Chapter 56 – On the Eve of the Great Raid

The central guild hall had never been this full. Hundreds of adventurers crowded the vast chamber, the air heavy with anticipation and the clinking of armor. Enormous candles stood burning in each corner, their wavering light casting tall, dancing shadows on the stone walls.

Guild Master stood on the raised podium, his crimson cloak swaying as he raised one gloved hand. Gradually, the room fell silent.

“Tomorrow,” he declared, his voice booming like a war drum, “we march to face the **Second Ice Dragon Raid**!”

A wave of murmurs, half cheers and half gasps, rippled through the hall.

“This will not be a mere rematch,” the Guild Master continued. “Before reaching the dragon’s lair, you will face **sub-bosses**, relentless waves of corrupted beasts, and the freezing storms summoned by the dragon itself. Prepare yourselves, for survival will depend on coordination as much as strength!”

His words struck the crowd like a hammer. Some clenched their weapons with grim determination; others exchanged nervous glances.

“The formations have been decided!” The Guild Master pointed to a map unfurled on the wall. “**Crimson Fang** and **Silver Hawk** will lead the vanguard. Their task is to break through the front lines. The remaining parties will protect the flanks, hold back the monster swarms, and keep the supply routes open. Remember—our victory will depend on every single one of you!”

Cheers rose from the vanguard parties, their confidence almost electric.

Zareen’s party name was not among those called for the front line—they were assigned to the route guards, a supporting role.

Sari groaned loudly, folding her arms. “So we’re just janitors cleaning up after the elites?”

Doni shrugged, though his nervous laugh betrayed him. “Well… we’re not exactly a top-tier party. This was expected.”

Zareen exhaled slowly, steadying his thoughts. *It doesn’t matter where we stand. As long as we stand together.*

---

### Cold Stares in the Hallway

As they exited the hall, several members of the elite parties cast mocking smirks in their direction.

“I’m surprised this party is still in the raid,” one armored man muttered, loud enough to be heard.

“Support is useful, sure,” another added with a sneer, “but dead weight is worse than useless.”

Sari’s eyes flashed and she nearly leapt forward, but Yuna’s hand shot out, holding her back with surprising force.

Yuna’s icy glare was enough to make the two taunters falter, mutter something under their breath, and hurry away.

“Uhh…” Doni whispered, beads of sweat on his forehead. “Yuna’s aura just now felt scarier than the Ice Dragon.”

Zareen let out a small sigh and smiled faintly. “Let them talk. Tomorrow, we’ll show them why we belong here.”

---

### The Night Before the Raid

Back at the inn, the atmosphere was heavy but strangely calm.

Sari sat cross-legged on the floor, sharpening her daggers until they gleamed. Doni sat nearby, counting arrows and muttering numbers under his breath as if reciting a prayer. Yuna polished her black sword with slow, deliberate movements, her expression unreadable.

Zareen sat apart from them, hunched over a notebook. He was writing down every detail he could think of—buff rotations, emergency healing sequences, timing for barriers—his way of fighting the anxiety that threatened to take over.

“Zareen.”

He looked up. Yuna’s voice was soft, but her gaze was unwavering.

“Are you ready for this?” she asked.

He was quiet for a long moment, then nodded. “I don’t know if we can win. But I do know one thing—I won’t let anyone fall if I can stop it. If there’s a way to keep us alive, I’ll find it.”

Sari snorted, though there was a faint smile on her lips. “Always the wise one, huh? Fine, I’m in. But I’m still not letting some pompous vanguard get all the glory.”

Doni raised a hand weakly. “Yeah, sure. Just promise me that when we all survive, someone builds a heroic statue of me in front of the guild.”

Sari immediately threw a rag at his face. “You haven’t even fought yet and you’re already asking for monuments!”

Their laughter filled the small room, breaking the tension just for a moment.

---

### Dawn of the Raid

The next morning, the sun rose pale and cold, as if the sky itself knew what awaited them.

At the northern gate, hundreds of adventurers gathered, their weapons gleaming in the early light, their armor rattling softly with each movement. The smell of steel and leather filled the air, mixed with the icy wind blowing from the mountains.

The Guild Master stood atop a wooden watchtower, his voice carrying over the crowd.

“All forces—march! Today, we face the Ice Dragon once more. Do not falter. Fight, not just for yourselves, but for the world!”

The entire host roared in response, the ground shaking with the sound of hundreds of boots and hooves moving out.

Zareen glanced at Yuna, Sari, and Doni. Their faces were tense, but their eyes shone with determination.

“Let’s do this,” he said quietly.

---

### March to the Frozen Mountains

The road to the northern peaks was anything but calm. White-furred wolves burst from the snowdrifts, living trees coated in frost lashed out with crystalline claws, and serpents of ice erupted from beneath the ground.

The vanguard parties tore through the front lines, their blades and spells lighting up the mist. Zareen’s party worked tirelessly at the flanks, patching gaps in the formation, protecting exhausted parties that would otherwise have been overrun.

“Zareen! Buff now!” Sari shouted over the cacophony of battle.

“Speed Up! Regen!” Zareen’s staff blazed with light, strengthening not just his own party but everyone nearby.

For every wave they defeated, more came crawling from the frozen earth. The snow was stained black with monster ichor.

Then the ground trembled.

---

### The First Sub-Boss

From the mouth of a cavern ahead emerged a **Frost Golem** the size of a watchtower. Its entire body glistened with jagged ice, and every step it took sent shards of frost scattering.

“Sub-boss!” someone shouted, and panic rippled through the formation.

Crimson Fang and Silver Hawk immediately charged forward. Spears of light and fireballs slammed into the golem, chipping away at its icy hide.

But from the other side of the cavern came a swarm of **Ice Lizards**, their bodies glinting as they climbed the rocks and lunged at the backline.

“Formation’s breaking!” cried a guild officer. “Hold the line!”

The battlefield descended into chaos.

Doni loosed arrow after arrow, his face pale. “This is insane! It’s like a living avalanche!”

Sari’s chains lashed out, capturing several lizards, but more kept coming.

Zareen felt a bead of cold sweat slide down his neck. *This is just the beginning—and already everyone is at their limits.*

---

### A Hard Choice

Amid the chaos, Yuna turned her head, her expression sharp as a blade.

“If this keeps up,” she said, her voice calm but urgent, “we may have to break formation and move on our own.”

Zareen met her gaze and nodded. “If that’s what it takes to survive… then we do it.”

Above them, the northern sky was growing darker. The mist thickened, and for a brief moment, Zareen could swear he saw the vast silhouette of wings stretching across the horizon.

His grip on his staff tightened.

*The true battle hasn’t even begun.*