0014.

Commander Fang squinted through the dust swirling under the dim moonlit sky. The blood-soaked grass smeared a crimson haze across his vision, blurring the distant figures of his veterans locked in a desperate struggle. 

The only sounds that pierced the oppressive silence were the echoing roars of unseen beasts, their clashes punctuated by the anguished unknown cries. Is that a beast? Is that one of my men? Or the survivors? Doubt gnawed at his resolve. Were they fighting a losing battle? Was this the end?

In his mind there was another question, what are they waiting for? Where is the rest of the tide?

Suddenly, the ground shook. This was the third time tonight. The earth kept trembling, like a giant drum being pounded. Fang squinted towards the dust cloud rising in the distance. It was moving incredibly fast. This wasn't a small attack. Something big was coming.

The ground continued to shake, but Fang didn't need the tremors to tell him what was coming. A foul stench, thick and heavy, filled the air, twisting his face in disgust. He knew that smell.

"Bull Charge!" he roared, his voice cutting through the night, a desperate warning for the new recruits.

They couldn't let the bull charge reach the wall. The sheer momentum would be unstoppable. Gritting his teeth, Fang made a decision. "Recruits!" he barked, turning to face them. "We can't hold back! Meet the charge head-on!"

"CHARGE!!" Without waiting for a reply, Commander Fang charged forward. He didn't glance back to see if they followed, Only one thing mattered: stopping the bull charge before it reached the walls.

The new recruits, initially filled with anticipation, excitement, and raw fear, watched in astonishment as their commander charged alone toward the billowing dust cloud. His resounding roar still echoing in the wind, it suddenly dawned upon them the gravity of the situation and the meaning behind his actions.

In that stunned moment, a lone voice broke the silence. "CHARGE!" A single recruit, encouraged by Commander Fang's bravery, roared and charged forward. Like a floodgate opening, the rest of the recruits erupted into a collective yell and charged forward, determined to stand alongside their commander against the encroaching terror.

Su Jin, perched atop the western wall gate, smiled with a hint of pride. "ARCHERS!" His voice, calm yet commanding, echoed across the battlefield. Every archer, feeling helpless as they watched their comrades march off to battle without them, flinched at his call. 

It wasn't a call from their usual superiors, but something about the tone and authority in Su Jin's voice compelled them to obey. An instinctive sense told them not to defy this command.

"Aim for the moon!" His command was simple, yet cryptic. Every archer, veteran and novice alike, glanced upward at the moon, a perfect silver orb hanging directly above the swirling dust cloud. A deeper meaning flickered beneath the surface of the order, a hidden strategy known only to the most experienced warriors.

Without hesitation, the archers nocked their arrows, aiming with practiced precision at the moon. But before they could lose, Su Jin's voice, calm yet firm, cut through the air once more. "Hold!" he commanded. "Circulate your cultivation base and imbue your bows!"

A stunned silence fell upon the archers. Their bows were standard, crafted with mortal materials and processes, ill-equipped to be strengthened by their cultivation base, by spirit essence. It would destroy the wood, rendering the bows useless for further volleys. Yet, despite the logic, an invisible hand seemed to grip their hearts, urging them to obey his words.

As the archers followed the order, their bows began to tremble, the wood creaking under the strain, and the bow strings vibrating with tension. If they didn't release the arrows they had already nocked, their bows would shatter, and the entire volley would be wasted.

Yet, Su Jin seemed to have forgotten to give the command to release. Confusion swept through the archers as they grappled with the decision. Should they release the arrows now, or wait for his command? Why were they even listening to his orders in the first place?

Su Jin's gaze remained fixed on the distant battlefield as he saw Commander Fang charging toward the dust cloud. "FIRE!" he commanded, his voice ringing out with authority.

Every archer trembled, but none released their arrows.

"Ahem... I mean... RELEASE!" Su Jin cleared his throat and corrected himself.

*TWANG* *CRACK*

Bows shattered and strings snapped, but the arrows soared through the air with deadly accuracy, piercing the moonlit sky without hesitation.

On the other hand, Commander Fang, alone, still far ahead of the recruits, charged headfirst into the dust cloud. Ready to take the brunt of the full charge of Bulls stampede. He steeled himself for the bone-rattling impact of the bull charge, but instead of the expected crash, a shrill whistle tore through the air. A shower of arrows from above, rained down, slamming into the ground just in front of him. 

The imbued arrows struck the earth with a tremendous force of impact, exploding and kicking up a fresh wave of dust but dirt too that scattered the dust around, clearing the vision in front of him. When the dust cleared, Fang blinked and stared in disbelief. The wall of charging beasts was still far away and the arrows only kicked up some dirt, missing their mark by miles.

He was utterly confused about who asked the archers to do such a stupid move but this barrage of useless arrows did clear the dust in front of him as the recruits also caught up to him. 

As the vision cleared before him, He saw a churning mass of enraged bulls charging towards them. The darkness of the night transformed their hulking forms into monstrous silhouettes, their eyes burning red with primal fury. Even Fang felt a sliver of fear coil in his gut, let alone the wide-eyed recruits catching up behind him. But fear was a luxury he couldn't afford.

"TURTLE FORMATION!" He yelled with all his might, this might be his last command, but he wouldn't go down without a fight. "HOLD YOUR GROUND!!"