The morning air was heavy and cold. Every resident within Evergarden was praying for their success, praying that they could have another day of peace.
A translucent blue screen hovered above the restored command tower.
[Time Until Wave 2: 00:01:00]
The silence was almost suffocating. Despite the extra preparation and training, none could shake away the tension that lingered in the air.
Soldiers tightened their grips around their spears. Archers drew deep, steady breaths as they checked their bowstrings for what must have been the third time. Even the workers who had spent the past few days repairing the fortress lingered behind the walls, unable to hide the unease in their eyes.
Yet... something was different this time.
There were no frantic shouts echoing across the fortress. No desperate scramble as soldiers shuffled their way back into formation. No civilians running aimlessly through the streets.
Captain Iron strode along the battlements holding his longsword and trusty shield, his voice calm but firm.
"Shields to the front."
"Third Squad, reinforce the eastern wall."
"Archers, hold your arrows until my command."
Each order was answered immediately.
"Yes, Captain!"
The soldiers moved without hesitation, slipping into the positions they had planned. Even the workers knew exactly what to do, quickly delivering bundles of arrows, replacement shields, and water before retreating behind the inner gate.
Although every face still carried traces of nervousness, the chaos that once consumed Evergarden in the first wave had been replaced by order.
A faint smile crossed Logan’s face as he sat atop the Command Tower. His heart eased up, knowing that this wasn’t the same Evergarden that barely survived the first wave.
00:00:10
The wind sweeping in from the Darkwoods suddenly died. An uneasy stillness settled over the battlefield. The moment the first monsters emerged from the trees, the Command Tower responded.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Wave #2
- Goblin x200
- Hobgoblin x8
- Goblin Rider x15
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"That’s all?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow.
He had expected the second wave to compensate for the lack of stronger monsters with overwhelming numbers. Instead, the enemy composition was surprisingly modest.
His gaze lingered on one particular entry: Goblin Rider.
Individually, they weren’t much stronger than ordinary goblins. But what made them troublesome was their speed. Mounted atop dire wolves, they excelled at exploiting weak points in a defensive line. Once they slipped behind the frontline, lightly armored archers and the wounded became easy prey.
Logan closed the status window.
"Captain Iron, move Third Squad ten meters toward the eastern wall. Have the spear line tighten their formation."
"And tell Kiran and Althea to stay behind them. They’ll take care of any goblin riders if they get through."
"Understood." Iron nodded without question.
The first horn sounded. A tide of monsters poured from the Darkwoods.
Hundreds of goblins charged across the open field, their ear-splitting cries echoing through the valley.
Robin and Maeve, alongside Evergarden’s archery units, released the first volley. Dozens of arrows arced across the sky before crashing into the advancing horde. Several goblins fell before they had even crossed half the distance.
"Hold!" Captain Iron’s voice rang across the walls.
"Push! Do not let any of them get past!"
The shield wall absorbed the impact as the wave of goblins collided against it. Unlike the previous battle, Iron no longer held the weight of the wave alone.
Above the battlements, another volley rained down upon the charging goblins.
Maeve grinned as another arrow found its mark.
"Six."
She glanced sideways.
"How’s it going on your end?"
Robin didn’t reply; she simply nocked her bow and released. Her arrow flew straight but suddenly veered right. It clipped the shoulder of a charging goblin, ricocheted off a shield, and buried itself in the eye of a hobgoblin several meters behind it.
"How did you do that?" Maeve furrowed her brows, trying to make sense of the shot. Her comment was met with silence as Robin continued to rain arrows on the goblins below.
"Tch. You’re no fun." Maeve clicked her tongue, turning her attention back toward the horde.
Below the battlements on the west side, a ferocious hobgoblin was swinging its axe wildly, trying to force its way through the wall of shields.
Giles, who was bracing for the full brunt of the attack, yelped and stumbled back; his carelessness created an opening. The hobgoblin raised its axe, preparing to strike at a nearby soldier.
Fortunately, Giles’ foot caught on a discarded spear lying on the ground. He slipped and accidentally kicked the spear forward, stabbing the hobgoblin in the foot. At that exact moment, Kiran stepped in, and with one clean strike, effortlessly took down the stumbling hobgoblin.
"Nice assist." Kiran glanced back at Giles sitting on the ground, giving him a thumbs up.
Giles looked just as surprised, returning the gesture.
"You saved me, Giles. Thank you," the soldier said, turning around to offer his gratitude.
"Y-yeah! Exactly as planned."
Toward the east side of the gate, a goblin rider managed to jump over the shield wall using the bodies of its fallen allies. But before it could land, Althea intercepted it midflight. She slammed her shield into the goblin, knocking it out before crashing down onto the wolf.
Watching from above, everything was moving according to plan. Almost too smoothly even.
Logan’s brows furrowed.
"Why is it so simple? Was it because of the training facility? Or maybe the notification was playing tricks on me?"
Either explanation sounded reasonable. Yet... the uneasy feeling in his chest refused to fade.
. . .
Robin lowered her bow, watching as the last fleeing goblin disappeared into the treeline.
Maeve, who was standing a few steps behind her, proudly held up two fingers. She turned to the other novice archers on the battlement.
"I got a total of twenty-five goblins!"
The other archers watched in awe, looking at Maeve like she was some sort of archer savant.
While Maeve was busy basking in the praises, Robin brushed past her, leaned closer, and whispered.
"Twenty-eight."
Maeve blinked.
"Hey! I didn’t know you were counting too!"
Robin didn’t answer. She simply continued toward the stairs, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
Maeve hurried after her.
"Hey! That’s not fair! You acted like you didn’t care!"
[Wave 2 Cleared!]
[Reward: 10,000 Gold / 10 Gems]
[Time Until Wave 3: 5 days]
Logan glanced at the notification before quietly dismissing it. His attention drifted back toward the fortress below.
A deafening cheer erupted from atop the walls.
"We won!" "The wave’s over!"
Laughter echoed throughout Evergarden as soldiers embraced one another, relief washing over faces that had spent the past week preparing for the worst. Children cautiously stepped out from their homes, rushing toward parents and siblings who had returned safely from the walls.
For the first time since he had arrived in Evergarden, the fortress felt alive.
. . .
Miles away, deep within the Darkwoods, several battered goblins limped through the dense undergrowth, their bodies riddled with arrows.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the silent forest.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
An enormous shadow emerged from the darkness. It stood nearly four times the height of an ordinary goblin, its muscular frame wrapped in iron-plated armor. Resting on its shoulder was the skull of a large beast.
The creature silently glared at the wounded survivors before shifting its gaze toward the faint lights of Evergarden flickering beyond the woods.
"...Humans."
It turned and disappeared deeper into the forest.