Chaos Before Calm

Kaelen led the group toward the eastern wall. Guards poured through the gate ahead of them, vanishing behind the stone as chaos swallowed the street.

Near the gate, a heavily armored guard directed the flow of soldiers, pointing this way and that as shouts echoed off the wall. Kaelen strode straight toward him.

“Where do you need us?” he called. “Two mages, one healer, one tank!”

The guard turned at once to Kaelen’s shout. Without missing a beat, he barked, “Mages—thank the gods! Form up in front of the gate. Your job is to keep the horde out!”

With that, Kaelen strode through the gate, and their group formed up in the middle of the road—Kaelen in front, Eric in the center, Lyren and Welyvyne covering the rear.

Lyren raised her hands, summoning two earthen walls on either side of the gate to funnel the horde should they break through. Then they waited.

Eric’s nerves buzzed, every instinct alive with anticipation.

Movement rippled through the treeline—hulking, hunched silhouettes with jagged spines catching the dawn light. Long claws tipped their fingers, and their muzzles bristled with rows of sharp, uneven teeth. They looked almost humanoid—almost.

“Rift beasts!” Kaelen shouted. “There’s a break nearby!”

Eric’s hand tightened around his hilt, leather creaking against leather. He wanted to hurl lightning into the treeline but held back, knowing it would only waste mana.

The guards were already tensing at the sight. Eric glanced back, checking their positions so he’d know where everyone stood once the clash began. He caught a few of the soldiers watching their group—one even gave him a quick nod when their eyes met.

He turned forward again, and at that instant, the world erupted.

The horde burst from the trees as one, charging straight for the walls. Eric tensed; Kaelen dropped into a crouch, shield raised and sword held high in guard.

Time seemed to slow for Eric as he took in the horde.

The creatures—monsters, he decided—were a mottled black and red, their back spikes glowing a deep, sickly purple. Their maws snarled, eyes wild with madness. They looked like abominations born of chaos and order colliding, mockeries of natural beasts—werewolves from a nightmare, only far more grotesque. Slobber flew from their jaws as they charged.

Kaelen’s body flared with an earthy green light, energy threading through his limbs as his stance solidified. Welyvyne hurled a wave of flame into the oncoming mass—an arc of fire like liquid napalm that drenched their front line in searing light. Lyren followed with a barrage of stone, each chunk the size of a football, slamming into the advancing ranks and staggering the rear.

Eric snapped out of his trance. He began casting, lightning flaring from his hand a heartbeat before his chant ended. It tore through the far side of the horde just as Lyren’s stones struck, scattering that flank into confusion. Then Eric moved, closing the distance to stand beside Kaelen as the front line crashed into them.

The beasts lunged at Kaelen, claws screeching against his shield as he braced under the impact.

Eric stepped in and slashed, his blade cutting through the side of a creature’s head in a spray of dark ichor.

“The guards on the left are being overwhelmed!” Welyvyne shouted.

Eric spun toward her voice and unleashed a bolt of lightning into the flank of the horde. The strike hit with such force that the lead beast was thrown sideways, crashing into the others and breaking their line. The guards didn’t hesitate—they surged forward, driving their blades down with every ounce of strength they had, cutting into the stunned monsters before they could recover.

“Right side!” Welyvyne shouted—and that was all Eric needed to hear.

He spun toward the flank, spotting the horde breaking off to circle the casters. Lightning flared from his hand as he charged, bolts tearing through the beasts ahead of him.

A claw raked across his arm just as he drew back for another strike. Pain flashed white-hot, but he turned with the motion, letting the momentum carry his blade into the top of the creature’s skull. It collapsed instantly.

Another lunged—jaws gaping—and Eric caught it by the muzzle, his hand crackling with power. He unleashed a surge of arc directly into its face. Sickening smoke poured from its eye sockets as the body went limp.

Lyren sprinted to Kaelen, and Eric moved with her, taking position as her shield.

Kaelen caught a claw across the face and staggered back, blood flashing bright against his armor.

Eric lunged, driving his blade straight into a beast’s eye. The sword punched through with almost no resistance. He kicked the corpse away—it flew back as if struck by a horse.

There was no time to think about the strength behind it. Eric swung again, blade cutting frantic arcs as he fought to keep Kaelen and Lyren clear of the horde pressing in from the front.

Eric took several hits—claws raking across his arms and torso—but he refused to slow. He couldn’t stop now.

Kaelen was suddenly there beside him, shield snapping into place at Eric’s flank.

“I’ve got this,” Kaelen growled.

Eric nodded and stepped back toward his position at the center, lightning arcing from his hands as he covered the retreating beasts. Overhead, flames rained down in streaks of molten orange—Welyvyne’s last volleys sweeping the field.

The worst of the surge was over. The guards pressed forward, cutting down the stragglers until only scattered cries remained. After a few more minutes of fighting—mercifully less intense—it was done.

Eric had burned through more mana than ever before, and his whole body thrummed with the charge, alive and aching all at once.

The battlefield fell still, the only sounds the hiss of cooling flame and the ragged breaths of survivors. The air reeked of ozone, burnt fur, and blood.

Then the bodies began to fade.

It started as a shimmer—like heat ripples bending the air—then spread into a slow unraveling. Skin, bone, and flesh dissolved into motes of light, drifting upward as if drawn by invisible threads. Each mote pulsed once before vanishing, leaving only the faint scent of ozone behind.

Eric froze. “Kaelen…?”

As the last body vanished, the ground pulsed faintly underfoot—a heartbeat, deep and resonant. Then came the chime of a system message.

Reward distribution in progress.

Kaelen watched the last of the light drift skyward, then grinned and rubbed his hands together. “Loot time.”

Eric blinked at him, half in disbelief, half laughing. The sheer normalcy of Kaelen’s tone after the otherworldly display somehow made the moment even stranger.

A soft light flared before each of them.

For Kaelen and Eric, it flickered once and vanished—Kaelen’s ring gave a faint pulse a heartbeat later. For Lyren, Welyvyne, and the others, the light condensed into small piles that clinked softly as they hit the scorched earth.

Among the spoils lay jagged black plates of metal that shimmered faintly, veins of violet light running through them like cracks in cooled magma. Scattered between them were crystals, stones, and shards that pulsed with residual mana. Mixed in were the solid remnants of the beasts themselves—claws, fangs, and barbed spikes, each still humming faintly with unstable energy.

Eric blinked, still catching his breath. “Wait… we get loot from this?”

Kaelen’s grin widened just a fraction. “Of course. Why do you think anyone who can fight, does?”

After everyone gathered what had fallen, Lyren turned to Eric and winced at the cuts along his arms and torso.

“You should’ve said something sooner,” she said, her voice a mix of concern and exasperation.

Eric glanced down, noticing the blood soaked into his shirt. “Didn’t feel urgent at the time,” he said with a faint grin.

“Sit,” Lyren ordered, already summoning a soft green glow between her hands. She pressed her palms near his arm, warmth radiating outward as mana threaded through the wounds. Eric watched as the light spread beneath his skin, the slashes closing until only faint red lines remained.

“You make it look easy,” he murmured.

Lyren smirked. “That’s because I’ve had a lot of practice.”

Eric glanced around, Kaelen doing the same beside him. The air still crackled faintly from lingering mana.

“Looks like your job isn’t over, Lyren,” Eric said, half-smiling. “I could probably help if you teach me some basic healing spells. I do understand human anatomy, after all.”

Eric had his system messages suppressed. He didn’t bother opening them—not yet. Not until things settled, and the work in front of him was done.

Lyren smirked coyly. “I figured you’d have picked them up just from watching me.”

Eric smiled. “No—I honestly haven’t been paying attention.”

Lyren nodded. “Just watch me—you’ll pick it up, I’m sure. But if you really want to learn, you’ll need to watch more closely. Healing isn’t just casting and waiting for it to work; it takes mana control and a lot of focus.”

She smiled faintly. “And I think you’ve got plenty of both.”

Eric and Lyren moved through the battlefield, tending first to the most critical wounds. Eric took his time, watching her work—following the flow of mana and trying to understand how it all connected.

After a few soldiers, a faint shimmer appeared in his vision.

You have learned Healing (Rank 1)

Healing is the ability to weave Earth and Water affinities to mend tissue and bone. Its effectiveness increases with mana control.

Spell learned: Minor Healing (Rank 1)

Eric blinked, then paused mid-step. “Hey, Lyren—I just got a healing skill and a healing spell. Is that… normal?”

Lyren smirked. “Yeah. The healing skill actually makes the spell easier to cast—and it usually takes time to learn, even after you’ve healed a few people. You picked them both up just by watching me? That’s bizarre.”

Eric knit his brows. “It might be because I wasn’t just watching you heal. I was using mana manipulation to follow your flow inward.”

Lyren snorted. “Huh. Never thought about doing that.” She wiped a smear of blood from her wrist, thoughtful now. “Healing’s hard because you’re fighting a person’s natural resistance to foreign mana. Most people relax and let it happen, and it’s smooth—but others are naturally distrustful. With them, it’s like trying to heal a wound that keeps flinching away from you.”

Eric split the work with her, using what he’d learned to handle minor wounds while Lyren focused on the severe ones. His healing was slower, but it worked—good enough for triage.

After about an hour, they had stabilized the worst of the soldiers and helped move them off the battlefield.

By the end of it, both of them were spent, sitting side by side with their backs against the wall, the cool stone pressing against sweat-soaked armor.

Lyren huffed a laugh. “You’re making an excellent utility mage, Eric.”

Eric grinned. “That’s me—the Swiss Army knife of mages. Maybe that should be my class.”

Lyren blinked, then shook her head. “I have no idea what you just said.”

Eric snorted. “Never mind.”

He took the lull as an opportunity to check the system messages he’d been ignoring.

You have gained ranks in Melee Combat — 23 → 31

You have gained ranks in Longswords — 17 → 24

You have gained ranks in Defense — 7 → 21

Your spell Lightning Strike has gained ranks — 5 → 12

Your spell Arc has gained a rank — 3 → 4

Your spell Healing has gained ranks — 1 → 5

He let out a low whistle. “Guess you gain a lot more when the stakes are higher.”

Eric’s gaze swept the field beyond the eastern gate.

Where the creatures had fallen, only scorched soil and faint wisps of light remained. The air still carried the bite of smoke and ozone, tinged with spent mana.

Soldiers and townsfolk moved through the clearing, checking one another for injuries, staring at the ground that moments ago had been crawling with monsters. A few glanced toward Eric’s group and nodded.

Down the road, movement caught Eric’s eye—a formation approaching through the haze.

What looked like a small army was making its way toward the eastern gate. Even at a distance, he recognized the flowing robes and silver insignias of the Arcane Anomaly Authority among them, mixed with the disciplined ranks of elven soldiers and Adventurers.

Eric smiled. “Better late than never, I suppose.”

Lyren snorted beside him. “Yeah.”

The formation approached, slowing as they neared the gate. One of the Arcane Anomaly Authority administrators stepped forward, robes trailing as he moved to speak with the heavily armored guard leading the town’s defenses.

They exchanged a few quick words, and the guard gestured toward Eric’s group. The administrator turned, his gaze following the motion, then started walking their way.

Kaelen rose to meet him halfway. “Good day, Administrator Holup,” he said, offering a respectful nod.

Administrator Holup frowned, his expression measured. “The commander of the guard informs me that you and your group played a critical role here.”

Kaelen nodded. “We only assisted with the defense. I wouldn’t say we played a critical role.”

Administrator Holup gave a short snort, the faintest trace of a smile tugging at his mouth. “From what I understand, your group not only helped hold the wall but kept many from dying—both during and after the battle. I’d say that qualifies as a critical role, Lord Kaelen.”

“I understand,” Administrator Holup said, his gaze sweeping over each member of the group. “This team intends to join the Adventurers’ Guild?”

Kaelen smirked. “Word travels fast. I take it the Triple-A and the Guild keep close ties?”

Administrator Holup’s smile was thin but polite. “Of course. We both serve the people—it only makes sense.”

“I see Eric Elwyn is among your group,” the Administrator said, turning his gaze to Eric with a small nod. “How is he doing? I’m not checking in—just… personal curiosity.”

Kaelen smiled, glancing at Eric before answering. “Eric is an integral part of our group, Administrator.”

“Good… good. I’m happy to hear that.” The Administrator turned to Eric. “I look forward to seeing you within the Adventurers’ Guild, Mr. Elwyn. For now, we need to locate the rift and deal with it. Good day to you.”

With that, he turned back to his escort and gestured toward the treeline—the same direction Eric had guessed the rift had opened.

Eric smirked. “That was… curious.”

Kaelen tilted his head. “How so?”

Eric nodded toward the departing Administrator. “He said he wasn’t checking on me, but I distinctly feel like he was.”

Kaelen smiled faintly. “No need to be paranoid. The Arcane Anomaly Authority are the good guys—bureaucracy aside. They really do mean it when they say they serve the people.”

The commander approached, his armor still streaked with soot and blood. “Thank you,” he said, his voice rough but sincere. “I fear without your help, this could’ve been much worse. This horde was a bad one.”

Kaelen inclined his head. “We were here, and this is what we’ve been training for.”

The commander looked to Eric, a tired smile tugging at his scarred face. “I was surprised to see a human among your group—and then you were out there casting and fighting like a madman. It made me proud. Haven’t felt that way in a long time.”

He paused, his tone softening. “And afterward, you helped get my men back on their feet. For that, I could never repay you. You and your group will always be welcome here. What’s your name, young man?”

Eric smirked. “I’m Eric. Our group leader is Kaelen,” he said, nodding toward him. “Our healer, Lyren, and our mage, Welyvyne.”

The commander extended his arm, and Eric—still sitting on the ground—reached up to shake his hand.

“Name’s Barak,” the commander said with a grin. “Glad to meet you.”

The commander handed each of them a bounty slip—fifty Skyls for each of them.

“It’s the best we can do as thanks,” he said, then glanced at Eric’s shredded clothing and smirked. “Should be enough to at least replace your outfit.”

Eric chuckled. “Yeah, at this point I should probably think about wearing armor.”

Barak laughed, shaking his head. “Might be a good idea.”

After the exchange, Eric stood and offered a hand to Lyren. “Guess we should finish up here and head back. We’ve got a long week ahead of us.”

Before following the others into the crowd, Eric opened his dimensional storage.

A clean system window unfolded in his mind, the glow soft against the lingering haze of battle.

Items:

1. Claws ×3
2. Fangs ×4
3. Long coat ×1
4. Mana crystals ×4
5. Mana shards ×3
6. Pants ×3
7. Rift-forged plates ×6
8. Sharp spines ×2
9. Shirts ×3
10. Sylvarium steel sword ×1

Currency:

1. Skyls: 112

He exhaled, half a smile tugging at his lips. Not bad. Just have to figure out what to do with this loot.

He closed the window and caught up to the others.

Eric wandered between the stalls for a while before deciding on some food. The others followed, and soon they were all sitting together, eating in the open square.

People passing by smiled or nodded. Some stopped to thank them outright, even shaking their hands.

Eric found the whole thing… surreal.

He didn’t find anything he particularly wanted. His mind kept circling back to one simple truth—he hadn’t thought about armor.

And he was going to fix that… soon.