Surviving the Night

It began subtly: rustling in the underbrush, faint whispers of movement. Adrian, ever alert, quickly roused the group. Rather than risk a reckless counterattack, he ordered his men to hold their ground near the tree.

His mind sped a mile per second as he tallied up their numbers. There were twenty-six mercenaries, himself and Zig among them. It wasn't ideal, but it would have to do. Adrian's greatest concern was if the ones coming were to be more than thirty in number.

The answer came quickly. Emerging from the darkness was a pack of black-skinned, hairless hyenas with glowing red eyes. These beasts were larger and more aggressive than their mainland counterparts, but their lack of intelligence made them less formidable.

Adrian let out a breath of relief. "We've got this," he said to Zig.

The hyenas circled their human prey, their guttural growls sending the sound back echoing in the clearing. They hesitated over the mercenaries, clad in heavy arms and armor, but that primal hunger goaded them forward.

"Stay sharp," Adrian ordered quietly. "Let them come to us."

The first hyena lunged forward, snapping its jaws as it leapt for the shield of a mercenary. The rest of them followed, the pack mentality overriding their fear.

Adrian laughed, his blade glinting in the moonlight, and said, "Hooked! I knew you couldn't resist!"

The mercenaries leapt into action, moving with discipline and precision. Most mercenary bands were not much more than booty-seekers or marauders, but the "Shadowborn Mercenary Corps" were trained to a high standard. They formed a defensive line, shields interlocking as they pushed back against the hyenas' assault.

Zig bellowed to the men, "Courage is always with us!" His words seemed to be charged with effort, succeeding in stirring something new in the mercenaries. Adrian smiled; Zig had one of the greatest gifts: he inspired morale.

The fight was swift and an easy victory. Individually, the mercenaries were excellent fighters. Collectively they formed an impenetrable force, killing the hyenas with calculated precision. The hyenas, aggressive by instinct but never by strategy, had no chance whatsoever.

As the last of the beasts fell, Adrian gazed over the battlefield. His men were unhurt, their morale high. Zig approached him, wiping blood from his blade.

"A clean victory," Zig said. "But there'll be more."

Adrian nodded, his eyes returning to the Tree of Life. "This was just the beginning. No turning back now."

Following the fight, Adrian and his group re-established their guard, assuming that another strike was now possible. The area around the tree dampened down again, lit only by the ethereal light of the Tree of Life.

Adrian sat on a log, fallen and long, with his blade laying against his knee.

His mind heaved with thoughts. The beasts of Windrise Island wouldn't let them enjoy their peace for long. There was the Tree of Life, growing larger and rising taller, while the Guide Tree Tower remained far from completion. They couldn't afford to rest.

"Zig," Adrian called. The knight approached, his armour dented but his stance unwavering.

"What's next, Adrian?" Zig asked.

Adrian gestured toward the tree. "The tree is safe for now, but it won't stay that way. I need to establish stronger defences. Tomorrow, we'll bring more mercenaries here and fortify this place properly."

Zig nodded. "Understood. I'll organise a rotation. No one rests too long—these monsters might regroup."

Night remained uneventful after the initial attack. As dawn broke over the horizon, the clearing bathed in golden light, Adrian felt a small measure of relief. The five elves worked tirelessly along their newly born reinforcements. Each movement was efficient and deliberate, their luminous forms darting gracefully among scaffolding.

By mid-morning, Adrian prepared to head back to the harbour. He left Zig and half the mercenaries to guard the tree while the others went with him. The walk was uneventful, save for the occasional distant roar of an unseen creature.

As they came toward the harbour, Adrian saw Kuro, one of his most trusted fighters, waiting by the dock. The burly orc waved over at them with a booming voice. "Adrian! Zig's men told us what happened. You've been busy."

Adrian smirked. "Busy, that's for sure. The Tree of Life is standing, and the Guide Tree Tower is under construction, but we need more manpower. What's the status here?"

Kuro scratched his chin. "Supplies are secure. Leo has been organising shifts to keep everything running smoothly, but the men are restless. They need action."

Adrian chuckled. "Good. They'll get all the action they want soon enough. Assemble the troops—we're fortifying the Tree of Life."

Kuro nodded and barked orders to the nearby mercenaries. Within minutes, Adrian's forces were gathering, a mix of hardened humans and fierce orcs ready for the march back to the forest.

Leo approached as they prepared to leave, his sharp eyes seemed to carry some doubt about the Tree of Life which Adrian chose to not notice.

"You're not overextending yourself, are you?" asked Leo.

Adrian shrugged. "When am I not? But this has to be done. That tree is our future, Leo. If we lose it, everything else falls apart."

Leo nodded gravely. "Understood. I'll take care of things here while you're away."

With their strength replenished, Adrian and the group led themselves back to the clearing. This time, they had tools, materials, and extra rations to start building defences around the Tree of Life.

Time became a blur of activity. The mercenaries fell into line as Adrian instructed them to create wooden barricades and clear nearby obstacles to improve visibility. The Guardian Elves still worked on the tower, their luminous forms darting in and out of view.

By the time the sun began to set, the clearing changed. Once defenceless, the Tree of Life was now surrounded by sturdy defences. Adrian viewed the progress with satisfaction, though he knew it was only a temporary solution.

That night, the monsters returned.

This time, the attack was more prepared. As Adrian and his mercenaries kept guard, the howls of the hyenas filled the air. Moments later, beasts charged forth from the forest, double the amount that had entered on the previous night.

Adrian drew his blade, his voice carrying through the chaos. "Hold the line! Don't let them through!"

The mercenaries responded with pinpoint accuracy, forming an impenetrable defensive wall. Behind them, the Guardian Elves continued working, unfazed by the chaos around them.

The battle was intense. The hyenas clawed wildly, raking claws against shields and snapping teeth at anything that could be reached. Adrian moved through the line as a whirlwind of destruction, cutting down beast after beast.

Zig, on the other side, bellowed out commands and cheered his forces into place. His knightly presence still rallied their spirits, transforming a potentially desperate fight into a carefully planned defence. It was only when the final hyena fell that the clearing was silent once again. Bodies littered the ground, the reek of blood hung heavy in the air.

Adrian cleaned off his blade and looked at the area. His troops had held, but at a cost. Several of the mercenaries were injured, but none were killed.

"We can't do this for much longer," Zig said. "They'll just keep coming."

Adrian nodded. "Which is why we need to finish the tower. Once it's completed, we'll have access to more resources—and more help."

"This is what the Tree of Life has told me; our best bet is to trust it."

Zig scowled. "And until then?"

Adrian strapped on his sword. "Until then, we wait. We live."

The night wore on without incident, though Adrian slept fitfully. When dawn broke, the Guide Tree Tower stood all but complete, its finishing touches being tended to by the elves.

Adrian stood at the base of the tree, his arms crossing over his chest. He knew the weight of what hung above him, pressing down upon him. But he wouldn't fail. Windrise Island was his now, and he would take every step to stake his claims.

With the tower almost ready and defences holding well, it was finally beginning to look habitable. But Adrian knew that this was just a start. The problems ahead would be bigger, enemies more terrifying.

And he would face them.