The sky, dark and oppressive, hung like a shroud over the land, as if the heavens themselves were holding their breath. The trees ahead, a jagged mass of blackened silhouettes, shifted unnaturally in the growing wind. I could feel the pull in my gut—an ominous force, heavy and suffocating. The demons were close, too close. Even without seeing them, I could sense their presence, that same gnawing malevolence I had felt so many years ago. Only now, it felt worse, as if the very world was trembling in anticipation of their arrival.

  "Sam."

  Isonorai’s voice cut through the tension, a calm anchor in the sea of my swirling thoughts. I tore my gaze away from the dark expanse of trees to find her standing at my side, eyes narrowed, hand resting on her sword’s hilt, the embodiment of readiness.

  "Do you sense them?" she asked, her voice low, like the growl of distant thunder.

  I nodded stiffly, my jaw tight, eyes scanning the line of trees. "Yeah, they’re here."

  We exchanged a look, no words needed. The demons weren't just an enemy, they were a force from my past—revenge incarnate. They had come for me, for what I did, and for what they thought I had stolen from them. I was a child then, too young to understand the gravity of my actions. But now... now I knew. I could feel the weight of every life I had taken, every shadow I had erased.

  Years ago, I had killed thirty of them—slaughtered them without mercy. The commander of their group, the one I killed, had been the most dangerous of them all. His eyes, dark and filled with hate, still haunted me. Even now, I could recall the sickening gurgle of his life spilling out, the cold realization that I had destroyed him before he could even register what had happened. The crimson stain of his blood on the ground, the way the others had looked at me as I took his life... it had never left me.

  "You can’t let it get to you," Isonorai’s voice interrupted my spiraling thoughts, her gaze steady on the horizon. She was always the one to pull me back from the edge. "We need to stay focused."

  Her words grounded me, but the gnawing unease still twisted in my gut. She was right, of course. There was no room for weakness, no room for doubt. The village—our village—needed me. I couldn’t afford to let the past consume me again.

  "Focus," I muttered under my breath, taking a deep breath to steady myself.

  It didn’t help when Lareth arrived, his footsteps heavy and deliberate as he approached, his expression grim.

  "They’re closer than we thought," he said, his tone low but certain.

  My stomach dropped. "How many?"

  He didn’t respond immediately, his eyes scanning the shadows. When he finally spoke, his voice was devoid of hope. "More than we anticipated. And they have something with them. Bigger, meaner. We're going to need everything we've got."

  My mind raced as I tried to comprehend the gravity of the situation. We weren’t ready. We were never ready. But that didn’t matter. "We’ll take the front line," I said, my voice firm, though my mind screamed in protest. The weight of the responsibility settled heavily on my shoulders. I could feel the pull of the past, but I couldn’t let it drown me now. This was my fight.

  Isonorai shot me a look, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Not alone, you won’t."

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  Without waiting for me to argue, she moved to stand beside me, her presence like a steady flame in the dark. "We stand together."

  Lareth gave a curt nod, his expression unreadable. "We need to be smart about this. If we can funnel them through the narrow passes, we might stand a chance."

  The plan was risky. Hell, everything about this situation screamed danger. But there was no other option. We couldn't let them get to the village. I gripped the hilt of my sword, the cool, familiar weight grounding me. "We’ll use the terrain," I said, voice steady despite the dread twisting my insides. "The forest will slow them down. We’ll set traps, create barriers. Pick them off before they get too close."

  Lareth’s gaze met mine, searching, assessing. Then, finally, he spoke. "It’s a gamble. But it’s our best shot."

  Isonorai gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze, her gaze unwavering. "Then let’s prepare. We don’t have much time."

  The village, a small collection of homes and barricades, buzzed with the frantic energy of preparation. Villagers scrambled to reinforce defenses, to organize themselves. The air was thick with anxiety, but no one was panicking. Everyone knew the stakes. We had faced threats before, but none like this.

  My thoughts drifted again to the past—the blood, the screams, the demons falling at my feet. That day was still a blur in my mind, but the commander’s eyes… they burned through my memories, sharp and accusing.

  A low growl rumbled from the forest, dragging me back to the present. The first demon stepped into view, its form twisted, grotesque—a dark silhouette with glowing red eyes. It lumbered forward, its claws scraping against the earth, the very air around it vibrating with malevolent energy.

  I gripped my sword tighter, forcing my body to calm, to center itself. My mana reserves were still strong—334 out of 355—but I couldn’t waste a single drop. The shadows, however, were a different matter. I could feel them surging around me, coiling, waiting for my command. 10 mana to summon the blade, and 1 mana per second to keep it steady. Every second counted.

  Then they were upon me.

  The first demon lunged with terrifying speed, its claws aimed at my chest. Instinct kicked in. I twisted, raising the Shadow’s Sword in a blur of motion. The blade met the demon’s claws with a crack, slicing through them like butter. The creature screeched—a hideous sound—before it dissolved into a wisp of shadow.

  500 experience points.

  A fleeting comfort, but there was no time to focus on it. Another demon was already on me, its fangs bared. I dodged, rolling to the side as it swiped at me, its claws cutting across my arm. The pain flared, but I ignored it, striking back. My blade sank into its chest, and once again, it disintegrated into nothingness.

  Another 500 experience points.

  But the battle was far from over. The demons kept coming, faster, more vicious, like a tide of malice that couldn’t be stopped. I dodged and countered, my body moving on instinct, the shadows around me shifting, making me faster, more unpredictable.

  I could feel my strength waning. My mana was dropping—320 out of 355—but I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t afford to. The village was depending on me.

  “Sam, fall back!” Isonorai’s voice cut through the chaos, her twin blades flashing as she fended off a pair of demons.

  “I’m fine!” I shouted back, though my side burned with pain. I was in no shape to argue. We needed to survive.

  More demons surged forward—five at once this time. They moved like predators, eyes burning with rage. I swung my blade, cutting one down, but the others were relentless. They were faster than the first wave, smarter. One of them grazed my back, raking across my shirt, the claws tearing into my flesh.

  Pain.

  I forced it down, spinning to counter, taking down another demon, but they just kept coming.

  “Retreat!” Lareth’s voice thundered over the din, his staff glowing with power as he unleashed a wave of energy that sent demons flying. “Back to the square!”

  The order was given, but carrying it out was another matter entirely. I fought my way back, step by step, my body screaming for respite as I pushed through the relentless onslaught. The square was ahead, our last line of defense. I could see the villagers’ barricades ahead, but they wouldn't hold for long. Not against this many demons.

  I made it to the square, the last of the demons falling to the ground in wisps of shadow behind me. My body felt like lead, my mana dropping to 310 out of 355. But we had no time to recover. The worst was yet to come.

  The demon commander emerged from the shadows. Towering over the others, his eyes glowing with a blood-red fire. He was here, and this battle... this battle would be different. This would be the one that would determine whether we survived the night.

  I could feel it. The storm was about to break.