The Call to Duty and a Desperate Stand

“I need a volunteer to act as a messenger and deliver vital intelligence to the front lines!” the commanding officer of the city guard roared at his troops.
“This assault is far too fierce; we must consolidate all forces from every front.”
“We need warriors now, but not reckless fools.”
“Remember, rashness is never bravery.”
“…Only if every one of you performs your duties with unwavering loyalty and diligence can we hope to survive this catastrophe.”
“Let me be blunt: this mission is a near-certain death sentence.”
“Some of you may perish on the road, others on the battlefield.”
“It’s even possible that by the time you reach that village, its inhabitants will have already been slaughtered or transformed into the living dead and zombies.”
“But, so long as there remains even a glimmer of hope, if you arrive at a town or village and find people cowering helplessly in their homes, or brave warriors still holding their ground, awaiting the enemy’s assault, then your sacred duty is to bring them back.”

The officer declared this with a grim resolve.

“In that, the meaning of your sacrifice will already be etched in history.”
“Do you understand?”
“When the war concludes, those who survive will receive commendations, and those who fall will be granted equal glory and honor.”
“This is my solemn promise to you: no one will die in vain.”
“Every individual’s choice is made for the survival of many more.”
“It was precisely this spirit, this understanding, that led us to victory in the last war.”
“Now, we simply need to continue winning.”

Before him, warriors clad in light armor stood in a solemn line.
Then, at their officer’s command, they mounted their warhorses and galloped towards the city gates.

Yet, at that very moment, another individual chose to depart the city in a different direction.

Anto easily located a breach in the city wall, a gap that had existed for a long time.
This opening was a segment of the wall illicitly dug out by merchants seeking to evade tariffs on their goods, a hidden passage for their illicit trade.

Anto knew its origins well.
While such a breach was usually inconsequential, in times of genuine war, it could indeed mark the beginning of a city’s downfall.
It was hardly surprising, for those merchants had never considered the long-term consequences.

Utilizing this very breach, Anto slipped outside the city.
He strode towards the grassy expanse on the other side, his gaze fixed directly on the direction of the village he had left behind.

Beacon fires had been burning for a considerable time, confirming that the forest indeed served as the primary battlefield.

‘…Hmph, alright, Anto, you’re a good boy, you’re a good boy…’
‘How about you just listen?’
‘You can’t face what’s out there.’
‘Trust Eric; he’ll take Hillevi away, and the villagers too…’

Anto found himself battling an internal struggle.
He had just surveyed the refugees who had sought shelter, noticing that not a single person from his own village was among them.
It made sense, considering his village was the most remote settlement on the frontier; any news would reach them last.

‘This isn’t good news…’
‘I have to go, I absolutely must go…’
‘Even if it means being caught.’

Anto paced on the road, turning forward one moment, then back the next.
Ultimately, however, his final decision was to head directly towards the direction of the beacon fires before him.

This was his ultimate choice.

“Even if Eric calls me foolish, I’ll accept it this time.”

Anto gritted his teeth.
Though Anto Colmensin possessed an appearance more delicate than that of an average girl, at his core, he was a man forged by the harsh winds and biting snows of the frontier.
He knew precisely what mattered most to him, and he understood how he could secure it.

“If everyone merely prays for a miracle, then a miracle will never manifest.”

He took a deep breath, then gazed forward, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.

“A so-called miracle is nothing more than the inevitable outcome of someone’s unseen effort.”
“Since this power is meant for this very task, then… let me see it through.”

****

Meanwhile, within the village, the situation was equally perilous.

“Oh dear, oh dear, prepare your defenses! Old Jack, get yourself inside that room!”

Outside, Eric, a magician whose age had rendered him frail, stood at the heart of the village.
He clutched a staff he hadn’t wielded in years, now unleashing a barrier.

“We are too close to hell and too far from heaven; arranging an evacuation now is simply impossible.”
“This is our only option.”

He turned his head, looking at the man and woman before him.

As they exchanged glances, the female Otherworld Traveler, Mula, spoke.

“The Council reports that the peak of this demonic invasion is the highest they’ve detected in a decade,” Mula explained.
“They are organizing a significant number of personnel to rush here, and there’s even a possibility they might send a Sage to oversee the defense.”
“However, until then, we are left utterly isolated and without aid.”

“We aren’t isolated and helpless,” Tikka interjected.
“The truly isolated ones are at the watchtower.”
“They’re stationed in that solitary tower, and that’s where true despair lies.”

“It seems our situations are quite similar, then,” Eric remarked at that moment.
“Sages, you say? Even ten Sages sent here would likely struggle.”
“Perhaps only if that ‘Great One’ came personally would there be any chance…”

“He wouldn’t handle matters like this,” Mula countered.
“Besides, Eric, with your qualifications, I recall you were also nominated as a candidate for Sage back then, but ultimately…”

“What good are Sages? They’re just idlers,” Eric scoffed, shaking his head.
“Putting that aside, I’m fortunate I can hold out here for a few dozen more hours.”
“Do you truly believe those in the Council can resolve this situation here, even if they wanted to?”

“Just wait,” Mula replied, “they should be able to.”
“However… do you really need to use so many magic arrays?”
“Is this what you call ‘prudence’?”

“Heh heh, you’ll understand why soon enough,” Eric chuckled.
“This isn’t prudence, little girl; this is experience.”

He glanced at Tikka, then at both of them.

“Your apprentice?”

“Yes, I’m guiding her; she’s new to this world.”

“No wonder,” Eric mused.
“How about calling me ‘Master-Grandpa’ or ‘Grandmaster,’ little one?”
“After all, I was Tikka’s mentor back in the day.”

“No, thank you,” Tikka retorted.
“So, why exactly are you using so many magic arrays…?”

At that moment, Eric watched the thick beacon smoke billowing across the sky, then shook his head.

“Once those fiends breach the watchtower, they will inevitably make a direct charge for this village.”
“This is a certainty, something I know for a fact.”
“Therefore, do not harbor even a sliver of hope; we have a formidable battle ahead.”

“Why?”

“Because I brought the witch back,” Eric stated plainly.
“Those creatures will be drawn here by Hillevi’s aura.”
“I need to hold back the main force of the demon lord’s army until reinforcements arrive.”
“I cannot accomplish this alone, which is why I need you all.”
“Do you understand?”
“Now, get to work.”