Night fell over Goblin's Grove. The wind carried the damp scent of the forest, and the half-moon was half-hidden behind drifting clouds. Atop the fortress walls, goblin warriors stood guard with burning torches, their eyes glancing skyward more often than toward the forest.
MC made his rounds, checking each guard post, while Minho stood at the western gate with two warriors. "I don't like nights like this," he muttered. "Too quiet."
As if in answer, the heavy beat of wings echoed from the darkness. A long screech followed—this time with multiple echoes from different directions. MC turned his gaze upward, eyes narrowing. "Not one… a flock."
Large shadows emerged from behind the clouds. The Raven Tyrant glided in front, followed by four other massive birds. Their wings occasionally caught the torchlight, glinting like black metal.
"All positions, prepare for battle!" MC shouted.
Two of the birds immediately dove toward the eastern wall, hurling several goblins off their posts. Godon led his troops to intercept, spears and arrows unleashed into the sky. Draksra moved swiftly through the shadows, his arrows striking the weak points in their wings.
At the western gate, one bird broke through a weakened section of the wall. Minho moved fast, meeting its talons with Iron Wall. The protective light around him flickered as the impact made the ground tremble. The bird screeched, trying to tear through the invisible barrier, but Minho shoved it back with his spear.
Meanwhile, Moji stood atop the watchtower, the spell in his hands forming a glowing blue magic circle. "Shield, active!" he called out, and a wall of light flared into existence, protecting the fortress's weakest point.
The Raven Tyrant itself never dove, merely circling above, watching the battle unfold. Its glowing red eyes seemed to calculate, as if waiting for the right moment.
The clash lasted nearly ten minutes before the flock finally retreated. Two of the large birds lay dead, another fled with a crippled wing, while the Raven Tyrant left without a scratch. The fortress, however, suffered serious damage on both the western and eastern sides.
MC stood in the courtyard, staring up at the night sky. "He's testing our defenses… again."
Minho caught his breath, his expression grim. "If he's satisfied, the next attack will be the real one."