“If you think this is a big scar you should see his hip! There is a big chunk missing same with his leg. It looks kind of creepy.”

“My son exaggerates. But yeah it is surprising that I can even walk semi properly. As you can see I do stagger a bit while walking. But it is ok. Me and more importantly my wife Kelly got used to it.”

“Is it ok to ask how you got those wounds or is it inappropriate?”

“HA. Nah its ok. When I was young. I fell from my horse and then off a cliff while hunting a boar and got impaled on a tree. Hurt like a…. well you can imagine. I think I drank Madame Mine’s entire storage of pain killing medicine in the first week almost died of that. She is still mad about that.”

Dilan came back with the promised map and gave it to the bowman.

“Thank you. Well if it is ok with all of you I and my team will go and study this so that we can use it to its fullest. Once this is all over we need to go and get a drink. Thel’s treat.”

The big guy heard that and yelled a playful.

“Hey!”

The bowman just chuckled at this and said good bye. As he was about to leave Balin asked him.

“Hey, you didn’t tell us your name. Could you please tell it to us?”

“Oh, did I forget that. Sorry. My name is Alrik. But call me Rick.”

One and a half days later. The day of the attack

Both Balin and Dilan were on lookout on an improvised watchtower that was build one and a half weeks ago. It gave them a good look around most of the valley especially upwards the river from where they expect the horde to appear. For the whole day they wore their armor and most of their equipment in case a smaller group of monsters split of and attacked early. It was only the two of them and past noon. Bored and hungry they were waiting for someone to deliver them lunch. When Sir Egbert came riding on Sunrise. He climbed the tower to reach his two pupils. He was almost worryingly pale.

“Did you sleep well Dad? You don’t look to good.”

“Do I? Guess that is to be expected. Today is the big day, the thing we’ve been preparing for a whole month.”

He took a deep breath. It was clear that he didn’t want to be here, but he continued.

“I’ll be honest with you two. It doesn’t look good for us. We aren’t prepared enough for what is about to happen. There isn’t enough medicine, the lord didn’t send us any men and half of the people that we have payed to help didn’t even show up. You two are still young and I don’t want you two to die here. So, if you want to get out.”

He paused for a second.

“I won’t stop you. I know that leaving the village is illegal and you probably would have to change your identity. But there are some guys that owe me a favor. So, if you would”

He got stopped by Balin.

“Sir. I could never leave. This is exactly what we have been working for all this time. I appreciate the thought, but I’ll stay.”

“I know you just want me to be save Dad, but I can’t leave either. If we leave then there won’t be anyone to protect the people. This is their home. OUR home. And we are ready to fight for it.”

Sir Egbert nodded.

“You two are two good kids. No, warriors. There are so many people out there that should take an example of your bravery. Thank you.”

He hugged the two young men and said with teary eyes.

“I am so sorry I you all have to go through this. No matter what happens today. Know that I am so proud of all of you.”

Then he left. Dilan didn’t look very good so Balin asked him how he felt.

“I don’t know how I feel. My father just told me to leave everyone and thing behind just to save my own life right after telling us that we are grossly underprepared for what might be the deadliest event of my life. If you hadn’t said that you’d stay I don’t know if I would have accepted his offer.”

“Just so you know if you were to run I would kill you.”

The boys started to snicker at the terrible joke.

“Even if you tried you wouldn’t be able to. I am still better then you.”

“Oh, fuck off!”

It would take another half hour until someone else would come to the duo. This time it was Alrick the archer. He was holding a small bag in his hand and waved to them as he approached the tower. Alrick climbed the tower and joined them. He opened the bag and gave the squires two sandwiches and bottles with water.

“At first, I didn’t want to come to you two but I met Balin’s mother on the way here and she asked me if I could bring the food to you two and since it was either that or getting crazy in anticipation of today evening I thought: Hey, I might as well annoy you two. So how are you two holding up?”

Dilan started to eat the food so Balin answered first.

“Aside for the boredom great. Sir Egbert just came through here and… told us to hang in there. Since this won’t be an easy fight. By the way. Thank you for bringing the food. We were starving here. And how is your group? You are making it?”

“I don’t know. Tension is high. It usually before a fight but it is worse since most of the Gaus-group isn’t here. We are used to defending villages or areas from monster attacks but until now there usually wasn’t much hesitation to help but this time we aren’t a complete group. So, I can’t tell.”

Dilan finished his sandwich and asked.

“Say why did only so few of you guys come? You didn’t tell it us.”

Alrick didn’t look to happy to be asked that question but he decided to tell the story anyways.

“There was a fight inside our group. Sasha our leader decided that the monster horde was too big and dangerous for us to fight. So, he just took the commission and called it a day. It is completely normal for us to deny a request if we can’t handle it, but he accepted the quest and took the money pay some dumb gambling depts back. Sadly, it appears that most of our team doesn’t have too much of a conscience and accepted our leader’s decision. So, I took the ones that had one and brought them here. It broke our heart to leave those guys behind, we fought, lived and laughed together and then they just stab their employers in the back. They are the worst kind of scum. Making all of us mercenaries seem untrustworthy. It’s already hard enough to get people to trust the random stranger with a sword without them killing our credibility. Screw those guys! Sorry, I rambled here for a second, but this is a very touchy thing for me. I hope I didn’t annoy you too much.”

Alrick became more and more exited and angry as he kept talking and both Balin and Dilan realized that it was an uncomfortable topic for their ally. So Balin reassured him.

“No, it is ok. It seemed like you had to get that of your chest. It is ok. We understand.”

There was a quiet pause in the conversation since no one knew how to progress from this weird and awkward topic. Until Dilan asked.

“Say, Rick how do you plan to fight when the horde comes? Are you going to use that bow of yours?”

“Mostly. The plan is that me and our two mages start on a house near town hall so that we can rain spells down on our foes while the other three defend the house entrance so that no monster can come to close. My job is to spot enemies, protect my guys at the entrance and pick of lone targets from a distance. Like that we should be able to mostly secure a small area. Would be easier if we had more people with whom we could do a similar setup on different houses but that won’t happen. Where will you two be?”

“Most of the towns men and some of the women want to fight as well. So, there will be three groups one lead by Sir Egbert one by Dilan and the last one by me. Most of the villagers who won’t fight will be in the town hall or in various basements, waiting for everything to blow over.”

Alrick gave an understanding nod and said good bye. He wanted to meet up with his friends since they only had a few hours at most left to prepare.