The defenders roared in defiance, but the horde’s relentless assault showed no signs of faltering. The walls of Pillaris, battered from hours of unceasing attacks, groaned and trembled under the weight of the undead onslaught. The stone barriers, reinforced but not invincible, bore the cracks of siege weapons wielded by abominations—grotesque constructs of bone and flesh fused together by dark magic.

  The first abomination, a towering monstrosity stitched together from the torsos of countless corpses, hurled a massive stone into the northern wall. The projectile shattered against the parapets, sending shards of stone and metal flying. A second abomination followed, its bloated, misshapen form dragging a rusted battering ram. It slammed the ram into the northern gate, the thunderous impact reverberating across the battlefield.

  Darius, stationed near the northern wall, staggered from the force of the blow. He steadied himself and yelled to the defenders, “Hold! Reinforce the gate!” His hammer swung downward, crushing a skeletal knight attempting to climb the parapet.

  But it was too late.

  The abominations struck again, their combined assault overwhelming the defenders. Cracks spider-webbed across the northern wall, growing larger with every impact. Stone crumbled, and with a deafening roar, the gate gave way.

  The northern gate collapsed in a storm of dust and debris. The defenders stationed nearby were thrown back by the force, their cries of shock and pain drowned out by the triumphant wails of the undead. Skeletons poured through the breach, their hollow eyes gleaming with a malevolent hunger. Specters followed, their ghostly forms phasing through the rubble to strike at the stunned defenders.

  Ryden, stationed near the gate, coughed as the dust settled. His eyes darted to the glowing booklet at his side. He flipped it open, his heart sinking as he saw the numbers:

  50234/100000 Monsters Defeated.

  “Just halfway?” he muttered to himself, his voice trembling with exhaustion and disbelief.

  Arika’s voice rang out, cutting through the chaos. She stood atop the central parapet, her phoenix spirit blazing behind her like a second sun. “The walls are failing!” she shouted. “If we stay here, we’ll be surrounded! Retreat to the streets! We fight for every home and stone!”

  The defenders scrambled down from the walls, retreating into the labyrinth of Pillaris. Warriors carried the wounded, their expressions grim but determined as they formed ranks in the narrow streets. The Zodiac clans and the citizens of Pillaris worked in tandem, setting up barricades and choke points as the undead poured into the city.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  The fight became brutal and intimate, the wide-open battlefield replaced with the claustrophobic alleys and homes of the city.

  In a narrow alley near the central plaza, warriors of the Goat Clan held their ground against a wave of skeletons. Their heavy hammers and shields created a wall of defiance, crushing bones with every strike. One warrior, a burly man named Harrek, roared as he swung his hammer in a wide arc, shattering three skeletons at once. Beside him, his goat spirit rammed into an abomination, its horns glowing with earthy energy as it sent the creature stumbling backward.

  “We hold this line!” Harrek shouted, his voice echoing against the stone walls. “For Pillaris!”

  Inside a modest stone house, a Rabbit Clan warrior fought desperately against an invading specter. The ghostly creature phased through the walls, its claws slashing at the warrior’s shield. She lunged forward, her daggers flashing as they struck the specter’s ethereal form, the weapons glowing faintly with her spirit’s energy.

  “Get out of here!” she yelled to the family huddled in the corner. “Head to the plaza!”

  Her rabbit spirit darted through the room, its swift movements distracting the specter long enough for the family to escape. The warrior delivered the killing blow, her dagger piercing the specter’s core before it dissolved into mist.

  At the central plaza, the turtle spirit loomed like a living fortress. Its massive limbs crushed abominations attempting to break through the barricades, while its glowing shell absorbed the blows of skeletal siege weapons. Behind it, archers and spearmen worked in unison, their attacks coordinated to repel the undead.

  Darius joined the fray, his hammer swinging with relentless precision. He struck down a skeletal knight, then turned to help a wounded warrior back to safety. “Hold the plaza!” he bellowed. “This is our last line!”

  Arika and her phoenix spirit fought on the front lines near the eastern district. The phoenix unleashed waves of fire, incinerating the undead that surged through the streets. Arika’s spear flashed with deadly efficiency, each thrust and swing cutting down another enemy.

  “Push them back!” she commanded, her voice fierce. “We will not let them take this city!”

  Nearby, Lyssara and her serpent spirit coiled through the shadows, striking at key targets. Lyssara’s daggers found their mark in the neck of an undead knight, while her spirit constricted around another, crushing it into dust.

  Zael of the Horse Clan led a charge through the western streets, her horse spirit galloping beside her. Her riders struck swiftly, their spears and arrows decimating clusters of skeletons before retreating to safety. “Keep moving!” Zael called to her warriors. “Don’t let them pin us down!”

  The defenders of Pillaris fought with everything they had, but the tide of the undead was unrelenting. The streets were filled with the sounds of clashing weapons, the screams of the wounded, and the hollow wails of the horde.

  Ryden, still clutching the glowing booklet, leaned against a barricade, his breathing heavy. He watched a Dog Clan warrior fell, his spear shattering against an abomination’s thick hide. The wolf spirit roared in anguish, its glowing fangs dimming as it leapt to protect its summoner’s fallen form.

  “Just halfway,” Ryden whispered again, his grip tightening on the booklet.

  Despite the chaos, the defenders held on, their resolve unbroken even as the city burned around them. Every street, every house, every stone was contested. Pillaris had become a battlefield, and the fate of GAIA hung in the balance.