Stronric took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the approaching horde of gnolls. Bauru stood beside him, while Rugiel moved among the militia by the wall, offering final words of encouragement. Stronric smiled to himself. Beside him, Bauru raised a questioning brow.

"To think, just months ago, ye were both slaves. And now, look at ye, shinin' like this." Stronric's voice softened. Bauru looked at him, puzzled. Stronric waved a hand. "Nothing, beardling. Just pride, that's all."

Bauru smiled and his cheeks redden slightly at the compliment. Stronric patted him on the back and pushed him away, "Go and make the halls of Hearth Fire proud." Bauru nodded and disappeared a moment later. A wave of nostalgia swept over Stronric as he observed the nervous faces around him. He remembered his own first battle on the deep roads, his own fear. Back then, his captain had guided him. Now, it was his turn to offer that steadying presence.

New Quest: Bulwark of man

Objective: Survive the night and lead your army to victory.

Reward: Results will determine the reward.

Another quest? Stronric thought as he reviewed the quest, but it held little information. I wonder what I could get this time, though Thoranthana had said her power was weakened and couldn't spare much as of now. Was this even from Thoranthana? Why would she care about the outcome of a battle for humans? System, question: Is this quest given by my ancestor?

Question received.

No, this quest is given by the system.

Hmm, why?

Question received.

The system has deemed this moment worthy of attention.

What does that mean? Moments past but the "System" did not answer him. He tried asking a few different ways but as suddenly as the system had first appeared, it left. Stronric pulled on his beard and pulled up his quest list. He still had the quest to find a trade partner, this new quest, and another he had overlooked.

New Quest: Ancestral Cull

You must face an overwhelming enemy force alone to protect your kinsmen.

100/100 enemies faced while alone.

Quest Complete: Upgraded skill due to legendary title. One against all, Ancestral Cull.

Bewilderment crossed Stronric's face as he saw that he had received a quest and completed it and hadn't even noticed. Seeing that he would receive an upgraded skill made him excited. His two class skills were impressive, and he wondered what an upgraded skill would be like. With great excitement Stronric turned the quest in,

Class skill: Ancestral Cull.

Ability Description: Call forth the ancient fury of your Ancestors, summoning the spectral warriors of your clan to guide your strikes. With each swing, ancestral spirits surge beside you, their axes cleaving through foes with you, amplifying your blows with devastating, bone shattering force. The battlefield trembles under your might as enemies are crushed in waves, driven to terror by the presence of dwarven legends, while allies find their spirits unbreakable, emboldened by the indomitable strength of the ancestors.

Skill Upgrade: Judgment of the Ancestors.

Ability Description: ???

Stronric sighed again when he saw the ???, it was like the last time when he tried to read the description. Pulling on his beard Stronric was dragged out of his thoughts when he heard the enemy army roar.

"Thane, they come!" Rugiel yelled up at him from her position.

Stronric quickly completed the quest, a feeling of power flowing over him and settling in his shoulders. There was no mark, but he felt a rune inscribed on his shoulder. A knowing feeling came over him, he just needed to flood his new rune with power to activate his new class ability.

The enemy army trotted down the hill, their pace quickening. Then, the elite gnolls dropped to all fours, sprinting like unleashed war hounds. At Rugiel's shout, the militia raised their shields and spears, bracing for impact. Archers lifted their bows, drawing back in unison. Stronric waited until the gnolls were within range. He raised his axe, holding it high.

"Fire!" Stronric shouted cutting down with his axe.

Arrows flew, cutting through the air and striking the gnolls. Bodies dropped, rolling to a halt, only for others to stumble over them. A loud "thunk" sounded as a bolt struck a gnoll dead center, causing more to pile up. The archers tried to focus on the tangled mass, but their inexperience showed. Some arrows found flesh; fewer still penetrated armor.

The captains of the different packs wore helmets adorned with trophy fetishes. Bauru and Predator stalked their prey taking the lives of those under helmet, whenever its roar was heard on the battlefield. After the second captain was killed the other captains tossed away their helms. Stronric let out a laugh as another captain died.

"Stupid beast, now yer the only ones without helmets." Stronric said as he shook his head.

While the archers had reduced the numbers of the enemy, they haven't slowed the charging forces by much. As the gnolls charged in, Rugiel took a step back, summoning her anvil in a surge of power. She raised her hammer high, then brought it crashing down. Sparks erupted in all directions, coating the nearby weapons in Morgal's fierce blue flame.

Like a massive tidal wave, the gnolls smashed into the defensive lines. Screams and cries sounded out in the night as flesh was smashed, torn and speared. The first of the gnolls impaled themselves on the spears of the human shield wall, dying on impact. The following gnolls surged forward not allowing the humans to free their weapons. The veteran enemy force reaped a bloody toll on the humans. The humans screamed and panicked as the moral reached breaking point. Rugiel Surged forward her warhammer at the ready.

The gnoll veterans scrambled over the fallen, using the bodies of both dead and living as ramps. Their relentless charge forced the shield line back, nearly toppling the humans holding it. As the first gnoll breached the line, Rugiel was there, her warhammer descending with brutal precision. Bones snapped under the force of her swings as she swept her weapon across the top of the shields, breaking the enemy's momentum.

The militia recovered quickly, several soldiers rallying at her side with their spears raised. With a fierce shout, Rugiel leapt onto the shield wall. Her warhammer swung in wide arcs, each swing driving the gnolls back, keeping the line intact.

The gnolls lashed out as she landed back on solid ground, but Rugiel moved forward, deftly sidestepping their attacks.

"Fix the lines while Rugiel holds them off!" Gromli bellowed, setting down a steaming pot of soup. With a determined nod, he drew his massive ladle and charged to help.

As the militia retrieved their spears and reset their shields, Rugiel surged across the narrow gap, leaving three dead gnolls sprawled at her feet, their chests caved in, or skulls shattered. Another gnoll, helmetless and wielding twin scimitars, charged her, swinging wildly. Rugiel deflected the first strike, but the second blade slashed across her stomach.

Sparks flew as her war dress absorbed the blow, preventing a fatal wound, but the impact knocked the wind from her lungs, forcing her to one knee. She braced herself on her warhammer, her breaths coming in gasps. The militia cried out in fury, rallying at the sight of their captain injured. Just as the gnoll captain raised his blades in a scissor-like motion to sever her head, his skull exploded, splattering the air with gore. Another gnoll, caught in the same blast, was thrown backward, crashing into his comrades.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Gritting her teeth, Rugiel staggered to her feet, dragging her warhammer as she stumbled back toward the shield wall. The line parted for her, ready to close as soon as she was inside.

"Cover her!" Stronric's voice boomed as he signaled the archers with his axe.

Gnolls dropped in their tracks as arrows rained down on them, the archers only ceasing fire once Rugiel slipped behind the closed ranks. She collapsed to the ground, still struggling to catch her breath. Gromli rushed to her side, pressing a cup of hot soup into her hands.

"Drink up; this'll get you back on your feet," he said firmly, kneeling beside her.

Though she tried to push the soup away, Gromli was unrelenting, making sure she took at least a couple of gulps before patting her on the back and returning to his station. The plan was to rotate the shield wall, allowing the soldiers brief moments to eat and recover, ready to join the line again. Stronric, doubtful they'd have much chance for rest in the final clash, allowed it doing so didn't risk breaking the line or causing a rout.

Stronric grimaced as he saw the front line preparing to rotate out, a maneuver even elite armies could rarely execute without months of drilling. Too often, it opened dangerous gaps for line breakers to slip through. His eyes tracked Rugiel, who had already formed up with the fresh line, her commanding voice cutting through the chaos. At her shout, the engaged line surged forward, shoving the gnolls back to create precious space for the second line to form up.

Rugiel barked another command, and the second line shifted, turning sideways to open a path for the front line's retreat. With a final shout, the exhausted front ranks disengaged, sprinting back through the gap. But as they fell back, two humans were caught by gnolls, dragged down in a flurry of claws and snarls. A swift bolt from Bauru freed one of the soldiers, who scrambled up, abandoning his shield and spear as he ran screaming for safety.

The fresh line slammed their shields into place with a renewed thud, forming a solid wall once more. The gnolls, now forced to navigate the broken bodies scattered before them, struggled to close in on the stationary line. Just as Stronric felt a moment of relief, he noticed something amiss, two archers on the wall had vanished, leaving only bloody smears behind.

His gaze darted to the gnoll ranks, where their ranged troops had finally moved into position. Stronric's eyes widened as he saw gnolls hefting large stones bound to chains. They spun on their heels, swinging the stones with deadly force before hurling them at the defenders. The impact was brutal, sending shocks through the line as the stones struck with bone-crushing power.

"Brace yerselves!" Stronric roared in warning as the gnolls began hurling their stones at the shield wall. The humans answered his call with a defiant roar of their own, crouching low and pressing hard against their shields as the deadly barrage rained down.

A deafening explosion tore through the air, and the shield shattered, leaving a deadly gap in the defenses. The humans, unable to withstand the gnolls' powerful ranged weapons, had fallen, and the gnolls surged into the breach, undeterred by their own losses. Rugiel and the recovering first line rushed to stem the flood, but the gnolls, armored heavily and driven by savage resolve, pressed forward relentlessly.

Stronric prepared to leap down and fill the breach himself, but a blur darted past him—Bauru, in his hybrid form, daggers drawn, surged into the fray. He danced through the gnoll ranks, his movements swift and deadly, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. Four gnolls locked onto him, closing in fast, but Bauru was already in motion. He leapt onto the ramshackle wall, using it as a springboard, and launched himself at the lead gnoll with his head lowered, ram horns aimed.

The gnoll, a seasoned warrior, swung his blade upward in a flash of sparks as steel met horn, but Bauru's momentum was unstoppable. The impact crushed the gnoll's chest, blood pouring from its mouth as it staggered, organs ruptured. Bauru rolled forward, using the gnoll's collapsing body as leverage to propel himself into the second, his daggers plunging deep into its neck.

Dropping into a crouch, Bauru shot forward again, slipping between two more gnolls. His blades flashed, and in a single fluid motion, he sliced through the sides of their necks, cutting down to the bone. Blood sprayed as the gnolls crumpled, leaving Bauru standing amidst the wreckage of his enemies, his eyes blazing with fierce determination.

The battle raged, and the defenders struggled to hold the gnolls at bay. Just when it seemed the gnolls would overwhelm the line again, a loud rumble sounded from the forest's edge. Stronric's gaze snapped to the side as, with a crack of reins and a wild shout, Mintra's wagon burst from the trees, barreling toward the battlefield from the gnolls' exposed flank. Pulled by two hardy ponies, the wagon charged down the slope, scattering underbrush and kicking up a storm of dust.

"Look alive, you mangy beasts!" Mintra hollered, a manic grin plastered on his face. Calmin, clinging to the roof of the wagon, clutched a glowing flask, his face set with an uncharacteristic look of determination.

The gnolls, caught off guard, snarled and turned just as Mintra yanked the reins, swinging the wagon in a tight arc. Calmin lobbed a flask into their ranks, which exploded in a burst of green flame. Gnolls shrieked as the flames clung to them, their advance stalled as they tried to beat out the fire.

"Mintra!" Bauru called, grinning as he darted to keep pace with the gnome's wagon. "Couldn't resist joinin' the party, eh?"

"What happened to you friend?!" Mintra gasped, and then shook his head, "Thought ye could use a bit of gnome ingenuity! Beside I couldn't lose my best customers just yet!" Mintra shot back, lifting a strange crossbow-like device brimming with glass vials. He fired, and the bolt struck a cluster of gnolls, bursting in a cloud of thick, acrid smoke. The gnolls coughed and stumbled, some tripping over each other as they fought for air.

"Here comes another!" Calmin shouted, steadying himself as he hurled another flask. It exploded into a sticky, tar-like substance that slowed the gnolls' movements, leaving them easy targets for the defenders.

Bauru laughed, dodging between the gnolls and slashing at exposed limbs. "Ye two keep this up, and we'll drive 'em back to their holes!"

"Keep your head down, cousin!" Calmin called, his stutter vanished as he lobbed a fresh batch of flasks.

Mintra's wagon barreled through the gnoll ranks, sending the enemy into chaos. Gnolls scrambled to regroup, but Mintra and Calmin pressed their advantage, swinging the wagon back for another pass. Stronric saw his moment. He raised his axe, calling to the defenders.

"Now! Push them back! For Hearth Fire!"

With renewed energy, the defenders surged forward, taking advantage of the gnolls' confusion. Bauru fought alongside Mintra's wagon, his blades flashing in the fray as he and the gnomes tore through the weakened gnoll lines.

As Mintra's improvised bombs burst in brilliant flashes of color, and Calmin unleashed fire and thick smoke, the gnolls wavered, their ranks splintering under the relentless assault. Forced to retreat, they stumbled back, caught off guard and disoriented by the gnomes' explosive onslaught. Stronric's grin widened as he watched the tide of battle shift in their favor, his heart swelling with pride for their unconventional, fearless allies.

The gnolls broke into a full retreat, scrambling to outpace the humans pursuing them. Rugiel's voice rang out, sharp and commanding. "Hold your positions! Withdraw to the safety of the walls!"

The humans obeyed, ceasing their advance and retreating to the fortified safety of the camp. As the shield wall parted, Mintra urged the wagon forward, his ponies charging through the gap as the defenders closed ranks behind him, sealing the breach.

With Mintra, Calmin, and their wagon safely inside the camp, a sense of relief washed over the defenders. Mintra and Calmin dismounted, and Mintra gestured toward the back of the wagon, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Didn't come empty handed, neither!" Mintra announced, pulling back a tarp to reveal crates of supplies. "Rest assured. In fact, I rather thought you might require more than sheer luck, so I took the liberty of packing a bit of everything, a selection of bolts, a range of healing potions, and perhaps a few… shall we say, 'surprise items'? You'd be quite amazed at the inventory I managed to fit in this wagon. Do have a look!"

Gromli let out an appreciative whistle. "Ye thought of everythin', didn't ye?" He grabbed a couple of potion bottles, handing them to a pair of wounded soldiers who gratefully downed the contents, the color returning to their faces as the potions took effect.

Stronric nodded approvingly. "Mintra, ye might just be the best-timed ally we've had all night. Those potions'll make all the difference. Get 'em distributed—anyone who can hold a shield or spear needs to be back in the line."

Calmin shyly handed out potions, his usual nervousness softened by the grateful smiles of the militia. Rugiel, noticing his quiet diligence, offered a nod of thanks.

"Calmin, you've done us a great service; this will save many lives tonight." she said, her tone sincere.

Calmin's face flushed, but he smiled proudly, gripping the flask tightly. "H-happy to help, ma'am," he stammered, though his voice carried a hint of pride.

Mintra, now doling out bolts and rations, grinned at his cousin. "See, Calmin? We're makin' ourselves useful."

The defenders quickly took stock of the supplies, each one visibly reenergized by the unexpected aid. Gromli passed a few bowls of stew to those tending to the wounded, his booming voice carrying across the camp. "Drink up, eat up, and get yer strength back! We've got a bit o' time before the next wave, so be ready!"

Stronric, eyeing the treeline, turned to his allies. "Whatever those gnolls are plannin', we'll meet it head-on. With these supplies and the courage of everyone here, we'll hold this camp or die tryin'." As the defenders readied themselves, Rugiel turned to Mintra, eyebrow raised. "Mintra, what brought you all the way out here? I thought you were tending to the portal supplies."

Mintra shrugged, but his face lit up with the chance to explain. "Ah, well, you see, the original plan was quite straightforward, simply head for the portal, everything packed with meticulous care. I even accounted for the extra weight of Calmin's rations, he has this charming habit of, shall we say, 'over-preparing.' Quite thorough, you know. Anyway, just as I'm about to depart, I catch wind of some troubling news: not a single one of you had returned. Naturally, that struck me as entirely unacceptable. So, I thought, 'Mintra, this requires immediate attention!' I loaded every last potion, supply, and let's just say, a few 'special' items for added measure. And here we are, ready to be of service!"

Calmin nodded, a shy smile on his face. "C-couldn't just… l-leave you stranded."

Stronric chuckled, shaking his head. "So ye charged in here with a wagon full of potions, explosives, and yer cousin, all on the chance we'd be in need?"

Mintra puffed up a bit, grinning. "Indeed, I did! I simply couldn't sit idly by, not while my friends were in potential peril. Besides, what would a reputable gnome be if he left his companions to face such odds alone? Gnomish honor, you understand, couldn't possibly let you have all the excitement!"

Bauru chuckled, clapping Mintra on the back. "Yer as mad as ever, Mintra, but good to have ye here."

"Mintra, though your actions may be bold to the point of folly, I cannot deny the difference you've made here today. When this battle is over, rest assured, your bravery shall be honored accordingly." Rugiel said while smiling.

Mintra waved her off, grinning. "Ah, keep yer honors! Just get me a drink and a tale to tell, and I'll be satisfied."

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