Chapter 16 - The Magic of Preparation

The clang of hammers and the shouts of men filled the air as the town of Auravale braced itself for the coming storm. Barricades of timber and stone rose at the edge of the walls, stakes hammered into the dirt to slow the enemy advance. Smoke from hastily-forged iron spikes mingled with the chill morning mist, giving the town the smell of ash and urgency. Every able-bodied adventurer and guard was pressed into service, their armor gleaming dully in the fading light as they scrambled to reinforce weak points in the defenses. Children clung to their mothers, faces buried in skirts as they were ushered into the long line of evacuation wagons creaking toward the westward road.

Aiden wiped sweat from his brow, watching as Valerie helped guide townsfolk onto the caravans that would take them toward Havenbrook, the nearest settlement willing to harbor them. Horses stamped impatiently, carts laden with food, blankets, and trembling passengers. The streets rang with the sound of hurried hoofbeats and shouted farewells, a frantic symphony of fear and duty.

At the edge of the square, Aiden’s eyes caught a familiar sight. Jaxson stood rigid, his hand trembling slightly as he helped Avery up onto the last wagon. Avery’s fingers lingered in his, their knuckles white as if they could keep each other safe by sheer will. Her lips trembled as she leaned down, pressing a desperate kiss against Jaxson’s cheek. “Come back to me,” she whispered, her voice swallowed by the creak of wagon wheels.

Jaxson forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, lifting a hand in farewell as the cart jolted forward. The wagon disappeared into the line of others rolling out of town, leaving only the echo of Avery’s parting glance. Aiden’s chest tightened, his mind filling with memories of their own goodbyes before the crash that had stolen their first life together. To be engaged, to stand at the edge of a future promised, and then be forced to let go… Aiden’s heart ached at the thought.

He approached Jaxson quietly, his boots crunching over the dirt road. “I know that couldn't have been easy,” he said gently. “But you’ll see her again and then you’ll get married. This won’t be the end.”

Jaxson exhaled, a shaky laugh escaping. His hand dragged across his face as if to wipe away fear itself. “I just want this to end. I just want to spend the rest of our lives together in peace.”

Aiden placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing firmly. “You will. Trust me. You’ll make it through this.”

Jaxson’s eyes softened with gratitude, a flicker of hope breaking through the storm clouds. “Thanks, Aiden. I needed that.” Without another word, he straightened his sword at his belt and jogged off toward the defenses, determination fueling his steps.

Valerie, who had been watching from a short distance, walked up beside Aiden. Her eyes were sharp but searching. “Do you really believe that? That Jaxson will survive?”

Aiden paused. His gaze lingered on the retreating caravans, then shifted to Valerie’s worried face. “Back home,” he said slowly, “in the games I used to play… there was always a casualty in times like this. Someone with something to lose, something worth protecting. A wedding, a family.” He swallowed, tightening his fists. “I don’t want that story to play out here. Not for them. Not for us. We do whatever it takes to make sure everyone comes out alive.”

Valerie’s lips quivered, her voice a whisper. “I’m scared, Aiden.”

He pulled her into his arms, holding her close as the chaos of the town swirled around them. Her heartbeat thumped rapidly against his chest, and he wished he could shield her from everything, the war, the fear, the weight of destiny pressing down on them. “I know Val,” he murmured. “But it'll be okay. Perhaps you should stay in the backline with Robert and Gloria.”

Valerie shook her head, pressing her face against his chest. “No. I won’t leave your side. I may be afraid of dying, and I'm even more afraid of losing you. But if fear is all I have, then I’ll use it to fight. I’ll use it to help you.”

Aiden leaned back just enough to see her eyes, shimmering with both fear and defiance. Pride swelled in his chest.

This woman is incredible. I can never thank The Creator enough for putting her in my life.

“Then we compromise,” he said firmly. “We’ll take the frontline together. I’ll use my earth and fire to strike them down, you’ll heal and shield where you can. But when things get desperate, we’ll focus our strength on using Restorative Spring to support the main troops. We’ll keep the fighters standing, keep their strength flowing. That way, we don’t just fight, we make sure everyone else can fight too.”

Valerie nodded, her tears catching the light as a fierce smile broke through. “Together.”

Their lips met in a kiss charged with both desperation and promise. For a fleeting moment, the noise of the world fell away, leaving only the warmth of their bond, the reassurance that they weren’t facing the darkness alone. When they pulled apart, Aiden whispered with a crooked grin, “This isn’t the end of our story. This is where it takes off, like a rocket.”

Valerie laughed softly, the sound easing some of the heaviness between them. “Then let's shoot for the stars.”

Hand in hand, they climbed the city steps toward the front wall. Maximus stood there with a squad of adventurers, his broad frame silhouetted against the sky. Chloe clutched her staff tightly at his side, her usual smile replaced with trembling lips. The faint plume of smoke rising from the nearby forest signaled the coming storm.

“They’ll be here soon,” Maximus muttered, eyes locked on the horizon. “The scouts saw them driving through the trees.”

Chloe hugged her staff to her chest, her knuckles white. “I don’t…I don’t think I’m ready for this.”

Valerie stepped forward, draping an arm around Chloe’s shoulders. “You’ll be alright,” she said softly, giving her a squeeze. “We all will. We’re in this together.”

Chloe blinked at her, lips trembling, then gave the smallest nod. “Okay…okay.”

Aiden walked up beside Maximus, resting his hands on the wooden edge of the wall. “What do you really think our odds are?”

Maximus’s answer came quick, his tone clipped. “With this many strong mages, we’ll manage.”

Aiden narrowed his eyes. “That’s not what I asked. I asked what you really think.”

Maximus hesitated, his jaw tightening. Finally, he exhaled, his voice dropping into something closer to a confession. “We’re badly outnumbered. At best, fifty fighters if you count some of the retired ones. Joana swore the tuskling's numbers were in the hundreds. Strong, stubborn brutes, and now moving like an army. Even without magic, they’re a wall of muscle and rage. We can win, but the cost will be heavy.”

The weight of Maximus’s words hung in the air like a death sentence. Aiden’s stomach lurched, a cold knot twisting inside his gut. The bustle of the defenders below faded into a dull hum, drowned out by the pounding of his own heartbeat. He clenched his fists against the wall, nails digging into the rough wood. We can win, but the cost will be heavy… The phrase replayed in his mind like a curse.

But then, amidst the swirl of fear and doubt, a spark flickered. Aiden drew in a sharp breath. “Wait,” he said suddenly, turning toward Maximus. “I might have an idea.”

Maximus arched an eyebrow, his weathered features unreadable. “Speak.”

“In my old world,” Aiden began, his words tumbling out with urgency, “there were…events. Raids, battles where the enemy force had overwhelming odds. If we tried to cut them down one by one, we were slaughtered. But if we took out the leader, the rest would panic and retreat. Tusklings aren’t known for intelligence, right? If we bring down their Alpha, maybe the same thing happens here.”

Silence pressed in. Maximus’s stern gaze flicked to the horizon, then back to Aiden. His expression shifted—serious to thoughtful, doubtful to intrigued. “You’re saying…cut off the head, and the body falls.”

“Exactly.” Aiden nodded firmly. “It’s a gamble, but if it works, we won’t have to lose everyone. We just have to survive long enough to reach him.”

Maximus rubbed his chin, brows furrowing. His eyes glinted with a mix of skepticism and reluctant hope. “It has merit. But the challenge remains: getting to the Alpha. I doubt the tusklings would just willingly hand him over.”

Aiden’s jaw tightened. “Then we make him come to us. I’d bet anything he’ll lead the charge himself, especially if he’s as massive as Joana described. And if not, then once enough of his soldiers fall, he’ll show himself to finish it. That’s the kind of arrogance leaders like him thrive on.”

Maximus considered this, his face flickering between doubt and inspiration. Finally, he gave a short, decisive nod. “Two possibilities. Both dangerous, but possible. Worst case, he never shows, and we’re left to fight tooth and nail.”

“Possible,” Aiden admitted, “but not likely. Leaders like him don’t hide forever.”

Maximus turned to his squad, his voice booming across the wall. “Listen well! Keep your eyes sharp for the Alpha. If he charges, all squads focus fire. If he stays back, we cut down tusklings until he reveals himself. Pass it on!”

A nearby mage saluted and sprinted down the wall, carrying the order to the other squads.

When the messenger vanished, Maximus turned back to Aiden. The grim lines of his face softened, just slightly. “You think differently than most here. You might make a fine Guild Master one day.”

Aiden blinked, caught off guard. Then he let out a short, incredulous laugh. “A Guild Master? No thanks. I tried leading one in my old world. I couldn’t keep up with the details. But maybe…” He grinned faintly. “…maybe I’d make a good right-hand man.”

Maximus’s eyes gleamed with faint amusement. “If we live through this, I’ll take that offer seriously.”

Aiden gave a firm nod. “Then it’s a deal.”

He turned and walked back to Valerie, who was watching from a few paces away. “Guess what?” he said with a crooked smile. “I just got my first job offer in this world.”

Valerie tilted her head, lips curving into a teasing grin. “What? You’re looking for work in a world full of magic?”

He chuckled. “Hey, working with Maximus will have its fair share of magic. And besides, someone’s got to keep him from getting too serious.”

Her laughter softened the tension in his chest. She nudged him playfully. “Well, congratulations. But you’d better make sure you still have time for me after all this.”

“Always,” Aiden murmured, waggling his eyebrows. “I’ll always have time for you, baby.” He pulled her close, sealing his promise with a kiss. Heat flared in his chest, grounding him even as fear gnawed at the edges of his thoughts.

“Ugh, seriously?!” Chloe groaned loudly nearby, making gagging noises with exaggerated flair. “Get a room!”

Valerie broke the kiss, laughing against Aiden’s lips. Aiden laughed too, and for a heartbeat, it felt like normal life again.

Then a horn blared from the main squad, sharp and urgent. The sound rippled across the walls, silencing chatter and stilling hands. Aiden’s chest tightened as he and the others rushed to the edge of the wall.

Smoke curled thick and black from the forest. The ground seemed to tremble with the rhythm of countless feet. Then, one by one, tusklings poured from the treeline—their tusks glinting, their crude weapons raised. Axes and clubs caught the morning light as their guttural roars filled the air.

Aiden’s breath hitched. His throat went dry as the tide of monsters thickened.

It looks like Joana wasn't lying. There's so many…

And then he saw it.

The Alpha.

Twice the size of the rest, its hide scarred and bristling, its black eyes gleamed with a chilling intelligence. In its grip, it carried a weapon fashioned from a tree trunk, the end sharpened into a monstrous blade that glinted like death itself.

Aiden’s gut twisted. He gulped hard, every hair on his arms standing on end. Creator help us… For the first time since stepping onto the wall, he felt doubt dig its claws deep. His thoughts betrayed him: Maybe Joana was right. Maybe this isn’t something we can defend against.

Maximus’s gaze locked with the Alpha’s across the distance. For a heartbeat, silence fell.

The Alpha raised its weapon, pointing it directly at Maximus.

Then it squealed.

The sound was a piercing, ear-splitting cry that rattled the walls and stabbed into their skulls. The tusklings answered in unison, a chorus of rage and bloodlust.

And then, they charged.