Aldous Thane's workshop—hastily set up in one of Thornhaven's larger storage buildings—was a controlled chaos of magical components, reference texts, and experimental equipment.
Kieran found him already awake, hunched over a workbench covered in corrupted samples. Lyra was there too, taking notes while Aldous examined a piece of corrupted wolf fur under magical light.
"The contamination is aggressive," Aldous explained without looking up. "It doesn't just mutate—it actively seeks to spread. See these veins?" He pointed to dark lines in the fur. "They're trying to extend even in death. The source must be incredibly potent to create this level of corruption."
"Can it be sealed?" Kieran asked.
"If we find it, yes. Contamination sources follow predictable patterns—usually ancient magical constructs, ley line intersections, or dormant entities awakening. We seal the breach, purge the immediate area, and the corruption fades over weeks."
"And if we don't find it?"
Aldous finally looked up, his expression grim. "Then the corruption intensifies until it creates a permanent dead zone. Everything within fifty kilometers becomes uninhabitable. Plants die. Animals mutate into permanent threats. Eventually, the land itself becomes hostile to life."
[Stakes: Territory Destruction if Source Not Found]
[Timeline: Unknown - Weeks to Months]
"Then we find it. What's the search pattern?"
"Corruption radiates outward from the source. We map the intensity gradient, trace it back to the epicenter." Aldous pulled out a map. "I've marked areas of high contamination based on creature sightings and magical readings. The source is likely here—" He circled a region northwest of Thornhaven, deep in the wilderness. "—in the old ruins."
"There are ruins?"
"Ancient structures, pre-dating current civilization by centuries. Most are buried or collapsed. But corruption often awakens in places of old power." Aldous tapped the map. "That's where we'll find answers. But not yet—not until you're better prepared."
Lyra spoke up. "The weapon enchantments. I'm working on the process, but creating twenty in seven days is... ambitious."
"Show me what you've done," Kieran said.
She led him to her workstation—a cleared table with tools, components, and three partially enchanted spears. The weapons glowed faintly with blue light.
"The process involves channeling mana through runic circuits etched into the weapon, then using the mana crystal as a focus to make the enchantment permanent. Each weapon takes about six hours of continuous work." She picked up one spear. "These three are done. They'll pierce corrupted flesh and prevent regeneration for about thirty seconds per strike."
"That's enough time to kill if you're efficient." Kieran examined the spear. The craftsmanship was impressive. "Seventeen more in six days. That's... difficult but possible if we optimize."
"I can help," Aldous offered. "I'm a better enchanter than she is—no offense, apprentice. Together, we can produce four weapons per day. That gets you twenty-four weapons in six days."
[Weapon Production: Achievable]
[Timeline: 6 days for 24 enchanted weapons]
[Enhanced Militia Capability: Significant]
"Do it. I'll coordinate other preparations." Kieran turned to leave, then paused. "Aldous, what's the typical survival rate for villages in Main Events?"
"Without preparation? Ten to fifteen percent. With proper preparation and leadership? Forty to sixty percent. With expert magical support and tactical coordination..." He smiled slightly. "You're aiming for near-total survival, aren't you?"
"Anything less is failure."
"Ambitious. I like that. Let's see if you can deliver."
___________________
The fortification work had transformed Thornhaven's perimeter.
Elara had coordinated the construction of defensive positions—reinforced watch posts, barricades at vulnerable approaches, firing platforms for archers, fallback positions near the village center.
The militia drilled constantly now. Not the basic formation work from before, but combat scenarios against superior opponents. How to fight larger enemies. How to rotate wounded fighters out. How to maintain formation under pressure.
Kieran watched them train, his tactical overlay analyzing performance and identifying weaknesses.
[Militia Readiness: 73%]
[Combat Effectiveness vs Corrupted Enemies: Moderate]
[Morale: Tense but Determined]
Elara approached, breathing hard from the drill. "They're getting better. But Kieran, we're training to fight monsters. Most of these people were farmers three months ago."
"And now they're soldiers. Because they have to be."
"What if it's not enough? What if the first wave overwhelms us?"
"Then we fall back to secondary positions and adapt. But we've prepared as well as possible. That's all anyone can do."
She nodded, though the worry didn't leave her face. "The enchanted weapons arrive tomorrow?"
"First batch. Eight weapons initially, then four per day after that."
"It's something. Better than facing regenerating monsters with standard steel." She wiped sweat from her forehead. "You really think we can survive four months of this?"
"We don't have a choice. So yes."
[Elara: Anxious but Trusting Leadership]
____________________
Senna's medical preparations were equally thorough.
She'd converted part of her house into a triage center, with areas for examination, treatment, and isolation. Herb stores lined the walls—resistance potions, healing salves, purification compounds.
"I've trained six assistants in basic medical care and corruption identification," she reported. "Early symptoms are fever, discoloration of veins, aggression, sensitivity to light. Anyone showing these signs gets isolated immediately and treated with purification compound."
She handed Kieran a small vial of dark green liquid. "Everyone gets a daily dose of resistance potion. It won't prevent corruption, but it slows the process, giving us time to treat it."
"Production capacity?"
"Two hundred doses per day currently. I'm teaching Martha's people in Millbrook to make it too. Combined, we can supply both territories."
[Medical Preparation: Comprehensive]
[Corruption Resistance: Implemented]
[Treatment Protocols: Established]
"What's the cure rate if someone gets corrupted?"
"Unknown. I've never treated magical corruption before. But theoretically, if we catch it early and apply aggressive purification..." She shrugged. "Sixty percent survival? Maybe?"
Not great odds, but better than nothing.
___________________
The first batch of enchanted weapons arrived from Aldous and Lyra's workshop.
Eight spears, glowing with soft blue light. Kieran assembled the militia to demonstrate.
"These weapons are enchanted to fight corrupted creatures. They'll pierce through regeneration and deal lasting damage. But they're limited—we have eight now, more coming. They go to our best fighters first."
He called forward the eight most skilled militia members—Elara, Finn, Garrett, and five others who'd shown exceptional performance in training.
"These are your primary weapons now. Master them. Your lives and everyone else's depend on it."
They took the weapons reverently, feeling the power in them. The blue glow reflected in their eyes—a mixture of awe and determination.
[Enhanced Militia: 8 members equipped]
[Combat Effectiveness: Significantly Increased]
[Morale: Boosted]
That night, Kieran stood watch on the northern barricade, looking out at the dark forest. Somewhere out there, the corrupted wolves were gathering. The contamination was spreading. The first wave was coming.
Seven days of preparation. It would have to be enough.
___________________
The alarm bells woke Kieran from shallow sleep.
He was dressed and armed in seconds, rushing to the northern barricade where the commotion centered. Militia members were pointing into the darkness, where dozens of glowing green eyes reflected torchlight.
"They're here!" a watchman shouted. "Wolves! Lots of them!"
Kieran activated his tactical overlay.
[FIRST WAVE DETECTED]
[Enemy Forces: Corrupted Wolf Pack x23]
[Composition: 20 Standard Corrupted Wolves (Level 3-4), 3 Elite Corrupted Wolves (Level 5-6)]
[Threat Level: HIGH]
[Militia Status: Ready]
[Enchanted Weapons: 8 available]
[Estimated Casualties: 4-7 militia, 2-5 civilians if breach occurs]
Twenty-three wolves against forty-three militia and armed civilians. The numbers favored defenders, but these weren't normal wolves.
"FORMATION!" Elara shouted. The militia snapped into defensive positions—spear walls at the barricades, archers on platforms, enchanted weapons in front.
The wolves emerged from the tree line slowly, deliberately. They weren't mindless beasts—they moved with coordinated pack tactics, testing the defenses, looking for weaknesses.
The alpha from before was there too, massive and terrifying, its green-veined fur pulsing with corrupted power.
[Corrupted Alpha Wolf - Level 7]
[HP: 420/420]
[Status: Pack Leader - All wolves receive +20% combat effectiveness]
"Hold position!" Kieran commanded. "Wait for them to commit!"
The wolves circled, growling. The alpha howled—that bone-shaking sound—and the pack charged.
[Combat Initiated]
The first wolves hit the barricades and died on spear points. But they didn't stop—more came, climbing over their fallen, pressing the attack with suicidal aggression.
"Enchanted weapons forward!" Kieran ordered. "Target the regenerators!"
Elara's enchanted spear took a corrupted wolf through the chest. The creature tried to regenerate, but the magical energy disrupted the process. It died with a gurgling whine.
Finn's enchanted arrows found eyes and throats. Each shot that connected stayed lethal—no regeneration, just death.
But there were too many. The wolves overwhelmed sections of the barricade, forcing hand-to-hand combat. A militia member screamed as corrupted teeth tore into his arm.
"Senna! Wounded fighter, north barricade!" Kieran called.
The healer rushed forward with assistants, pulling the injured fighter back while others filled the gap.
[Casualties: 1 injured]
[Wolves Remaining: 17]
Kieran coordinated the defense with cold efficiency, his Tactician's Mind tracking every position, every threat, every opportunity.
"Archers! Suppressing fire on the left flank! Spear wall, advance two steps and reset! Elara, the elite wolf breaking right!"
They moved according to his commands, responding with the discipline he'd drilled into them. It was controlled chaos, but it was controlled.
A corrupted wolf leaped the barricade and landed inside the defensive perimeter. It lunged for a civilian, jaws wide.
Kieran intercepted, his sword meeting its charge. The blade bit deep—not enchanted, so the wound began regenerating immediately. But it bought time.
"Garrett!"
The big man arrived with his enchanted hammer, bringing it down on the wolf's skull. The creature went down and stayed down.
[Wolves Remaining: 12]
The alpha hadn't engaged yet. It watched from the tree line, intelligent eyes assessing, learning.
Then it decided the time was right.
The alpha charged—not at the barricades, but at the eastern wall where defenses were thinnest. It was fast, terrifyingly fast for something so large.
"EASTERN WALL!" Kieran shouted. "Reinforcements now!"
But the alpha was already there, crashing through the light barricade like it was kindling. Three militia members stood between it and the civilians beyond.
It killed the first with a casual swipe of its massive paw. The second got his spear up—standard weapon, useless. The alpha bit through spear and arm in one motion.
The third was Garrett, enchanted hammer raised.
The alpha and Garrett collided in a clash of force versus power. Garrett's hammer struck the alpha's shoulder—the enchantment flared, the wound stayed open, blood poured.
But the alpha's jaws closed on Garrett's leg. He screamed.
[Garrett: Severely Wounded]
[Corruption Exposure: HIGH]
Kieran was already moving. He vaulted the barricade, sprinting toward the alpha. His sword wouldn't kill it—but it might distract it long enough for others to arrive with enchanted weapons.
"ALPHA! HERE!"
The wolf's eyes fixed on him. It released Garrett and turned.
Lyra appeared on the wall, her wand blazing. "Binding!"
Magical chains erupted from the ground, wrapping around the alpha's legs. It snarled and began tearing free—the spell wouldn't hold long, maybe ten seconds.
But ten seconds was enough.
Finn's enchanted arrow took it in the eye. Elara's spear drove through its ribs. Another militia member's enchanted sword opened its throat.
The alpha thrashed, mortally wounded but not dead. It took another arrow, another spear thrust, and finally collapsed.
[Corrupted Alpha Wolf: Defeated]
[Experience Gained: Significant]
[Remaining Pack: Retreating]
The other wolves, seeing their alpha fall, broke and fled into the forest. The battle was over.
[First Wave: Defeated]
[Casualties: 1 Dead, 4 Wounded (1 Critical)]
[Enemy Eliminated: 18 Corrupted Wolves]
[Victory: Costly but Decisive]
Senna was already working on Garrett, purple corruption spreading from his leg wound. She poured purification compound on it, and he screamed as the liquid burned.
"Hold him down! The corruption is fighting the cure—I need to keep applying it!"
Four people held Garrett while Senna worked. The corruption slowly receded under repeated applications, but it was close. Too close.
Kieran surveyed the damage. One dead—a militia member named Colin, torn apart by the alpha before Garrett engaged it. Four wounded, one critically. The barricades damaged but repairable.
They'd survived.
But this was just the first wave.
[Main Event Status: First Wave Complete]
[Next Wave Estimated: 3-5 Days]
[Difficulty: Escalating]
[Territory Status: Holding]
As dawn broke over Thornhaven, the militia tended wounds, repaired defenses, and buried their dead.
Kieran stood at the barricade, looking at the wolf corpses being dragged away. Twenty-three enemies defeated at the cost of one life and four injured.
Those were acceptable numbers for a first wave.
But the waves would get worse. Larger enemies. More coordination. Different corrupted species.
"We held," Elara said, limping up beside him. She had claw marks on her arm—shallow, already treated.
"We held today. Tomorrow is another problem."
"Always so optimistic."
"Optimism doesn't win battles. Preparation and execution do."
She smiled despite the exhaustion. "There's the Kieran I know. Cold logic in the face of horror."
They stood together in silence, watching the sunrise paint the blood-stained snow orange and red.
Four to five months of this.
They'd survive it.
They had to.