Sleep proved itself scarce for Kaztos as he lay in his tent. It was because of many things, the least of which being how his armor pinched his side while lying down. He didn’t know about the others, but he wanted to be ready for the attack. Besides, it wasn’t the most uncomfortable he had been in the last few weeks. The pulsing pain his side felt sleeping on the hard ground after that injury was much worse. Unconsciously, his hand went to the spot on his torso where he had been struck. A small scar remained to remind him of that battle. It would likely be the first of many in his life.

  No, what bothered him was how much his life had changed over the past few weeks. Just a short time ago, Kaztos peacefully lived his life, attending the academy and going to church. He had large ambitions, but they seemed like a faraway thing. Now, he was right in the thick of the adventuring life. And this was proving to be the biggest challenge of his young life.

  It wasn’t even the physical challenges that made him shudder. Kaztos had been training for years to handle that. He always knew his path would be a challenging one. Even their hellish travel through the wastelands was what he expected if he wanted to reach his goals in life. No, it wasn’t the physicality of the situation that made him falter, but the morality.

  Kaztos continually found his morals challenged by himself and his new friends. He always thought that if he found companionship that they would be like him in beliefs. That they would hold the same ideals as he did. It was what his rigid upbringing on the fringe of noble society had taught him. What a naive thought to believe. Zeltara and Saiya both proved that there was more than one way to approach a situation.

  With them, he often found himself either fighting them or compromising on morality. Whether it be in killing a defenseless goblin or desecrating a man’s body. It clashed with his teachings to act with honor. It was how he meant to restore his family’s place in the world. How would Kaztos do that if he acted no better than his uncle, who got them in this situation? He needed to be better.

  Which is what bothered him about their current situation. Kaztos didn’t say anything, but he knew. Zeltara and Saiya were essentially stealing the caravan’s resources. He almost couldn’t control himself when it was first suggested. It went against everything that he believed in. If the Al’Yanda found out, then they would be criminals. Hell, they were already criminals for having committed the theft. Kaztos may not have stolen anything himself, but he was complicit in the crime. And he didn’t know how it had come to this point.

  The only reason he went along with it was the necessity of the situation. Kaztos didn’t delude himself. If they did nothing to help, then people were going to die. The abominations would run into camp and slaughter anyone who was in their path. Would they stop at just a few, or keep going until the entire camp was gone? Sure, theft was terrible, but the potential loss of life was worse. So, they had to spit on the hospitality of the Al’Yanda in order to work in their best interests. To commit a crime so they could help save them.

  He put his hands to his face and groaned. Why had his life gotten so complicated? When Kaztos planned to go on a journey, he hadn’t imagined it would test him in this way. Did he have to compromise his morals to ensure the safety of those around him? Was that the life of a gallant noble that he strove for? Someone who took the easy way when things got hard?

  In a way, Kaztos was thankful for Zeltara and Saiya. If it weren’t for them, he wouldn’t have had the willpower necessary to commit to these actions. The thought of having to face this alone terrified him. He was glad they were there to help shoulder the burden. They helped him have the strength needed to go through with the theft.

  However, Kaztos also found himself wary. How far was too far? He can justify their actions today, but what about tomorrow? What if they come across a situation where they need to do something worse for the greater good? Kaztos didn’t know if he could handle it. And what if their next offense wasn’t necessary? If they traded morality for convenience?

  He cherished Saiya, but Kaztos could already see the lengths she could go to. What made someone so young think in such a way? He couldn’t even imagine what she could have gone through. It was obvious something had happened with how defensive she got whenever asked. No matter, he’ll just have to help keep the group on the straight and narrow. It’ll be a careful balancing act, but they can manage it. Kaztos sighed. Things were so simple back in Urada.

  A piercing wail emanated from outside the camp. The sound traveled through him. His bones shook, and icy dread filled him. Kaztos could remember that screech from anywhere. A second cry sounded from the other side of the camp. It was just as they feared. There were two of them. He took a calming breath, preparing for the battle ahead. Kaztos didn’t delude himself. This could easily result in his death. But if he wanted to prove himself a worthy Molinar, then he would have to go help.

  Just as he prepared to leave the tent, a third wail sounded from yet another direction. So, there were three of them. Doubt crept into Kaztos. Could they do this? One of those things was bad enough, but three? This might be an impossible task. He banished those thoughts from his mind. It didn’t matter how hard this was, they would face it head-on and win. After making sure he had everything, Kaztos exited his tent.

  There was a sense of restlessness in the camp, but chaos hadn’t erupted yet. People were coming out of their tents. Some seemed curious, while others were wary. Most didn’t have weapons and were in their nightclothes. Kaztos saw Zeltara already outside of her tent. He could see how anxious she was while waiting for them. She spotted him and walked over.

  “Couldn’t sleep either?”

  Kaztos shook his head. “No, too nervous about this.” She nodded in agreement. Saiya exited her tent with a yawn, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She seemed ready despite being asleep. He felt brief jealousy over the fact that she had managed to get rest. It passed as fast as it came. Now wasn’t the time for that.

  Saiya walked over to them. “Has anything happened yet?” she seemed to still be shaking off sleep.

  “No, nothing yet. But it’ll happen quickly. I can hear them getting closer,” Zeltara said. Her ears twitched at noises Kaztos couldn’t make out. “We need to get ready. There might be only a few minutes before the attack.”

  By now, almost everyone was outside of their tents. They seemed to realize something was going on as they started to get dressed and grabbed their weapons. The guards were more alert, standing on the edges of camp and looking out into the darkness. They needed to hurry. Those men were in danger. Another wail sounded from outside the camp, causing everyone to jump. People hurried to arm themselves.

  Kaztos clutched his hammer. His hand again thoughtlessly strayed to where his wound was. He just realized that his armor was still damaged. He should have asked Zeltara to repair it before. It was a dangerous oversight, but he could do nothing now. Kaztos will just have to be better this time.

  “Do you two remember the plan?” Zeltara asked. Kaztos and Saiya nodded. “Okay, then let’s-” A panicked scream that quickly turned pained interrupted her. The camp reacted like a beehive as people scrambled around. People began to shout out.

  “What was that thing?”

  “Everybody stay calm!”

  “It got Cedi!”

  Panic erupted around camp, and Kaztos watched as people ran around to defend themselves. Screams and wails filled the air. He felt rooted in place as order fell apart around him. Kaztos tried to will himself to move, but could only stand there watching. A hand landed on his shoulder, and he turned to see Zeltara.

  “Come on! We need to get to the tinker wagon!” Kaztos settled as they ran over to the wagon.

  It took less than thirty seconds to reach their destination. Zeltara climbed into the back. He could hear her rummaging around before the torches were thrown out. He and Saiya picked them up. Zeltara exited afterward, holding five bottles.

  She walked over to Kaztos. “Change of plans. Give me those.” Surprised, he did as she asked. “Look.” Zeltara pointed to the center of camp. When Kaztos looked, he could see the problem. Large pockets of darkness littered the camp. The mana lamps now scattered around did little to light the entire area. “Most of the campfires are out for the night. Almost the entire camp is dark. I need you to relight all the firepits. Saiya and I will go and secure the perimeter.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want me on the perimeter? It’ll be more dangerous.” Zeltara shook her head in response.

  “It’ll be fine, just hurry.” She then handed him two bottles. “Use these to defend yourself. They’re the firebombs. Just light the cloth and throw. Be careful. You only have two, and they might be dangerous.” Seemed simple enough, though Kaztos was apprehensive about Zeltara’s warning. He needed to make them count.

  “Very well. Just stay safe. Don’t do anything dangerous until we’re together.” Zeltara let out an amused huff.

  “Of course. I’ll do my best, but you know how likely that’ll be.” She then turned to Saiya. “Are you ready to go?”

  Saiya nodded. “We should start at the same point and go opposite ways. That way, we’ll meet up on the other side of camp.”

  “Good idea. Here, take these.” Zeltara handed Saiya two more firebombs. “Let’s go!” They ran away with the torches, leaving Kaztos alone. He turned towards the camp to start his mission.

  Starting with their own campsite, Kaztos grabbed a spare log next to the firepit. Their fire was out, so he had to light it after throwing the wood in. He channeled a small flame over his finger and ignited some kindling. The flames grew, lighting up more of the area. He then moved to the next camp.

  As Kaztos ran, he bumped into several Al’Yanda men running around. There still wasn’t any order, as yelling came from all over the camp. The abomination’s wails mixed with the screaming of men outside the camp. Reaching the second pit, there wasn’t anyone around. There was a log nearby, but their fire had already gone out. Again, it took a minute with nearby kindling and a small mana flame, but he managed to light the fire.

  By now, the sounds of a battle taking place reached his ears. Kaztos looked but couldn’t discern anything in the darkness. Several men’s lights were outside the camp where the fighting was taking place. Already, his friends had lined a fourth of the perimeter with lit torches. Zeltara and Saiya were making good progress. He needed to hurry.

  The next firepit was in a darkened area. Kaztos’ heart rate spiked at the prospect of going through there. One of those monsters could have snuck in and been waiting in the darkness. If only he had brought a torch with him for protection. He cursed the oversight but ran into the darkness anyway. There was no other choice but to keep going.

  Kaztos hit something, stopping his momentum. He crashed onto the ground in pain. Panicked, he crawled away from whatever it was. A human groan stopped him in his tracks. Kaztos sighed in relief and channeled a mana light in his palm. The darkness retreated, revealing Pence on the ground. He held his nose and groaned in pain. The Al’Yanda boy then opened his eyes and saw Kaztos.

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  Pence smiled upon seeing him. “Kaztos! what are you doing here?”

  “I should ask the same. I didn’t hear you in the dark.” Both of them stood up as Pence finished dropping his hand, revealing a bruised nose.

  “I was seeing what all the commotion was about.” Pence then looked worried. “Do you know what’s going on? It sounds like we’re being attacked.”

  Kaztos nodded, expression grim. “It’s the abominations we were talking about last night. They’ve attacked the camp.” Pence let out a shaken exhale. He appeared to be on the verge of panic.

  “What should we do? Is my family safe? I have to go find them!” Seeing he was about to bolt, Kaztos put an arm on Pence’s shoulder. The contact seemed to calm him.

  “Don’t worry. We thought of a plan. The abominations fear natural light. Saiya and Zeltara are lining the camp with torches. I’m lighting the firepits. That should make the camp safe.” Pence settled somewhat, but still seemed agitated.

  “That’s good. But I still need to go find my family. They’re in danger.” Kaztos frowned at the prospect of Pence leaving.

  “I could use your help. Lighting all of these fires is a tough task.” Kaztos didn’t need it necessarily, but he’d rather have Pence stay close than run off into the darkness. He felt bad for lying, but better to keep his friend safe. Fortunately, Pence perked up at the word help.

  “Sure. What do you need me to do?” Kaztos looked around and saw that the wagon that held the logs was well lit. While the mana lamps wouldn’t drive an abomination off, they would give Pence ample warning. Besides, he had been lucky so far, but couldn’t rely on every camp having spare firewood lying around. Pence could save him time on running to get wood himself, if nothing else.

  Kaztos pointed at the wagon. “I need you to get some firewood and meet back up with me. We need to get all the firepits lit to keep the camp safe.” Pence nodded and ran off towards the wagon without delay. He let out a sigh of relief. That was one less problem.

  Now that Pence was safe enough, Kaztos continued to run to the next firepit. Fortunately, he didn’t run into anything else on the way. Reaching the camp, Kaztos could hear faint noises coming from a nearby tent. Sounded like someone was hiding. It was for the best. The fewer people running around, the better. Looking around, he couldn’t find any firewood. Thankful for Pence’s help, Kaztos broke down a nearby wooden stool with his hammer. He then used it as kindling to start a fire.

  Pence came running in, struggling to hold several logs. He almost tripped when coming to a stop. Kaztos nodded in thanks and grabbed one. He added it to the firepit and channeled a flame to help ignite it. Soon, the campfire burned, illuminating the surrounding area.

  Kaztos turned to Pence. “Thank you for the help. Now, follow me. We’ll get the rest of the firepits lit.” The younger boy nodded, a determined expression crossing his face. Glad to see Pence settled, Kaztos began to lead them to the next camp.

  By now, a little over half of the perimeter was lit with torches. Both sides were going at about the same rate, showing Kaztos that Zeltara and Saiya were still okay. Relieved, he couldn’t wait to meet up with them again. It didn’t feel right for them to be separated in a time of crisis. Kaztos traversed the next dark area to the firepit, spurred on by their progress.

  They make it to the next camp with no trouble. While chaos still enveloped the camp, people were beginning to organize. Some guards ran off toward the sounds of battle, while others stayed to protect noncombatants. Upon reaching the next firepit, they saw three Al’Yanda men crouched by the camp.

  Kaztos gathered up kindling as Pence threw a log into the pit. They worked together to light the fire as the Al’Yanda stared at them confused. With everything in place, Kaztos channeled mana to light the kindling. As he did, one of the men walked closer.

  “What are you two doing? Pence, you should be with your brother, not this outsider.” Kaztos glanced over but kept his focus on the firepit. Pence walked in front of him to answer.

  “We are lighting the campfires to protect the camp. The monsters are scared of fire.” The man appeared annoyed at the answer.

  “That doesn’t make any sense. I’m sure it’s just a wild animal attack or something. If it is a monster, then it won’t care about the light. You need to get somewhere safe and not listen to whatever the outsider has to say.” The man then grabbed Pence by the arm to pull him away. He yanked his arm from the man’s grasp.

  “Leave me alone. If you’re not going to help, then just sit down. I don’t need your permission.”

  Kaztos finished with the campfire and turned to see what the commotion was. The Al’Yanda man looked angered by what Pence said as the other two glared at them. He needed to find a way to avoid a fight. The last thing they needed now was to waste time. So, Kaztos grabbed Pence’s hand and led him away.

  “Apologies for the interruption, but we have places to be,” Kaztos said as he and Pence ran off. The uproar around camp drowned out the man’s angry response. Pence offered a quick thanks as they headed to the next camp.

  Only one firepit remained to ignite. It bordered the camp’s edge, shrouded in darkness. Something must have happened to the mana lantern in the area. No matter, Kaztos was almost done. He couldn’t wait to meet up with the others and finish this.

  As they approached the camp, something ran towards them. Kaztos stopped both of them and pulled out a firebomb. He wasn’t sure of what was approaching, but it was best to be safe. Pence stood behind him as Kaztos channeled a mana light to see who it was.

  Fortunately, the light revealed it to be Euronar. He reached them and took a moment to catch his breath. Once he did, Euronar asked, “Pence, what are you doing out here? You’re supposed to be in our tent right now.” His harsh tone caused Pence to flinch.

  “I’m helping Kaztos, brother,” Pence said meekly. Euronar then turned his attention to Kaztos and glared at him.

  “What are you up to? We’re under attack right now. Do you know how dangerous it is right now?” Euronar then got closer and stared down at him. Kaztos resolutely returned his gaze. “I thought I told you to leave Pence alone. You’re leading him into danger. I can’t allow that.” Euronar put a hand on his sword as Kaztos grabbed his hammer.

  Seeing the impending fight, Pence got between the two and pushed them apart. He turned to his brother. “Listen to me!” Euronar dropped his hand and froze. “Kaztos knows what is attacking us. His group encountered it before and knows how to stop it. That’s why we got into trouble last night. We needed to warn Dad of the danger.”

  Euronar appeared conflicted. “Pence, I know you want to help, but it’s dangerous. Please, come with me, and we’ll find somewhere safe.” He then gave Kaztos another look. “We’ll leave the outsider to take care of things. Assuming he is telling the truth.” The elder brother raised his hand to grip Pence’s shoulder, but he backed away.

  “No, Kaztos said that he needed my help. I won’t abandon him now.” Kaztos had to hide a wince at his earlier words. He had said that to keep Pence safe. It looked like that was backfiring now. Euronar opened his mouth to respond when Pence yelled, “Stop it!” The irritation on his younger brother’s face made Euronar stop.

  “Everyone always goes on about how I’m supposed to one day lead the caravan. But no one ever trusts me to do anything. You don’t trust me to make decisions. How am I supposed to one day lead you if you won’t ever listen to what I say? Please brother. The camp is in danger, and we can do something about it. Let me help,” Pence pleaded, his eyes filled with frustrated tears.

  Euronar stood there, shocked by his brother’s outburst. “Pence, I...” He tapered off, unknowing of what to say. Pence stood there, defiantly staring at his brother. A sudden scream from outside the camp jolted him into continuing. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to keep you safe. But you’re right. You need to be allowed to make your own decisions.” Euronar let out a tired sigh before turning to Kaztos. “What do we need to do?”

  Kaztos sagged in relief. They had lost enough time as it was. Having Euronar’s help would be great. “The monsters out there are called abominations. They’re deadly, but are scared of fire. My friends and I are lighting up the camp to keep it safe. We’ll then help whoever is fighting.”

  “Very well. Stay behind me, Pence,” Euronar said. The three ran towards the darkened camp. Glancing around, Kaztos could see that almost all the torches were planted by now. The firepits almost entirely illuminated the camp with warm light. People were calming down and assuming defensive positions around camp. They were almost there.

  An earsplitting wail came from right in front of them. The three skidded to a stop as terror washed over them. An abomination was right in front of them. Pence let out a whimper as Euronar and Kaztos pulled out their weapons. They could barely make out the outline of the monster in the darkness.

  “What is that thing?” Euronar asked. The abomination crawled closer. The sound of its many legs scuttling from the darkness.

  “It’s an abomination. We need to retreat,” Kaztos said. Euronar appeared not to hear him, staring stunned at the monster approaching. The elder brother pulled up his hand, trembling, and channeled a mana light.

  The receding darkness revealed the abomination’s appearance. It was just as horrific as last time. To Kaztos’ morbid fascination, the monster had distinct features from the last one. Like before, its exterior was a void black that pulled light in. The skin was hard, similar to chitin, with over half a dozen broken arms raised in the air. However, unlike last time, this abomination had no gaping maw on its body but had two human-shaped upper halves conjoined together. Their mistimed, pitiful gasps were poor facsimiles of human breathing.

  “By the holy lords,” Euronar muttered. Fear held the three of them frozen. This moment of shock allowed the abomination to act. It rushed forward and lunged with two of its legs at Euronar. The elder brother had just enough time to pull out his wooden shield to block the blow. The area darkened again as the abomination’s legs punctured right through the shield but stopped inches from Euronar’s face. He let go of his shield and retreated. The abomination took a moment to finish destroying the shield stuck on its legs.

  Taking the opportunity given to him, Euronar raised his sword over his head and channeled mana into it. The cutting edge glowed a bright teal as a humming filled the air. He then slashed downward with a battle cry, creating a blade of wind that flew at the monster. The spell struck, causing the abomination to flinch back. Unfortunately, it appeared unharmed from the attack.

  Stunned by his sword’s ineffectiveness, Euronar left himself open. The monster lunged and swung an arm sideways, knocking the brother to the ground. He lay there, clutching his arm in pain. It then raised several legs to stab downward.

  “Brother!” Pence’s scream spurred Kaztos into action. He rushed forward and swung his hammer, bringing his entire might to bear against the abomination. The strike connected and caused the monster to stumble several feet away. The abomination appeared momentarily stunned and tried to steady itself.

  Seeing his chance, Kaztos pulled out a firebomb. He grabbed the cloth end and channeled mana to ignite it. The light from the fire caused the monster to flinch back further. This gave him the opening he needed. As the abomination let out a hateful wail, Kaztos threw the firebomb. It flew through the air and impacted the creature center mass.

  Immediately, the igniting oil cascaded down the monster. It let out another painful wail as the abomination flailed around. Legs swung everywhere as it tried to put the flames out. The monster’s stumbling caused it to get closer to them, and Kaztos had to tackle Euronar out of the way as it trampled by. He lay on top of him as it passed by them without incident.

  Light filled the area, causing Kaztos to turn toward the source. Pence was there at the firepit. He took the chance provided to light the last campfire. The last of the darkness left, leaving the abomination exposed. This, along with its still-smoldering body, caused the monster to retreat. It ran past the camp’s perimeter and into the night. Its pained screeches steadily became quieter until they could no longer be heard.

  Kaztos rolled off of Euronar and fell onto his back. With a sigh of relief, he lay there and allowed his pounding heart to calm. Meanwhile, Euronar shakily rose in silence. He stared off in the direction the monster had gone.

  “Brother!” Pence ran over and hugged Euronar with such force that he stumbled to keep his footing. The elder brother tentatively returned the hug as he continued to stare off into the distance. After a few moments, the brothers separate. Still stunned, Euronar turned and offered Kaztos a hand up.

  After he was pulled up, Euronar said, “You saved me. After everything these past few days. Why?” Kaztos didn’t even need to think of an answer.

  “Because it’s only proper for a Molinar to do the right thing. I would have done it for anyone,” Kaztos said with a wide grin. Euronar gave a soft smile.

  “I see. Thanks, kid.” He then turned to Pence. “We need to get back to the tent now.”

  “But brother, I still want to help.”

  Euronar shook his head. “No, it’s too dangerous. I never should have let you come along in the first place.” He grabbed his younger brother’s hand. “Let’s go.” They began to leave before the elder brother turned to Kaztos. “Do you want to come along?”

  “Sorry, but I need to go meet up with my friends. There’s still more work to be done.” Euronar gave a nod and led his younger brother away. Kaztos heard as Pence complained the whole way to the chief’s tent. Now alone, he looked around camp.

  By now, people had calmed down. The few able fighting men guarded the people near the firepits. Zeltara’s torches completely secured the perimeter. Kaztos sighed in relief at that. It appeared his friends were successful then. He needed to meet up with them. The sounds of battle still clamored outside the camp.

  “Kaztos!” He turned to see Zeltara and Saiya run up to him. Fortunately, neither of them appeared hurt after their separation. “Are you okay? We heard fighting earlier inside camp,” Zeltara said.

  “Of course! One of those abominations managed to sneak in, but Euronar, Pence, and I drove it off.” It warmed him to see their visible relief in him. “Your firebomb worked like a charm, Zeltara. It was thanks to it that the battle was won. All the firepits have been lit.”

  “Good, I’m glad that you’re safe. We placed all the torches down. The camp is now secured,” Zeltara said. A weight lifted from Kaztos when she said this. They did it. “Now, all that’s left is the battle outside. We should head over there now.”

  “No.” They turned to Saiya. “It’d be unnecessarily dangerous to run out into the dark where those things are. We should stay here and wait to help those who come back.” It came as less of a surprise to Kaztos that she would say this. Still, he needed to speak up to convince them to help.

  “There’s no need to be selfish, Saiya. It’s our duty as adventurers to help those in need. How could we turn our backs on those who need our help?” The blond girl met his words with a glare.

  “Haven’t we done enough for them? We’ve already risked ourselves trying to help. It’s their fault for not heeding our warning. I’m sure they can handle themselves out there just fine.” Kaztos could feel his frustration building up.

  “How can they handle it? They don’t know any of those monster’s weaknesses. How many will die if we don’t assist them? I won’t have those deaths on our conscience!” Kaztos’ voice rose as he talked until he was almost yelling.

  “Their lives aren’t our responsibility! We aren’t the ones killing them. You’re so concerned about their safety, but what about ours? Why do we need to be the ones to stick our necks out after everything they’ve demanded of us?” Saiya shouted back. By this point, Zeltara got between them and held her hands up to stop them.

  “Enough!” Zeltara said firmly. “Now isn’t the time for fighting. Now, Kaztos is right. Those people need help, and we’re the only ones who can provide it. What kind of people would we be if we did nothing? We’re going.” She then turned to Saiya. Her expression and tone softened. “You’re right. It will be dangerous. But sometimes we have to take that risk.”

  For a moment, Saiya stood there silently. Then she said, “It’s not fair.”

  “No, it’s not.” Zeltara put a comforting hand on the blond girl’s shoulder. “We shouldn’t have to do all this to have a place here. But that’s just how it is. I know you’re just looking out for us, and I’m grateful for that. But think of it like this. What will happen to us if everyone out there is killed, and it comes out that we knew how to help but didn’t? It’d be best not to find that out. Now, are you willing to come and help?” The three stood there for a moment as Saiya considered Zeltara’s words.

  She then huffed. “Fine. You need someone to watch your back anyway.”

  Zeltara nodded. “Alright, come on.” She then took off running. As they followed her, Kaztos noticed they weren’t going directly towards the battle. He wondered why until he saw Zeltara stop at the perimeter. On the ground lay three standing torches broken down to a normal length. She picked them up and relit them. “Here, I had a few extra. These should help.”

  As they continued towards the battle, Kaztos was again thankful for Zeltara’s resourcefulness. He didn’t want to imagine the situation they’d be in without her. As they approached, Kaztos cleared his mind and focused on the battle ahead.

  The three stopped a few dozen feet away. They could see nothing beyond indistinct outlines. Several Al’Yanda men would channel a mana light only to be quickly attacked. They would then have to release the light to defend themselves. This left the battlefield in rapid periods of light and darkness. Almost all the men were attacking one of the abominations. Meanwhile, another abomination was fighting a single man further off. Kaztos was amazed that a single man held his own, but he didn’t let it distract him. He looked back to the main group. It was hard to tell, but it looked like the Al’Yanda were losing ground.

  “We need to make our way to the group. They appear to be struggling more somehow. We’ll use the torches to drive it off,” Zeltara said.

  “Very well. Allow me to take point. You two follow behind for support,” Kaztos said. Zeltara nodded and stepped out of the way. After mentally preparing for a moment, he charged. His friends followed behind as they rushed into battle.

  ? Featured Story ?

  by Steve Rock

  “A Pioneer’s Blood Waters the Tree of Civilization”

  The Galaxy has finally learned peace. The Akaadi Imperium and Libera Coalition have put down their blasters for now, turning to the Frontier to replenish their resources. But, they'll need Pioneers. Dropped into remote, inhospitable worlds, Pioneers must hunt for useful salvage. Valuable materials, lost technologies, and unique lifeforms are all pursued, at grave peril.

  Enter Daniel Hardgrave. The old man who raised Hardgrave had always told him, "Do what you want, Danny, but never become a Pioneer. Life's short enough. Don't become expendable". Hardgrave had listened, scratching out a living as a humble fry cook. Until he learned he had a little sister to care for. Wanting to fund her education and give her a better life, he enlisted as a Pioneer. And unknowingly threw himself into the maw of the Apocalypse. Old powers are gathering, threatening everything Hardgrave has ever known. For an ex-fry cook trying to provide for a genius little sister and cynical cat, it's an impossible threat. But his discovery of an ancient technology could change all of that…

  Inspired by series like Warhammer 40K andvideogames like Helldivers 2 and Lethal Company,this is a tale of a man who faces danger where others will not go.

  What to expect

  Pulse-pounding action in exotic environments.LitRPG-like progression, with a sci-fi twist.Minor romantic and comedic elements

  Don't miss out on this incredible story!