Villagers seeing the carriage soon came forward, still on guard with long sticks; some caught on fire.


    "What happened here?"


    Liber, who had taken the lead, walked towards them, his hand on the hilt of his sword. Following him, others soon followed as well.


    "Did the guild send you?" One of the villagers came forward, asking in return.


    "Yes, we were sent by the guild to provide help."


    The look of relief spread among the faces of people standing guard outside.


    "Thank the heavens," murmured the man, lowering his stick slightly. His eyes searched the group, looking for any signs of deception. "Our village has been under attack from monsters for days now. They destroyed our crops and took our livestock. We sent for help, but no one came."


    Asher, who was silently listening to the conversation, frowned at their statements.


    ''How many days have passed since the monsters even attacked then?''


    As if having the same thought, Liber also questioned.


    "How many days has it been since the attacks started?"


    "Today it will be marked as the third day."


    "Let me lead all of you to our village chief first; he can explain better."


    The villager''s voice was filled with a mix of hope and exhaustion as he turned and began to walk towards the village. Liber and the others fell in line behind him, their footsteps echoing through the otherwise still night. The village was not far, and as they approached, they could see the faint flicker of torches lighting the way. The place was in shambles; burnt-out buildings and the smell of fear and desperation hung heavy in the air.


    "We all are very grateful that you all came to help us."


    A man came forward; he was much younger than the usual village chief, who tends to look old.


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    "I am Tyson, the current chief."


    Ash and others looked at him deeply.


    "My father was the previous chief, but unfortunately he passed away last week."


    Seeing their faces, Tyson clarified hastily.


    Liber nodded at him and spoke with a deep breath.


    "Please give us all the information you can."


    Following that, Liber looked at the rest of his party.


    "Anny, go help the injured. Gian, help with the reinforcement of village defense."


    Liber spoke firmly as he looked around at his party members. Anny, the healer, nodded immediately and hurried off, her skirts rustling against the dusty ground. Gian, the stoic warrior, gave a curt nod and followed a group of villagers to the makeshift barricade that surrounded the village.


    "Asher, you currently have the most mobility among us; use your skill to survey the surroundings. If you can find the monster''s lair, even better."


    Asher nodded.He was waiting for his orders more eagerly than anyone else.


    Taking a deep breath, he took a step in the air; following that, another step was soon taken as well.


    "He can really walk in air."


    The villagers murmured in amazement as Asher disappeared into the night sky. Liber nodded in silent acknowledgment, his eyes never leaving the young man as he grew smaller in the distance. The group watched him for a few moments before Tyson cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to the dire situation at hand.


    *****


    Looking at the village from above, Asher felt a mix of admiration and fear for himself.


    Admiration because he could walk in air, while fear since One wrong step, one lapse in focus, and he’d plummet like a stone. And from this height? He wouldn’t be getting back up.


    ''If my attention wavers and I fall, it will really hurt badly.''


    Shaking his head in dejection, Asher looked around, his body staying still in midair.


    "Alright, focus," he murmured to himself.


    Asher began to glide over the village, his eyes peeled for any signs of monsters or their lair. The moon was high and full, casting long shadows that danced among the ruins. His heart raced as he saw the extent of the destruction; the monsters had not been kind. Crops lay trampled, and the village looked like a battleground from a forgotten war.


    As the night dragged on, the tension in the air grew thick. The villagers, who had been on edge all night, started to relax slightly as the hours passed without incident. They whispered among themselves, hoping that maybe the monsters had moved on, or perhaps the presence of the guild members had deterred them. Liber and the others patrolled the perimeter, weapons at the ready, but the night remained eerily calm.


    Anny and Gian soon witness Ash descend from the sky.


    Calmly using the sky as his stairs.


    "No monsters could be seen from above; the forest and night are obstructing my view."


    Asher shook his head in disappointment as he reported his findings to Liber and others.


    "I see; don''t worry, your surveillance was very helpful."


    Liber, who saw Ash''s look of disappointment, chuckled and answered.


    "Let''s rest for now; from morning our real fight will start."


    Moving toward the house, appointed to the AnAnny, she gave her own report.


    "Many villagers are injured, and 6 have died."


    "The barricades are also mostly done."


    Entering the house, they took their seats. Anny, who was the most exhausted among them, looked sleepy.


    "Let me tell my own findings first; after that, we all can rest."


    Seeing everyone nod, Liber continued.


    "According to Tyson, three days ago the monsters started attacking; they mostly came from deep within the forest. On the first day, there were no more than 2 or 3 low-rank monsters. Villagers banded together and managed to drive them away. But from the next day, they kept increasing."


    Liber took a deep breath as he processed the information.


    "Tomorrow morning, if the monsters don''t attack, we will venture deep into the forest to find the cause and see if we can eliminate it."


    Hearing his stern voice, Ash and others nodded in approval.


    Morning broke with a chilling silence—one that shattered as the first guttural howls echoed through the trees. The ground trembled beneath Asher’s feet as more than fifteen grey-furred beasts burst from the forest, their glowing eyes locked onto the village like predators cornering their prey.


    "Everyone get ready to fight," yelled Tyson as the villagers rushed to their posts.


    Asher, who was already standing still in midair, looked at the upcoming waves of monsters.


    "Let''s begin."


    With a murmured voice, Asher pointed his gun towards the grey fur dogs—no the upcoming waves of monsters.