Point of View: Sylvanas
A year and a half had passed since the first appearance of the dungeons and the abominations. Arcadia had adapted and learned to survive. The walls had been reinforced, and night patrols became mandatory. Level 1 Ascended were no longer rare; they became active participants in the council. Their opinions were respected, and their strength weighed heavily in important decisions.
Rank 0 dungeons had been conquered one after another. New ones were explored cautiously, and the city grew, slowly but steadily. I too had grown stronger: I was now a Level 1 (High) Ascended, and I had my soul beast.
[Soul Beast: allows the hunter to create a loyal creature of the same level as the hunter]
I took a fragment of my soul and infused it with Origin Energy to create a loyal creature. It could remain physically present or transform into a tattoo on my chest. Recovery was harsh—two weeks bedridden under strict care—but it was worth it. Now I had a Moon Panther: elegant, fierce, and powerful.
That morning, however, rest would not come. I heard noises in the distance and saw guards rushing toward the gates. With a serious expression, I summoned my soul beast and mounted it, following the soldiers to the wall.
Point of View: Soldier
The alarm sounded just after dawn. It wasn't different from other times, so panic didn't spread immediately. I adjusted my helmet and took my place on the wall with twenty other soldiers.
"Maybe another group of thralls," someone whispered.
I nodded, though my hands shook. Then we saw them: lizard-like creatures, upright on two legs, with long arms and dull scales. Their empty eyes showed no emotion. They moved as if nothing could stop them.
"Prepare bows!" ordered the captain.
We fired. The front lines fell easily. They didn't dodge. They didn't retreat.
"That's… strange," I murmured.
We went to finish off the survivors, but everything fell apart. Shadows began materializing among the bodies: abominations.
They didn't attack the lizards. The lizards didn't notice them. Instead, they turned toward us.
Chaos erupted. Comrades fell without understanding what struck them. We ran back to the city, slamming the gates behind us. That night, no one slept. From the walls, we watched the darkness. The siege had begun.