A golden great sword swept through the air. The impact came, and a shockwave erupted from the point of contact. Golden energy rippled outward in a visible wave, distorting the air as it expanded.

The massive Tonothus with curved horns and spiked tail was thrown backward, its grey hide splitting where the shockwave struck deepest.

Dune, dressed in better armor, didn't pause as his momentum carried him forward, boots hitting the ground.

Another beast charged from his left, a Cheronos moving with frightening speed on two legs, claws extended and yellow eyes blazing.

He pivoted, bringing the great sword around in a horizontal arc, and the shockwave bloomed again.

Golden energy swept outward like a crescent moon made tangible, catching the Cheronos mid-leap. The creature's body folded around the impact, ribs cracking audibly before it was hurled into a wooden building.

The structure's wall collapsed inward, burying the beast under debris.

A roar echoed behind him, but Dune twisted his body, left fist already clenched. A Bear-Terror lunged, its massive spike-covered back bristling as it closed the distance. Dune's fist shot forward, but it didn't connect with flesh, and stopped inches away.

The shockwave erupted outward from his knuckles, a concentrated blast of force that caught the Bear-Terror's face.

Its head snapped back violently, neck bones shattering from the whiplash. The creature dropped mid-charge, momentum carrying its corpse forward to slide across stone.

Around him, Melo Town Guards fought against the other beasts. They wore golden and iron armor that matched his own breastplates bearing the town's insignia.

Their weapons varied with swords, spears, axes, and hammers, but their voices unified into a single battle cry that echoed through the streets.

"For Melo!" One guard shouted, his spear punching through a Werefang's chest. The three-tailed beast thrashed, claws raking across his armor, but it didn't pierce through as another guard's axe came down, severing the Werefang's head.

"Protect our home!" A female guard roared, her sword cleaving through an Autumn Deer's antlers.

The beast stumbled, and two more guards descended on it, weapons finding vital points, leading it to scream out.

Dune rushed through the battlefield like a force of nature. His great sword swept left with the shockwave, tearing through a cluster of smaller beasts attempting to rush past them. He punched right, and another shockwave scattered the beasts trying to break through toward civilian shelters.

A Bumbodusk charged down the main street, its horse-sized body shaking the ground with each step. The massive curved tusks aimed directly at Dune's position, promising impalement if they connected. He stood his ground, his greatsword held across his body, and as the beast closed the distance.

Dune swung upward.

The shockwave caught the Bumbodusk's snout, lifting its entire front half off the ground. The creature's momentum carried it forward, but now it was airborne, flipping end over end. It crashed down behind Dune's position, back breaking against the ground.

The spikes along its spine shattered on impact, fragments scattering like deadly shrapnel.

The guards pressed their advantage, forming shield walls that pushed forward. Where beasts broke through, Dune was there with his sword swinging, fists punching, shockwaves erupting with devastating force.

The golden energy painted the street in flashes of light, each blast illuminating the battle in freeze-frame moments of violence.

Soon, hours passed.

The sun descended toward the horizon, painting the sky in oranges and reds that mingled with smoke from burning buildings.

Beast corpses of Tonothus, Cheronos, Bear-Terrors, Werefangs, Autumn Deer, and Bumbodusk littered the streets. Blood mixed with rain from earlier showers, creating dark rivers that flowed between cobblestones.

The last beast to fall was a Cheronos that had been attempting to reach the civilian shelters. Three guards pinned it with spears while a fourth brought an axe down on its skull. The yellow light faded from its eyes as life left its body.

Silence descended except for the Beast Masters' heavy breathing, creaking of their armor, and some of them groaning. The immediate threat had been eliminated, which was confirmed after three more minutes of looking around.

Dune lowered his great sword, the blade's tip resting against stone. His chest heaved, armor rising and falling with each labored breath. Around him, guards began checking their comrades, confirming survivors and mourning the fallen.

"General." One guard approached, his young face streaked with blood and dirt. "We've secured the perimeter, the beasts are dead."

Dune nodded, then raised his voice to carry across the assembled warriors. "Begin helping the city workers with reconstruction. Our duty doesn't end with combat."

The guards responded immediately, moving with purpose despite exhaustion. They began clearing rubble, pulling debris from collapsed buildings, and checking the structure of damaged walls. Town workers emerged from shelters cautiously, tools in hand, eyes scanning for remaining threats.

Civilians peeked from hiding spots such as doorways, basements, and cellars. Their faces showed fear warring with hope, uncertainty about whether safety had truly returned.

Dune moved towards them with a faint smile. "It's safe now, you all can come out… And if you can, could you all help us rebuild what was damaged?"

Slowly, hesitantly, they emerged.

…

The scene shifted, time compressing as months passed in moments.

Dune fought another invasion with his great sword, sweeping through a pack of Forest Roots Phantasm Beasts. Their wooden bodies shattering under golden shockwaves, with pieces of them scattered around.

The guards fought beside him, their cries never faltering. When the last beast fell, they immediately began repairs without waiting for orders.

More civilians left their hiding spots this time. Not peeking but stepping fully into daylight, carrying tools, ready to work. They'd seen the pattern of being attacked, defending, and then rebuilding.

The cycle was becoming familiar, and familiarity bred courage.

More months passed with another battle happening with the Kungala trying to smash through the town's outer wall. Dune's fist connected with its pale wooden body, shockwave punching straight through, creating a hole the size of a wagon wheel.

The beasts collapsed, bushes growing on their bodies catching fire from nearby torches. Guards swarmed it, finishing what Dune had started.

Civilians emerged immediately after, not waiting for confirmation of safety. They knew and trusted the guards to keep them safe now, as courage evolved into belief and faith.

Reconstruction began within minutes of the last beast falling.

More battles and more victories continued through the year.

Each one costs lives, whether it be guards falling to claws and teeth, or civilians caught in crossfire despite best efforts. But each time, more people emerged from hiding, and more hands joined the reconstruction.

Fear gradually began to fade away, replaced by determination and something approaching defiance.

Reinhard watched the sight of Melo Town fully engaged in reconstruction after yet another repelled invasion. No one hid anymore, and all of them came out, with everyone working.

An elderly person directing younger workers, children carrying tools too small for adult hands, guards with bandaged wounds lifting objects alongside merchants and craftsmen.

At the center stood Dune, his golden armor reflecting the afternoon sun. He directed the effort with gestures and commands, organizing the chaos into order.

Around him, people smiled, laughed, and made jokes about the beasts' stupidity or celebrated particularly effective defensive tactics.

The fear had gone.

The town had learned to fight back, to rebuild, to continue despite the threat.

They'd found their strength through repetition, through Dune's leadership, through their own refusal to surrender their home.

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