Half a year later.

I watched Russell and the others spar with each other and correct them as needed. I gained experience in the use of different types of weapons, primarily in order to make it easier for me to stand against them in the future.

Although I was extremely picky and reluctant to recruit new fighters, I still accepted a few people, so there were more of us again. Russell recently managed to take the first level, and soon others were to join him.

Thanks to going to the tavern and communicating with many people, I managed to find out a lot of information about the classes, albeit mostly basic. I even found out detailed information about many spells of different classes, so I already had an idea of ​​what classes I would need in the "team". I discussed this topic with the guys, so we will choose classes only when at least a few people get levels. Then it will be easier to find a normal composition depending on the options available.

Sometimes I went outside the village to hunt. But I never went far from village walls and if I saw any danger, I preferred to run away. I still have plenty of time, I turned 15 not so long ago, and so far there was no point in risking my carcass for nothing. Even so, I occasionally brought the loot home and practiced cooking as well.

Today, when Anna and I were once again preparing rabbit meat, the alarm sounded again. Mary went to the river, but having heard the signal, she will probably return soon. Anna's eyes lit up, but she remembered that she was not allowed and immediately pouted.

- Stay here and wait for Mary. - I told her.

- Be careful brother!

- Okay.

I went towards the gate. In general, the same thing happened as the last time. But this time I decided it was worth settling closer to the gate so that I could get more information from Raf and the others.

However, this time, when I climbed the wall, I saw nothing, others also looked around with doubt. But the situation soon cleared up. On the left side, somewhere in the distance, a creature could be seen making its way through the forest, right now it was not possible to see it properly and only flashes of fire were visible.

- What it is? - people asked each other.

Raf stood in the same place and gazed in the direction of the fire like the others with a frowning face. Soon he descended and now openly began to cast a summoning spell. He began to whisper something in an incomprehensible language. As the spell was chanted, purple smoke formed and gained strength around him, and soon a complex summoning circle, outlined by many runes and schemes, appeared on the ground where he directed the spell. This circle seemed like some kind of illusory vision, as if it came from another world. At times it became faded or began to glow brighter again. White lines and flashes began to appear over this circle, at some point it even seemed to me that these flashes somewhat resembled stars. Lines and flashes instantly gained unimaginable speed and soon, almost instantly, materialized a huge bear.

After the completion of the spell and the appearance of the summoning circle, everything happened quite quickly and at first glance it might seem that a flash just appeared, after which a bear appeared instead. However, Raf did not finish and continued to cast spells. I already found out a lot of information on this topic, so I could more or less figure out which spells are being cast.

Spell Resistance, Stoneskin, Freedom of Movement, Protection from Elements, Bark Leather, Bull's Strength.

The innkeeper as a mage added Haste and Mage Armor spells. The priest has applied Protection from Evil, Prayer, Clarity, Help, Endurance, Blessing, Shield of Faith.

After all the spells, the bear was transformed, like a walking Christmas tree of some kind. Although not all spells had obvious effects, there were enough of those that were cast. Raf and the others climbed the wall again and waited for the arrival of the guest, now he could already be seen. It was a huge red demon with a fiery sword and fiery wings. This demon was advancing at a leisurely pace, although initially he was approaching somewhere from the side of the gate, he seemed to make a detour on purpose and now he was approaching the front gate. Raf's face looked alarmed, I had never seen such an expression on his face and I heard him say "Balor" softly.

This demon was already relatively close to the gate and now its appearance could be seen quite clearly. The figure resembled a humanoid, at least he walked on two legs. About five meters high, powerful hooves like a minotaur. The wings were burning with fire, but one could see in the midst of the fire the joints that were the basis of these fiery wings. The protruding head resembled the skull of some animal, and even its color was like a skeleton. Four horns protruded from the sides of the skull head. The eyes glowed with an unnatural red light which was pretty terrifying. A huge fiery sword rested in his right hand, and Balor held it like a toothpick. But with all this, he moved deliberately slowly, as if posing. Trees and foliage lit up around him, but as he passed on, the fiery trail he left magically faded.

If I were an artist, it is quite possible that I would want to draw a picture from him. This creature was quite frightening, but at the same time beautiful in its own way. But now I was more interested in my own survival, so I began to assess the situation and think about what to do next. Naturally, I was not going to die here, but if I run, and this creature is not as strong as it seems, it will be a little awkward.

Raf finally decided to release the bear, the gates were opened and the bear rushed to the attack. Balor continued to move, but when the bear was thirty meters away from him, he suddenly stopped and began to cast a spell. With a wave of his left hand, a small ball of energy appeared in front of him, gaining strength, soon he brought his hand closer to this sphere and it quickly went towards the bear, it took a couple of seconds. An unpleasant noise was heard and the bear was engulfed in a white mist, but that mist quickly dissipated. It was only after the fog evaporated that the bear lost almost all of its enhancements and buffs. It was a Dispel Magic spell.

The bear continued to move forward, although not as quickly as before, Balor swung his huge sword in a wide arc. The fat, huge bear was not the most agile opponent and could not dodge the sword. The sword slammed into the bear from the side and stuck in his body, inflicting a huge wound and burning it with fire. The bear roared in pain. But Balor did not stop, he drew his sword, raised it above his head and lowered it onto the bear. This time the bear was almost cut in half, not having had time to really survive the consequences of the previous blow, he now received a fatal one, after which the brow turned into white flashes and disappeared. Balor continued to move forward and was already somewhere in 50 meters from the gate.

Many started shooting at the demon, but not all. But those arrows that hit him still bounced powerlessly. The excitement began. Someone even jumped off the fence and ran away. Seeing that the arrows were ineffective, Raf seemed unable to decide what to do next and was in a state of prostration. But nevertheless he quickly came to his senses and made the decision "Everyone, retreat!"

I realized that it was rubbish and decided that I had to run away even before Raf's command, Balor slowly but confidently approached. I pushed the neighbors away and jumped off the wall. After that I was about to move on, but suddenly my head clouded over and I felt a real horror. It seemed to me that I was being devoured alive, it seemed that Balor pierced my stomach with a sword and, using the sword as a skewer, fried over the fire, gradually biting off a piece after piece. I screamed with all my might and tried to free myself, but when I touched the sword with my hands, my hands began to melt before my eyes. The pain was indescribable, it was impossible to think about anything, I was completely consumed by horror.

---

A lot of people around the gate were under the spell Fear wich was cast on the main gates. Some screamed at the top of their lungs and shook like madmen. Some fell to the ground in convulsions. Many began to scatter in different directions. Those who were on the walls ignored everything around and stepped down from the wall, many broke their limbs or even their necks after falling, but even those who remained relatively intact, continued to scream and crawl wherever they could.

But among the general panic and screams, this was not very noticeable. Even those who were not touched by the spell descended from the walls and fled with screams. Raf continued to shout for everyone to run to the opposite side of the village, the spell had no effect on Raf. He himself had already moved away from the gate and were casting some buffs.

However, Balor turned his gaze to him, and he began to cast the spell again. This time, the spell flew right at Raf. Noticing that Balor was aiming at him, Raf also tried to perform another spell, but did not have time. A twinkling star appeared next to Raf, and a terrible crater formed around him in a radius of about 20 meters. In the radius of the funnel, everything darkened as in the night sky, and in the midst of this darkness a whirlwind of an eerie yellow color, as from the underworld, swirled. The speed of the vortex was unimaginable and it was accompanied by a terrible disgusting sound, as if the muffled dying cry of thousands of creatures. All this happened extremely quickly, everyone who was in a twenty meter radius from the center of the vortex emitted terrible screams in tune with the cry of the funnel itself, after which their souls were pulled out of the bodies and absorbed by the funnel. Soon the vortex slammed into the center of the bright star, after which the star itself disappeared and finally the spell ended. However, everyone who fell within its radius of action was dead. Including Raf.

Even before this spell, there was complete chaos. And then people began to run even faster, pushing each other aside with shouts. Balor continued to move forward into the crowd of people and soon cast the spell again. He ignited even more than before, and soon a fiery rain began to rain within a radius of thirty meters around him. Fiery rays replaced raindrops and falling to the ground, melted it to red. People who fell under the spell burned alive with cries of agony. And Balor continued to move forward, periodically swinging his sword and tearing another person to pieces. His demonic eyes expressed only boredom and contempt.

---

Anna pouted. Again, my brother went off to have fun without her. She also wanted to fight alongside her brother. Although she understood that it was too early for her to fight in a real battle, but at least she could give it a glance right? She only has a chance now, while her mother has not yet returned. When she comes running home, Anna will be unable to leave for sure.

After standing in indecision for a while, Anna decided that she would go to look at the gate at least from afar. Her brother won't notice her. Having made up her mind, she smiled and was inspired, and soon she was already running towards the gate.

Before reaching the gate, she hid behind a nearby house and peered out at Jack among the soldiers on the wall. Soon she saw her brother's back and grinned. She wanted to come closer, but she did not dare, otherwise not only her brother, but others could scold her.

Soon she began to watch the bear being summoned and her large eyes were like saucers. It was real magic, it looked beautiful and incomprehensible. She was happy to come here.

A little later, unrest began among the people, someone even began to scream and run away from the gate. She saw that even her brother jumped off the wall. Raph shouted for a retreat. Anna was worried and afraid that her brother would be angry if he saw her. But soon her brother was running at full speed in her direction. She could only reconcile herself, having ceased to hide, she went out to meet. She wanted to ask her brother what was going on and how the big bear was doing.

- Brother! - She shouted with a smile, watching the approach of her brother.

Only Jack did not stop, and since Anna was in his way, he practically carried her out of his way. Anna was only 11 y.o and her small body was hit pretty hard, she flew to the side and fell to the ground. She was in great pain, but she ignored the physical pain, she was tormented by mental pain.

A year has passed since her brother stopped bullying her. He taught her math, writing, combat and other things. He was always kind and never offended her, gradually started to admire her brother just as she loved Derek while he was around. For her, Jack became an idol and a role model. However, now he did not even pay attention to her existence. Running away from something, he threw her aside like some kind of garbage, and he did it so rudely and cruelly ... A lump came up to her throat. It seemed to her that she was torn from the inside, this feeling was so painful that she could hardly restrain herself. Looking at how her brother kept running away further, the image became blurred and indistinct, bitter tears poured down and Anna finally could not stand it and began to cry bitterly.

She did not care what was happening around, she could not restrain herself now. The disappointment was so strong and unexpected that she simply could not control her tears.