The four new alphas emerged fully from the treeline, their terrifying forms now clearly visible to all. My brows furrowed deeply as I took in their mutated appearances.
This... wasn't exactly how we expected things to go.
The monstrous eagle spread its wings wide enough to blot out the morning sun, lightning crackling between its feathers. Each powerful wingbeat sent hurricane-force winds carving trenches through the snow. Its eyes burned with unnatural violet fire that made my skin crawl.
Beside it stood a grotesque, bloated bear that dwarfed even Frostfang's massive form. Its maw hung open in a permanent, jagged grin, acidic drool hissing as it melted craters in the snow where it landed.
To their left prowled a gaunt, skeletal wolf wreathed in deathly mist. Where it stepped, the very air seemed to wither, frost spreading in unnatural spiral patterns that defied the wind.
Most disturbing was the metallic-plated beast that completed the quartet - its spiked armor gleaming like polished steel as it plowed through snowdrifts with terrifying speed for its size.
Except for the eagle, none of these looked like native forest creatures.
Or if they were, something had twisted them beyond recognition, probably the same thing that caused Frostfang's transformation. The culprit behind this was clearly more powerful - and more ruthless - than we'd anticipated.
I clenched my fists.
The Turtle Brothers could probably handle them - it would be good if I could join them, it would be five against five then. But in my current state, I'd only be able to contend with the lower-ranked monsters. The frustration burned in my chest, but I brushed it away, reminding myself that haste also makes waste.
"Vice-captain! Take command of the defenses!" The captain's voice rang out suddenly, sharp and clear above the growing chaos.
Before I or anyone else could react, she vaulted over the parapet in a single fluid motion.
"Cale!"
Mid-air, she thrust out her left hand, the mark on her palm flaring to life. A brilliant light erupted as a massive bird-type familiar materialized - a sleek, armored falcon-like bird with razor-sharp wing feathers.
The captain landed perfectly astride her familiar, drawing a gleaming saber that crackled with her aura.
"FOR VELTRIA!" she roared, pointing her blade directly at the lightning-wreathed eagle.
The guards erupted in cheers as their captain shot forward like an arrow, her falcon familiar cutting through the air with impossible speed.
The sight sent a jolt through me - I hadn't expected such overwhelming battle spirit from her.
She's so cool! No wonder the guards look like those fangirls.
Just then, a strange sense of déjà vu washed over me.
Four turtles. A beautiful woman joining them.
If only there were some guy in a hockey mask too, the scene would be complete.
Urgh, focus!
I shook my head, forcing my drifting thoughts back to the present. Now wasn't the time for jokes.
Because something far more unsettling was happening.
Every single alpha—even the 'reborn' Frostfang—had turned their gaze in our direction. Their eyes, glowing with that same unnatural energy, locked onto...
Me.
My breath hitched for a fraction of a second before I steadied myself.
So, they're targeting me, huh? It must be the culprit who's pulling the strings from the shadows...
Well, too bad for them. I had four maniac turtles and a powerful resonator guarding me(the town).
Then, as if responding to my thoughts—
"RAAAAAAAAAGH!"
Frostfang's roar split the air, and in perfect, horrifying unison, all five alphas charged.
The monstrous eagle shrieked, lightning arcing from its wings. The bloated bear lumbered forward, acid dripping from its maw.
The skeletal wolf blurred into mist, and the metallic-plated beast plowed through the snow like a living battering ram. Behind them, the lesser monsters followed like mindless puppets, howling and screeching in frenzy.
But before they could get far—
"Oh no you don't!"
Four figures blurred into motion, intercepting the alphas with terrifying precision.
Ralph the Reaper went straight for Frostfang, his bo staff spinning wildly. "Round two, ugly!" he cackled, already slamming a brutal strike into the beast's skull.
Poor Frostfang. It is about to suffer all over again.
Leon the Tyrant met the grotesque bear head-on, his staff held like a sword. With a single, fluid motion, he cleaved through a wave of acidic drool, his movements sharp and controlled.
Mike the Jestblade twirled his staff-made nunchakus lazily as he stepped into the ghastly wolf's path. "Ooooh, spooky," he probably mocked, before vanishing into a flurry of strikes.
That left the metallic-plated beast to Dono the Peacekeeper, who adjusted his glasses (how he kept them on during battle, I'd never understand) and sighed. His expression said, 'Must I do everything?'
The captain, already mid-air on her falcon familiar, was a streak of light as she engaged the eagle, her saber flashing like a silver bolt.
Five alphas. Five defenders.
Now they were equal.
But this's not the end.
The ground trembled as the horde of lesser monsters surged forward, a tidal wave of gnashing teeth and clawed limbs. Snow sprayed in violent plumes beneath their charge, the air thick with their frenzied snarls.
Atop the walls, the vice-captain—a young man clad in gleaming knight's armor—snapped into action. His voice cut through the chaos like a blade.
"Archers, nock your arrows! Channelers, prepare the barrier! On my signal—FOR VALTRIA!"
The guards moved as one. Bows creaked as arrows were drawn. Channelers raised their hands, their auras flaring to life as intricate runes began glowing along the stone walls. The air hummed with gathering energy.
I clenched my fists, my pulse steady despite the approaching storm. The alphas were occupied, but the lesser monsters were still a threat—one we, no, I 'ignored'.
...This was supposed to happen anyway, at least there won't be casualties, Virion promised...
Then—
"LOOSE!"
A hail of arrows darkened the sky, whistling as they rained down on the charging horde. Some found their marks, piercing through fur and flesh, but many shattered against the thicker hides of the larger beasts.
"Barrier, NOW!"
The channelers slammed their palms onto the runes. A shimmering dome of golden light erupted from the walls, just as the first wave of monsters crashed against it. The impact sent ripples through the barrier, but it held—for now.
The vice-captain's eyes narrowed. "Second volley! Aim for the gaps!"
Another barrage of arrows flew, this time more precise. Monsters shrieked as they fell, their bodies piling up at the base of the barrier.
But they didn't stop.
They couldn't stop.
Something—or someone—was driving them forward, overriding even their instinct for survival.
My gaze flickered around once more, searching for the puppet master behind this madness. I was already using Observant Eye and Echo of Life from the start.
Where are you hiding?