Whispers of Silent Glory. (Prologue)

As I feel the darkness closing in, I finally open my eyes. The torrential downpour worsen, tides rise alongside the early moon. Hours have passed since we arrive and with every passing hour the storm keeps getting worse, even so the monsters simply just doesn't stop.

Recovering enough to walk and swing my halberd, the blue and white marks at my body have mostly dissapear. With such an opportunity, I start to picture my own form. Seeing everyone fighting tooth and nail to stop the monsters, I try to rectify my mistakes and charge forward. Not wanting to repeat the same mistakes, I try to build my foundation again and look at how the Hunters and Adventurers fight. Even from the rain, I could gather a few points from what they do and what their leader said.

- They always fight at a certain gap between them.

- Always prioritize range combat before enganging in close

- Distract the senses of the beast before any attack

But out of all of that, they always follow the

- Most important thing, what Sis always teach me, always aim for the kill with every strike

Seeing a group in distress as a shelled beast break through their formation, I notice a bleeding gap in its armour and realize what they're trying to do. Gathering my power upon my halberd, I decided to not use any of the techniques and,

*Shiing* *Split*

But I won't forget the principles they tought me. With a single strike, my halberd cleaved the beast in half easily. Saving the group I look back at them and give a helping hand asking:

"Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah! Thank you, Star Child."

Hearing a unpleasant voice, I notice it's the same imposter from back then. I can't help but grit and clench my hand.

(This is no time to be angry).

I grab him by his arm and pull him back up saying:

"Get your group organized and return when you're ready. I'm pushing on."

The imposter clench ny arm and hang his head. He looks at me with remorse replying:

"Good luck, and I'm sorry..."

He lets me go and I feel my heart ease. I clench my halberd tightly amidst the pouring cold rain and look around.

(I'm glad he still have some conscious. He might also have his circumstance, but I can think that later).

Ignoring the centre with the vortex and the walls where Seyong is raining down lightning bolts, I start surveying the area. Trecking through mud and corpses of both kind, I don't stop moving to help the defenders.

The sun is slowly fading, darkness slowly enters and with my sight slowly being limited, my sense of hearing picks up the scene. While everything I see starts to darken with flashes of light from the people fighting, heavy rain pours down the winter clouds. The freezing sensation of being drench in such ice cold water that's feeling my feet swimming inside my boots and soaking my body inside freezing clothes makes my nose quite stuffy, even so the sharp smell of steel, fire, smoke, and burning flesh permeate across the rain.

"Reloading!", "Push them back!", "Healer! I need a Healer!", "Keep swinging! Keep Moving!", "Hold the line! Barricade the bridges!", "Should we assist the Gods?", "Lord So-Yong is ordering the soldiers to regroup!", "Screw that! Follow by an example! Follow Lord Hwang-So!"

The clash is intense as my ears ring from such a messy clash of diverse sounds coming from everywhere all at once. But even so,

"Roaaar!"

*Slash*

Seeing a scaley monster twice my size brazenly charge at me alone, I easily dodge and cut its thick head from the side, decapitating it eith a single motion before kicking the body opposit where the head went. Clenching my weapon drench by the blood of my own and my foes, I decided to follow what someone screamed from this battlefield.

"Aaargh! My arm! My arm!"

"Pull her back! I'll handle this!"

Hearing someone is distress, I notice the group of familiar female party struggling against a large monster slowly munching on an arm, I rush again gathering [Origin] and start swinging when it notice me and swings it tail.

*Grab* *Clench*

I simply swing my blade at its tail and disintigrate half of it to dust.

"Rooar!"

Screaming in pain, it stopped its assault at the party and turn around to look at me.

"No! Star Child, get away from that! It's a-"

"Roaar!!!"

With a long face, narrow snout, and glaring slit eyes, it has quite the short arms and legs alongside a very long tail if it wasn't for me. It soon bears its massive fangs at me and lunges forth opening its mouths wide.

"Nooo-"

*Stab*

"Eh?"

I stopped the massive monster by shutting its jaws by plunging my hammer at its jaw, it struggles flailing its short arms, legs, and missing stump of a tail before,

*Twist* *Severe*

I decapitate the monster easily once more as I wonder if their shells, skin, or hide have always been so soft? Despite such a massive jaws it has very short limbs which means the moment it jumped and exposed its soft underbelly is its doomed. Just like how that Starfish exploited my weakness. I grab the fallen leader by her arm and pull her up saying:

"Get your injured team members out and rejoin when you're ready."

"Y-Yes! Thank you very much!"

"Mm!"

I nod at her firm response as they carry the girl at their shoulders and rush back at the rear. Cutting through monsters in my way and sometime blocking any killing blows that is about to end someone else, I soon realize we have push the monsters back further from the bridge. Towers, cannons, and turrerts placed at the back have started being built and shoots forward, assisting with the defenders as they kill and drive away the monsters.

Blood and might are in full display, weapons all drawn, and adrenaline stopping us from being tired amidst this horrid conditions. Large flash lights shine from behind us as the night seem to finally arrive. A sense of dread linger as the night arrive against the uending tide yet, our spirits remain high. Small lanterns lit across the canyon like fireflies. Mages summon light balls, Soldier turn their flashlight, and some even fire off flares to the night sky and that's when I notice it. Monsters that are climbing up the slope have decrease thanks to Seyong.

(This is it! Let's finish this!)

"Follow the Star Child!"

"Lead us to victory, Star Child!"

"Support the Star Child!"

Before I knew it, I was leading by an example. Soldiers, Hunters, and Adventurers follow behind me as we all start pushing the monster back. Seeing a large group of monster gathering and charging towards us, I start putting the things I heard in practice shouting:

"Range Fighters, take aim!"

Hunters, soldiers, adventurers line to my side while many flashlights from the rear aim toward us giving us vision. Aiming their bows, crossbows, guns, cannons, and staffs, I gather my power at my halberd. And swing it, imitating a qi wave strike shouting:

"Fire!"

*Bam* *Bam* *Pshoo* *Boom*

As my wide strike cleave across the lines of monster waves, the rest is bombarded by a myriad of bullets, arrows, fire, ice, and cannon balls. Yet even that wasn't enough as some monster are still alive and continue rushing towards us followed by those in the back that didn't get hit. I raise my halberd again shouting:

"Disorient them!"

Maybe my orders a bit weird but the mages understood my point and raise their stuff shouting:

" "{Blinding Light}" "

*Shine*

" "{Thunder Clap!}" "

(Wait, what?)

Luckily since the light came from behind us, the monsters got flashbanged and I could feel a large gust of wind moving at the monster and realizing a bit too late while everyone already shit their ears.

*Bang*

(Urgh!)

The monsters start falling over as I stagger. Those in the back either stop, trip, or simply trample them. Despite the diziness, I rush forward shouting:

"Rrgh, charge!"

" "Uoooh!!!" "

I use some of the things I learn at my childhood and dampen my ears by filling my mouth with air, the sound of rain simply becomes muffled and the diziness becomes bearable when I notice a monster is already right at my face, opening its wide jaws wide. Seeing the darkness ahead that's wider than my shoulders, I...

*Grab* *psssh*

In a feat of irritation by my own mistake, I grab the monster by its upper jaws and hook my halber's axe at its lower jaws. I can feel a burning sensation as its saliva seem to be acidic and start burning on my face and cloak. Yet, it doesn't hurt.

"Rrragh!"

*Snap*

*Whimper!*

Raising the monster triple my size high above, I slowly spread my arms wide.

"Haaah!"

*Crack* *Split*

I crack open its head from its mouth and rip the monster in half from top to bottom. It's guts fell on me as the blood showers my body and the rain wash it away. I throw away its half on one hand and slam the other half stuck to my halberd towards the ground.

That's when I notice the monsters are backing away from me and I start swinging anyway with their gaps exposed. I could feel many gazes on my back as the monster are starting to run away from me. No, the monster are all running away in droves, they are running with their tails between their legs back to the sea. Jumping over the canyon Seyong is calling upon lighting strikes to smite the monsters coming his way. Like a rod calling upon the skies, each bolt strikes their foes without mercy.

Hunters, Soldiers, and Adventurers have started to rush to the make-shift barricade and push retreating monsters. Their valiant charge drove the last monsters that is soon seen swimming back to the now black sea as night arrives with no moonlight. Despite such a bleak forecast, the lights at the rear aims towards the skies as everyone raises their arms shouting:

" "Victory!!!" "

"We won!!!"

" "Yeah!!!" "

"Foolish Humans. We're too late. It will soon arrive. You've doomed not only my kind but yours as well."

Hearing a ominous threat, I turn around to see the one who speak. The Apex Champion, the blue starfish who have turned white with 18 limbs have now been reduced to a white lump hanging on Hwang-So's spear.

*Smash*

"Didn't I say it before? Don't speak the speech of man so casuslly, beast!"

Hwnag-So slams the remnant of that monster to the floor smashing it with seething anger, yet the beast still squirm as it continue saying:

"We shall all be devoured! To become one! To become whole!"

*Pzzz* *ZAP* *Flash*

Seyong who seem tired of hearing the monster's doomday speak obliterated the beast into a shadow on the floor as he then brush his hand saying:

"Fuuuh, whatever comes our way, we will handle it! So let's discuss our future plan and take some rest. According to monster wave procedure, we'll guard this place for the next few days.

With Seyong's suggestion, Gangyi, Hwang-So and I rest upon a small broken terrace that acts as the centre command of the first defense line.

"That was some impressive feat of strength, I thought I was the flashy one but you stole the bait."

Seyong comment as I wonder which one he talks about while the walls finally been reclaim, we have secured the front for a bit. The four of us surround a table looking at a map, Hwang-So with medical teams behind him treating his white arm, bows down at Gangyi saying:

"This may be late but I thank you eternally for coming to our aid, Lord from Heaven."

Gangyi who is given a chance to speak flaps her wings and rest by hanging on the terrace fence saying:

"Of course! Of course! Though, I do hope you would actually make this barricade with something more sturdy. That way, I would've dealt with that monster in but a quarter of the time I did now."

She sits across him makes me realize how large she is, no how small I am compared to all of them who stands taller than 2 meters, where the table seem to only reach their knees. Hwang-So bows down shouting:

"I'll exercise your wisdom for the next incoming wave, thank you for the advice and for being so considerate, Lord from Heaven."

"Pukaka! Good to know there's someone useful. Now..."

Gangyi glides to my side as I'm wiping away the guts and blood off my coat asking:

"So, you seem have a knack of leading by an example, Hubby. Did you lead a squad before?"

Surprised by her sudden question, I start to be reminded of that time at the Jade palace. Sis Yuwei lent me 3 company worth of soldiers to plug the Reliquary. Compared to that time, I actually manage to push the monster back without suffering any major casualty. Feeling happy at the thought, I nod replying:

"Yea, Sis forcefully told me to lead 3 companies to retake the palace back then."

"Oh? Oh? What's this? Those isolated phoenix had drama? I thought they were boring until Fei arrive."

"Um, I don't know if I should say more..."

"Boo~"

Knowing that such information is not relevant,I try to change the subject and continue saying:

"Either way, are we actually just going to wait for the next few days?"

I speak in Hwansea to ask Seyong, he leans in over the table saying:

"That's right, this will be the few times of respite and reinforce the barricade."

"I see, then as we wait, mind if I ask something else?"

"Hm?"

"Um, this may be a bit hard to communicate when you're the only one not speaking the common tongue since I wish to ask this to everyone."

Seyong leans back resting his arms on the fence replying:

"What the hell are you saying Sova? Did you forget I speak the common tongue?"

"Huh?"

"Hm???"

I tilt my head bewildered as Seyong answered back confused and I can't help but feel my face burn and cover my face despite wearing a mask shouting:

"Ah...! How stupid of me to forget!"

(Right, I've been speaking Runician with her all the time).

Seyong leans forward again infuriatingly saying:

"Are you fucking serious? We were speaking in the common tongue with that High Rank Hunter back at that cave!"

Hwang-So shakes his head and pat Seyong's shoulder saying:

"That's enough, and don't speak a language the Gods don't speak you fool! Have you learn no manners!"

"Rrgh!"

Hwang-So speaks in the common tongue which makes Seyong to grit his teeth and swallow his anger as he then lean back exhausted saying:

"Haah, so what do you wish to ask?"

Seyong speaks in the common tongue and prove his statement. I try to gather my self and look at them only to see Gantyi grinning ear to ear as if she's enjoying this. I take deep cold breathe, hearing the sound of the storm raging outside, I gather my thoughts and say:

"Since we're doing this to protect the peninsula from the monster invasion... I know this is selfish but can we at least survey the sitiation at the Republic's side?"

Hwang-So hearing this stroke his long beard replying:

"The Republic huh? We use to defend the ports together even during the coalition war. It is after the war that they start to refuse our collaboration, but so far they have manage to defend their side."

I nod at his statement and look at the charred floor where Seyong zapped the champion class and continue saying:

"That may be so, but I heard Yoo-Ah saying this is the biggest monster wave she's ever seen. Wouldn't the Republic have suffered the same fate? Hopefully not but, maybe we can check just to be sure."

"Kaka! Oh, hubby, you're awfully fixated on the Republic despite all the reassurance we're giving you. Is there perhaps something you're hiding?"

"!?!?"

Having my inner thought pried open makes me jolt. Gangyi who's resting beside me leans ever closer and feeling grateful for the mask Seyong gave that hides my anxiety that the secrets of my mission may be leaked, I quickly answer:

"It's simply the matter seeing so much unnecessary death."

I try to remember the unintended consequences of my action in Silla so far like the unintended rebellion of the Owlians and the Colonel alongside the civil war that comes soon after and continue saying:

"I don't want to have the feeling of being helpless and powerless depsite being able to prevent such tragedy. I don't know about the rest, but I can't stomach the thought of leaving someone to die because of some unintended actions."

Hwang-So folds his arms and grips it tightly yet he doesn't speak anything, Seyong seems to understand but he seem to see through the mask as he then says:

"I already said this that... Night. But you shouldn't worry to much about Silla. It has already happened and we should focus on the now. I guess I didn't get to say it but they refuse all help, so they DO deserve what's coming for them. Also, don't forget that you're the one in charge of the defense here, are you going to abandon your duty?"

"That's... But..."

"Pukakaka! Quite the humanitarian aren't you~?"

Gangyi wraps her wing around me as if grabbing me by my shoulders and continue saying without waiting for me to answer:

"He's right, we have our own problems to deal with. I doubt they can afford to stretch their already thin line of defense further."

Gangyi looks at Hwang-So who's wounded and battered as he's barely wearing any armour now and behind him are soldiers, hunters, and adventurers working together in the midst of the storm to fix and mend the wounded. I grip my knees, acknowledging out dire situation and try to nod but...

The tip of Gangyi's wing stop me by the chin and cover our head. She smiles bringing her head close to mine as her wet blonde hair brush aginst my cheeks as she whisper:

"(Let's make another proposition. But in exchange, you must fufill one of my request.)"

"Huh?"

Wondering what ulterior motive Gangyi has, I brush that thought aside as I remember my real mission and whisper back saying:

"Very well."

"Pukiki! You're just so gullible~ no takesies backsies."

Gangyi quickly lets me go with a giggle and spread her wing over the terrace saying:

"Since we can't abandon this place, then let's just do a scouting mission."

"Scouting huh? Yes, that would be beneficial."

Hwang-So scracthes his chin and nod in approval. But he then ponder saying:

"But what can we use? We didn't bring any steed since we're dealing with the monster invasion and any of our magic tools will be destroyed under this storm."

Ganyi shakes her head in dissapointment and point at herself saying:

"Foolish mortal, you have me! This benign weather won't hinder my flight or vision. Be grateful that I would perform such inferior duty."

Hwang-So bows his head until it hit the table saying:

"We are eternely grateful if you would."

"And of course, since Sova is so curious, we can fly over to the Republic's side alongside the port as well. It'll be a full sweep."

"Is that even possible?"

Seyong question her and Gangyi scoffs, looking down on him replying:

"Did you forget that I fly much faster than that bloke's ship? I could easily fly across the peninsula back to back in 20 minutes top. This small trip will only be around a minute at most as we survey."

Seyong seem hesitant but agree with her statement as she did prove her speed. I can't help but be amazed as well with how much common sense can change when you're out of the ordinary. Ganyi looks at me with a triumphant smile saying:

"Well then, hubby~ buckle up. We're going on a trip."

"Mm!"

Something seems to burn in my stomach as my guts telling me to get ready to what'd about to come.