The bells of Roshire tolled for the last time that day. The red sun, the black clouds, and the trembling of the earth were clear signs of what was to come:

"The monster wave is here!" cried the villagers.

"The Hordes of Madness are approaching!" The defenseless hid in their homes.

The forest near the village began to roar with the force of several jaws thirsting for blood. The trembling became unbearable. And it began, with the first fleeting body that did not survive the first arrow.

"They are fire panthers!" One of the lookouts recognized them from the high tower of the barricade. "Don't let them near the wall or everything will burn!"

After the first one, considered the test, came 10 more. The first wave. Feline bodies, incredibly agile, from whose spots on their fur flames erupted, scorching the grass in their wake. Their ability to use fire magic wasn't the most dangerous thing about them; their jaws were capable of breaking human bones and leather armor.

The village gates opened shortly after the type of monster attacking was identified. An elven scout's arrow claimed the second life. This elf walked slowly toward the stampede, nocking his bow and accurately shooting a third panther. The monsters, blinded by Madness and a thirst for violence, ignored their fallen comrades and charged the enemy. The scout remained calm, for behind him appeared a warrior in shining plated armor, wielding a hammer and whispering a prayer.

"Amayesi, Being of Pure Light, guide your beam towards the unfortunate!" With his hammer, he struck the earth, creating a crater that glowed with divine light. Both the Paladin and the elven scout fell back, and as soon as three of the panthers touched the crater's light, it exploded with blessings. The light blinded everything for a moment, and when the red of the wave once again dominated the atmosphere, the panthers struck by the blessing laid unconscious, but free of Madness.

Six remained, and while the rest of the adventurers took up positions, one of them went ahead to finish what the scout and the paladin had started. A barbarian who used only his fists faced the remaining ones. Two charged at him at once, but a flying kick to the snouts sent them reeling. Stunned as they were, they couldn't defend themselves when the barbarian grabbed them by their tails and turned them against the rest, using them like whips against his companions.

When the last panther fell, the second wave began. This time, 15 of these monsters charged toward the village.

"Leave this to me!" shouted a mage, raising her staff to the sky. "But I need you to buy me some time!"

"You heard the lady! Advance!"

As a blue circle with strange symbols appeared in the air, three light warriors charged simultaneously at the 15 monsters. Each was armed with a sword and shield, leather armor and a helmet. They swung their weapons at the beasts and managed to wound them, but the monsters counterattacked with their claws and jaws, tearing one warrior's ankle and melting another's shield with their fire magic. They resisted, but it would be impossible for them to win this wave alone.

"Sir Urya, Apprentice of All, lend me your magic and your strength to perform this spell," the mage recited as the circle was completed. Water began to form in the air and gathered in the center of the circle until it completely covered the area where the fight was taking place. "Flood!"

All that water crashed down with the force of a waterfall upon the panthers. Magic against magic, water against fire. Their fur vanished in an instant, and smoke billowed from their backs. The animals groaned, moaned in pain, but their bodies and heads were pierced by the three warriors who had withstood their fiery assault. On the muddy ground, the fifteen monsters collapsed. A respite for them, but not for the adventurers. The three warriors retreated behind the defensive line, one unable to walk and another without protection, but alive. That was the most important thing.

"Blue Fire Panthers! There are five of them!" shouted the sentry from the tower.

Flashes of black fur burst from the forest at an even greater speed. The blank eyes characteristic of Madness held a powerful glow, and their void-black coats dripped the blue flames that defined them. Only five monsters after a larger wave—that meant they were far stronger. This was proven when the elf shot at one of them, and it managed to dodge the arrow. The scout clicked his tongue and began firing more rapidly. This time, he wasn't trying to kill them instantly, but rather to slow them down or strike a vital organ. The change in strategy was in vain. The mage began another enchantment, but she wouldn't finish it in time.

"Protect the mage!" shouted one of the remaining warriors, now with a hint of desperation in his voice.

They, along with the paladin and the barbarian, positioned themselves in front of the sorceress. The scout stayed a couple of steps behind, refocusing on the lethality. The ferocious beasts covered the distance in record time and lunged at the adventurers. One was struck by the paladin's hammer, two others bit the warriors' swords, and the fourth was stopped by the barbarian with a shove. But the fifth collapsed in the middle of its attack, its neck slashed deep. Beside it, a presence that had been invisible until that moment.

"That's going to cost you extra," said the newcomer to the defensive ranks.

"Wait... was there a rogue in Roshire?" the paladin asked, confused, with monster remains on his hammer.

"Hey, you, less talk and more of whatever you did there!" the elf scout exclaimed. He shouted from the rear, finally managing to hit one of the panthers attacking one of the warriors.

"It doesn't work when they've already seen me. Sorry," the rogue replied, in a tone that suggested he wasn't sorry at all.

Nor would it have mattered. Between the two warriors, they finished off a black panther, and the barbarian threw the last one at the paladin, who struck it in mid-air with his hammer.

The silence lasted only a few seconds.

"Fourth wave!" The lookout shouted with fear "There's a fourth wave!"

20 normal panthers and 10 black panthers were approaching. But before they could reach the halfway point, the mage finished her enchantment. From the circle drawn on the ground, several spikes emerged simultaneously, impaling many of the monsters. The remaining ones were eliminated using the same strategy as before. The warriors, the paladin, and the barbarian drew their attention, while the scout and the rogue whittled down their numbers.

Everything was going well; the strategy was working. And yet, the mage began a third enchantment, this one weaker than the previous two. Because if there was a fourth wave, it meant there would also be a fifth. And a fifth wave could consist of several strong monsters or a single powerful monster: a boss monster. The smell was the first thing that assaulted the senses: rot. Then came its roar, a powerful and terrifying gurgle, making all those who still remained tremble. Paw after paw. It slowly appeared in everyone's field of vision: the sight of a rotting body whose skin was peeling away and from whose interior emanated an intense red glow. Its eyes were blind, but its nose functioned perfectly. And upon smelling the flesh, its jaws opened, spilling saliva and blood.

"It's... A Ghoul..."

A creature of supernatural resilience, difficult to kill on its own. But it was also a panther. It would be swift, and its lack of magic would be compensated for by its stamina. Everyone was tired, wounded, or weak. The rogue and the ranger were in the best condition. But what could they possibly do against a beast like that?

"...I'll pray to my god one last time..." The Paladin advanced to stand before them all, assuming an attack stance. "With my sacrifice, Roshire will be safe."

"Don't even think about it! Wait until the sorceress finishes her magic and then…!" The elf didn't know what else to say. He let out a trembling sigh and re-nocked his bow. "Then… We'll see…"

The beast's growl could be heard from where he still stood. It sniffed the air, grumbled, and finally its dead eyes rested on the group.

"Oh, little wolf,

sweet little wolf.

Please don't scare off,

my beautiful child."

The strumming of a mandolin, a melodious voice echoing through the valley. The Ghoul's attack roar was muffled, ignored, because all the adventurers turned to look at the open village gates. A bard was singing, her instrument glowing with a green light. The same light that enveloped everyone at the gates.

"If I find out

You made him cry

Then, little wolf

I will take your life..."

The music filled them with energy and vitality. Exhaustion was gone. The barbarian and the two light warriors left stood beside the paladin, the scout took aim with much more confidence, the rogue vanished again, and a larger magic circle formed around the small red one in the sky.

The Ghoul approached them and attacked. The elf was the first, firing his arrow straight into the beast's snout. So much depended on in that sense, the organ had become sensitive, so the attack had to be interrupted to allow the pain to subside. The paladin attacked with all his might then, striking the body with his hammer. The Ghoul recovered from both attacks and lunged to bite the paladin's feet. Before he could complete his attack, he was stopped again. The barbarian threw his entire body against the the beast, and charged, pushing it toward the raised swords of the two warriors. But it stopped the force of the thrust by digging its claws into the ground. This trick could only be used once, as they detached from its paws due to rot. The four of them continued to act as bait, damaging the monster whenever they could.

"Stay away from the light!" The mage shouted, almost finishing her final spell.

They all obeyed, but the beast followed them, its entire body covered in wounds, still fighting. And then it fell, its front legs split at the joints. The rogue materialized, moving away from the beam of light in the sky. At the mage's cry of "Incineration", the beam became incredibly bright, blinding them all once more. The temperature also rose momentarily, while howls of pain erupted from what could be heard.

When it was all over, only a charred body remained, along with the smell of cooked, rotten flesh. Because it was all over, the color of the sky began to change little by little, from red to pink, then purple, then lilac, and finally blue. The sun shone with a welcome warmth upon the fluffy white clouds, and cheers erupted from within the village. All the adventurers, strangers to one another, bound by laws older than the previous king, also celebrated. They too cheered for being alive.