"Helf mee, you baphdardf!" the vice captain howled at his subordinates, fear intensifying. He was now well and truly aware of how much he had fucked up. "Helf mee!" he screamed desperately when none of the soldiers moved to interfere, all of them watching Eik carefully. They knew that there was nothing they could do.

"Yuu! Hoo aah yuu?" the vice captain asked, tears streaming down his face.

"I'm Eik Magnasen, Sir vice captain of the south gate," he snarled, picking the man up by the collar of his uniform. "I built this wall, bitch. And depending on what's happened at school by the time we get there, I will also be the one who builds your fucking headstone."

***

Kathrin's mother stood waiting by the front steps of the school building, tapping her foot impatiently on the new brick path. She had been considering reporting the little alien girl since she first heard of her from Kathrin.

Originally, they had simply intended to get her exiled to whatever barbaric world she had come from, but now that they knew just how brutish the father was, more… severe measures had to be employed.

In Forest there was a sizable group of people vehemently against the cohabitation, collaboration, and association with all these aliens, and they were both passionate supporters of the sentiment. How anyone could willingly subject themselves to such savages was beyond them.

It was demeaning and, in time, would surely dilute the human culture into nothingness. Any idiot could see that humanity was being taken advantage of, and stepping deeper into the embrace of the recreant Nidafjeld Alliance was tantamount to self-inflicted omnicide. It simply couldn't be allowed to happen.

"Mrs. Michelle Stevens?" a large man in heavy plate armor asked, peeking in through the school gate. Another ten people accompanied him, their protective gear similar in style but seemingly fitted to complement their individual fighting styles. The large man had a fat-headed war hammer strapped to his waist, the long handle poking up above his head. "I'm Donovan. We've come from Mission Central. Have I understood correctly that you reported a monster within city?"

One of his companions already had her twin blades drawn, her eyes scanning their surroundings carefully. Another, with only a simple dagger on his belt that seemed for emergency rather than regular use, appeared to be concentrating on the casting of a skill the effects of which weren't readily apparent. The rest all seemed ready to go at any moment. This was a real task force existing to eliminate potential monster threats within the walls of Forest.

Now that the walls built with Eik's money protected the city against most minor monsters, Forest's combat-ready force had many more free resources to dedicate to internal security.

"That's right. Thank you for finally showing up," the mother said with acid in her tone. "I will show you where, if you would follow me." She turned and pushed open the school doors.

"Are you saying the monster is inside the school? Why was such an important detail not reported?" Donovan questioned incredulously. "We were informed that it was low-rank and not hostile, but if it is in a building with children, then that changes everything. Everyone, ingress formation seven. Morts, you take group two and secure potential exits. I will take group one and evacuate as we advance. We can't allow the monster to escape if it becomes agitated," the large man ordered succinctly. "Mrs. Stevens, can you describe what we're dealing with?"

She gave them a quick rundown of the monster's appearance. Green skin, tusks protruding from the mouth, pointed ears, bipedal, the size of a human child.

"Approximate location?" he asked.

"Heading to classroom four."

"And you didn't alert any of the teachers?" he asked.

She shook her head, offering an innocent smile. "I didn't want to cause panic that could lead to an accident. My daughter is in there."

"Alright, time is of the essence! Group two, prepare to receive evacuees. Group one, follow me inside. Stay silent. Eyes on stalks. Let's take out this bastard before it notices us." Donovan ordered, leading the way inside.

"Alright, let's make sure to control the situation as it develops, guys," the officer named Morts called. "I want two people going right, two going left, circle the building and report back. Are there any other exits, Mrs. Stevens?"

She nodded. "A back entrance leads to a fenced playground."

"You heard her. Three of you stay there, one reports back. Go!" Morts ordered, command shifting smoothly. He offered Michelle a confident smile as his subordinates moved out. "Try not to worry, ma'am. Your daughter is in the best hands. Squad Captain Donovan always cleans up quickly. That hammer of his isn't just for show."

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"Thank you, Mr. Morts."

"I must say, you're remarkably calm. Most wouldn't be in this situation, but I promise you that your information will help this whole operation run more smoothly and safely."

"I'm just trying to do what's best for all of us," she said, her features warping into something uglier. "We can't allow a single piece of filth to taint Forest. Anyone who thinks otherwise is simply anti-human, wouldn't you say?"

"Uuh, I don't…" Officer Morts hesitated, then tried to change the topic. "I heard your husband was recently promoted at the south gate. Have you contacted him?"

"He was here initially, but it seems something happened at the south gate so he had to leave. Apparently, an alien tried to get in. My husband will make it regret it," she sneered.

Morts frowned. "You realize that we're working with many people from the Nidafjeld Alliance, right? Earth can't do this on our own."

"Do we not have a wall that protects us? Brave men and women like yourselves, who fight for us? Bustling trade and progress?" she pointed out.

"With funds, materials, and aid from the Alliance and Eik Magnasen, yes. As a part of Mission Central, I see every day just how dangerous the Unified Mass truly is."

"Ugh, don't even get me started on that Eik Magnasen person. He thinks he can buy loyalty with money but some of us can see him for what he truly is. A traitor!" she spat.

Morts was losing respect for her by the word. "His products given for free, financial support, and personal aid rendered has saved more of my comrades than I even have a number on, but that's not important right now. If you could please take a few steps back, we will finish securing the building."

"Morts," one of the others, a scouting specialist, called.

"What?"

"Do you feel that?" she asked.

"Feel what?"

"I'm not really sure," the woman said. "Something in the air. Something sinister."

Immediately alert, Morts drew a long bow and nocked an arrow with practice ease. "Did the monster attack?"

"No. No, it's not coming from the school," she said, looking away. "It's coming from the south."

In that moment, Morts also felt it. It was heavy. Frighteningly so. The sensation of it alone felt like it could suffocate him. Judging by her face, Michelle Stevens, despite her low rank, had felt it as well. "Wh-What is that?" she stammered.

"I don't know. But it's nothing good," Morts muttered. "Gather up, everyone! Prepare for hostilities! Unknown overwhelming force incoming!"

They only had to wait another second or two before a flash of blue on the horizon rapidly approached. "What the fuck is th—"

A massive chunk of blue crystal slammed into the ground in front of the school gates burying itself halfway into the earth by the sheer force of its descent. Ripples of soil and debris from crushed bricks billowed out from the impact site, forcing everybody to shield their eyes.

Michelle screamed as she and the others standing too close were thrown back.

When the dust settled and they could finally open their eyes again, they saw the silhouette of a man against the sun standing on top of the blue cylinder.

"David!" Michelle screamed when she noticed her husband's head sticking out of the top of the chunk of solid toxin. His face was a mess of blood and cuts, more than half of his teeth missing, and he was clearly on the verge of losing consciousness. "David! What did you do to him, you beast?" she shrieked at Eik. "Don't think you will get away with this."

Ignoring her completely, Eik appeared in front of a Mission Central officer in a blur. "Where is my little girl?"

"Yo-Your daughter? I don't know," the officer mumbled, trembling fingers instinctively reaching for a blade at his waist. Eik put a hand on the butt of the weapon, making it impossible to draw. With the power crackling from the newcomer's body, there was no doubt that he was a ridiculously powerful Awakened. "D-Does your daughter attend this school?"

"Aren't you Eik Magnasen?" Morts suddenly asked, only now getting a proper look at his face. Besides being careful not to involve his family too much in his business and affairs, he also usually tried to keep his face at least somewhat anonymous, although he knew that couldn't last forever.

Michelle Stevens now looked ready to faint. Her eyes flitted frantically from Eik to her beaten husband, to Morts, and then back to Eik again.

"I'm not sure what's going on here," Morts continued cautiously, throwing nervous glances at the battered face sticking out of the crystal block. "but you must have heard about what's happening. This monster was not Mrs. Stevens' doing. In fact, this whole operation is a result of her report. Please calm down and rest assured, my superior is already in there."

An icy darkness settled across Eik's features, sending shivers down Morts' spine. "In there?" the A-ranker asked.

Morts frowned, his brain struggling to figure out exactly what was going on here that he wasn't aware of. It seemed like an incredibly volatile situation, the root of which he wasn't privy to. Both parents were concerned about their children, but a clear animosity between them seemed to almost be more important than their daughters. "Yes. Isn't that why you're here? We received a report about a monster inside the school. It will be eliminated shortly, so don't worry."

Brilliant blue eyes sought Michelle's face. "Don't tell me…" Eik breathed, pale and horrified.

She must have had nerves of steel, because despite trembling with terror, she crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. "We had to do something, didn't we? We can't allow our daughter to be in the same class as that! It's not safe!"

Before anybody could react, a stream of what looked like tiny serpents flowed out of Eik and instantly coalesced into a fifty meter long wyvern, all the while an army of smaller, reptilian blue beasts surrounded the whole school like a ring of death. There were hundreds and hundreds. The wyvern growled gutturally and set its bestial gaze on Michelle.

"What's going on here?" Morts tried, knowing that he had no way of realistically opposing Eik's will. "We're in the middle of an operation! Please call back your army!"

"She's trying to get my sweet, little girl murdered…" he snarled, blue tears of pure fury threatening to come out. "I'm already being more forgiving than you could possibly know."

That shut Morts up and he looked at Michelle. The expression was all he needed to know that the man in front of him was telling the truth. He stepped back.

"None of them leave. If she tries to do anything, end her," he commanded, not even deigning to look at her again before exploding through the front door of the school.

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