3: The beginning of the attack

When I opened my eyes, I was confused for a few seconds before remembering the situation I was in.

"Really, a part of me wished it was all a bad dream. What a damn joke."

I got out of bed and dressed in the clothes I found in the room. It was already time for a new day, one that would be incredibly heavy for someone like me.

*Knock, knock, knock*, the door began to sound.

"Who is it?" I asked loudly.

"Sorry to bother you, Mr. Norch, but Mr. Gareth has summoned you."

The voice was that of a woman, presumably a maid of the fortress.

"I'll be right out. I'll need you to guide me there."

"Understood, I'll wait outside."

With that settled, I finished adjusting my clothes and left the room.

In front of the door was a maid of about twenty years old. She was quite pretty. I asked her where the room I was summoned to was, and she began to guide me.

Now, it will be a problem if I make a fool of myself when we're discussing strategies to defend the castle. Although I know a bit about this, I only learned it through novels, manhwas, and some of my history assignments at school. I don't know if it will be enough.

...

*Knock, knock, knock.*

"Mr. Gareth, sorry for the interruption, I have come at your call."

When I entered the meeting room, only Gareth was there with piles of papers in front of him.

"Welcome. Now come here and help me with all this paperwork."

"Shit."

This is crap. Isn't someone on their first trial supposed to be given paperwork to do? What kind of bad joke is this, spell?

"Sure, give me what you need, and I'll do my best."

I sat in front of Gareth, and he handed me some papers with information about the soldiers, the weapons, and the positions where they would be placed.

Um, in summary, it would be something like this: crossbowmen and archers would be placed in the towers over the walls. The catapults would be behind the walls, receiving instructions from above to aim fire at the horde of nightmare creatures, and the soldiers on the walls would defend them, preventing the beasts from climbing.

"How complicated."

"Well, sir, I would say this is impeccable, but I don't see the Awakened anywhere here?"

Gareth looked at me a bit strangely. I guess I'm not behaving like his usual advisor.

"Norch, you're acting strange. Usually, you're more carefree around me and question the things I do. Has something happened these days?"

Well, I guess I did act strange. I should have known since he started laughing like a madman the last time. There's nothing to be done, although I have a good excuse.

"Well, that's because, honestly, I'm very scared about the tyrant and the large horde of creatures approaching the castle. It's got me very worried."

Gareth looked a bit concerned before smiling.

"Come on, man, don't worry so much. I'm sure we can withstand it together. You know I'll protect everyone close to me, and that includes you, my friend. You don't have to be like this, seriously."

His words, if it were any other situation, could have calmed my somber heart in an instant. But I saw the future. I saw how that creature killed Gareth with its tail, piercing his armor and coming out the other side.

I smiled and told him I was fine and that I would trust him.

"Alright, regarding the other guys, they'll be with me on the second wall. If the creatures manage to get past the first defenses, the six of us will face the tyrant."

So that's why I hadn't seen them at any point on the outer wall when I was watching the vision.

"That's good. By the way, can they already use their abilities?"

He looked at me strangely once more before responding.

"Norch, you're really strange. It's clear that they can't use abilities; they're just Awakened people. Only the Ascended like me can use their abilities."

Oh, what a mistake.

I don't remember the explanation given in the novel about how the Ascension system worked before the spell, so I just made a big mistake.

Apparently, it seems that the 'Dormant' or 'Latent' ones are those who manage to feel their soul essence and improve themselves with it. The Awakened are those who have managed to form a soul core and gain great power, but only the Ascended understood their aspect and could gain abilities.

"I'm sorry, lately I also feel like I'm not myself."

After that exchange, we talked a bit more about the defense strategy to withstand the attack, and then I left.

In summary, I suggested we dig large trenches behind the outer walls in case the creatures managed to get past and fall into them. We could kill or injure them when they were down.

Some changes in the reserve troop positions, and he also told me something about his abilities, although he was less specific here.

His abilities were: enhancing all senses, making him incredibly strong, and another ability that allowed him to make his sword explode into a great number of fragments filled with soul essence that damaged everything around or everything in one direction. Although the latter was difficult to control as it put all his soul essence into this attack, it was a last ace up his sleeve.

Anyway, now I'm heading back to my room. I spent several hours in that room that felt mentally exhausting. I need a brief rest.

...

When I finally reached my room, I collapsed on the bed without bothering to change into more comfortable clothes.

"This is exhausting. Talking to an Ascended who supposedly knows me and trying to act normal is more tiring than I thought. Luckily, in situations where I couldn't explain things well, my [Liar] attribute managed to do a good job."

I'd better sleep.

...

I woke up abruptly and startled by a loud noise of trumpets sounding from outside the building.

I quickly got out of bed and adjusted the clothes I hadn't changed and left my room, running as fast as possible toward the building's exit.

As I ran, I passed by a large window from which I could see over the walls an incredible number of creatures coming toward the fortress. I also saw all the soldiers frantically running to their posts atop the walls and the reserve soldiers preparing below the walls.

Everything was chaos outside the building as the sudden arrival of the horde interrupted the day of preparations.

Fortunately, much had already been done between the previous day and today. Only some of the traps I suggested hadn't been finished, but most of the weaponry and soldiers were ready.

The day had come when the fortress's army would face the horde of creatures led by the awakened tyrant.