Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Predicted Disaster

The archers were again summoned to the wall and proceeded unleashed volleys at the monsters in the air. The Warriors were all sent to the gates, the Artificers had their fingerprints on all fronts by aiding them with the necessary equipment, and the Medical Center was crowded with the wounded and the Maester tending to them. Everybody was agitated and anxious, but still, they understood they had to do their best to contribute to the defensive effort, for they had nowhere to run. The optimists even said they had been very lucky by not choosing to leave, for one could have easily wandered right into the teeth of the monster horde.

From the balcony of the headquarters building, Marvin apathetically looked around. The streets, the houses, and the great structures of the town were turning into a sea of fire. The monsters from above were grabbing their pals and throwing them over the wall, making Gaius scream out orders rapidly to adjust the defense.

“Everybody for themselves,” Marvin said with a sigh.

That was all it took for Lena and Ira to walk out of the room, leaving only Meinhard by the Mayor’s side. 

“Nobody gonna put the blame on you, old friend,” Meinhard tried to do the comforting.

“I blame myself,” Marvin shook his head rapidly. “Too many have died today! Had I done a better job preparing, things wouldn’t have fallen apart like this.”

Meinhard stepped forward and gave Marvin’s shoulder a couple of pats, then let the Mayor have a moment of solitude. The principal of Rolerra also needed to reorganize the scattered Arcanist ranks.

Marvin went gloomy for a second but quickly got himself together again. He straightened himself, his feet moving rapidly toward his mansion at the north of the town. If he had already failed to protect his town, he needed to at least try to save his citizens. The people were counting on their leader, and he would not fail them.

The night, dark and everything but silent, finally ruled over Oxdale. The screaming, the howling, and the clashing of sharp claws, metal, and flesh, created a dreary mix of sound that echoed through every nook and cranny of the town. The lowliest and poorest of them all, those without the privilege of a proper shelter, ran amok with their children in their hands for what their intended hiding spots had been engulfed in flame. Their pitiful cycle only stopped when Marvin's hopeful voice rang out over the speakers.

“Hear me, citizens,” Marvin’s voice was loud and clear. “Oxdale is falling, and anyone seeking shelter and protection can come to the Mayor's mansion. I can’t ensure your complete safety, but I will do my best. Everybody is welcome!”

“Hear me, everyone,” it was the voice of Lena this time. “The Artificer Guild will also do our part to help protect you. Those who happen to find themselves close to our headquarters, find us, and you will be welcome.”

“Rolerra is also open to shelter anyone in need,” Meinhard said with an amplified voice. “Students and parents seeking shelter should go to the school immediately.”

Only the Maester and Warrior Guild remained silent, for their headquarters had already contributed substantially and were currently overloaded. The Maesters grew sluggish, having spent too much mana on treating the wounded. The Warriors had stressed themselves almost to the breaking point, staying at the frontline and trying to fight off the encroaching monsters despite the protest of their exhausted and battered bodies.

At key positions inside the town, the houses and smaller forces started sending out their man and conducting their own defense. The Harper and the Hensley were in the west, and a few minor houses were in the south. All tried to prepare their morale as best they could, for they knew it might only take minutes for the monsters to finally get through the last defensive line and assault the streets of Oxdale.

Julia was in haste at the Medical Center, not because of the wounded soldiers there but of the citizens who had gotten sick. She had been the only one to do research on the blood samples and analyze it to propose a treatment plan after Jack’s suggestion. Therefore, the other Maesters couldn’t really help her effort since they were quite clueless about what factors had been causing the coughing, headaches, and fevers of the people.

After giving out instructions to the medical staff, Julia had for herself five minutes to rest and recharge her energy outside.

“Here you go,” Juan Scarro came, bringing with him a special food portion that helps the mana regeneration process for his college at Rolerra.

“How’s everything?”

“How do I put this?” Juan said, scratching his chin. “Not good at all might not suffice. How about ‘crazy’?”

Julia smirked nonchalantly. She directed her troubled pair of eyes toward the night sky. It was strangely clear today.

“What is it?” Juan asked, seeing Julia’s dull expression.

“There’s something more,” she murmured.

“More? Isn’t all of this enough?” Juan frowned.

“Not enough,” Julia, without moving her eyes, whispered just enough for a Crusader like Juan to barely make it out. “Clear sky, improbable for a storm. The temperature isn’t high, and the sunlight has already hidden, probably no fire either. So what is it?”

Juan stared bewilderedly at Julia and her words.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

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The answer Juan got back was an unsettling silence from the Maester teacher.

 

While the newly arrived horde of monsters was joining its zombified brethren in the attack, to the north, fifteen miles away from Oxdale, the very distinguished volcano started making a deep rumbling sound. Blackpon didn’t look very different from its counterparts in terms of appearance, blackened and barren, with pieces of dust and ashes floating around. On its side were quarry stations, abandoned after the workers were ordered to leave.

Then, another sound, much like that of an explosion, came from within. The surrounding ground vibrated in rhythm with the rumbling as smoke rose from the volcano’s mouth, and splashes of bright orange spewing up could be seen here and there. The peaceful animals in the vicinity all trembled in fear. Flocks of birds flew up, leaving their nests in the forests surrounding Blackpon. They scattered in all directions, filling the air with more sounds of despair.

Marvin, at the mayor's manor, heard and felt the rumbling, so he climbed up the watch tower to see what was going on. His eyes were met with a thick black cloud covering the crater under the night’s bright moonlight.

“Now this?” The mayor silently cursed.

He quickly jumped down from the balcony, surprising the group of newly arrived refugees. They looked anxiously at their leader, their barrage of words, both of gratitude and unanswerable questioning, only served to weigh down Marvin’s burden.

He grabbed a few soldiers under his command to inform other forces as well as direct a team to build a miniature mana barrier for the mansion. It was overwhelmingly weaker than that of the Artificer Guild, but he hoped it would be enough for what was to come.

The master of the Warrior, Gaius, had received the news but couldn’t leave his position just yet. His only option was to order a gradual retreat inward, forming a new perimeter to stop the monsters. The line that they were trying to hold off monsters had reached its breaking point. Gaius also began to consider the idea of fleeing to save what was left of it. Besides, if he couldn’t protect his guild members, who else could?

Meinhard hurriedly gathered the Arcanists in the central square. For the next attack of this disaster, the town would require their assistance more than ever.

“Divide into four teams,” he ordered. “Make sure each team has enough people with enough proficiency in wind, water, and earth. Fire, stay here and defend with the Maesters and Warriors.”

The team was quickly assigned and moved to their appointed locations. Meinhard himself headed toward Oxdale’s north gate.

On the other side, Jack was roaming around tirelessly. Whenever he felt exhaustion kicking in, he instantly used his abundant supply of fifth-tier Lesser Mana Potion.

You have killed a Low Herald Twin Plant, Level 8.

You have killed a Low Herald Barbtooth, Level 7.

You have killed a Low Herald Barbtooth, Level 6.

You have killed a High Herald Moldmorph, Level 13.

You have killed a High Herald Vicious Snake, Level 16.

…

His experience bar kept increasing, but it was still not enough. Jack fought as if that was everything he ever knew. The number of monsters attacking the west gate was greatly reduced because of that. If he hadn’t been there, the Harper would have been under a lot more pressure.

Just as he was thrusting Warfists of Fleeting Might into the stomach of an Iron-Scaled Ape, the ground underneath him shook. Startled, he used Presence of The Night and backed away, turning his head around to look at Oxdale.

From Jack’s position, Blackpon looked several times smaller. Still, he could see the natural disaster that Julia had mentioned happening.

Lava was erupting out of the crater. The red liquid rock shot out into the sky or flowed down the mountainside in a stream. With each explosion, a wave of rocks was flung out of the crater, surrounded by fire and smoke. They fell in all directions, among them, straight toward the town of Oxdale.

Right at the destination of a meteor-like lava stone, Meinhard was floating with his wind skill, his gaze focused and steady.

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