"A Lich King? Here?" Morgana's eyes widened in disbelief.

This wasn't some mindless foot soldier. Even by the empire's standards, such a creature was rare—nearly illogical. None of them had ever seen a lich, let alone anything of this magnitude.

They had fought undead before, sure—but never like this.

Not on this scale.

Not with this kind of power radiating off it.

Kaider muttered under his breath, jaw clenched: "I can't believe it showed up here... Something's definitely wrong."

"Then it's fortunate we're here," Morgana replied, though her tone carried undertones of concern. "Rena, Taeryn—this is your baptism of fire. Stay close to Darian and me. Do exactly as we say, when we say it."

Rena nodded, trying to project confidence she didn't entirely feel.

Her Origin pathways were already responding to the approaching threat, silver light dancing around her hands as power built within her trained pathways. She could feel the malevolent energy radiating from the enemy army like a physical pressure against her consciousness.

Taeryn, meanwhile, seemed to vibrate with barely contained excitement.

His spear felt perfect in his hands, his projected aura blazing brighter than she had ever seen it. "Finally," he breathed, his eyes fixed on the approaching enemy.

"A real battle."

-

The first contact came at the fortress's outer defensive line—a series of trenches and ground works designed to channel attackers into predetermined killing zones.

Origin-enhanced ballistae opened fire from the walls, their massive projectiles trailing silver light as they arced across the morning sky to slam into the orc formations with devastating effect.

Each impact created explosions of purifying energy that turned entire squads of attackers to splinters, but the horde was so vast that the losses barely seemed to register.

For every orc destroyed, ten more took its place, their guttural war cries echoing across the battlefield like the roar of some wild beast.

"Archers, loose!" Kaider's voice carried across the battlements, and a thousand bowstrings sang in unison. The sky darkened with arrows that burst into silver flame as they flew, creating a deadly rain that fell among the attackers like stars torn from heaven itself.

But the orcs had come prepared for such defenses.

Shaman orcs scattered throughout their ranks raised crude shields of corrupted Origin-energy, deflecting many of the arrows and absorbing the worst of the ballista strikes.

What should have been a devastating opening barrage succeeded in slowing the enemy advance but failed to break it.

"They're adapting faster than expected," Morgana observed, her own power beginning to build as she prepared for direct combat.

"That Lich King is coordinating their defenses with more skill than these creatures should possess."

The first orcs reached the outer trenches, where they met the fortress's advance guard—elite soldiers whose job was to delay the enemy long enough for the main defenses to prepare.

The clash of steel on steel rang across the battlefield as human discipline met orcish ferocity in a collision that sent shockwaves through both armies.

Morgana watched the fighting develop for several minutes, analyzing the enemy's tactics and capabilities. Her footwork was swift as she charged through their defenses and watched the enemy's advance.

She moved to a certain position where she could see the whole view of the armies.

When she finally spoke, her voice carried the authority of command. "We're going down there. The outer line is about to be overrun, and if we don't reinforce it now, they'll break through to the main walls."

"Lady Morgana," Kaider protested, "your mission here doesn't require you to—"

"Our mission requires us to preserve this fortress and everyone in it," she interrupted.

"And that means engaging the enemy before they can establish a foothold within our defenses."

She turned to her companions, her expression deadly serious.

"Darian, you take point. Your aura should be strong enough to protect us from their initial assault. Rena, stay behind him and focus on area denial—use your Origin to create barriers and obstacles. Taeryn, guard our flanks and watch for threats we might miss."

As they made their way down from the battlements toward the main gates, Rena could feel her pulse quickening with a mixture of terror and anticipation.

The sounds of battle grew louder with each step—the clash of weapons, the screams of wounded men and beasts, and the thunderous impact of Origin-enhanced attacks striking home.

The main gates stood open just long enough for them to pass through, then slammed shut behind them with a finality that made Rena's stomach clench.

They were now outside the fortress's primary defenses, committed to a battle that would determine not just their own survival but the fate of everyone sheltering behind those walls.

The outer defensive line was a nightmare of smoke, blood, and chaos.

Human soldiers fought with desperate courage against odds that should have overwhelmed them instantly, their Origin-enhanced weapons carving through enemy ranks even as more orcs poured over the earthworks like a living avalanche.

Facing towards the legion, in the open ground, Kaider had set up formations and large barricades to hold the line for his soldiers, and he trained them personally, drilling them with his formations, and it was the reason that made them stand their ground against such a large number of orcs.

The soldiers of the fortress had been through a lot of battles, making them hardened warriors.

Darian charged into the fray with a battle cry that seemed to shake the very earth, his golden aura expanding outward to create a protective barrier around his allies. His sword, Munshard, swept through the first rank of orcs with devastating efficiency; his golden aura shot up rapidly around him like a shield, his strike leaving trails of purifying energy that seared through corrupted flesh.

Rena followed behind him, her Origin power manifesting in wild, unpredictable ways.

Thick silver light erupted from her hands to form barriers of crystallized Origin that blocked enemy attacks, while other bursts created patches of ground that burned with purifying fire. Her techniques lacked the refined control of trained battle-mages, but raw power more than compensated for finesse.

Taeryn found his element among the chaos, his spear dancing through enemy ranks with precision that surprised even himself. His projected aura formed a protective shell around him as he moved, deflecting crude orc weapons while his own strikes found gaps in their armor with uncanny accuracy. His training with his master had proved it worthwhile.

For the first time since beginning his training, everything felt natural and instinctive, as if he had been born for exactly this kind of combat.

But their initial success was short-lived.