RED HOOD ✔

12: THE CLASHING OF BLADES

The premature arrival of the giants threw our preparations into disarray. The day that had been earmarked for final drills and fortifications was instead spent in a frenzy of last-minute defenses and rallying the villagers to safety. Despite the improvements in their combat skills, the villagers were far from ready to face an actual war. Even in the best of times, readiness is a tough measure to gauge, and under these circumstances, it felt all the more elusive.

Our village, devoid of modern technology, relies solely on human messengers for communication. As the designated harbinger, I found myself racing from door to door, urging everyone to the safety of our underground bunkers. The haunting images from my dreams where the village succumbed to chaos loomed in my mind, spurring me on with a mix of dread and resolve. Could the dream have been a premonition? I shook off the thought; succumbing to fear would help no one.

By sunset—the predicted time of the giants' arrival—every blade was sharpened, every stomach was filled, and every warrior's spirit was steeled with rousing speeches. We had done everything within our power to prepare, yet a voice inside me whispered that it would never be enough.

In what had become our strategic command center, Aunt Liza's home, Maurice was tasked with establishing a psychic link among us. The link would allow us to communicate instantaneously during battle, a vital edge given our situation. Reluctantly, I stepped back, allowing Maurice to cast the spell, wary of my untested powers potentially causing unintended transformations.

Once linked, we dispersed to our posts. I joined the archers on the village walls, my heart thumping in my chest. Below, Ruth rallied the frontline troops while Susanna and Apsychos bolstered the second line. Maurice and his spellcasters took position at the last line, ready to cast protective spells should the giants breach our defenses.

Aunt Liza, against our advice, chose to stay in her home rather than seek shelter in the bunker. Meanwhile, Marshall, ever the coward, had retreated to his underground lair with a significant portion of his forces.

The calm before the storm was palpable. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the first of the giants appeared—a young one, foolishly charging straight into our defenses. My arrow flew true, igniting upon contact with its head and enveloping the giant in flames. Cheers erupted along the wall, a brief moment of triumph before the real threat emerged.

Monstrous giants, each standing around fourteen feet tall, followed the scout. The sight of them sent chills through my spine. "Fire!" I commanded, and we dipped our arrows into a pan of fire before launching them at the approaching behemoths. Our arrows did damage, but the giants kept advancing, relentless and seemingly unfazed.

The battle escalated when the giants rolled out a catapult. The first launched boulder missed, but the second smashed into our wall, sending vibrations through the stone and causing some of my fellow archers to lose their footing.

From my position, I could see Susanna's fearful expression and Apsychos's determined stance. Ruth was effectively managing the first line of defense, but the true test came as another boulder soared through the air. I couldn't let it hit; drawing upon the surging power within me, a red aura enveloped my sword. With a battle cry of "Vincent, smash!" I leapt from the wall and struck the boulder mid-air, shattering it into rubble. Albeit childish given the situation, I had always wanted to say that.

The giants paused, momentarily stunned by the display, but their shock quickly turned to renewed aggression. As they regrouped, they launched another assault that tested the limits of our defenses.

I landed hard among the second line, cutting off Apsychos as he started to ask questions. "No time," I said tersely, turning to Susanna for a quick instruction on using the psychic link. Focusing my thoughts, I reached out to Ruth. "Ruth, can you hear me?" I transmitted through the link.