The vanguard marched across the bridge, Thalia gazed at the towering wall before her. It stood strong and formidable.
Its stone surface bore the scars of time and countless battles, serving as a reminder of its impenetrable nature.
Over the years, the wall had been strengthened and upgraded, becoming an imposing structure.
It featured two imposing bridges that connected both sides, serving as the only means of entry on foot into the Dreadvale.
In the front and back of the wall were deep ditches, acting as additional barriers on either side.
It had successfully thwarted numerous beast waves and attacks, with flying creatures brought down by mages and archers.
Thalia and Xanthe closely trailed behind Kalia, who led the group from the front.
She turned to the twins, cautioning them, "Girls, stay vigilant. We've received multiple reports of creature attacks near the wall."
The twins nodded, their eyes filled with determination, as they pressed onward, venturing into the foreboding Dreadvale.
As the group crossed the second bridge, watched closely by the vigilant wall guards, their eyes widened in astonishment at the desolate landscape that greeted them.
A chilling sight unfolded before their eyes.
The once-thriving land had been transformed into a barren wasteland, a stark contrast to the stories they had heard.
Bones of humans, beasts, and creatures littered the ground, creating an eerie carpet that crackled under their feet.
Grinning skulls stared through empty eye sockets, their silent testimony mocking the living with a sense of impending doom.
The once-majestic trees now stood as gaunt specters, their withered branches reaching out like skeletal arms, swaying ominously in the cold breeze.
No signs of foliage remained, only twisted and decaying remnants of what had once been.
A sickly haze clung to the air, obscuring distant horizons and casting a pall of despair upon the land.
An unsettling silence permeated the atmosphere, broken only by the mournful howl of a distant wind.
In the midst of this eerie scene, Xanthe's sharp eyes spotted a dilapidated farmhouse in the distance, its appearance rundown, and its front door has been broken off.
Kalia led the hunters as they continued down the old dirt road toward Frostholm.
After an hour of travel, the group's unease intensified as an unsettling change swept over the surroundings.
The horses abruptly halted, their instincts overriding any commands from their riders. A heavy fog descended upon the area, casting an ominous veil over their path.
A palpable sense of fear hung heavily in the air, emanating from the trembling bodies of the horses, revealing their unease.
Paralyzed with fear, the horse's minds consumed by a desperate longing to retreat to the safety of the wall, the hunters awaited Kalia's command.
"Everyone, tether the horses by the old farmhouse and proceed on foot!"
Thalia and Xanthe dismounted their trembling horses, but the frightened animals bolted away the moment the girls released their grip.
Standing there, their senses heightened, they listened intently to the eerie silence that surrounded them. Thalia took charge, casting an enhancement spell.
"Radiant Eyes."
As her spell took effect, Thalia's vision sharpened, allowing her to spot an arrow hurtling toward Xanthe.
Reacting swiftly, she drew her sword and deflected the projectile.
Acknowledging her sister's skill, Xanthe nodded in gratitude and retrieved her spear from a storage ring, skillfully parrying the onslaught of incoming arrows.
Suddenly, a bone-chilling howl pierced the air, heralding the emergence of a swarm. Waves of Ratlings charged recklessly toward the hunters, driven by a frenzy to destroy.
The Ratlings, named after the fall of Frostholm, moved with a single-minded determination.
Kalia's voice echoed with urgency, "Hunters, brace yourselves! It's an ambush!" Each hunter swiftly armed themselves, standing resolute in preparation for the imminent threat.
With remarkable speed, a shield wall was erected just in time to meet the violent assault of the Ratlings. The wall held firm, though the impact pushed it back.
Meanwhile, archers positioned at the rear unleashed volleys of arrows, while mages cast spells into the horde, creating chaotic explosions of magic.
Thalia locked eyes with Xanthe, and a silent understanding passed between them.
With unwavering determination, they sprinted towards the shield wall, their movements fluid and purposeful. As they neared the shield wall, they leaped over it with grace.
Empowered by their vampire essence coursing through their veins, every motion of Thalia and Xanthe exuded a deadly grace.
They descended on the opposite side of the wall, ready to unleash their fury upon the Ratlings.
Thalia moved with mesmerizing agility, her sword cutting through the air with lethal precision, dispatching dozens of Ratlings in rapid succession.
Xanthe, standing tall and resolute, commanded the battlefield with an air of majesty.
Her sweeping attacks cleaved through the horde, decapitating any foolish creature that dared to venture too close.
In a moment of perfect synchronicity, the sisters unleashed a shared spell, their voices intertwining with arcane power.
"Blood Vigor."
An intense surge coursed through their veins, further augmenting their already formidable abilities.
Their senses sharpened, their bodies grew stronger, and a wave of power enshrouded them, fueling their relentless attacks.
Undeterred by the sheer number of Ratlings, the twins seemed to transcend the limitations of time itself as they engaged in a relentless dance of destruction.
Their movements flowed with precision and grace as if guided by an unseen force.
Hundreds of Ratlings succumbed to their relentless onslaught, but for each foe defeated, a hundred more surged forward to fill the ranks.
Thalia quickened her pace, honing her focus on the larger and more formidable Ratlings, her strikes unerringly finding their mark.
Meanwhile, Xanthe stood firm at the front of the shield wall, her powerful strikes cutting down the Ratlings and holding back their relentless advance.
Despite the loss of several hunters during the chaos, the wall held firm, and the twins continued their relentless slaughter of the swarm.
Their unwavering attacks created breathing space for the other hunters, enabling them to launch a counterattack.
After an hour of relentless fighting, the last of the creatures were dispatched. A fatigued Kalia emerged, her voice strained yet filled with gratitude.
"Girls, well done. Without both of you, we would have lost even more hunters."
Her gaze turned to the fallen, and it was then that Xanthe inquired, her voice devoid of emotions, "How many have we lost?"
Kalia lifted her gaze, locking eyes with the vibrant green orbs of the twins. For a fleeting moment, she felt herself teetering on the edge of a trance, but Thalia swiftly intervened.
"We have warned you, Miss Kalia, about meeting our gaze. You risk falling under our charm."
Kalia shook her head, a knowing smile gracing her lips as she replied, "We lost 13 hunters. Four were dragged off, and nine perished on the frontline."
The twins nodded in unison, meticulously cleaning their weapons before securely stowing them away.
With the horses gone, the vanguard continued their march on foot until the sun began to set.
Kalia's voice echoed through the ranks, "Halt! We shall make camp for the night. We cannot risk traveling further; it's the perfect time for another ambush."
The weary group came to a stop and turned their gaze to the right, where the tumultuous Shadowflow River flowed beside them.
The hunters swiftly set to work, establishing a tightly packed camp, while some of them erected a protective Rune perimeter.
Thalia and Xanthe positioned their tent a little distance away from the rest, creating their own magical perimeter of defense.
Kalia organized the night watch rotations when a piercing screech reverberated from all directions, causing a flurry of activity in the makeshift camp.
The men and women quickly gathered, forming small defensive squares in anticipation of an incoming attack. Yet, despite their anxious waiting, nothing happened.
The tense atmosphere lingered, and the twins stood outside their tent, scanning the surroundings. Thalia activated her Radiant Eyes once more, searching for any signs of danger.
However, even with her enhanced vision, there was nothing to be seen.
It was then that Kalia called out to everyone, "Everyone, calm down. I'll increase the number of guards so you can get some rest."
As the night wore on, the atmosphere was filled with the sounds of screams and screeches, echoing through the air.
Out of the total count of over 400 hunters, a dedicated hundred stood on guard, ever watchful and prepared for any potential attacks.
As the morning sun rose, the dense fog dissipated, revealing a desolate landscape that stretched out before them.
The river, characterized by its deep and mysterious waters, exuded an eerie ambiance. Whispers spread among the hunters, murmuring about glimpses of moving shadows beneath the surface.
Thalia approached Xanthe from behind as she stood at the river's edge, her gaze fixed on the distance. Concern etched in her voice, Thalia voiced her apprehensions.
"Sister, there is an eerie silence around us. I fear another attack may be imminent," she expressed her worry.
Xanthe nodded in agreement and responded, "Yes, sister, there will be another attack, but not just yet."
As the group dismantled their temporary camp and prepared to resume their journey, their attention was drawn to the approaching figures of the remaining hunters.
Leading the group was the same man who had spoken to Kalia earlier.
The vanguard came to a halt as the other hunters reached them, displaying signs of weariness but no major injuries. Stepping forward, the man addressed Kalia directly.
"Kalia, we were ambushed three times during our journey here. Ratlings were among the attackers, alongside some unidentified creatures that none of us have encountered before."
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