The Author's POV

The sun started to set, and darkness slowly enveloped the land. A cold breeze brushed through the forest; the paper-like sound of the leaves fluttering sounded across the area.

The scene was rather tranquil, but everyone standing on top of the northern tower, knew that this was the calm before the storm.

Rustle—!

Soon, the silence was broken by the rustling sounds of the vegetation in the distance.

Stationed at the middle levels of the tower, I gazed into the distance. There were many black creatures in the distant forest, approaching our direction. Some were flying, whilst others weren't.

The atmosphere was heavy, and everyone on the middle level of the tower started to take out their weapons, as they quickly got back to their post, readying themselves for the upcoming battle.

"It's time we also get ready."

With the aid of my sword, I slowly stood up. Facing Ava, Leopold and Hein, I looked back towards the forest before muttering.

"This is going to be a long battle."

***

"You two follow me an' dinna touch anything."

Following the dwarf from before deep into the tower, Ryan and Smallsnake soon found themselves inside of what seemed to be the control room of the tower.

The layout of the place was quite simplistic, as the room was about the size of a normal living room. Around ten dwarves or so hurriedly paced around the room, looking through different holographic images, depicting different angles of the tower where the demons could be seen.

In the middle of the room was a large map filled with numerous dots; presumingly depicting the demons that were approaching.

Their number was quite large. Large enough to make Smallsnake gasp in shock.

On the other hand, staring at the room starstruck, Ryan couldn't help but let out an exclamation of surprise.

"Wow."

Running towards the map in the room, Ryan waved his hand over the map. His small hand passed through the holographic image.

"This looks so cool, how does it work?"

"Ryan, calm down."

Smallsnake hurriedly went to stop him.

However, their disturbance did not go unnoticed as an older looking dwarf pointed in their direction and shouted.

"Oy, who let tha two o' them in? An' what be a child doing here?"

"It's me."

The dwarf that led Ryan and Smallsnake in, raised his hand.

"Sir Bamus, I did this under the orders of Sir Orimdus."

"Orimdus? Tsk."

The older looking dwarf, Bamus, clicked his tongue.

"What be that guy thinking? Has he lost his mind?"

"He said ta let them help out with tha miscellaneous stuff. Their combat power be fairly low, an' they may end up being more useful than ye can imagine.

Bamus rolled his eyes.

Although he was the person in charge of the logistics in the northern tower, at the end of the day, Orimdus was the one in charge of the whole northern area.

He had to follow his orders.

"Alright, I'll do it."

"Thank you, sir."

The dwarf gratefully looked at Bamus.

Although Bamus was ill-tempered, he was not someone who would refuse a helping hand. Furthermore, he really needed someone to help him out.

Though he wasn't really sure about the ability of the two humans before him, the tasks he was about to give them wasn't too hard.

"You two follow me."

Following Bamus, Smallsnake and Ryan stopped in front of a large wooden desk. Atop the wooden desk was a similar map to that in the middle of the room; the only difference was that it was much smaller.

guys a hard task, ye see over

More specifically the red dots around

tha map in tha middle o' tha room, an' it gives

specific area of the map, a small square appeared on the map displaying the

"Wooow!"

and Smallsnake who looked at it

the two, Bamus's

do be report ta me every couple o' minutes how many demons be approaching from

head, Smallsnake

can, but why cant the device count

on the screen, couldn't they have a

the answer,

case tha artifacts miscalculates some o' tha data. After all, some o' tha demons cou' be using some special techniques that avoid tha detection o' tha device. Sometimes, a discerning eye be

"...So that's why."

turned his attention back towards the

head and mumbled

his arms, Bamus stroked his beard before turning

I'll leave you two

right, and 329 from

before Bamus could leave,

eyes darting all

"H..huh?"

to leave almost tripped over. Turning around, he

are ye talking about?

Ryan pointed

demons are coming? Those are the

stopped. Blinkin a couple

left, still 56 on the right, and 324 from

"That's wrong Ryan."

"Huh?"

the side,

on the tower. Soon an image of the place

the ones that have infiltrated, there's about twenty-two

in the head, Smallsnake's head shook in

you're trying to show off.

"Sorry."

the back of his head, Ryan dejectedly lowered

due from behind, Bamus was

"What the."

and walking towards the main map in the middle of

long, his mouth opened

"...Ah."

still being scolded

perfectly matched what the

***

any battle strategy prepared—Like a swarm of locusts, the demons charged from above.

—Rumble! —Rumble!

shook, and a cloud of dust appeared

SHIIIIII—!

magic circles soon appeared on the palm of their hands. Before long, spells started raining down from above. Towards the demons in the

from behind, I

I instead designed them to

only different thing that I did in

were bad at archery, it's just that they were far better magicians due to

different note, it was quite easy to tell how strong an

hair color of an elf, with green hair signifying lower affinity with mana, and with silver, which was the hair color that

WHIIIM—!

in the sky. Lingering in the air for a couple of seconds, it soon fell towards the demons in the distance like

BOOOM—!

hundreds of

to the elf that had greeted me before; his hair was a

"Damn."

mean that they were weak. The low affinity was only with respect

humans, they were still a

Xiu—! Xiu—! Xiu—!

weren't the only long-distance damage dealers, as the dwarves shot the demons from above with

they operated differently as they shot projectiles made out of

devastating as each shot equalled the

below the tower, I found that despite the strong spells and attacks from

simply too

"Uuuaargh!"

orcs were already waiting for them at

demons from infiltrating the tower where