Eska stirs to the muffled sounds of movement outside the tent. Her mind lingers in the haze between sleep and wakefulness. Her breath catches as her eyes snap open, her body tensing as she sits up abruptly, scanning her surroundings.
Before the panic can take hold, a voice reaches her. Steady. Familiar.
"Hey, hey. It's alright."
Valen's voice is calm, soft in a way that breaks through the uncertainty gripping her. Her shoulders loosen slightly, the tension ebbing as his presence anchors her back to safety.
Valen steps closer, his expression softer than usual, though Eska can still see the worry beneath it. The weight of the day lingers in his eyes, the unspoken tension of what awaits them.
She meets his gaze and offers a small, relieved smile.
His eyebrows lift slightly, caught off guard by the gesture. After a brief pause, the corner of his lips quirks up in response—a fleeting smile.
"Come," he says, his voice steady. "Let's get ready to head out."
"Good morning!" The cheery, almost refined voice of Cole greets them as they step into the morning light the next day.
He approaches with his usual confident stride, his mustache twitching slightly as he speaks.
"We're almost ready to move. Unfortunately," he sighs dramatically, "I can't argue Lenna out of this one."
His tone carries a note of disappointment that borders on exasperation.
"It's alright, Cole," Valen replies calmly. "We just won't be much help out there, not compared to your guild. Your team has far more experience with this kind of mission."
Cole raises an eyebrow and chuckles softly. "I like your honesty! That said," he leans in slightly, his expression softening, "Nass has been assigned to you both. Her job is to keep you alive during the siege."
"Nass? " Eska asks, tilting her head, her expression a mix of surprise and skepticism.
Cole nods, folding his arms. "She might come across as a bit… eccentric, but she's one of my best hunters. If anyone can handle keeping a couple of church types from getting torn apart, it's her."
He glances around the camp, his eyes scanning the growing bustle of activity. "She'll meet you near the perimeter once we're ready to move. I suggest you don't keep her waiting—Nass's not exactly known for her patience."
Eska exchanges a wary glance with Valen before asking hesitantly, "Is this… Shouldn't you keep your best for the siege?"
Cole's expression hardens slightly, though his tone remains kind. "I'd say your odds of coming out alive will be higher with her at your side. Trust her and she'll make sure you both walk out of that nest alive."
With that, Cole claps Valen on the shoulder and gives Eska a reassuring nod before stepping away to oversee the final preparations. Eska watches him go, then looks at Valen, her nervousness evident.
"Guess we're really doing this," she mutters.
Valen adjusts his gear, his face calm but resolute. "We don't have much of a choice," he says simply. "Let's just hope Lenna hasn't totally lost her mind."
ska's gaze drifts across the camp, settling on Lenna, who stands apart from the others. Her eyes dart across the camp, never settling, scanning the movements around her like she's searching for direction. Her fingers twitch at her sides, gripping and releasing as if testing their own steadiness.
She shifts her weight from one foot to the other, her posture uncertain, shoulders slightly hunched before she catches herself and stiffens.
Then, her gaze meets Eska's.
A brief, unguarded moment—a flicker of something close to hesitation flashing across her face. But it vanishes in an instant. Her shoulders snap back, her jaw sets, and a practiced scowl takes its place.
She moves forward with forceful steps, too firm, too controlled, like someone forcing themselves into a role they don't quite fit.
"Ah, there you two are," she says, carrying a bit of an edge. "I trust you've been informed. It'll be… enlightening."
Her gaze lingers on Eska for a moment, the faintest glimmer of satisfaction flashing in her eyes.
"For someone like you," Lenna continues with an overly sweet tone, "this will be an invaluable learning experience. Facing the Thaxil in their own nest—it'll make you stronger. After all, isn't that what you're here for? To prove your worth?"
Valen stiffens beside Eska, his jaw tightening but Lenna doesn't wait for a reply. She turns with a mockingly cheerful wave, walking away as if she hadn't just sent them to the slaughter with a smile.
The camp buzzes with readiness as final preparations are made. Among the bustle, Vanessa strides up to Eska and Valen.
"Alright, you two," she says with a confident grin, her sharp eyes glinting with energy.
"Time to march! Stay close to me, keep your heads down and try not to get killed. We've got a job to do!" Her wild grin returns, excitement bubbling at the mere thought of the fight ahead.
Without waiting for a response, she turns and walks toward the others. Eska and Valen exchange a glance before falling in step behind her.
The march toward the nest begins, the guild moving like a well-oiled machine. Hunters, acolytes and knights advance in distinct groups, each outfitted for their role.
The teams keep just enough distance between one another to maneuver. The air hums with a quiet tension, the only sounds being the faint clink of armor and the crunch of boots against the forest floor.
Among the groups, a particular contingent stands out.
Their faces are obscured by strange, almost alien-looking masks that cover their mouths and noses. The masks are fitted with cylindrical filters on either side, their dark lenses reflecting the sunlight in eerie, insect-like glimmers.
Tubes snake from the filters into the collars of their gear and faint bursts of mist escape when they exhale. The hunters wearing them move with an eerie silence, their presence unsettling.
Eska's gaze lingers on them for a moment, her curiosity piqued. "What's with those masks?" she whispers to Valen.
Before Valen can respond, Vanessa turns toward Eska, a spark of excitement lighting up her face. "The Firebrand Division," she says with a grin. "They're always the first ones in and the first ones out. Honestly, they're my favorite part of any bug siege."
Her voice rises with unmistakable enthusiasm, her excitement practically radiating as she speaks.
Eska swallows hard, her grip tightening on the straps of her gear.
The sight of the masked group, combined with the sheer scale of the operation, only solidifies the gravity of what lies ahead.
Eska clenches her fists, forcing her legs to keep moving.
Run.
Every instinct in her screams for it. Slip into the shadows, vanish into the trees—disappear before they see her as anything less than useful.
But she can't. Not this time.
The weight of it digs into her chest, heavier with every step toward the nest. This isn't just about survival. If it were, she'd be long gone. This is about her mother, about proving herself to the church—to their god.
Because if she fails, if she falters for even a moment, they will kill them both.
The realization gnaws at her, biting, tearing, dragging at the part of her that wants to disappear. But she shoves it down, swallows the urge like poison.
She has to keep walking.
Her breaths come a little too fast, her hands a little too tight at her sides. Without thinking, she steps closer to Valen, her fingers catching the fabric of his shirt, gripping it lightly.
Valen glances down, his brow furrowing in quiet confusion. He doesn't speak, just watches her, and when she looks up, her golden eyes reflect something raw. Not from physical pain, but from the weight of what lies ahead.
His sigh is quiet, barely audible over the march of boots on dirt. Then, without a word, he wraps an arm around her shoulders, his palm rubbing slow over her arm. "It'll be alright," he murmurs.
The tension in her chest eases, loosening just enough for her shoulders to drop. Her grip on his shirt relaxes, her breath steadying.
The crushing weight isn't gone, but it's lighter. Manageable.
As they draw closer to the nest, the forest grows quieter, the air heavier, the reality of the mission pressing down on everyone like a suffocating weight.
The air grows heavier as the group approaches the nest. The forest around them seems unnaturally silent.
Eska grips the straps of her gear tightly, her yellow eyes darting toward Valen, who walks beside her with his weapon ready. Vanessa, leading the pair, strides confidently, her gaze scanning the tree line ahead.
The tension thickens with every step and even the most seasoned hunters tread carefully now.
The towering walls of the canopy rise before them, the massive structure looming ominously in the light.
Then, without warning, the ground erupts.
Thaxil emerge from below, their jagged blades glinting in the light as they swarm upward, their antennae humming in unison.
The Firebrand Division, stationed at the front, reacts instantly.
With a synchronized motion, the hunters unleash torrents of flames, and they extend their hands, as arcs of fire pour out in sweeping waves.
The heat is overwhelming, the roar of the flames consuming the air as the Thaxil screech and writhe, their carapaces cracking and blackening under the relentless assault.
"Stay back!" Vanessa shouts, spinning around to face Eska and Valen. "The Firebrands will clear the inside of the canopy first. You two don't move until they're finished."
She gestures sharply for them to stay put, then spins around with a grin, her eyes alight with excitement as she faces the blazing chaos ahead.
Eska watches in wide-eyed awe as the Firebrands slowly push forward, their flames carving a path of destruction through the Thaxil.
Valen stands tense beside her, his weapon at the ready, but his gaze flickers to Vanessa, whose excitement is palpable even amidst the danger.
As the last of the Thaxil fall silent, the roaring flames begin to subside.
One of the hunters at the front raises a hand, and the flames flicker in response as if tethered to his command. The group begins to pull the fire inward, gathering the flames into concentrated bursts that slowly diminish into nothing.
The scorched ground smolders faintly, the air thick with smoke, but the fire itself is almost completely extinguished, leaving behind only the charred remains of their enemies.
Vanessa watches the process with obvious admiration as the last embers fade. "That's why they're my favorite," she mutters, mostly to herself, before turning back to Eska and Valen.
A tense calm settles over the area as the Firebrands regroup, checking their gear and ensuring the way forward is clear.
"Looks like it's time for the rest of us to get to work," Vanessa says with a smirk, motioning for the pair to follow her.
Vanessa wipes her bandaged hand against her gear, grinning as she watches the Firebrands wrap up. "Sometimes, the battle outside lasts for hours," she says, her voice carrying a note of casual experience as she glances back at Eska and Valen. "Other times, it's over just like that. Lucky for us, it was the latter this time."
Her smirk fades as her gaze shifts toward the massive hole leading into the nest.
"Doesn't mean we're in the clear yet. The nest always has surprises."
The next team begins to move forward, their weapons drawn as they form a tight formation around the entrance. The air grows heavier as the hunters approach the gaping hole, the charred remains of Thaxil littering the scorched ground around it.
Suddenly, the earth trembles beneath their feet, a low rumble that quickly crescendos into a deafening roar.
Without warning, a massive section of the ground collapses inward, creating an even larger pit. Several guild members at the edge cry out as they lose their footing, falling into the darkness below.
From the depths of the new hole, dozens—no, hundreds—of Thaxil begin to pour out, their jagged limbs clawing their way up the walls. Their antennae hum in chaotic unison, their movements an unrelenting wave of destruction.
"Take them out!" Cole's voice booms above the chaos, his sword flashing as he charges forward, rallying the hunters into action.
The camp erupts into an all-out battle, elements lighting up the darkened canopy as the guild fights desperately to contain the swarm.
Vanessa steps in front of Eska and Valen, her fists igniting with a crackling glow. "Stay close!" she shouts, her grin replaced with a sharp focus. "This is about to get messy!"