After coming back to the guest house, Lucas went back to the room, the one he woke up in the morning.
Lucas stepped inside the terrace attached to his room. As if it was displaying how luxurious this building was, the terrace was only made up of carved white rocks with great artistic taste. The night view from this place was also stunning.
Torches lit up different parts of the city and made up a completely different scene than it had during the daytime. The stars were shining brightly over the night sky.
The light source wavered according to the fires and added vitality to the city, and the dark spots of the city where light didn't reach piqued the viewers' curiosities. However, the night view didn't interest Lucas, he held a drink in his hands. All his attention and thoughts were on the recent event that had transpired.
Lucas took a sip and looked at the wound on his thigh. He noticed that with the coming of the night, he felt a burning sensation in his thigh. As he looked at it, he found that although there is no cut, the flesh started to rot little by little.
Taking healing potions may be able to restore the place to normal but at night the flesh started to decay as if something is corroding it from inside.
Lucas precisely knew what it was.
'I wonder what the cult of darkness's true identity is.'
He recalled the behaviours that were written about them, till now of all things that had happened, the darkness cult was the greatest variable.
And Lucas was certain about one thing, he didn't have any hands in creating this variable.
As he was enjoying the scene outside, he suddenly heard a warning bell that rang throughout the city indicating the people to take shelter and they were under attack.
Lucas frowned on bearing the bell
"Under attack. Who can attack this place at this time." Lucas muttered. After all as far as he can remember there are no neighbour kingdoms around as the place was quite far away from the border moreover there is no way a vassal state attacking this city.
Besides the three major kingdoms, there are many minor nations but there is none of them close to here.
A servant knocked on the door and asked Lucas to gather in the hall.
"Okay, I will be there in a minute." Lucas tidied himself help and went out.
Arriving at the hall, Lucas found that everyone in their class had been called upon.
The Lord was standing along with Lein and many knights at the back.
The so-called relaxing time didn't last for the students. Some were already biting thier nails in anxiousness. They have just have taken an air of relief after getting out of the threatening situation and now again, a crisis is upon them.
However, those present out there didn't voice their grievances and waited for Alabaster's explanation.
Alabaster looked at the students gathered and spoke in a loud voice"You might have already heard the warning bell. A tide of monsters and beast have surrounded us. We don't know what had happened. They look like some undead but we could feel a weak life force from them. For an unknown reason, it looked like they are all corrupted by someone or something."
"According to our intelligence report and some evidence gathered by Warren's Duke knights that have rushed here, due to an anomaly, many dungeons have opened in the forest and there is an outbreak and all the monsters that have come out have been affected by the darkness. The goblin incident that you have gone through may be due to this reason. While we are figuring out which organization is responsible for these, we have to defend the fort."
"In the meanwhile, you can either take shelter or you can come to the fortress wall to offer your help. We aren't asking you to fight. In this situation, we need every helping hand we can gather. Even some of my knights are 2-Star warriors."
"Will we be alright? If we got defeated, isn't the city would be destroyed." A boy asked in a meek voice.
"Haha hahaha."
Hearing the question, Alabaster laughed and spoke"Unless there is a powerhouse among the monster whose strength is above B-rank, we don't have to fear about it. We can defeat them even if they are in large numbers."
"We have asked for reinforcement from the capital. They are quite busy so it will take some time to reach here. We have to hold on against the tide until the reinforcement."
"Currently the kingdom is still recovering from the effects of war with demons," Alabaster said with a grim expression and further added"There is not enough manpower to handle all the calamities happening here and there. Below me are two 5-Star commanders and eight 4-Star. We have about thirty 3-Star and 70 2-Star and the rest are all 1-Star."
"You all can be said to be a future powerhouse and since you live with strong ones, you may feel that we are lacking but believe me, this lineup is enough to keep them in bay unless a hidden danger appears."He explained and further added," Don't forget of the whole generation of new ones, only 4000 of you were able to get on the horizon and the number dwindles by the time you graduate."
"Within half an hour those who wanted to partake in the battle will gather here. Those who don't want to participate may seek shelter. Gracia, we are badly in need of a healer. We don't have a healer on our side, your presence may be crucial for turning the whole tide of the battle. It's just a request. It's up to you to decide." He spoke looking at Gracia.
Garcia took a few steps forward from the crowd and spoke "Lord Alabaster, you have taken care of us very well since we arrived so to repay your kindness, I wanted to help you and try as much as I can help."
"Yes, Lord Alabaster, please allow us to repay your kindness." Fredrick came forward and spoke with an unwavering tone.
While following Fredrick's notion, many stepped forward to extend a helping hand in the crisis, but many were still in dilemma about what to do.
Parth standing beside Charles hit him with an elbow softly and whispered"Will you fight or..."
Charles glared at Parth and biting his lips spoke"I will fight this time. "
Lucas was dumbfounded seeing Parth actively seeking conversation with Charles and thought 'Wasn't he brooding in the afternoon for bringing Charles with us.'
Although Fredrick hated Charles and may still now hate him, he doesn't show it on his face but Parth always tries to pick on Charles. His venomous tongue is enough to piss even a sage so he was often found verbally fighting with Charles's lackey but now he seems to be getting well with him.
Alabaster nodded in satisfaction seeing the students coming forward. This will be the first time they will engage in a large scale battle. Although the chances were low still there is risk of life.
"We will divide the army into three battalions. One will oversee the battle from the fortress with long-range attacks and while another will form a defensive line before the fort gate. The third battalion is tasked with rescue operations in case the monster and beast tide broke through the fortress. Does who are not taking part in the frontal battle, you stay with the third battalions." Alabaster explained the plans and gave some orders.
Lucas could see that Alabaster was quite a capable lord. Instead of panicking, he was handling the situation quite well.
"Why don't we use the teleport gate in case of emergency?" A student asked.
Alabaster frowned on hearing the question.
The entire hall became silent on his question and looked at this fellow student with a weird gaze which made him think perhaps he had said something wrong?.
Cough...Cough...
Alabaster regained his mind and spoke"We don't have a teleport in the city. In our entire kingdom, there are only four places where teleport gates were available."
The student understood what the lord meant and took a step back with his red face. He was quite embarrassed at his naivety.
If there were teleport gates everywhere in the first place then what was the use of trains and wagons in their life.
"Now all of you buckle up. I have a few armours. You can take a look and pick one to your liking. We don't have so much equipment, this is the best we can gather." Alabaster spoke.
Everybody took a piece that they can take and went back to their room to prepare.
Lucas took the chest plate and shoulder guard and went back.
On his way, Lucas thought about the situation. Whether the seed of darkness had turned them into undead or not, the number of monsters they have to face was surely not low.
Since the monsters have been tainted with the seed of darkness they may be able to fight until all their bodies are destroyed. But the thing he was worried about the most was not the monster or beast but the trees. What happens if the entire trees in the forest have evolved like the human-shaped tree and attack them.
A single human-shaped tree gave him a hell of a run. Even fighting with a D rank goblin was not as difficult as fighting with a human-shaped tree.
"Haa. Now only she can save us. Though it's still too early for her to appear and may cause unforeseeable events, there is no choice."
Lucas took out the phone and called the princess hoping for her to pick up the call.
Princess had repeatedly warned him that unless it is an emergency, don't even try to think of calling.
'I guess the situation is more serious than an emergency, it's more like a start of calamity.'Lucas muttered as the call finally connected.
"Hello, Your Royal Highness. We are in desperate need of your help."
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