Chapter 3: The Dire Wolf Assault

The outpost was in chaos. Dire wolves had attacked the camp, and everyone was either fighting or fleeing for their lives. Those who stood their ground were mostly soldiers, with a few brave magic users assisting the defenders. The attack was sudden, catching the troops Completely off guard. Nevertheless, the news spread like wildfire across the camp and reached the central tent, Larger than the others but blending in apart from its size.

A high-ranking, nameless soldier frantically searched for the tent and eventually reached it. He barged in unannounced, pushing past the two guards outside. The guards attempted to stop him, but it was too late. He had already entered and made his presence known. Arc Crafter, Lieutenant Clarissa, and Captain Strossburg, who were busy discussing critical matters, abruptly halted their conversation upon seeing the breathless and frantic soldier.

"What's the meaning of barging in here without announcement?" Liutanent Clarissa demanded.

The soldier tried to catch his breath. "Ma'am... attack... dire wolves... many casualties... the outpost is overrun. The camp is in panic, and we need reinforcements."

Clarissa and Strossburg immediately left the tent, hurrying to the location and asking Arc to stay put and recover. Although Arc's injuries from his previous fight were superficial and would leave only minor scars upon healing, he was more worried about his right eye, which was heavily injured. The doctor had done his best to heal it. However, complete recovery was unlikely without Mana Arts.

Arc's Flashback:

Arc lay unconscious on the makeshift bed, bandages covering half his face. He could faintly hear whispers around him, voices of concern and urgency. The doctor's voice was the clearest, muttering to an assistant.

"We've done all we can without magic. The injuries are severe, especially in his right eye. Even with magic, the chances of full recovery are slim."

The assistant replied, "But isn't there any other way? He’s the son of General Michael Crafter. There must be something we can do."

The doctor sighed. "Arc's unique condition makes it difficult. His body rejects magic. It's a miracle he survived this long. We can only hope the non-magical treatments work."

Arc's mind drifted in and out of consciousness, catching snippets of their conversation. "Rejects magic," he thought. "That's always been my curse." He could feel the frustration and helplessness in the doctor's voice, a reflection of his internal struggle.

"I wonder if I'll be able to see even a little from my right eye after these bandages are removed," Arc mumbled before snapping back to reality and responding to both the captain and the lieutenant. "Come back in one piece..."

As the fight raged in the distance, Stross spoke to Clarissa as they rushed to the frontlines, gathering Able-bodied soldiers marching along the way.

"Clarissa, it would be better if We split into two groups here. Please gather the civilians and the injured towards the centre of the camp and form a defensive perimeter & I'll head to the front and thin out as many of their numbers as possible. Our men and civilians lack a proper chain of command. If we don't act now, we'll lose more men to the panic than to the wolves."

Clarissa nodded. "Understood, Captain. Stay safe."

Stross was surprised to see the men bravely fending off the dire wolves. Although most who stood and fought were battle-hardened soldiers stationed at the outpost, a few brave recruits also showed great promise. Ideally, the fresh recruits would have been trained gradually at the base camp, but Real combat was as good a teacher as any. As his thoughts continued, he reached the front lines, charging fiercely into battle with his enchanted sword, Tyrant's Demise. One of the older soldiers shouted from afar, "Strossburg, the Wind Disaster has arrived!"

Hearing the name Wind Disaster, the troop's morale soared. Stross used only his physical strength and blade, conserving his mana for the long battle ahead. As he cut through the dire wolves, his eyes fell on two young fighters who stood out for their fierce fighting styles, reminiscent of the training at the Magus Academy. Stross approached them, cutting down any attacking wolves along the way.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Do my eyes deceive me, or are you two cadets from the Magus Academy fighting on the front lines?" he called out.

The two young soldiers, startled by Stross's sudden appearance and question, quickly recognized him. One of them, a female soldier, replied, "Captain Strossburg!? We weren't expecting you here. What a surprise."

The trio decided to group, thinning the wolves' numbers. As time passed, they managed to defeat the wolves and decided to lend a hand to the defensive lines where the fight continued.

Meanwhile, Clarissa had managed to gather many of the civilians and soldiers, setting a clear defensive perimeter around the central periphery of the outpost. Achieving this would not have been possible without the help of three promising officers who took charge on different fronts before Clarissa took control of the situation. The group of three and Clarissa met for a status report, where they introduced themselves: Thomas Graydor, a shield and spear master; Ashley Strider, proficient with dual blades; and Sherry Greenwood, an advanced magic technician.

Thomas, the eldest and highest in rank among the three, asked Clarissa for further orders. She informed them that the Main unit, led by Captain Stross, would join them momentarily. Her words proved true as the battle raging on the outskirts concluded and the forces approached the temporary safe perimeter. The defensive formation worked, keeping casualties to a minimum, given the circumstances.

Captain Stross introduced Clarissa to the two promising soldiers, twin siblings Luto Arden and Lizzi Arden, as the forces regrouped. Lieutenant Clarissa did the same with the trio she had met earlier. Just as it seemed the fight was over and pleasantries and small talk began, the central tent caught fire. A slash of blue flames erupted from the site. The captain and lieutenant rushed to see what had happened.

As they approached the scene, rain began to fall, extinguishing the raging fire. The captain and lieutenant were shocked to see a red alpha dire wolf cut in half and the surrounding area burning in blue flames. Amidst the smoke, they saw Arc lying on the ground, unconscious, with some of his previous wounds reopened. Captain Strossburg, who was also the man who taught Arc the way of the blade during his younger days, was particularly frantic when he saw a deep crack on the relic on Arc's left wrist.

"Hurry, we don't have much time. Gather a small group of Able-Bodied men you can trust and get Arc to the base camp as quickly as possible. We don't have much time..." Stross's urgency was palpable.

The rain continued to fall, and the mist of smoke thickened, leaving everyone on edge as the fate of Arc Crafter and the camp hung in the balance...

***