Sadness, pain, suffering, loss, hatred... The near future didn't seem very pleasant. The Oracle closed their eyes once again, resting their right elbow on their left arm, holding their temples with their fingers. This time, they envisioned the distant future. Images flashed through their mind too quickly to focus on details and exact consequences. This was a recent novelty, as their visions were usually clear and defined. They paused and concentrated, determining exactly which actions they would take. With that, the near future formed in their mind. It was exactly what they had planned.

They then tried to focus on the more distant future. Once again, the images were unclear, despite having determined what would be done. This was relatively encouraging, as the usual was always seeing the apocalypse and the destruction of Kairos. The puzzle was still in its early stages, with several loose pieces scattered across the table. Trying to fit them together now would not be easy or appropriate. It wouldn't help in the image that was forming with what had been assembled.

However, some pieces were fitting together. Others were approaching and would soon enter the game. Aestus and Orkan were already a match, but the addition of Spes to the board changed everything. The variables needed to be controlled and put in the right direction. This next move would be daring, the first major interference in our heroes' story. Of course, several interferences had been made before, behind the scenes, individually. But this time was different. It was more personal, direct. Therefore, it was much riskier. But as they say, you only win big when you bet big.

The Oracle, still with their eyes closed, checked if they themself was prepared to handle this undertaking. They felt their magical power at full capacity, their physical strength was elevated, their endurance was above average. They could even conjure any entity he wanted at this moment. It had been a long time since they had used their power in this complete way. It would be good to dust off several abilities they hadn't used. That made them excited, at least until they thought about the consequences that were about to come.

They took a deep breath and opened their eyes. Reality hit them like a punch to the solar plexus. The time had come to shape the future.

***

The clinic was almost closing. Janis was already organizing all the diagnostic materials. Keun had gone to pick up his children from school a while ago. Spes was finishing up with the last patients of the day: a mother had brought her son with symptoms of poisoning. The Mage knelt down and handed a lollipop to the child, who hugged him in return, expressing gratitude. Now it was just time to go home and hope that there wouldn't be any emergency cases. Spes bid farewell to the two patients and closed the clinic, switching off the illuminated sign at the entrance. He went to the office where Janis was, stretching and causing some relieving cracks in his spine. She was sitting in front of a desk, organizing papers and yawning.

The room was brightly lit, equipped with modern devices, an examination table in one corner, and a long white table right next to the door. The equipment was rarely used since Mages could properly examine a patient solely using their powers. The powerful lighting, however, aided in the observation of different types of injuries or reactions that patients presented. The abundant decorative plants added a contrast to the minimalism of the rest of the office.

"Ready to go home?" Spes asked, excitedly. "I'm in desperate need of a shower."

"I'm exhausted, I need to sleep early tonight," Janis replied, rubbing her eyes. "Now it's just a matter of going home, getting into the bathtub, and relaxing while reading a little book."

"Don't even mention it. Today I'm only leaving the house if someone drags me by the ears!"

And, ironically, an alarm sounded in the city. The sound was loud and concerning, ringing three times. The two colleagues looked towards the window, trying to imagine what it could be. The alarm had been rarely triggered lately, used to warn about Creature invasions. In such cases, some guards would head to the dangerous location to handle the battles, and nearby residents would remain on alert, ready to provide any necessary assistance. However, previously, the siren had only rung once, followed by information about the emergency. It had never been sounded three times before. It was worrisome. Spes looked at Janis, who seemed wide awake and apprehensive.

"Attention, residents of Silvi," the mayor's voice echoed through the city's sound system. "A large number of Creatures is heading towards the northern boundary of the city. I call upon all guards and capable inhabitants to make their way to the designated location marked by a flag, at the end of Street 8. Residents in the northern region should leave their homes and seek shelter in the city center, with the option to enter the hall of the great tree. All help will be needed. Repeating: a large number..." And the message was repeated once more.

Revitalized by the imminent danger, Spes hurried to the nearest cabinet and began preparing a potion belt. He mentally reviewed the types he would need, the appropriate quantity to bring, and the route he would take to reach the northern boundary. In no time, he was ready to go, heading towards the door, when he noticed Janis still sitting at the desk, unresponsive. He turned back and knelt in front of the table, entering her field of vision. She was clearly in panic, seemingly starting to breathe again only at that moment. Spes took her hands, looked into her eyes, and said:

"Janis, breathe. It's going to be alright. But we need to go, like, right now. No pressure."

"I can't..." Her voice barely came out. "I don't know what to do."

She shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears. Janis had always been an incredible Mage but extremely insecure. Being young and lacking much experience, she felt the need to go over everything she did in the clinic with Spes or Keun. Her knowledge and magical power had grown considerably in recent years, but her self-confidence had not. Moreover, she was not inclined towards violence and had no combat skills.

"I've never faced a Creature in my life," she continued, her voice choked, "I won't know what to do."

Spes thought for just a few seconds, looking around. The clinic was well-equipped but very small. A strategy formed in his mind.

"I know," Spes said, snapping his fingers. "You can go to the hall of the great tree. Many people will go there and they'll be scared. Then I'll also ask them to send the injured there. You can handle that easily, right?"

The Mage regained her composure, lightly sniffing and nodding. She quickly got up and started gathering materials to take to the town hall. Spes bid her farewell and rushed out the door without looking back. The city streets were crowded with people, most of them lost and unsure where to go. As he made his way, Spes stopped and tried to calm down the most desperate residents, giving them instructions. People thanked him and wished him luck. In truth, not even Spes knew exactly what was happening, but he knew that maintaining calmness was crucial. A Warrior Lagomorph was climbing into a small vehicle and offered the Mage a ride. Spes jumped on the back, and the two of them proceeded along the street at a moderate speed due to the congestion. Along the way, they could see many Mages, but very few people from other Classes. The fight wouldn't be easy.

***

The hall of the great tree was still very crowded. Municipal employees shouted orders in a cacophony of voices. Baruc had left, accompanied by his uniformed guards. Tapiti had been taken to a safe location from where she would command the different fronts. The chaotic movement reminded Aestus of a trampled anthill, where ants bumped into each other without a clear objective. A battle of this magnitude was something he had only read about in history books. Something akin to the Magnor uprising or the various attacks led by the Reptoids. Now that the long-awaited moment had arrived, Aestus didn't feel ready. It had been less than a week since he had embarked on the life of a Hunter.

"Let's go!" Orkan exclaimed, a confident smile on his face. "What are we waiting for?"

Aestus snapped out of his reverie. His friend stood before him, testing his materializer and adjusting his gear. Who would have thought that Orkan, the Rogue known for his selfishness, would be so eager to defend Silvi from an attack? Inspired by his friend's enthusiasm, Aestus took a deep breath and began checking his leather armor, his boots, and his materializer. "In the end, we're not so different," he thought, a proud smile on his face.

"I bet they'll offer a hefty reward to whoever kills the most Creatures," Orkan added, looking at the blade of one of his daggers. Aestus's shoulders slumped as he confronted the reality. Perhaps he was indeed an incurable dreamer.

They walked out through the door of the hall, reaching the illuminated square. The scene was truly chaotic. Some people carried children, running towards the hall. Many others were locking the doors of nearby shops and houses. The square was brightly lit and crowded, with discernible different groups of people. The lanterns were strong, providing ample illumination for the decorative elements, benches, and paths. At the moment, the lights were enabling the residents to see maps and equipment as they devised defensive and offensive strategies. The two Hunters decided to run to the northern boundary of the city. Once they arrived there, they would decide how to proceed.

The path was tumultuous, with streets filled with confused and frightened people. Most of them were lost and scared, with only a few preparing to battle and defend the city. Aestus didn't make an exact count, but the majority of the inhabitants he saw were not wearing attire that indicated their Classes. However, the ones in typical attire were mostly Light Mages. Without Baruc's assistance, the city would be easily overrun by the Creatures. He tried to recall the image of the Creatures approaching the city to estimate their numbers. There were many, countless. The more he thought about it, the worse the anticipation became.

After a longer time than they had anticipated, they reached the city's boundary. As they couldn't run freely and had to maneuver through the people, the two young individuals were not tired or out of breath. The night had fallen, and the moons were not shining brightly tonight, casting darkness over the field ahead. Silvi's lights ended near the last houses, providing little illumination. They spotted a green flag with black designs, raised on a tall, slender wooden mast. At its base stood a group of people in front of a white-haired Lagomorph Knight. He stood atop a wooden stump, allowing everyone around to see him, apparently giving orders and assigning tasks. From where Aestus stood, he couldn't make out what was being said. The two friends quickly approached, standing in the last rows of people.

"So, here's the plan," the Knight spoke with a powerful voice that reached everyone around. "Knights and Fighters will group up and face the larger Creatures. Rogues and Archers will focus on the smaller, swifter ones. Guardians will protect the Wizards, who will attack from a distance. Since we have many Mages, all groups will have some in the rear. The other Classes can distribute themselves as needed."

Aestus looked at his friend by his side. Orkan appeared confident and eager, but Aestus knew the Rogue was just as nervous as he was. It was such a grand battle, and they wouldn't even be fighting side by side to help each other. They would have to rely on strangers, some of whom were very inexperienced. Looking around, he could see that almost no one had materializers. Many were wielding old and poorly maintained weapons. Aestus, however, tried to push those thoughts out of his mind, wiping the sweat from his forehead as if he could literally brush away any worries with his hand.

Aestus quickly joined the groups as they formed around him, following the Lagomorph elder's instructions. The two friends exchanged another glance and nodded subtly at each other. Orkan turned and headed toward a small group of Archers that had formed. Aestus ran after his friend, calling out his name.

"Orkan! Wait up!"

The blond young man stopped and looked at his friend, surprised by a sudden, tight embrace. Orkan hugged him back.

"Take care, please," Aestus said, without breaking the embrace.

"You too," Orkan replied, squeezing his friend tighter.

Aestus patted Orkan's arm twice and went to find a group to join. As he walked through the crowd, he passed by a young girl who appeared to be around 16 years old. She had full, beautifully maintained curly hair. Her attire consisted of a lightweight, golden tunic partially covered by a dark pink shawl. That kind of clothing was unmistakable, typically worn by Summoners. It was a rare and powerful Class. They were capable of summoning entities to fight alongside them, each representing an element. Aestus managed to overhear part of a conversation as he passed by.

"I can only summon the wind entity; I don't know if I'll be very useful," she said to an older man, apparently Classless.

"That's more than enough, dear," he replied, patting her head. "The Saci is a very agile entity. Just stay focused so he can fight and assist the others."

"I'll be by your side, sweetheart. Don't worry," a mature woman said as she adjusted a quiver on her back. Aestus assumed she was the girl's mother, who would be in the rear as an Archer.

However, he couldn't continue listening to the conversation. Aestus moved away, spotting a group of Knights and Fighters up ahead. He approached them, greeting everyone in a general manner, receiving responses with little attention. There were more female Knights than males in the group, but Fighters were predominantly male. Some people were stretching, while others warmed up, practicing strikes barehanded. Fighters were a Class specialized in unarmed combat, not requiring weapons to defeat opponents.

Aestus was already feeling relatively warmed up from his earlier run. He decided to analyze the battlefield, distancing himself a bit from the group. The night was pleasant, with a constant gentle breeze. The vast open field, intersected by a river, was submerged in darkness, making it impossible to discern what lay at a relatively short distance. Fighting in these conditions would be very difficult. Humans and Lagomorphs, unlike the Minatis, didn't see as well in the dark. Would it be necessary to place torches scattered throughout the field?