Chapter 38: The Fall of Peace

I stood frozen for the briefest second, staring as flames climbed the ancient trees that supported the settlement, while the stench of ash, blood, and burning timber filled my nose.

Instinctively, I activated [Sharp Vision], my gaze cutting through the chaos until it settled on a goblin woman stumbling out of a collapsing hut with a child clutched tightly in her arms.

She had barely taken three steps before an arrow tore through her back.

A cry escaped her lips as she collapsed to her knees, the child slipping from her grasp and tumbling onto the ground.

The little goblin scrambled toward her, tears streaming down his face, completely unaware of the human swordsman closing the distance with calm, measured steps.

He didn’t hesitate.

His sword rose before falling in one clean motion, sending blood splashing across the burning ground.

"No...!"

My grip around my axe tightened until my knuckles turned white.

More war horns echoed through the forest, their haunting calls overlapping until they became one relentless roar.

"They’re coming!"

"Hold them back!"

"Protect the Elder!"

Goblin warriors answered with furious roars as they surged forward, charging the invading force in a desperate attempt to overwhelm them with sheer numbers.

For the briefest moment, it looked like it might actually work.

Then the humans moved.

Not as scattered individuals, but as a single, disciplined unit.

The front line dropped to one knee, their shields locking together with practiced precision to form an unbreakable wall.

Behind them, the second rank drove their spears through the narrow gaps without hesitation, while the third stepped in and out of formation, their swords flashing whenever a goblin managed to get too close.

Every movement was deliberate, every strike seamlessly covering another soldier’s opening as though they shared a single mind.

A goblin leapt over the wall of shields, hoping to break their formation, but three spears pierced him before his feet even touched the ground.

Another tried circling around their flank, only for two soldiers to peel away without so much as exchanging a word.

One drove him back toward the other, who ended the fight with a single flash of his sword, sending the goblin’s head tumbling across the dirt.

Each human covered the other’s blind spots with practiced precision, moving as though they had fought beside one another for years.

The goblins, on the other hand, fought bravely, but they were too disorganized.

One charged too far ahead in a desperate attempt to break the human line, another abandoned his position to drag a wounded comrade to safety, while others attacked in blind rage or froze after spotting family members trapped among the flames.

Children cried as terrified elders hurried them toward the deeper parts of the village, desperately trying to keep them away from the fighting.

"Hurry!"

"Don’t look back!"

Before they could get far, another explosion ripped through the settlement.

A blazing fireball crashed into one of the massive support trees, and the entire wooden platform let out a deafening groan before giving way beneath its own weight.

Homes collapsed one after another like falling dominoes, splintering into burning debris as screams erupted from every direction.

Through the thick smoke, a group of humans emerged at an unhurried pace. Unlike the soldiers cutting their way through the village, these figures wore long robes embroidered with intricate symbols.

And I could tell they were Mages.

One of the mages stepped forward and raised his staff.

A glowing magic circle spread beneath a group of fleeing goblins, bathing the ground in an eerie blue light.

"Scatter!" one of the goblin warriors shouted.

But the warning came too late.

Jagged pillars of ice erupted from the earth, impaling three goblins before they could even react.

Their screams echoed through the burning village as the survivors stumbled back in horror.

Before anyone could recover, another mage thrust both hands forward, unleashing a roaring torrent of flames that surged down the street.

Everything in its path ignited instantly, turning homes, bridges, and fleeing goblins into an inferno.

My feet moved before I even realized it.

I couldn’t just stand there and watch as the village burned around me.

But I’d barely taken a single step when a familiar voice cut through the chaos.

"Sylas!"

I turned just in time to see Talia sprinting toward me, weaving through the panicked goblins and burning debris.

Her breathing was ragged, and one of her sleeves was soaked in blood, though I couldn’t tell whether it was hers or someone else’s.

The moment she reached me, she grabbed my arm tightly, struggling to catch her breath.

"You still here?"

Another explosion thundered nearby, shaking the ground beneath our feet, yet Talia didn’t so much as flinch.

Her eyes remained locked on mine as she spoke with unwavering resolve.

"Meet up with Zephra and escape with the children."

I frowned, certain I’d misheard her.

"What?"

She swallowed hard before continuing, her voice quieter this time.

"Take as many as possible."

"Talia..."

She cut me off by pointing toward the western edge of the settlement, where thick smoke was beginning to swallow the treetops.

"There’s an old escape route beyond the cliffs. It leads into the forest."

Her fingers tightened around my arm.

"Zephra knows the way."

I looked down at her grip on my hands before slowly raising my eyes to meet hers.

"...You’re telling me to run."

"You’re not a member of this clan," she said, her voice firm despite the chaos around us. "I’m not going to ask you to fight for us."

Before I could respond, another line of goblin warriors was swallowed by the advancing human formation.

Shields locked together as spears thrust through the gaps with ruthless precision, cutting down every goblin that tried to break through.

Talia watched the scene unfold, her jaw tightening.

"The warriors will buy time," she said, though her voice cracked for the first time that night. "But someone has to protect those who can’t fight."

She looked me straight in the eyes, her fingers tightening around my arm.

"Protect the children. Protect Zephra."

Her expression softened, the determination in her eyes giving way to something far more fragile.

"They’re our future."

My jaw clenched.

Sure, she was worried about the safety of those escaping, but she didn’t even seem to consider asking me to help defend the village, despite knowing I was one of the strongest fighters here.

Another war horn echoed through the village, closer this time, its haunting call sending another wave of panic through the settlement.

Talia took a shaky breath before slowly letting go of my arm. She turned toward the battlefield, already preparing to throw herself back into the fighting.

"Go. Now."

I slowly shook my head.

"No."

Her eyes widened, as though she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.

"No?"

"I won’t do it."

"Sylas..." she pleaded, reaching out to grab my hand.

I gently pulled my arm free before meeting her gaze again.

"I said no."

My eyes drifted past her, taking in the village around us.

Homes that had once been filled with laughter were now burning to the ground, while goblins fought desperately against an enemy they had no chance of defeating.

Just yesterday, I’d shared their food with them, they’d laughed at my ridiculous stories, and watched with wide eyes as I entertained their children. Those same children had followed me around the village as though I were some kind of hero.

How could I abandon them now just to save myself?

I slowly turned back to Talia, tightening my grip around the handle of my axe until the rough wood dug into my palm.

We will not lose the clan today.

"I’d stay and fight," I said firmly. "Find someone else to lead the escape."

Before she could answer, I pulled free from her grasp and burst into a sprint, charging straight toward the battlefield, toward the wall of steel, toward the humans tearing apart the only place that had ever begun to feel like home.

One of the soldiers spotted me almost immediately.

"Goblin approaching!"

His shout drew every eye in the formation.

Five pairs of eyes locked onto me, and in the same practiced motion, five weapons rose to meet the charging threat.

I did not slow down.

The swordsmen...