Whoosh—the arrow flew. It punched through a Mountain Bandit, dragged three more like beads on a string, and smashed them flat on stone like meat patties. And the more they fell, the faster the rest surged, madness whipping them like a storm.
Boom—an A‑rank Sprite on the high platform loosed another shot. The arrow ripped the air with a booming hiss and drove into the iron plate. Thud—the impact blew a Cyclone and saw‑toothed wind blades that curled like white surf around steel, but it didn’t break it; it only carved a few scars like claw marks on ice.
Even so, half the wall‑climbers were erased. Under the A‑rank Sprite’s storm of arrows, Mountain Bandits dropped like leaves after frost.
Twang—twang—the bandits spotted the marksmen. Crossbow bolts hammered the platform walls in a thunder of iron rain, but the masonry held like a mountain; wards of magic glimmered under the dust.
Medith glanced down; the gate barrier shook like a drumskin about to split. Her voice was tight with dread. Do we have a small door by the main gate? How do we get out there to intercept?
Milia fired, then ducked behind cover like a bird vanishing into reeds. No. The Queen and the Elders never counted on anyone breaking the ward and battering down a gate. Usually we sit behind the barrier and the wall and let our arrows do the talking.
And for centuries, not even the Glimmering Green Forest was breached. Siege? It was a tale told for winter nights.
Medith cursed under her breath, a salt taste of helplessness. No sally gate meant no sortie. At this rate the gate was a wick burning down to its end.
The Mountain Bandit captain watched the losses mount like dark tally marks. Tooth Tiger and White Tiger took three steps in two, skimming the iron plates like snow leopards, springing toward the crest of the wall.
Get down! Medith vaulted, wind under her heel, and kicked Tooth Tiger off just shy of the parapet. But White Tiger used backs like stepping stones and vaulted up on a ladder of bodies.
White Tiger rushed Medith like a falling boulder. He raised his heavy hammer and brought it down hard, a tempest condensed into iron. Medith slipped back with a sharp breath, the strike shaving air from her collar. The dozen B‑rank Sprites beside them weren’t so lucky.
The shock lifted them like seeds in a gale. They coughed blood, breath ebbing like a tide; more leaving than returning.
While White Tiger stole their focus for a heartbeat, dozens of Mountain Bandits topped the wall. Then came the swarm, a black tide clambering and spilling over.
They roared a victory cry, wolves tasting iron on their tongues, and charged the Sprites. Eyes gone red, they’d forgotten why they came. They saw a Sprite—man or woman—and swung cleavers, iron knuckles, and small curved blades like a hail of thorns.
Elders Council—the ones in the center—stop them! Medith’s shout carried like a bell down the wall. The Elders’ fighters answered at once, heavy swords flashing like cold rivers as they clashed with the bandits.
The rest of the Sprites abandoned the parapet and fell back hard, like starlings breaking from a tree. They were ranged. In close, they had no teeth. They ran at full speed toward Euticles.
Kill Medith! She’s their overall commander. Cut her down and the Sprites break themselves! White Tiger’s roar shook the stones. In an instant, three captains flew up, and with no one left to block, the Mountain Bandits reached the crest unhindered.
Red Tiger, Yellow Tiger—take five hundred and hit the main gate. Cut down into the city and link with the boss. Their reinforcements should be close; that’ll be trouble. Tooth Tiger’s words were clipped like thrown knives. Red and Yellow Tiger nodded and led five hundred men toward the gatehouse door on the wall.
Captain… they’ve lost the wall. Lina had left Medith, but fear stuck to her like cold dew. She saw the Mountain Bandits pounding toward them, a storm of boots and breath, led by two wolf‑head sub‑captains and hundreds more.
The two tiger captains in front were terrifying, like storm spirits wearing skin. Their killing aura pressed down like heavy snow, and Lina swallowed, throat tight.
She looked at her Sprites. Most were girls, faces pale as moon milk, hands shaking on bows and long swords like leaves in a breeze. It wasn’t their fault. If even Lina shook, how would those who never trained under Medith stand firm?
What do we do? Tell them the truth, or a gentler lie?
Say it straight. Holding it in hurts more. Cry it out and breathe again.
I’ll do it…
Lina, Rita, I need to tell you something bad. Listen closely.
Two days ago was your birthday. Your parents went to the foot of Verdant Spirit Mountain to pick shenghua blossoms for wreaths. We found their wreath at Boundary River. There were signs of a fight. And several human hunters dead…
Did… did they die?
Sob… sob… Dad… Mom…
Don’t be silly. They’ll be fine. You’re only nine. How could they leave you? Right?
They died.
No, don’t talk nonsense. They killed those humans, got hurt, fell in the river. We’re searching with everything we have. We’ll find them soon. Maybe they’ll come back in a few days with your wreaths.
Really? Sob… hee‑hee…
…
We’ve fooled Rita for now. Lina’s sharp. I’m not sure she’ll buy it.
Sigh. Bury the couple quietly… When the time is right, we’ll tell the truth.
Damn humans… What crime did they commit to deserve this…
Rita, I’m joining the City Guard. I’ll train and get strong. Otherwise I end up like our parents—pick flowers and get killed by men. If I grow tough, I can protect you.
…
Then I’ll go too. That way I can protect my sister.
Think it through. Guard training is harsh.
Harsh? We’re fifteen. We’ve got a whole sky of time. And with you there, I’m not afraid.
You…
Rita, Lina, congratulations on promotion to B‑rank combatants. You’re elite now. Keep grinding.
Yes, Captain!
Hey, Rita, that Pass—how about him? Interested?
Ugh, no! Look how pale he is. Put him in a dress, he’s prettier than me. Give him to my sister, maybe.
Me? I like the hard‑edged, bold, full‑of‑fire type. Thought you did too.
Gross! Don’t bring that kind around me again!
See her? That’s Fire‑tongued Medith. The one who makes words bite.
But… I think she’s strong too…
Rita, you’re too kind. A sixteen‑seventeen girl will be dazzled by us twenty‑four‑twenty‑five “old Sprites.” If she dares order us, we’ll teach her a lesson.
Oh…
With this discipline, if real desperadoes hit us, the line collapses in under fifteen minutes.
Why so fierce? You’re just good at talking and got one nice word from the Queen!
Sisters here—in live fights, in experience, in skill—who’s inferior to you?
Why do you get to command us?
Huh? Why am I thinking of all this now? Lina stared at the door and window as Yellow Tiger and Claw Tiger swung their instruments of death, arcs like black moons starting to spin. Is this what humans call the revolving lantern?
Am I dying?
Ah… I see… Sorry, Captain. I might fail your trust… Sorry, Rita. Sis can’t protect you anymore… You must grow hard and strong. Then you won’t cry. You won’t be bullied.
Raise your weapons. Give the enemy your roar. Burn your life, drain your blood!
Show them the Elf Clan isn’t a soft persimmon!
Our will endures forever—may the world know no slaughter. Rita shouted, voice like a bell in green mist. She drew and held, and the arrowhead flared with a fierce green light, a forest‑glow that wrapped the entire shaft.
Our will endures forever—may the world know no slaughter! The others caught fire from her words, set their stances like trees in wind. Ahead, two Reapers swung their instruments of death.
Rumble—the gate shredded under the meteor hammer and claws, splinters flying like brown rain. Rita’s arrow snapped before it left the string.
The shock hurled her a hundred meters like a tossed leaf, bowling dozens over before her feet scraped and stuck. Her strength drained away like water through sand. In front, the two Reapers swept in fast, shadows crossing like scythes.
Father, Mother. Lina did her best. I’m coming to you.
Then the Reaper swung his soul‑snaring thing toward the girl, a night‑blade cutting toward a final silence.
