We had spent hours reinforcing the walls, setting traps, and preparing for the inevitable. The Greater Mana Barrier was still humming softly, a protective shield over the entire city. But I knew it wouldn’t last long.
Darius Vex was coming.
And this time, he had more than just his siege beasts and war machines. We had already faced his first wave, but now, the true strength of his army was marching toward us.
As I stood on the walls of New Dawn, the morning sky was painted with a blood-red hue. The clouds were thick and low, almost oppressive. There was a sense of anticipation in the air — a quiet, deadly calm.
Behind me, the city was still in motion. Jake was already at the Mana Core, overseeing the repairs of the Elemental Turrets. Adam and his team were out testing new Elemental Arrows, adjusting them for maximum damage. Emily was organizing the healing wards, preparing for the inevitable casualties.
We were ready, but I knew that preparedness and readiness were two very different things.
I saw them first.
A dark silhouette on the horizon, a column of smoke rising into the sky. As I focused, I could see them more clearly — Vexholm’s forces were marching forward.
The first line was a wall of siege weapons — massive ballistae, catapults, and war machines, their dark figures looming ominously as they advanced.
Behind them, the infantry marched — ranks upon ranks of soldiers in black armor, carrying banners marked with the Vexholm sigil. And behind them, the undead — twisted, broken things, marching as though they were already dead.
At the rear of the column were the Ravagers — enormous war beasts, their scales glistening in the weak light. Some of them were mounted by necromancers, others by berserkers wielding massive weapons.
And finally, at the very front, Darius Vex rode on horseback, his black armor glinting in the dim light. He looked almost… unreal. The amount of power and arrogance radiating from him was palpable.
He had come prepared.
"Ready yourselves," I said, turning to Jake and Adam. "This is the fight we’ve been waiting for."
Jake grinned. "We’ve got this. We’ve trained for it."
Adam loaded an Earthsplitter Arrow into his bow and turned to me. "Let’s make sure they don’t get too close."
I nodded, focusing on the Greater Mana Barrier, making sure it was strong enough to withstand their first wave.
The battle was about to begin.
Darius’s army was closing in now — two miles out, then one. The first of the Vexholm siege weapons rolled into view, followed by the Ravagers, snorting and huffing in anticipation. The ground trembled as their steps grew louder.
I felt a surge of energy as I activated the Mana Shield, reinforcing it as much as possible.
[Greater Mana Barrier Activated]
Mana Shield Strength: 120,000/120,000
Duration: 48 hours
Mana Consumption: High (Regenerating)
The Mana Shield enveloped the city, a protective dome of energy that would block physical and magical attacks for as long as it held.
"Fire!" I shouted, raising my hand.
Jake activated the first set of Elemental Turrets. The Lightning Turrets sparked to life, firing arcs of electricity at the advancing Vexholm infantry.
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The Fire Turrets followed, launching fireballs that exploded into magma as they hit the front lines of the enemy.
But it wasn’t enough.
The Vexholm forces kept advancing, their war machines releasing another volley of projectiles.
I raised my staff, channeling my energy.
"Aegis Pulse!"
A shockwave rippled from me, reinforcing the Mana Shield and giving a temporary boost to our defensive structures.
For a moment, the enemy seemed stunned, their soldiers faltering, but only for a second. They regrouped quickly, the Ravagers charging forward with blinding speed.
"Adam!" I shouted. "Target their siege weapons!"
Adam nodded, his arrows glowing with elemental power. He fired a piercing Light Arrow, which exploded in a blinding burst as it struck the first Vexholm catapult, its crew stunned and momentarily disoriented.
The battle raged on as Jake and Marcus led the militia in close combat, distracting the advancing Vexholm forces while our mana-powered turrets did their work.
It wasn’t enough.
The Ravagers were too strong, too fast. They crashed through our outer defenses, their claws raking against the mana shields and the walls. We had overestimated their power.
Boom!
The first Ravager reached the Mana Barrier, slamming into it with such force that the barrier flickered, the strength of the blow rattling the entire city.
"Push forward!" I shouted. "We need to hold them off!"
Jake’s voice crackled in my earpiece. "We need to focus on their mages. The necromancers are powering their Ravagers."
I nodded, watching the dark mages at the rear of the enemy lines, their hands raised as they summoned dark necromantic magic to fuel their beasts.
"Target the mages!" I called.
Adam’s arrows flew like missiles, piercing through the air and striking down Vexholm necromancers, but the Ravagers kept charging.
One of the Ravagers broke through the eastern gate.
"Activate the Arcane Chain Traps!" I shouted.
But it was too late. The beast roared, shaking the ground as it broke through the defenses, and the city walls cracked under the pressure.
"We need a final push!" I yelled.
I could feel the Aegis Pulse vibrating through me, the mana shield struggling to hold up against the onslaught.
But we had no choice.
I raised my staff high. "For New Dawn! For all of us!"
The Aegis Pulse exploded outward, reinforcing the Mana Shield and creating a second layer of defense. I could feel the energy rushing through me, but I pushed harder, activating the Bastion Rune — a last-ditch effort to strengthen our defensive structures.
The ground shook as Darius’s forces hit the walls with everything they had.
And then…
A flash of light.
The Mana Shield held.
Darius’s army faltered.
We had won — for now.
But the cost was high. The eastern gate had fallen, and our Mana Core was dangerously low on power. The Vexholm army was retreating, but they had made a dent in our defenses.
The Ravagers had broken through.
I stood at the gates, watching as the Vexholm forces retreated. The battlefield was littered with the remains of the battle — dead soldiers, broken siege weapons, and wounded fighters.
Jake clapped me on the shoulder. "We held the line. That’s what matters."
"For now," I said, my voice steady, but inside, I felt the weight of what we had lost.
Name: Hunter Vale
Level: 15
Class: Shield Mage
Profession: City Lord
Stats:
Health: 240/240
Mana: 380/380
Strength: 18
Agility: 20
Intelligence: 34
Endurance: 28
Wisdom: 24
Skills:
Magic Bolt (Lv 5)
Trap Sense (Passive)
Barrier Rune (Lv 2)
Arcane Chain Trap (Lv 2)
Greater Mana Barrier (Lv 2)
Aegis Pulse (Lv 2)
Defender’s Ward (Passive)
Bastion Rune (Passive)
Achievements:
Defender of New Dawn! (+10% Health Regen, +5% Mana Efficiency)
Siege Victorious! (+10 Stat Points)
Lord of the Walls (+15% Defensive Tower Strength)
Shield of New Dawn! (+15% Mana Shield Strength, +5% Trap Effectiveness)
Master of Defenses! (+10% Shield Durability, +10% Defensive Buffs)
The Shield That Protects! (+20% Shield Mana Efficiency, +5% Trap Effectiveness)
Hero of the Second Siege! (+25% Mana Shield Strength, +15% Elemental Resistance)