The days that followed were spent preparing for the kind of enemy the village had never expected to face.
Lucien had already taught everyone how to use the weapons they possessed, but after learning what Seran knew about the Iron Jackals, he decided that individual skill would not be enough.
Most of the villagers were farmers, craftsmen, hunters, or laborers. Even those who had fought wild animals before had little experience facing organized people who knew how to use weapons against other humans.
So Lucien began teaching them how to fight together.
The first afternoon, he arranged a dozen villagers on the open ground beside the wall.
Some held wooden shields, others carried spears, and several had practice crossbows hanging from their backs. Lucien walked between them while adjusting their positions, making sure the gaps were neither too wide nor too narrow.
