[Remaining evolution time: 1:59:59] was the tab that greeted Reid when he opened his eyes the next morning.
Since he had nothing to do last night, he slept while watching the timer on the tab slowly move.
"Just two more hours to go," he thought to himself. With the absence of Nyx and Rusty the entire evening, Reid felt alone for the first time in a while.
He got up from his sofa, did some light stretching, and prepared himself a cup of coffee as a way to really get the sleep out of his system.
He looked at the time, and although it was an hour earlier than usual, he decided to head to the Scrapyard.
He picked up another black jacket and put it on. He then slung his scrap bag over his shoulders and headed out.
Reid arrived at the Scrapyard in record time because he didn't have to stop and greet anyone. Most of the Scrapyard residents were asleep, and the ones that were awake stayed indoors for breakfast.
He was hoping to meet the dump truck driver, but from the lack of new scrap, he guessed they hadn't come today.
Reid spent the next half hour picking up any scrap that interested him and placing it in his bag. He soon got bored and decided to return.
At this time, a large number of scrap hunters should have been awake, and although they were, Reid spotted them packing their scrap-hunting tools and rushing back into their houses.
Feeling confused, Reid approached one of the scrap hunters before he could lock his door.
This scrap hunter was James, a boy around Reid's age.
"What the—oh, it's just you," James said, a little startled when someone suddenly tapped his shoulder. He calmed down when he saw it was Reid.
"Why is everyone rushing back to their houses and locking up?" Reid asked.
"You haven't heard yet?" James said before answering. "There's an incoming beast siege, so Old Man Scrappy ordered everyone who can't protect themselves to get in their houses and lock up."
Reid was a bit surprised hearing this. A beast siege was when a large number of beasts banded together to attack a settlement.
This was fairly rare, even in the Scrapyards, because most beasts were extremely territorial. There hadn't been a beast siege in the Scrapyard for five years now.
'What the hell are the beasts running from—or toward?' Reid couldn't help but think.
Beast sieges only happened when a much more dangerous beast was hunting the others—or when the beasts were drawn toward a powerful resource, usually higher-tier beast cores.
"I'm locking up now, and I suggest you go back and do the same," James said quickly before entering his bunker and locking it up.
Reid also rushed back to his bunker—but he had no plans of locking himself inside. He dropped his scrap bag, picked up his metal bat, and then ran toward the outer parts of the Scrapyard, where Old Man Scrappy and the other Scrapyard tamers were gathering.
"Evo, how long before the evolution is complete?" he asked while running.
[Remaining evolution time: 00:30:00]
"Thirty minutes? I hope I can hold on that long," he muttered, finally reaching the outer parts of the Scrapyard and spotting Old Man Scrappy a distance away with Raio by his side.
"Reid? Why are you here?" Scrappy asked when he spotted him. The other tamers turned to look at Reid.
"I'm here to help," Reid replied, his firmness clear.
"Hahaha, help? You? I'm sorry, princess, but it'll be a lot safer for you back in your luxury bunker."
Of course, Alex, who was also there, couldn't help but taunt him.
Reid ignored him, his eyes still locked on Old Man Scrappy, causing Alex to clench his fist.
"That's enough, Alex," Scrappy shut him up, and with a sigh, he asked, "Are you sure about this, kid?"
"Yes," Reid simply replied.
"I'll have my hands full while fighting, so I might not be able to save you this time," Scrappy warned.
"I understand," Reid said.
"Alright then—but I don't want you dying on me," Scrappy finally relented before turning back to watch the wildlands ahead.
Alex, with a frown on his face, clicked his tongue and turned his gaze forward as well.
"I don't intend to," Reid said before asking, "How far are they?"
"With the speed they're moving at, I'd say ten minutes away," a skinny man with glasses replied instead of Scrappy.
"I see. Thanks, Mark."
It was still dark, so it was really hard to see in the distance—but apparently not for Mark or his forged beast.
He owned an owl-type forged beast, making him the perfect scout, especially at night.
"No worries, Reid," Mark replied.
They stood there waiting for a few minutes, with Reid constantly checking the timer on the evolution tab, before they began to feel vibrations in the ground—caused by the stomping of beasts.
"Alright, everyone, get ready!" Old Man Scrappy ordered. "Watch each other's backs and make sure none of them get past you!"
"Most importantly, make sure not to die. You have families back there waiting for your return," Scrappy said, raising his hand. "Now, attack!"
As soon as the orders were barked, they all ran forward, meeting the beasts halfway.
There were ten in Reid's group—against God knows how many beasts—and saying Reid was nervous was a massive understatement.
But no matter what Reid or any of the other tamers were feeling right now, they had to swallow it down, because behind them were their families, their homes, and their lives.
They couldn't allow the beasts to pass. They would stop them at all costs—that was the only thought playing in their collective minds.
In an unknown location.
"So it begins," a man sitting on a throne with a glass of red wine in his hand spoke. There was a grin on his lips, though his face remained hidden in the shadows.
"Let's see if you and your so-called family survive this," the man laughed sinisterly. "Killing a Fletcher—even an abandoned one—will just be a bonus."