To Battle: Part 2 [MOX-994]

Troia, Pantalaimon and the rest of their nights rushed out to the East of the settlement of Wingfell, leaving no stone unturned; eventually, they arrived all the way to the border of the.

But they saw nothing. The moon rivers were paling and losing the magic, as expected. But they saw neither Corruption Beast nor corrupted Xyn, try as they might; even the Scouts that accompanied them, soaring high above in the air, could not see anything out of the ordinary.

Even Troia, normally unfazed by emotion, felt slightly unsettled recalling what the moxyn at the village told her… 

“The corrupted xyns didn’t even try to attack us, they never have, and that’s the strangest thing… Next thing we know, some villagers have vanished. And then we only see more glowing eyes watching us in the nights afterwards…”

Pantalaimon stepped over to Troia’s side, uncertain. “Do you think that the corrupted xyns just aren’t here…?”

“Perhaps.” Troia hesitated. “Or they could choose to be hiding, if they know of our presence… if they’re even capable of making a decision like that.”

A scout that had flown far up above soared downwards to hover just above the two. Four more Scouts continued to circle overhead, keeping watch above everyxyn on land. 

“I’ve just spoken to Samson and the other Scouts patrolling through the air from the remaining three groups. Its been hours, but during all of this time none of them have seen a signle thing even miles above ground.” They frowned, twitching their ears. “Either they vanished entirely- or, they’re planning something… but Samson’s recalling us; we need to head back to the settlement now.”

“Alright.” Troia flicked her tail. Everyxyn on air and land followed back towards the direction of the village.

The next few nights were eerily silent. None of the scouts had seen a single corrupted xyn or beast anywhere; not even past the Moon River where they could see the Corrupted Lands. 

Something was horribly off…

—

Troia and Pantalaimon, asleep in separate makeshift cots, jolted awake to the sound of a xyn screaming- then one, then two, then tree and then more joined in to wail. “THEY’RE COMING FOR US!” “Wake the Knights!” “SOMEONE HELP!” 

One of the Scouts was shouting from high above the air. “Where is Samson?! SAMSON IS GONE!”

Troia and Pantalaimon bolted out the door of the tiny hostel they were staying in, to see some panicked villagers running amok as several others, along with the Royal knights, began to arm themselves.

Troia whipped her head about, scanning the area; and one by one, she saw numerous glowing eyes appear from the darkness; each one appearing to have a brilliant purple and white magic sparking through them. It was just like the vexyn at Elysium Heights; but there were far more of them this time…

The knights, combined with the remaining adult villagers, barely outnumbered the corrupted xyns. 

They rushed out to the perimeter and entrances of the village to guard it, brandishing their magic and weapons; but without Samson to instruct them it was unclear what they should do.

“Shouldn’t Samson be here?!” one Knight gnashed their teeth. “There’s no way he abandoned us!”

“He could have been taken! Just like those missing Xyns!” another Knight shouted.

A third Knight’s voice quavered in response. “Then…  no… that couldn’t mean…” They looked out, frantically, at the glowing eyes of the corrupted xyns closing in on the village.

“What do we do without him?!” The knights and armed villagers, brave as they were, had begun to fray ever so slightly with their forthrightness.

Troia gritted her fangs, and shouted above everyone else. “We need to stand our ground and protect the villagers! Samson is strong enough to hold his own- if we protect this village and drive out the corrupted xyns, we can save him too!”

“Aye!” Everyone cried out. 

One corrupted xyn stepped forward to the light, snarling, and dove in to attack Troia; she screeched and they barreled into each other, fighting tooth and nail. More Corrupted xyns joined in the fray to attack the defending xyns, and soon the grisly battle ensued…