The fortress of Domeralith trembled with the clash of steel and the roars of monsters. Its gray walls were draped in the banners of Esperalza, and beneath them the knights of the Custodiae Order fought desperately against the swarm of beasts pouring from the Abythralis Forest.
"Shields up! Don't let them through!" a silver-haired commander bellowed, his voice cutting through the chaos.
At the front line, a young knight with short, tied-back black hair stepped forward. His eyes gleamed sharp, and the longsword in his hand caught the sunlight with a cold brilliance. His name was Aquilla.
"I won't lose here," Aquilla muttered, teeth clenched.
A black wolf-like monster, its mangy body riddled with festering wounds and eyes glowing red, lunged at him.
"Come!" Aquilla swung his blade in a clean, precise arc. The wolf's head flew free, black blood spraying across the stone ground.
The knight beside him stared wide-eyed.
"His speed… incredible. That boy—Aquilla—is no ordinary knight."
Another shield-bearer added in a low voice.
"He's young, but his sword is sharper than most of ours. One day, he might even match the commander."
Aquilla only frowned. "I'm nowhere near his level. But… at the very least, I can protect this fortress."
From the creeping black mist at the forest's edge, hulking tree-monsters emerged. Their towering bodies were woven from twisted roots and blackened bark. Poisonous fumes seeped through cracks in their wooden flesh.
"Don't breathe it in! Cover your mouths!" the commander roared.
Some knights pressed cloths to their faces. Others faltered, their eyes glazing over, swords swinging wildly toward their allies.
"Damn it! The miasma—it's an illusion!"
Aquilla held his breath. "So this is the cursed fog… the one that makes men see phantoms."
His grip tightened on his sword. "If I fall to it, I'll only drag them down. No—I have to stay conscious."
Suddenly, the knight at his side turned with bloodshot eyes, blade slashing straight at Aquilla.
"Wait, it's me, not the enemy!" Aquilla parried quickly, sparks flying as steel clashed.
The knight snarled. "You monster! You trapped me here!"
Aquilla gritted his teeth. "He's already lost to the illusion."
With a swift motion, he slammed the hilt of his sword against the knight's helm. The man collapsed unconscious.
"I'm sorry… I had no choice," Aquilla whispered.
The tree-monsters advanced, roots slamming into the earth and cracking the stone beneath.
The commander lifted his bloodstained greatsword high.
"Second line! Archers, ready fire arrows! Aim for the roots!"
A volley of blazing shafts streaked through the air, striking the monsters. Flames spread along their bodies, though the black mist tried to smother the fire.
Aquilla stepped forward, eyes narrowing.
"I can't just stay behind the wall. If they break through, Domeralith's people will be slaughtered."
"Don't be reckless, Aquilla!" a senior knight shouted. "Hold the line—you're still young!"
Aquilla clenched his jaw. "If I don't move forward, who will hold them back?"
With that, he leapt ahead, charging through the curtain of flame, sword raised high.
"If this is a trial—then I'll overcome it!"
The first tree-monster swung a massive root at him. Aquilla ducked low, his sword slicing clean through the limb. Black sap and choking mist spewed from the wound.
"Their strikes are slow… but overwhelming. One mistake, and I'm finished!"
The second monster lashed out with two roots at once. Aquilla sprang upward, spinning midair, his blade carving an X through both tendrils.
"For Esperalza! For Domeralith!" his shout echoed across the battlefield.
The other knights, inspired, surged forward.
"Look at Aquilla! He's carving a path!"
"That kid's insane… but damn impressive!"
Their morale reignited, the Custodiae knights pressed on, driving their steel into the burning tree-monsters.
The commander watched from behind, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Hmph. That boy… truly gifted."
Aquilla pressed forward, his sword dancing through black mist and splintered wood. Each swing cut deeper, each step carried him closer to the front. His breaths grew heavier, sweat and blood dripping from his jaw—but his eyes blazed with resolve.
"As long as I can still move… I won't back down."
Yet beneath that resolve, a whisper gnawed at him.
If I ever set foot in Abythralis itself… could I come back alive? Even the veterans fear it.
He shook away the doubt with a roar.
"No! Nothing matters more than protecting this fortress!"
At last, the final tree-monster collapsed in flames. The black mist thinned, and the afflicted knights staggered back to their senses.
"What… what happened to me?"
"Don't worry. It was only an illusion," their comrades reassured them.
Aquilla drove his sword into the earth, chest heaving. His body trembled with exhaustion, but his spirit burned brighter than ever.
A knight approached and clapped him on the shoulder.
"You fought well, Aquilla. Without you, we might not have held out."
Aquilla gave only a faint smile. "I… just did what I had to do."
The commander strode forward, his piercing eyes fixed on the young knight.
"Your name is Aquilla, correct?"
Aquilla straightened. "Yes, Commander!"
The commander gave a slow nod.
"Good. Remember this: a true knight is not only courage in battle. He must know when to advance—and when to stand firm. That wisdom is what you still lack."
Aquilla bowed deeply. "Understood, Commander."
The tide of monsters had finally receded. At the gate, the commander stood with his greatsword dripping black blood.
"That's enough for today. Frontline squad, fall back. Reserves, take their place," he ordered.
"Yes, Commander!" the knights answered in unison.
Aquilla exhaled heavily, his shoulders weighed down with exhaustion. He raised his sword—monster blood still dripping from the blade—when a senior knight clapped him on the shoulder.
"You fought well, Aquilla. Now go inside and rest. Your face is pale."
Aquilla gave a faint smile. "I can still stand."
"Don't get cocky. If you collapse out here, you won't be protecting anyone," the knight chided.
Aquilla fell silent, then nodded. "I understand."
Together they walked through the fortress gates. The stone road was lined with wounded soldiers, some carried off by healers toward the infirmary.
Snatches of conversation drifted among the weary knights.
"The monster waves are getting more frequent…"
"Last night alone, their numbers doubled."
"It's like the forest is growing restless."
Aquilla perked his ears. A younger knight carrying a round shield spoke nervously.
"You all saw it too, right? That silhouette."
"Silhouette? What are you talking about?" another asked.
"Inside Abythralis. Deep within. It looked like… a tower."
The chatter died instantly.
Aquilla narrowed his eyes. "A tower? Are you certain?"
The young knight pointed toward the forest. "I swear I saw it. A black shadow rising so high it pierced the clouds. Since last night, I haven't stopped seeing it."
The senior knight frowned. "Don't be ridiculous. That forest is nothing but fog and illusions—you know that."
"Illusion?" Aquilla murmured. He strained his memory. During the battle earlier, had he not glimpsed something too? A distant, towering black shape looming beyond the haze.
The young knight shook his head firmly. "If it's an illusion, why hasn't it vanished? I've watched since last night until this afternoon—it hasn't faded or shifted once."
The commander at the head of the group suddenly turned, his voice sharp and unyielding.
"Enough. Don't let such talk distract you. Focus on your duty."
"But, Commander—"
"Silence." He halted in place. "Illusion or not, it's none of our concern. No human has ever ventured deep into Abythralis and returned alive—not for centuries. Do you wish to be the first to die pointlessly?"
The knights fell silent.
Aquilla bit his lip. An illusion? Is that really all it is? If it truly is a tower… how could it appear overnight?
A knight chuckled dryly to break the tension.
"Maybe a bunch of tree-monsters built it together."
Another forced a laugh. "Hah… then we'd better watch out. Tomorrow they might build a palace."
But Aquilla remained quiet, his gaze fixed on the shrouded forest. Through the shifting mist, the silhouette loomed—black and unyielding, a colossal tower stretching skyward without end.
If it really was a tower… its size was unimaginable. Even from dozens, perhaps hundreds of miles away, its shadow was still visible. No mere monster could have created something like that.
He drew a deep breath. But why now? Why appear only since last night?
The young knight's voice cut into his thoughts.
"Aquilla, you saw it too, didn't you? Tell them!"
Aquilla turned slowly. "I… saw it. But I can't say for sure what it is."
"See?! I'm not crazy!"
The senior knight smacked the boy's helm. "Enough. You'll only spook everyone."
Aquilla lowered his gaze. If I speak my curiosity aloud, the commander will shut me down. But… something about that tower feels important. Like a call I can't ignore.
He clenched his fist. That black tower in Abythralis… is it a harbinger of disaster? Or… the beginning of something far greater?
By the time they reached the barracks, the knights were slumping onto benches, unfastening their helmets, scrubbing blood from dented armor. Laughter, complaints, and the soft humming of healers tending to the wounded filled the hall.
Aquilla sat in the corner, his gaze fixed on the window facing Abythralis. Through the narrow slit, the black silhouette was still there—piercing the sky.
A close friend approached. "Hey, Aquilla. Be honest. Do you really believe it's a tower?"
Aquilla met his eyes, his expression hard. "I don't know. But I'm certain it's not just fog or illusion."
His friend sighed. "If it's real, and buried deep within that cursed forest… then it's best we pretend we never saw it. No one comes back from there alive."
Aquilla didn't answer. Deep in his heart, a voice echoed.
If something truly stands beyond that forest—something greater than anything I've ever known—then I have to find out. Even if it means risking everything.
His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword.
That black tower… I'll uncover the truth of what it is.
Outside, the sun dipped beneath the horizon. The silhouette still loomed, immovable.