The morning broke dull and gray, the clouds thick as wool above the half-formed walls of Iden's village. In the center square, skeletal builders worked alongside human hands, raising bastions of bone-reinforced timber and fortified platforms.
But the real work today wasn't construction.
It was preparation.
Iden stood before a fresh detachment of evolved skeleton scouts—light-bodied, cloaked in shadow-stitched bone, their sockets glowing dimly in the morning mist.
"Your objective is clear," he said, handing Nyra a mapped sliver of the mountain's pass. "Get eyes on the village. Learn everything—guard rotations, defensive structures, candidate habits, supply lines. No engagement. No risks."
Nyra nodded, already wrapping herself in her stealth weave.
"I'll take point. We'll return before nightfall tomorrow."
They vanished within moments—ghosts beneath the trees.
Iden turned back toward the walls. His eyes narrowed as he studied the outer terrain—paths that could be flanked, treelines where enemies could hide.
He pulled open his interface.
[Deploy Siege Node: Bone Bastion Reinforcement Module?]
Confirmed.
With a flash of necrotic light, six new Bone Bastion turrets emerged from the outer perimeter, built atop elevated platforms by builder units. Each was armed with bolt-throwers crafted from Cryptwood and spirit-cored torsion channels—capable of launching piercing bolts at high velocity.
The Skeleton Forge Masters were already producing ammunition: heavy darts, mana-bound hooks, and flame-tipped bolts.
Meanwhile, on the training grounds just past the barracks, Thorn barked orders at a line of villagers. They were tired, but eager.
Behind them, a line of Skeleton Warriors demonstrated coordinated maneuvers—shields locked, strikes calculated. The villagers followed clumsily at first, but with each repetition, they grew sharper.
"You won't match the bone-men in strength," Thorn growled. "But you can match them in courage."
Liri had already established a crude alchemy hut for salves and stimulants, and Milo's tinkering had added crossbow trigger enhancements to civilian gear.
These were no longer refugees.
They were soldiers in the making.
At the central shrine, Rael knelt with Kael, offering guidance and support to those recovering from training. She gently placed a hand on Kael's chest.
"You still haven't asked what you'll fight for," she whispered.
Kael's gaze flickered to her.
"I don't need to. I already know what I want to protect."
Just as the second moon began to rise, the air shimmered.
Every candidate—Iden included—felt their vision flicker with burning gold.
A new message appeared.
[SYSTEM QUEST: "Chains Must Break"]
Objective: Liberate the suppressed village in Zone 3COptional Objective: Eliminate all three oppressive Candidates
Rewards:• Unlock Secondary Class Slot• Resource & Blueprint Chest (High Tier)• Exclusive Skill (Adaptive to Primary Class Type)
Failure Penalty:
Suppression spreads. Village is lost.
Local morale reduced permanently.
Both factions have received this quest.
Iden's jaw clenched as he closed the screen.
The time for reaction was over.
Now—it would be war.