The entire plaza descended into chaos as Citizens surged through the streets in desperation, attempting to reach their homes before the luminous figures outside the city walls arrived. Children cried out in fear, and Merchants hurriedly abandoned their stalls. Royal guards promptly formed defensive lines near the main thoroughfares. Amidst the tumult, alarm bells resonated throughout Aerindor. The captain of the hunters cast a keen glance toward the northern gates. and inquired," How many?"
The frightened guard atop the wall responded loudly, "At least thirty." The crowd reacted with horror, and Rylan blinked in disbelief. "Thirty anomalies?" Selene's expression darkened as she narrowed her eyes toward the distant lights. "Not all of them," she replied, implying that some were not of concern.
Lyra sensed an irregularity outside the walls. The energy level was inconsistent; some manifestations appeared powerful, others weak, some unstable, and some clearly terrified. Kael looked at her and asked, "You believe civilians are among them?" She nodded slowly, affirming ", Awakened civilians." This realisation significantly altered their understanding; if the kingdom responded indiscriminately, innocent lives could be lost.
The royal official from earlier immediately commanded, "Seal the gates!" Heavy chains clanged loudly as soldiers hurriedly secured the city entrances. Outside, Screams echoed, not battle cries but pleas for mercy: "Please let us in!" "We are being hunted!" "My daughter is injured!" Lyra's heart clenched at the distress. Rylan muttered under his breath, "This has now become complicated." The official remained resolute. "No one enters." Kael approached him insistently.
"There are civilians outside," he argued. "And anomalies. That does not make them enemies," he added. The official pointed angrily toward the damaged plaza. "And this is precisely why kingdoms fall!" he declared, driven by fear rather than reason.
The hunter captain suddenly proposed, "Open the observation tower." The official looked shocked. "You cannot be serious," he replied. "Open it now," the captain insisted. Unlike the official, the captain remained calm, assessing the situation with a calculating mindset. This demeanour increased Lyra's trust in him.
The group quickly ascended the nearest tower overlooking the northern gates. What Lyra saw outside caused her stomach to tighten: hundreds of people beyond the walls, refugees, families, injured civilians, many attempting to flee or seek shelter. Among them, several luminous anomalies acted defensively, shielding others from shadow-like creatures emerging from the darkness. Rylan stared in disbelief. "What are those creatures?" he asked.
The entities did not resemble humans. They were tall, distorted figures, seemingly formed from black smoke and fractured glass.
The stranger's face shifted instantly, and he declared, "That is impossible." Selene's expression also changed dramatically.