Far to the north of Akira at the new town Bent-Gii.

“Gi~!” shouted Prince GobGob on top of the town's new and sturdy stone walls.

At his command, a wave of arrows shot into the air and rained down onto the charging enemy.

“AH!” several cries of pain rang out as some of the arrows hit their targets. Even with several of them being hit, the enemy charge was not stopped. They only took out glass bottles filled with red liquid and drank them as they continued running forward, now with arrows sticking out of their bodies.

“These damn demigods don't know when to give up! Are we going to have to kill every last demigod on the continent to make them stop?” asked Varbu as he watched the demigods charge forward under the raining arrows. The attacking demigods showed no fear in charging such a heavily defended town. This was something that Varbu and even the bravest warrior would have to think twice about before doing it.

“Ah! Not you guys, you're okay. I'm sorry your hunting was cut short by this attack,” said Varbu turning to a small group of Minor lycans that were standing next to him watching the enemy come closer.

“Your feelings are understandable. I have no love for most of those you call demigods. They are not my family! It is a good thing we came here to help clear the area of winter monsters, now we get a chance to show off our training again!” said Beater.

The other minor lycans all nodded their heads in agreement. They had originally come here to help clear the more troublesome monsters hiding in the surrounding area. This was because the monsters had become more aggressive now that winter had arrived and the food supply was dwindling.

“Isn't it a bit odd to be fighting against them?” asked Varbu as he watched the approaching enemy demigods.

“Do you feel odd when you fight against another demon race?”

Varbu scratched his head and said, “Not really... we're not related so...”

“Gii! Gii giii!” said Prince GobGob looking towards Varbu and the demigods with a scowl. Several goblins were getting wounded and they were just chatting like a battle was not happening.

“We're ready to fight, don't get angry!” said Varbu.

“Remember we have to let them get close and think that it is only you guys here. Then we will launch the trap and attack them when they are all trying to get inside,” said Beater.

“Are you guys sure you can do this? What if you die?”

“It's fine. We already set Bent-Gii as our base of operations. So if we do die we'll just reappear here tomorrow at the same time we died.”

“I'm looking forward to getting payback,” said Crowbahr.

“Me too. I was constantly bullied by the northern guilds and guild members. They were always stealing my gold, equipment, and potions. Some of them even killed me multiple times. If it weren't for them, my strength wouldn't have been so weak for so long! Luckily sister Teresa took me under her wing and helped me grow and regain trust in others,” said Beater.

“Giii!” said Prince Gobgob pointing at the enemy.

The enemy demigods had reached the walls and were now using their various skills to create a ramp or ladder to reach the top of the wall. At such a close range the demigods that were not hiding behind shields or protective skills were shot full of arrows.

Several unlucky demigods turned into hundreds of light fragments after being careless and were unable to drink a potion before dying.

“It's time to cut them down!” said Varbu. “We'll defend the walls while you deal with them down there.”

While Prince GobGob and Varbu fought off the demigods' attempts to climb the stone wall, Beater, Crowbahr, and the rest of the minor lycans transformed into their dark and light gray werewolf form.

“Awooo!” With a new powerful feeling filling their entire body, they let out an energetic howl before jumping off the wall and falling onto the gathered demigod's ramp and ladders that were being set up.

BAM!

Beater landed on top of a demigod slamming them into the ground. Before the demigod could stand up, a sword stabbed through the small gap between their helmet and breastplate piercing his neck. Blood gushed out of the wound for a few seconds before the demigod underneath Beater turned into light fragments and disappeared.

“Good kill,” growled Crowbahr as she landed next to Beater.

“It's a good thing that night arrives so quickly in the south otherwise we would be stuck defending with our normal skills!” growled Beater as he swiped at a demigod with his claws, tail, and sword, confusing those that were around him due to his erratic and wild fighting style.

“We are on borrowed time now! We need to get this fight finished quickly before we run out of steam!” growled Crowbahr, as she caved in the chest of a female demigod that tried to intercept her.

At the rear of the attacking demigods, the guild member that was commanding the attack looked to his friend in confusion. “Didn't the reports say that there were no werewolves here? Who are they?”

“No idea. We just have to cut them down before they cause any trouble with our plan! Who cares if they are here? Once they are dead then that's one less problem for us when we attack the main city.”

The two pushed their way past the other demigods who were still focused on attacking those on the walls. Many of the ranged attackers were ignoring Beater and the other minor lycans as they were pouring out waves of attacks towards the 'Easy' targets such as Prince Gobgob and Varbu.

When Beater saw the two demigods pushing through the crowd heading their way, he grew angry upon recognizing the commanding guild member that was rather round.

“Muckbong!” Growled Beater angrily as he cut down an enemy demigod who had managed to cut him several times leaving new bloody wounds on his body. A light gray light was covering his body as his berserk skill was already activated from his wounds.

“Ah... so it's you Beater. The rumors were true, you really are a traitor who has joined the demon races. There is no need to deny it as I can clearly see what you have become. You should have listened to me back then,” said the round Muckbong.

“I will gain my vengeance today!” shouted Beater as he launched an attack at Muckbong.

The two locked blades as they pushed back on each other trying to overpower the other.

“I still have not forgotten that time when I spent over an hour fighting that rare monster only for you to come in and steal the kill and loot it. I remember you also killing me while laughing about it!” growled Beater as he remembered the past event.

“And I'll do it again! I told you those who are solo will not make it. You should have taken me up on the offer to join the guild. Now you have been added to the kill-on-sight list,” shouted Muckbong as he pressed hard against Beater.

“I'm not the weakling from before!” growled Beater as he pushed back and quickly leaned to the side. When he did this, his tail shot out and slammed into the back of MuckBong's leg causing it to buckle.

Beater used this advantage and continued pushing down on Muckbong who was now kneeling and being pushed backwards. The other minor lycans continued to protect Beater from any attacks while he fought the leader of the attack. But surprisingly, the other demigods were still mainly focused on attacking those on the wall. They were only fighting with Beater, Crowbahr, and the others if they were attacked by them.

Beater’s tail repeatedly battered Muckbong as he pressed down with his sword which was getting closer and closer to Muckbong's neck. After a dozen blows to his back and his legs, Muckbong lost balance and Beater's sword slipped past his defenses and sliced a large chunk out of his neck!

Muckbong frantically tried to defend himself with one hand as he fell to the ground. Blood was now gushing out of his neck as he tried to use his free hand to reach into a bag to pull out a red potion.

Swish!

Beater activated an attack skill, sending a gray light shooting out and severing Muckbongs hand.

“Goodbye!” said Beater before slicing through Muckbong's head sending light fragments into the dark sky.

“Awwooooo!” Beater howled triumphantly. “KILL THEM ALL!”

***

Near the edge of a large flowing river was a large caravan of traders who had set up camp for the night.

The majority of the traders were dwarves who disliked living on the boats so they were anchored nearby.

The humans that had joined the caravan humored the dwarves' odd behavior and joined them around the campfires near the shore as they cooked dinner with them and also drank ale to keep warm while they laughed and chatted about long lost brighter times in the past.

While they were having a good time, the hired guards were patrolling the perimeter of the makeshift fence that had been set up around the campsite. Snow had been packed over both sides to create a simple temporary wall.

“Halt! Who goes there!” shouted a caravan guard as he hid behind his shield and raised a torch higher up into the air to try and push back the shadows and light up a larger area.

The Merchants hearing the shout near the wall, all stopped what they were doing and grabbed their weapons. Although they were not true warriors, with how dangerous things were getting they had to learn quickly how to defend themselves and their property from monsters, bandits, and demigods.

The now-armed merchants gathered together with the 30-plus hired guards making their fighting force over 100 strong which was good enough to fight off most troubles.

Burkin was among the dwarven traders and was now looking into the dark treeline trying to see the hiding enemy.

“Show yourselves, you bandits! We won't allow you to steal our gold or our goods! So get lost or we will fight you to the death!” shouted Burkin.

As soon as he said that multiple skill attacks shot out from the woods and they were all aimed at him! Burkin fell to the ground and hid behind the snow wall as the attacks flew right over him and slammed into the ground and the river behind him.

The attacks kept raining down in the general area he was hiding and quickly tore up the snow wall forcing Burkin to roll to the side to escape before the wall was completely gone.

The attacks died down as Burkin was helped back onto his feet behind a more intact snow wall.

“What was that all about? Why did they target me out of everyone else!?” asked Burkin.

“Did you anger someone?” asked one of his friends.

“How could I? I've been with you for the entire time!”

The silence from the dark woods lasted for some time.

“Who are you guys and why are you attacking us!” shouted Burkin as he peaked over a portion of the undamaged snow wall.

Immediately the colorful skill attacks once again shot out towards him forcing Burkin and those around him to dodge the attacks. Burkin rolled to the side as the wall crumbled again.

“We can't keep this up... Burkin for whatever reason they want you dead. So you stay here and bait them. Try to keep their attention on you. We'll flank them and take them out,” said Franker, one of the long-time guards of the caravan.

“What?! You want me to be bait! I'll die!”

“You're doing a good job already! Just keep doing what you are doing and we'll be able to take care of the problem!” said Franker, slapping Burkin on the shoulder before leading a large portion of the guards to a dark corner and quietly sneaking out of the encampment to attack the hidden enemy.

“Hey youuuuu guuuuuuuys!!!” shouted Burkin as he popped his head up above the snow wall before ducking back down.

The attacks immediately lit up the night as they bombarded the spot Burkin had just appeared at.

“Damn it! Why am I playing whack the mole with these killers!” growled Burkin as he rolled on the ground again before popping back up to draw the enemy's attention away from the guards that were approaching them from the other side.

***

Kodria outer city.

“I can't wait to try on these new items!” said Mileena.

“I don't see what's so special about those rocks,” said Maya as she pushed her glasses up her nose.

“Not rock,” said Princesses Gobalina. Who had been hard at work learning and practicing speaking Common.

Mileena, Maya, Azura, Princesses Gobalina, and Sister Teresa were all chatting after finishing a shopping spree and were now walking towards the stone docks where the transport was waiting.

“Let's go see the baby Gargs before heading back!” said Mileena.

Zundar and the other guards in charge of protecting Mileena joined them on the trip to the southern fort and Garg dens.

As they were exiting the boat onto the small south dock...

“Die!” screamed three lunatics as they popped up from around the shoreline snowbanks and charged at the group.

“Protect the duchess!” shouted Zundar, while he charged forward to intercept the three enemies that had appeared.

Several skills shot out and slammed into Zundar causing him to let out a grunt but he did not stop and managed to close line two of the targets instantly stopping their attacks as they fell to the ground clutching their necks and trying to breathe.

Rondie was right behind him and began to clobber the third attacker into light fragments.

Zundar and the other minor lycans made quick work of the attackers that were rolling on the ground causing them to also disappear into light fragments only leaving a few gold and potions behind.

“Everyone back to the castle! We need to send the alert to all of Kodria to be on alert for demigod attacks!” shouted Zundar as he tried to herd the girls back onto the ship.