Chapter 140 – The Siege Starts.

Rusty stood atop the wall, the chill air brushing against his armor like ghostly fingers. Gleam remained perched on his shoulder as they both stared into the distance. The other adventurers were too preoccupied to notice that one of the monsters they feared was already among them. Their attention focused on the darkness in the distance.

“Maybe it was a false alarm…”

“I bet those orcs turned tail. They saw us and thought we were better prepared, that has to be it…”

“That’d be just like those brutes, I bet they saw our torches and ran off scared!”

Whispers started spreading through the battlements but Rusty didn’t join in. He kept still, unmoving save for the subtle twitch of Gleam’s antennae. He didn’t like the tone of the whispers as a false sense of safety was dangerous. The orcs that he saw in dungeons and outs in forests could not be ignored. While they weren’t the smartest, one thing was true, they were not cowards. They had already attacked this settlement multiple times, so why would they run now?

“Maybe we’ll get to sleep in our own beds after all.”

From below, someone laughed but then, the wind shifted. And with it, something changed in the air. It started as a flicker. Rusty’s visor shifted, focusing on the darkness beyond the trees, where the horizon bled into the void. At first, it looked like the stars had come down to earth as tiny pinpricks of orange light danced in the distance.

Then the flickers multiplied. More lights joined them, dozens… then hundreds. A wave of torches, like fireflies rising into the sky. They moved at a steady pace and they were getting closer. Soon someone on the battlements exhaled sharply as they too noticed, the approaching danger.

“What is that…?”

“Quiet”

A gruff voice came from one of the older guards. He raised a looking glass to his eye, hand trembling slightly as he focused on the glowing trail. The man didn’t speak at first, frozen in place. Then he lowered the glass slowly.

“…It’s them.”

The words dropped like a stone into the uneasy silence.

“Orcs. Dozens. Maybe more?”

He lifted the glass again, squinting into the dark.

“No… not dozens.”

He turned toward the soldier captain.

“Hundreds. They’re carrying torches… They are marching, everyone, get ready!”

The whispers died in an instant.

“As expected…they’re surrounding the city.”

The words froze the air. Conversations ceased, and even the nervous whispers faded into an oppressive silence. Many of the humanoids trembled, but Rusty remained still. He didn’t feel fear; he felt excitement. This was a first for him. He had spent his life battling monsters alone in shadowed dungeons and dark forests.

He had read about grand castle sieges and their defenses, and now he wondered how the real thing would feel. A battle with hundreds fighting on both sides—chaotic, massive, alive it was utterly fascinating. He could barely resist the urge to nock an arrow and let it fly. But he knew better. His role here was that of a foot soldier, one who had to follow the chain of command.

Rusty stayed still, but he could hear Tally’s breath quicken beside him. Oliver dropped his spear for a moment and scrambled to pick it back up. Rika said nothing, but her bowstring creaked from the strain of her grip. The eastern gate, the one they were guarding, remained oddly quiet. No torches came their way. No distant war drums. Just the chirping of crickets and the breeze rustling through the tall grass.

“…Why aren’t they coming here?”

Tally asked softly, her voice a whisper. Rusty was also interested in this strange phenomenon. The torches were visible to them and they continued moving yet only a small amount remained near their gate while a lot more moved towards the other sides of the settlement.

The settlement had three main gates. The southern gate was the primary entrance and the one Rusty had first passed through. It was used mostly by commoners and merchants. The western gate, which he hadn’t seen yet, was intended for the wealthier citizens. Unlike the others, it was fully reinforced with stone. In contrast, the eastern and southern gates still relied on wooden palisades in certain sections, compensating for unfinished stonework.

These wooden defenses appeared to serve as temporary obstacles, meant to slow down advancing monsters and provide defenders with a better chance to take aim before the enemy reached their position. No forces were stationed directly near those gates; instead, everyone had fallen back to the more secure side of the wall.

Then there was the northern side of the settlement, which housed Ferndale’s central district. It was completely walled off, with no access from the outside except through a single central gate. This area served as the final bastion of defense and was fully fortified and secure. In contrast, the lower districts remained unfinished. The constant monster attacks seemed to have delayed construction, leaving the outer areas more vulnerable.

“Orcs are driven by bloodlust and the thrill of facing strong opponents. They form tribes and follow their own code of honor.”

Alexander began, speaking as Rusty and the other adventurers noticed the orcs moving in different directions. Most of the distant torches had broken off, heading toward the southern and western gates. The group approaching the eastern gate was smaller and appeared weaker by comparison.

“They have honor?”

He had seen orcs before and found the idea hard to believe. In his experience, they killed without hesitation and had no issue attacking those who couldn’t fight back.

“Some do.”

Alexander replied.

“It depends on their leader. High-Orcs are more intelligent and often command their troops to challenge stronger enemies. That’s why we’re likely facing a weaker detachment here.”

“High-Orcs? Are they strong?”

The moment Rusty heard the name he wondered how strong this evolved species would be. His desire for battle was growing with every passing second. The idea of facing something new, something stronger, stirred something primal in him. Even Gleam, usually calm and chirpy, had gone still on his shoulder. Her antennae twitched as if she too sensed the tension hanging in the air like a blade.

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“ (੭˃ᴗ˂)੭ “

“Yeah, I can’t wait!”

Though they were excited, Alexander quickly continued and warned.

“High-Orcs can rival elite human knights. Some even possess basic forms of magic or enhanced physical abilities. If there’s one commanding this horde… and we encounter one in the settlement, it would be best if we flee.”

“Oh? Are they that strong?”