Chapter 8: The Desperate Defense
The raiders hit the palace gate like a crashing wave against ancient stone. Their crude axes and rusty swords slammed against the barricade, splintering wood and scraping against the iron. Lykos flinched with every impact, the sheer force of the assault vibrating through the very ground beneath his feet.
"Hold fast!" Lykos roared, his voice surprisingly strong despite the tremor in his hands.
He watched the barricade, a fragile shield against the hungry horde. Myron and Kydon, their faces pale with fear, pushed back against the reinforced timbers, sweat beading on their brows. The two summoned Militia, however, were unwavering. Their stances were solid, their eyes fixed on the points where the raiders struck, ready for any breach.
Arrows zipped through the air, clattering harmlessly off the thick palace walls, or embedding themselves in the improvised barricade. Lykos ducked behind a leaning statue, yelling commands. "Stay low! Watch for gaps!"
From the upper windows of the palace, a cacophony of thuds and angry shouts erupted. Elara, Kalypso, and Theron, guided by Homerus's steady presence, were raining down whatever projectiles they could find. Broken pottery shards, loose stones, even chunks of plaster chipped from the crumbling walls—anything that could deter the attackers. A loud yelp from below told Lykos that at least one of their improvised missiles had found its mark.
"More to the left!" Lykos shouted, pointing towards a section of the gate that seemed to be taking the brunt of the assault. "The laborers! Push that beam tighter!"
The three summoned Greek Laborers, despite being unarmed, worked with an almost terrifying efficiency.
They were like living machines, pushing, bracing, and shifting the heavy barricade materials with tireless strength, responding instantly to Lykos's every command. Their lack of fear was a stark contrast to the human terror in Myron and Kydon's eyes, but it was also exactly what Lykos needed. They were a true asset, fulfilling their designated "worker unit" role even under combat conditions.
The scarred raider, the one who had charged ahead, bellowed orders to his men.
He seemed to be their leader. He pointed to a particularly weak-looking section of the barricade near the bottom, and two of his men began hacking furiously at it. Splinters flew, and a sickening groan echoed from the gate.
"They're trying to break through at the base!" Lykos yelled, desperately scanning his System screen. System Points: 15. Not enough for anything significant. He couldn't summon more militia, and a builder wouldn't help in direct combat.
Then, a thought struck him, a desperate, risky gamble. He had just completed the "Recruit 10 Basic Citizens/Laborers" objective. He had 100 System Points from that. What if he could still use those points?
The previous message had said "Reward: 100 System Points, Unlocked: Basic Summoning Pool." He had already spent 85. He had 15 left. The objective was completed.
The points were his.
His eyes darted to the "Basic Summoning Pool." He needed more direct power, fast.
Greek Militia: 20 SP. He only had 15.
Greek Laborer: 10 SP. He had three already helping barricade.
Think, Lykos, think! What else can I do?
Suddenly, the scar-faced raider bellowed, and with a collective push, a section of the barricade near the bottom shuddered violently, then began to give way. A gap, just wide enough for a man to squeeze through, appeared.
"They're coming through!" Myron shrieked, pressing himself against the remaining barrier, fear contorting his face.
Lykos saw the leading raider drop his axe, intending to slide through the gap and open the gate from the inside.
This was it. Disaster.
Without thinking, Lykos looked at the System points. He had 15. He couldn't summon a Militia. But he had already recruited 8 native citizens (Elara, Myron, Kydon, Kalypso, Theron, and the three others who helped gather firewood/water), and 2 of them counted as his initial 10 recruits to get the objective completed. He had also just summoned 6 more units (2 Militia, 1 Forager, 3 Laborers). That means he had more active personnel now.
But he needed more combat strength, immediately. He didn't have enough points for another Militia.
Then, a different thought, a desperate, game-breaking thought, flashed through his mind. The System hadn't said he couldn't summon another Greek Laborer. They were cheap, only 10 points. They had no weapons, but they were strong. And he had 15 points.
"System!" Lykos yelled internally, "Summon one more Greek Laborer (Male)! Immediately! At the gap!"
"Insufficient funds for Greek Militia. Confirm Greek Laborer (Male) for 10 SP?" the System voice responded instantly.
"YES! Confirm!" Lykos shouted aloud, not caring if his men heard him.
A burst of golden light, contained and intense, appeared right at the crumbling gap in the barricade. The raider attempting to squeeze through let out a startled cry, recoiling as the light erupted directly in his path. From the shimmering glow, a sturdy Greek Laborer, male, materialized, still slightly dazed but perfectly solid. He held no weapon, but his raw presence, his solid frame, was enough.
The newly summoned Laborer instinctively pushed forward, his powerful shoulder slamming into the already weakened barricade, effectively sealing the small breach for a critical second. The raider who was trying to get through cried out as he was jammed against the wall.
"Push! Push him back!" Lykos roared, grabbing the splintered plank and slamming it uselessly against the side of the newly materialized Laborer's broad back, urging him forward.
Myron and Kydon, seeing the unexpected new ally and the momentary confusion of the raiders, found new strength. The two original summoned Militia seized the opportunity, thrusting their spears into the narrow gaps around the barricade, forcing the raiders to pull back.
The raiders, momentarily stunned by the sudden appearance of a new, unyielding body in the breach, fell back a few paces, their initial confidence shaken. Their leader, the scarred raider, cursed loudly.
"Arrows!" he yelled, and a volley of crude arrows zipped towards the barricade. Lykos ducked again, feeling the wind of a passing arrow against his cheek.
This was only a temporary reprieve. The raiders would regroup, find another weakness. He had bought himself seconds, maybe a minute. He still had 5 System Points. Worthless for summoning, but he needed to think, to strategize. This was just the scout party. What if a full army came?
Lykos gripped his splintered plank, his eyes fixed on the enraged faces of the raiders. He had no sword, no shield, no armor. But he had a plan, a system, and a growing, desperate determination to not let this city fall. Not again.