Watch Out! Invaders at Bay!

…

Somehow… the sound of a crackling wood can be heard vaguely in the sea of dreams. The supposedly cold night within the fantasy dream somehow changed into a seething fire that swills the sea, thus turned them into fire.

*...Arise!*

*…The hell has resurfaced and is willing to engulf everything in its path!*

*…Arise, now! Heed mine word, thou must awaken thy strengths, to protect your homeland!*

The grim of the fiery sea engulfed startled the young explorer from his cuddly bed.

"HUGAH! W-Wha-what happened?" Marco got confused. He woke up to his house being on fire. The dream he had earlier had become reality. It’s a living firestorm around him!

He quickly took a peek from his window and saw a cannonball smashed the ground causing mediocre explosion. Again, a mortar cannon shot out and its cannonball hit the souvenir shop, destroying it like it was a sandcastle getting kicked. Watching the deathly sight, Marco reflectively shoved his blanket aside.

“Gotta find a way out… where…?” Marco searched for a way out quickly. Within seconds, he spotted a way out: A window, there are little flame sways coming from it, but it’s not big to eat him alive with its blaze.

He then jumped through it. Upon landing, a spear nearly tore him apart. But the fortune sided with him, as a swordsman suddenly countered the spear just before landing. Marco realized who it was! It's Scias.

The spear user flies the banner of an unknown flag. Without thinking any further, Scias slashed him from the chest to upwards in a blink of an eye. “Gaaack!” the soldier died almost immediately as Scias’ attack tore his innards effortlessly. Scias swings his sword off the soldier's blood.

"Thanks, dude, you saved my skin,” said Marco gladly that his friend came to the rescue. “Uh,” Scias nodded. “No problem,” he added.

“But, Scias! W-What the hell happened?" Marco asked in a bit of panic.

"No time to explain, Marco. But for short, we're invaded," Scias stated calmly. “How on earth can you remain unbothered when saying that?” Marco retorted frowningly.

"Exactly at this time would be better if you remain c-calm…” said Scias while maintaining his composure.

“Put that aside. Where’s Aily and Nina?” Marco asked.

"I don’t know…” Scias replied. “Then, let's get to them!" said Marco. Just when he’s about to go, Scias stopped him, “Wait, Marco!” he called. “Huh?” Marco looked at him.

Scias throws him a short sword, “Take that with you, Marco. Your g-guns are gone in the fire, right?” he stated firmly. “Thanks, dude.”

The two went down the road where the fire doesn’t block the way. Amidst of their rush, a crasher noise is heard shortly followed by the ground shaking intensely.

An earthquake happened amidst the trouble.

"Marco! O'er t-there!" Scias pointed to an open field. He signalized to stay low there. Both of them ran to that area, but they got themselves trapped between two collapsing buildings.

"D-DAMMIT!" Scias shoved Marco down along with him as he tries to avoid the falling debris.

“Barrier!” *ZIIIOOOOM!!*

A defensive barrier appeared above them, protecting them from the falling debris. Marco and Scias looked at the caster, they felt glad to see who the caster was.

It's Aily and Nina. They got here in time.

"Quickly, pull yourself out of that place!" Aily yelled. "GO!" Nina added loudly.

They managed to extract themselves out of the sector and left the scene into a safer place despite the trembling ground. After a few minutes, the earthquake finally stops.

Town outskirts…

Marco and the others saw the fiery view that burns the forest.

"W-What the hell happened...?" asked Marco confusedly. Suddenly, someone shouts,

"OVER THERE! There are survivors in there, slay them!"

The party turned at the shouting voice. Shortly, a platoon of six to seven soldiers came. All of them are armed with a spear.

"G-Guys... t-this is... just great... is it not?" Marco stands guard.

"Turns out we've n-no choice… they aren't soldiers of Areda… without a doubt t-they're the invaders," Scias stands readily with his hands on his sword handle.

"Nina, Aily... cover our backs,” Marco commanded. "Roger!"

“Go get them!”

The battle starts. Four versus seven, they are fairly outnumbered. Marco and Scias ran forth, Scias then made a quick turning step and attacked two soldiers at once with a spinning attack.

“Sword Art - Cross Strike!”

He pulled his long sword and strikes it at the first soldier in a blink of an eye followed by him shifting his sword's direction onto another soldier simultaneously, forming an X-like slash.

Two down.

Marco has drawn his sword out, he’s not so good in close quarter battle, but his capability is above average, “Heheh, here I go! Thunder Step!” *ZOOORRRRTT*

Marco boosted using his thunderous foot into one of the soldiers in a lightning speed, attempting to land a blow on 'em. “Holy shit, that’s too fas—EHACK!” The soldier got kicked by Marco’s jolty shoes. The soldier quickly lost his consciousness and died out of insane electrocution.

Three down.

Marco shifted his footings once more and prepared to dash using the same magic.

“Thunder Step!” *ZZZRRRRRRT*

He moved like the struck of lightning, followed by him instantly landed an electric kick to another soldier and quickly slashed one soldier with his short sword. One soldier tried to attack Marco while he’s distracted but Scias quickly deflected his attack and killed him in an instant with one strike.

Six down. Only one soldier remains!

Marco wipes his eyes as they feel kind of dried out. “Yeesh, using ‘Thunder Step’ without my aviator goggles is a real pain in the eyes… I should take notice next time…”

"H-Haaaa! N-NO!" The soldier got terrified and is about to run away. Scias didn’t hold back and quickly took a dagger from his pocket and threw it directly at the soldier.

*KRTANG!*

The dagger is deflected by the soldier's spear. “Hah… I’m not going to die here!” said the soldier boldly.

"You surprised me. But… that's as far as you g-go," said Scias. “Huh?” the soldier didn’t get it.

Marco and Scias stood side-by-side. Right behind them, the twins have prepared a wind magic circle!

“H-Hah?! S-Since when?!” the soldier got scared and confused.

Marco and Scias then jumped on each separate ways, opening the path for the wind magic to launch. Together, Nina and Aily casted their wind force magic!

“Twin Magic - Thruster Windforce!” *FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!*

The wind blasts the soldier away, smashing through three tall trees within two seconds because of the force given by the blow. The party is victorious… for now.

Marco and his friends then approached the fallen soldier. "He's still alive, what shall we do?"

“…" Scias stayed silent. But Marco can easily tell that his eyes reaped for some bloodshed.

"C-Curses... t-this m-must be..." The soldier's panting as he speaks. He's muttering about something.

"T-This must be... the reason... this island... was... ... ..." The line stopped. The soldier... has passed away, leaving the party at still confusion.

"We're safe... for now," said Marco. He then looks into the forest where the town is. He spotted many hot points in the area. The town of Areda is in flames, filling the early morning skies lit in the bright color of fire with puffs of smoke covering most areas.

"Where the hell did everyone go? The town's pretty much empty as I move through it!" he added with worry.

"The 'king' made a warning about two hours ago. Everyone was forced to leave the town and head to the tower right away," Nina explained.

"Hey, I just know that! Why ain't I get to know this piece of info?" Marco grunted unhappily.

"S-Same..." Scias added.

"W-Well..." Aily held her scepter for a moment. "Everyone was... uh... what was that again? Oh! Right! It’s a midnight party.”

"Everyone was still awake... except you and Scias, you've left to your house to sleep earlier." Nina continued Aily's word."

“Oh… that makes sense,” said Marco. “I guess I understand why I didn’t get notified at all,”

Nina and Aily then told that everyone was quickly rushing out to the tower to barricade themselves. Nina and Aily was one of them, too. But they returned here because they realized Marco and Scias weren’t there.

"Talking about the attackers… FOR DAMN’S SAKE! Who attacked us?!" Marco madly shouted.

"I don't know… but mister-uh… um… I forgot his name again, dammit," Aily tries to remember some guy's name.

"It’s Mr. Queaz." Nina added.

"Oh, yeah! That irritating hat man from before,” Aily’s cloud shatters as she remembered Queaz’s insult to her. “That's right, Mr. Queaz came to us and warned about an incoming conflict to this island long before the king's warning…” Aily explained. “Where is he now?” Marco asked.

“I dunno. He left us and went away and none had seen him till now," Aily stated. “…but if he died in the flame, that’s his punishment for mocking me, ha! *BONK*—yeouch!”

“Aily, don’t you make fun of someone’s demise,” Nina warned seriously. “Don’t you make fun of the dead, Aily. Or else karma will come for you,” she stated with a dead-serious face.

“S-Sorry, sis… I understand, I’m so sorry,” Aily apologized. “Well, if you understand, that’s good. Now we had something else to be dealt with,” said Nina while looking into the northern coastline.

“Let’s go to the tower!” Marco persuaded. “If everyone’s holed up in there, that means the ‘king’ is preparing a counterattack!”

“And that is…?” Aily wondered.

“…it’s a literal superweapon.” Scias stated clearly.