Night of chaos

The peaceful silence of the night was suddenly shattered by a deafening din. Cries of alarm mingled with the crash of explosions, brutally tearing Aiden from his restless sleep. In an instant, he was on his feet, all his senses on alert. His instinct told him that the refuge was under attack, and every fiber of his being screamed at him to fight.

He rushed out of his room, nearly colliding with Ethan who emerged from his own. His friend's hair was tousled and his eyes still heavy with sleep, but his expression was determined and his fists already clenched, ready to strike.

"It's them," Aiden growled, his voice hoarse with anger. "The bastards who attacked us the other day. They must have followed us here." He could feel it in the depths of his being.

Ethan nodded, feeling a cold rage invade him, chasing away the last mists of sleep. How dare these brutes attack their new home, their new friends ? They were going to pay for this intrusion, the two promised themselves.

Together, they rushed towards the entrance of the refuge, guided by the tumult of battle. With each step, the din intensified, punctuated by cries of pain and defiant challenges. When they finally emerged into the main courtyard, a scene of chaos awaited them.

The refuge's defenders fought valiantly, but they were clearly taken by surprise and overwhelmed by the power of their adversaries. Aiden immediately recognized the assailants: the fire warrior, the ice warrior, and their leader, who stood slightly back with a cruel smile on his lips.

The fire warrior unleashed a rain of incandescent balls, setting ablaze everything in their path. Flames licked the walls, engulfed the shattered windows, transforming the refuge into an infernal blaze. Facing him, several defenders attempted to retaliate, but their weapons seemed derisory against this deluge of fire.

Meanwhile, the ice warrior unleashed his ice spikes, which seemed larger than the previous time, bristling the ground with sharp stalagmites. His ice spikes shot out in all directions, piercing bodies and barricades with terrifying ease. Around him, the defenders began to fall one by one.

Without hesitating for a second, Aiden and Ethan threw themselves into the fray. Aiden sprinted towards the fire warrior, dodging his incandescent attacks with his superhuman speed. He felt the infernal heat singe his skin, burn his lungs, but he didn't care. All his attention was focused on his opponent, on the immediate need to neutralize him before he could do more damage.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ethan engage in combat with the ice warrior. His friend used his gravitational power to deflect the deadly projectiles.

"I'm going to make you pay for what you did to me the last time we met," Ethan thought.

Around him, ice shards flew, forming a strange deadly dance.

Soon, the other members of the group joined them, bringing with them a renewed hope. Max shouted orders, coordinating the defense with the efficiency of a veteran. Under his direction, the fighters regrouped, forming a more solid front line.

John and Maggie fought back to back, their fluid and precise movements testifying to years of training and mutual trust. They advanced methodically, cornering the enemies with deadly efficiency.

Even Dr. Evans had joined the fight, using his healing skills to keep the defenders alive, closing their wounds and sending them back to the front with fierce determination.

For a moment, a fragile hope was born in Aiden's heart. Despite the chaos and destruction, they were holding their own. Their teamwork and determination seemed to be overcoming the raw power of their adversaries. Perhaps, just perhaps, they could repel this attack, protect their home and loved ones. Even though it seemed that the attackers were stronger, surely thanks to their strange shining equipment, they outnumbered them, and had trained in recent times.

"All that training was not for nothing, I'm finally able to protect myself, and those I care about."

But that hope was short-lived.

A heart-rending scream suddenly pierced the din of battle, freezing the blood in Aiden's veins. It was a cry he knew all too well.

He turned around, his heart pounding, dreading what he was about to discover.

And there, in the midst of the chaos, he saw her.

Sarah, his friend, his confidante, perhaps even a little more, collapsed on the ground. A blade of shadow protruded from her chest, piercing her through and through. Her eyes were wide with surprise and pain, fixed on an invisible point in the distance.

Behind her, the enemy leader laughed, his eyes shining with cruel satisfaction.

Something broke in Aiden at that moment.

A pure, incandescent rage, like he had never felt before, exploded in his chest. It was as if a dam had burst in his mind, releasing a torrent of fury and grief too long contained. The sight of Sarah, motionless in a pool of her own blood, shattered his last restraints.

Without a glance at Ethan or the others, he rushed at Sarah's murderer, a bestial roar bursting from his throat. Nothing existed but this visceral need to make him pay, to avenge the one who had become so close to him. His thoughts dissolved into a scarlet maelstrom, drowned by the bloodlust pulsing in his veins.

The rest of the world vanished, swallowed by the red veil of his rage. He no longer heard the cries of his companions, no longer saw the flames and ice ravaging the refuge. His entire universe was reduced to this man, this monster who had taken someone dear to him and dared to laugh about it.

As he approached the leader, the latter sent him a few shadow blades, all while laughing.

Then, he materialized a dagger made of shadow in each hand, saying to Aiden "So, what are you waiting for? Come if you dare."

At that moment, the system displayed a notification:

"Eliminate the enemy. Enemy level: Level 9. Reward: +1 level."

"Warning, the enemy is 3 levels above you, the fight will be difficult."

The system seemed to love moments of difficulty, but at this point Aiden was no longer concerned. He just wanted revenge. Revenge and blood.

----

Things couldn't continue to go well...