Everyone stared at the system window.

  A few people started breaking down. Others started moving in a panic, rushing to get weapons and armour in a haste they didn't have before. Leo shook his head as he looked at it. It knew exactly what to say to induce panic.

  Hector was trying to calm people as best he could as they all fought for weaponry. Even though these people had been bound together in this place as prisoners of those criminals, there wasn't any friendship beyond that for many of them. It was still survival of the fittest with a group of strangers.

  Leo took a deep breath, preparing himself for what was to come. He looked at his status screen.

  Name: Leonidas Hawkins

  Level: 13

  Race: Human (F)

  Class: Pugilist

  Health Points (HP): 350/350

  Mana Points (MP): 260/260

  Stamina Points (SP): 287/300

  Stats

  Strength: 43

  Agility: 56

  Endurance: 30

  Vitality: 35

  Toughness: 22

  Intelligence: 26

  Wisdom: 20

  Will: 24

  Free Points: 3

  Bloodline: Bloodline of the Elements

  Essences

  Fire (F)

  Fuel The Fire (Uncommon)

  Ice (F)

  Ice Spike (Common)

  Lightning (F)

  Voltaic Reflex (Common)

  Earth (F)

  Stoneskin (Common)

  Titles

  Bloodline Originator

  First Blood

  Dungeon Delver I

  Class Skills

  Unarmed mastery (Common)

  Refined Mana Strikes (Uncommon)

  Powerful Haymaker (Common)

  Iron Repetition (Common)

  Race Skills

  Multiversal Polyglot (Unique)

  Identify (Common)

  Looking at it, he realised how far he'd come in such a short time.

  His stats were much higher than those of a level one human coming into this place. Several times higher for some of them.

  Not that it translated into him being four to five times stronger. The stats didn't seem to work that way. He assumed he was probably at least twice as fast and strong as he was previously. He had magic. Skills that could punch holes in solid rock. With so much more growth to come.

  But power meant nothing if he didn’t use it when it mattered.

  He decided to add his 3 Free Points into Endurance. To help his stamina for the long night ahead.

  Time passed quickly as people rushed around. Leo helped barricade what he could, bringing materials from outside in massive piles that the criminals had gathered and hauling stone from broken rubble nearby.

  It was enough to cover the windows above which overlooked the main hall they were in. The windows on the first floor were also covered, with the door remaining open until the very end.

  It looked like it would be himself, Cecelia, and Ashley from his group. With seven others staying to defend those who couldn't move. Leo wasn't sure if that was due to bravery or compassion. But he would accept the help. They were going to need it.

  Identifying the people staying he gaged that they were at most, level two. With more than half of them still being level one. Two archers, two mages, a rogue, a warrior and a knight, based on the armours these people had taken up. The ranged would be a massive help. The melee would… struggle.

  The other group assembled for building D, as Leo had creatively dubbed, and began helping carry the unconscious and still gravely injured. Those that would survive the trip.

  Leo finished barricading the doorway with a large wooden table after they exited. There were no nails. It held through sheer weight and hope. It was surprising to find such a thing when most tables were made of thick stone and attached to the floor. But he wouldn't second guess a blessing.

  The gaps left were intentional, allowing for sightlines of enemies approaching while obscuring themselves. The building was soon basked in darkness as light faded and each window allowed for no more to enter.

  It was by design. No light was allowed. They’d try to hide for as long as they could.

  For whatever fresh hell approached.

  Those remaining were lined up against the walls towards the main door that Leo had originally crashed through. They all peered through similar holes, gaps in the barricades.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  They all looked extremely nervous, weapons clutched in hands with white knuckles. Sweat dripped down their faces as they anxiously watched an empty courtyard, barely illuminated in the red glow of the setting sun.

  Leo glanced back into the room, barely able to make out Ashley, who was still healing those who were on the brink, while trying to hide the glow of her magic using cloth.

  There were six people still laying around her, some of which were healed but unconscious. Sadly, even though they were healed, they couldn't defend themselves.

  Cecelia approached him, standing next to the barricade he was posted at.

  “Any movement?” Cecelia asked, while peering through a hole of her own through a small wooden plank.

  “None so far,” Leo responded in a whisper.

  “Perhaps we have overprepared,” Cecelia muttered. The pair looked at each other and then shared a dark chuckle.

  “These people are incredibly nervous. But they have strong wills. They wouldn't be here otherwise,” Leo said.

  “We’ll see how strong those wills are once people start dying.”

  Leo frowned, but then nodded. “I'm gonna try not to let that happen.”

  “Leo.” Cecelia said seriously, hand on his shoulder, turning him towards her. “Listen to me now. Do not give your life trying to save everyone. People will die tonight. You cannot stop it, and if you try to save everyone you will most likely die yourself. Do your best to save who you can of course, but survive. Do not be a hero.”

  He gave her a gentle smile, “I can't promise anything.”

  She looked as if she wanted to argue, her face contorting into different emotions Leo hadn’t seen before.

  Her face landed on a sad smile, as if she was aware that nothing she could say would stop him. She nodded solemnly in a rare moment of vulnerability and frustration.

  Leo understood where she was coming from. If tonight was as they had feared, then saving everyone wouldn’t be possible. A grim prospect he struggled to come to terms with. These people had just gotten their lives back, hopeful once more. He couldn’t let that hope be snuffed out just as it returned, not if he had the strength to do so.

  Suddenly, the storm outside that was building to crescendo abruptly stopped. The sky went dead silent. The only sounds he could hear was his own heartbeat drumming along steadily and the similarly steady breathing of Cecelia.

  He could barely see the top of the moon beginning to rise above the skyline. Its bright red colouration looked entirely unnatural and demonic.

  Mist started to flow underneath the table blocking the door and through the windows. It was appearing like magic as it faintly obscured the courtyard.

  Minutes crawled by. Leo's anxiety rose higher with each one. He couldn't take it any more and asked in a whisper, “Do you think it's just that they roam around at night during this so if we're inside we're fine?”

  “I'm not sure,” Cecelia replied. “Wait, look.”

  Leo’s face pressed up against the wood. Outside, the ground in the middle of the courtyard began slowly pulsing as if something was slowly trying to break through from underground.

  The ground broke fully, falling inside and creating a hole that was large enough for a Soldier Antling to fit through with ease.

  Ants began crawling out, eyes glowing red, matching the growing glare of the Blood Moon.

  Leo used Identify.

  Lesser Antling - Level 4

  Lesser Antling - Level 5

  Soldier Antling - Level 7

  Antling Ambusher - Level 7

  …

  They just kept pouring from the hole.

  Leo could only watch in horror as they spilled out, filling up the courtyard. The first few ants that had come through looked at the corpses that Leo and Ron had left and immediately swarmed them, tearing into the flesh and devouring it.

  It was a large difference from the ants that were dragging corpses away to do… whatever they did.

  The rest of the ants had found the pile of corpses, both human and ant alike and started devouring them too. They didn't seem to care if it was fresh, rotten, human or ant. It was all meat.

  There was a growing anxiousness among those standing against the wall. Cecelia gestured for them to stay calm and quiet.

  Not many of them seemed to take notice, eyes fixed outside. Leo tried to do the same to no avail.

  The ants seemed to have no interest in the buildings so far. Just roaming around, unfocused on anything but sating their hunger.

  All they had to do was stay quiet and everything would be fine, the night would end. Tomorrow would come.

  Time passed in relative nervous silence, the ants feasting upon their meals. The only sounds were skittering legs and horrific crunching of bone and flesh. This extra time was crucial. It gave Ashley time to get some mana back, and to help finish healing those who were in dire straits.

  He could see people starting to visibly relax. The threat was still looming but as long as they all remained completely—

  *Clang*

  A clattering of steel hitting solid stone echoed out within the building.

  All the eyes in the room instantly locked to a man standing over a longsword that was laying on the floor. The man looked up at them. His face was still, but his eyes screamed terror.

  Leo slowly glanced outside to see almost half the ants suddenly turn towards the direction of the building A—Leo’s building.

  All at once the ants screeched. An ungodly noise that drew the attention of the other ants not feasting.

  “Get ready! Here they come!” Cecelia roared.

  The antlings crashed into the door and walls in a thudding cacophony, swarming all over the building. Leo pressed his body against the barricade of the door, holding them at bay with his and Cecelia’s combined strength.

  They started chipping away at the wood, crunching segments off of it. Loud clacks resonated through the wood. Leo could feel them reverberate through his body.

  “It's not going to hold!” Leo shouted over the sounds of rampaging ants and panicked yells.

  “We have to fall back and create a defensive line!” she shouted back.

  “Take everyone! When they break through I'll be their first target!” he responded.

  “What did I say about not being a hero!?”

  “We don't have time to argue, Cecelia! You know I'm right! Protect Ash and those who can't fight.”

  She was silent for a moment, not responding. She looked to be in thought before gritting her teeth.

  “Cece!” Leo shouted.

  Cecelia let out an aggravated noise. “Fine!” she shouted back, pushing off the barricade.

  “Everyone! On me! We will hold the line further back. Prepare to fight for your life!”

  She sounded like she was commanding an army of soldiers. Even Leo felt inspired and almost followed her instinctively, before shaking his head and forming a steely resolve.

  Her commands kept coming as she pulled people into a formation, with Ashley at the centre.

  I won't let these people die.

  Resolve settled into his bones. Strength coursed through his body. Steam began to slowly rise from it, not a lot, just a thin heat licking across his skin. His focus helped him burn Fuel the Fire at a constant low, the cost being negligible for now, but the strength clear.

  Leo held on for as long as it was worth. He gave Cecelia time to create the best line she could muster.

  Nervous eyes met Leo’s as the group wondered why he was still guarding the barricade.

  He looked towards Cecelia, her face steely and worried. She nodded.

  Leo jumped away from the barricade. The wood crumbled and broke as mandibles and legs started piercing through. Wood splintered as the first antling head appeared, barely visible. Leo’s hand raised up, mana coursing. A spike of sharp ice formed in front of it.

  It shot out, shattering against the Lesser Antling’s head.

  The shrieks that followed were the starting pistol.

  It was going to be a rough night.