1.44 Titan

"You see," Liam began, "Titans are like a natural disaster. Picture a massive landslide or a devastating flood. The difference is that instead of destroying a village or a small area, they possess the power to obliterate an entire county. It requires at least an Archmage or other combatants of respective class advancement to hold them off. Only a handful of truly exceptional individuals can take them down alone. But I'm sure you're already aware of this."

"Yes." 

Michael nodded, his face a mask of understanding he did not have. He did not know of the Titans. How would he even know about them? However, admitting his ignorance would be risky. It might invite uncomfortable questions he had no intention of answering. So, he maintained his pretence of knowledge.

Liam's expression grew more anguished as he continued, his voice cracking with heavy emotion. "Seven years ago, a Titan passed by Naiker's Field. It was something that had not happened in Naiker's Field for over a thousand years. Just the presence of a Titan is a grave danger, but they don't travel alone. They bring with them legions of Titan Spawns, creatures of destruction that pillage everything in their path, bringing the prizes to its mother."

Michael's curiosity piqued, and he listened to Liam. These titans sounded like endgame monsters in video games. 

"The warriors at Naiker's Field could manage a few Titan Spawns, but an entire legion was beyond their capacity. Even our village was attacked during the Titan's passage. My parents, among others, fought to protect me and other children. They died in the attempt, and we survived because of them."

Michael's heart twisted—the image of a young boy amid such chaos, death and destruction, stabbed a dagger in his soul.

How can he still smile after what he had witnessed at the age of seven? 

"If it hadn't been for the intervention of the Black Coral Academy, sending four Archmages and one Elder Mage to deal with the Titan and its Spawns—things would have been far worse. The Archmages managed to destroy the Titan and most of its legion, leaving the remaining threats to the local adventurers. Unfortunately, those adventurers have had little success."

Liam continued on to give the greater details about the horrors of the Titan's attack, the death and despair it had brought. No, it was not an attack, just a passing disaster. Or at least that's how Liam described it.

Michael frowned. There was something in his memory … He thought he had heard about this Titans Spawn before. His mind raced, trying to connect the dots. He remembered his own encounter with creatures that had seemed like oversized cockroaches with unsettling, human-like eyes.

Clawing at his memories, he finally remembered it. Hadn't the system announced he had destroyed a nest of Titan Spawn when he had burned the house crawling with those oversized cockroaches with unsettling, human-like eyes. 

"Liam," Michael said, his voice tinged with hesitation, "Those Titan Spawns... do they look like giant cockroaches with disturbingly human-like eyes?"

Liam's eyes sharpened. "So, you've seen them before?"

So those were indeed the Titan Spawn. Now those dead bodies he had found in the woods, it seemed so long ago, made sense to Michael. They must have died during the passage of the Titan.

"Yes, I encountered a number of them." Michael said. "... I killed them all."

"Good," Liam said, his expression as hard as ice. "They deserve nothing less."

The council's discussion about the future of the village ended not long after his conversation with Michael.

The village mayor, flanked by the Council members, listed out all the decisions the Council had made, ending it with a phrase, "So it is decided."

"So it is decided," the council echoed in unison.

The decision of the Council had been straightforward. They would arm those who knew how to use their axes and bows and use them as scouts and village watch. Michael and Liam would work with the watch since they were the only ones who could potentially kill more than one Titan Spawns alone.

***

Michael and Liam walked through the village, moving from house to house, pulling a cart behind them. They were following the orders of the Council, Left to them and a few other teams, people outside of the villagers trusted. The council had other things to do, to prepare for the coming danger 

Michael knocked on what was probably their tenth house. A woman holding a mop in her hand, opened the door.

"Liam, Michael, come in, come in," She said, practically shoving them inside the house. "I've already heard the news why you're here. Feel free to search the house. I will fix you a meal."

Michael and Liam set to work, searching the house in every nook and cranny. Under the bed of one room, they discovered a chest. Inside lay a battle axe, its dual half-moon blades gleaming even during this day—veiled in clouds.

"Oh, I had completely forgotten about the axe," The mistress of the house said, serving them a meal. "My husband made it for the travelling warrior. But in his excitement, he made more than one."

After the meal, Michael and Liam left with the battleaxe in tow. Michael decided to keep it for himself, knowing the Council had granted him the leave to choose a weapon that suited him. He did not forget to add his old axe to the cart, which already contained armaments they had collected so far.

***

Michael adjusted his grip on the cart's handle, feeling the ache of fatigue settle into his shoulders. The cart's wooden wheels creaked under the weight of their latest haul—weapons and armour salvaged from the village homes. 

As dusk approached, Michael and Liam continued their rounds through the village. Their task was necessary, Michael understood that, but did it have to be so fucking exhausting.

They had searched more houses, collecting more weapons. By the end of the day, they had collected six full plate armour and seventeen leather armour. They were rusted and damaged in places, but Michael was sure the village blacksmith could work on them to make them usable at the very least.

The sky above was a thick blanket of rolling clouds that occasionally flashed with lightning. The wind picked up, so Michael decided to call it a day.

Of course, they had also found more than a few weapons, axes and bows, swords and rapiers—more than Michael and Liam had expected. These weapons were all remnants of the hero Madwin's battle against the orcs. All passed down through generations.

"This is quite a haul, don't you think?" Michael said, trying to sound optimistic as they inspected their collection.

 "It's a good start, but I'm not sure it will be enough if the Titan Spawns attack the village."

Michael frowned and then spoke up again, vanquishing his frown and forced himself to replace it with a hopeful smile, if only to raise the spirit of his friend. "I'm sure other teams have found their own shares of weapons and armours. And there are still more houses to be searched tomorrow."

Liam sighed. "Perhaps you are right. Perhaps we will have enough weapons. But those weapons won't make warriors out of these villagers."

Michael's frown returned. In that, his friend was not wrong.