The tide of monsters appeared impenetrable and unstoppable in the Thilku's eyes, but Khan saw something very different.
The monsters' chaotic, instinctive, and violent behavior had no pattern. They were only caught in a mad charge fueled by their hunger. Yet, their actions left marks on the symphony, changing it and allowing Khan to predict their next move.
From the Thilku's perspective, Khan's advance was crazy, but something in his pace eased their worries. Each of Khan's steps seemed to lack any form of emotion, but confidence still reeked out of them.
Khan kept his eyes on the incoming tide but didn't look at anything specific. Hungry growls and roars reached his ears but never entered his brain. His mind was empty as he casually advanced toward creatures that could rip him apart.
The wolves got so close that Khan could smell their disgusting breath. They were only a few meters from him, and those directly ahead stomped the ground to leap at him.
Nevertheless, the ground had trembled until now, and the symphony partially kept track of its stability. Khan knew what those stomps would cause, so he strolled ahead, unfazed by the monsters' intentions.
The ground couldn't endure the stomps, crumbling and making the monsters fail their jumps. Those creatures lost their balance, falling into holes of their own creation but still stretched their paws forward in an attempt to reach Khan.
Khan tapped the ground, slightly rising into the air to escape the incoming paws. He dived into the tide, occupying the open spot left by the falling wolves before unleashing a spherical version of the Wave spell.
A purple-red sphere shone among the azure tide, piercing through fur, flesh, and organs as it expanded. A few monsters died on the spot, while others suffered injuries that didn't interrupt their mad charge.
The spell didn't change the tide's plans. The monsters continued to advance, reaching the Thilku team. The aliens had paid attention to Khan but didn't forget about the Tainted animals, and attacks unfolded when the two clashed.
The Thilku launched spells, swung their weapons, or relied on their superior physical prowess to deflect and suppress any beast in their range. They didn't seem to care about the possibility of getting infected, but no injuries appeared on their bodies either. Their size and raw power made them far stronger than those creatures.
The monsters far outnumbered the Thilku, but the latter dealt with multiple opponents simultaneously. One alien threw his spear sideways, impaling many beasts. Another stomped the ground, lifting a series of sharp spikes that pierced three wolves.
Similar scenes unfolded, with a few Thilku directly body-slamming the wolves to push them back. Mana flowed alongside their movements, creating what Khan believed to be martial arts. That display of power almost startled him, but warning signals made him turn toward the darkness.
A purple-red light flashed in the distance, and a glowing sphere only Khan could see flew through the darkness. The attack followed a specific trajectory that Khan could predict, so mana flowed toward his legs to generate a sprint.
A Thilku was swinging her huge mace madly. Each attack landed on a monster's head, sending it flying for a few meters. However, the tide had too many beasts, forcing her to retreat to deal with all the new opponents.
The alien was about to deliver a descending attack on a wolf approaching her from below when the ground suddenly grew distant. She found herself in the air, away from the tide, and pulled higher by an unknown force.
The Thilku lifted her head and grew angry seeing Khan pulling her from her cape. That behavior was beyond insulting. A human was actually interfering with her battle. Yet, an explosion resounded under her before she could speak any word.
The alien glanced at the ground only to have dark smoke hindering her view. Khan quickly pulled her out, allowing her to notice what had happened. A crater had formed in her previous position, killing the monster that had tried to attack her.
Khan didn't waste time. The symphony occupied his mind, depicting the exact state of the battlefield. He knew where the Thilku had to be, so he threw her in that direction.
That drop could make most soldiers lose their balance, but the Thilku were taller, which helped. The alien easily landed on her feet but remained surprised that the ground didn't break under her weight. She believed Khan had something to do with it, but the tide didn't give her a chance to think.
Khan also joined the frontlines, diving toward the spot marked by Naoo. Two wolves were about to cross it, but dust suddenly surrounded them.
A figure crossed the cloud before the dust could settle. Khan stepped forward, and his movement revealed the spot behind him. One of the wolves had lost its head, while the other had its skull crushed.
Another purple-red light flashed in the distance, and Khan sprinted. A big bullet reached the area, trying to kill a Thilku, but Khan intervened, making the attack fail.
The intense fight seemed to last endlessly but only continued for a few short minutes. The monsters had no business in the area and prioritized charging at the trench. The Thilku killed most of them, but a few specimens broke through, continuing ahead.
The Thilku ignored the escaping specimens and returned to their previous positions. The area had changed after the battle. New holes and corpses spread in every direction, but the aliens only focused on the darkness ahead.
Khan began to imitate his companions, but another purple-red light flashed in the distance, forcing him to move. The new bullet aimed at Naoo, who didn't oppose any resistance when Khan pushed her away.
The bullet exploded a few meters on Naoo's left, but she paid the crater no heed. She was more interested in the fact that Khan was still at her side, but he had his reasons for that.
"[I can get it]," Khan stated, staring into the distant darkness.
Naoo also glanced at the darkness, understanding what Khan meant. He wanted to go after the Tainted creature behind the powerful bullets.
"[No]," Naoo refused. "[That's a trap. Hold this line]."
Khan didn't miss how Naoo's voice had grown kinder but limited himself to a glance at her stern face before nodding in approval. He turned, walking toward his previous position to resume his role, and the symphony made him inspect his surroundings in the meantime.
The battlefield wasn't the only thing that had changed. Khan's actions didn't go unnoticed, and many Thilku couldn't help but take a second look at him.
The battle had only lasted a few minutes, but the Thilku already showed some sweat on their wrinkled foreheads. Blood had also tainted their uniforms, together with gore and dirt, which wasn't surprising due to the intensity of the fight.
Instead, Khan was as clean as when he left the building. He didn't sweat, and no blood had fallen on him. Even his knife was spotless.
Moreover, even after flying and fighting, no dirt had reached Khan. Somehow, his shoes were also spotless. It almost seemed he didn't walk like the rest of the Thilku.
Other than standing out, Khan also noticed a vague change in disposition toward him. His presence there was an insult, but the Thilku couldn't deny how he had saved many lives. Disregarding his actions would go against the aliens' pride.
The battlefield didn't help with that conflicting mood. The place didn't allow bonding since the night had just begun. More waves of monsters had to arrive, preventing eventual talks from happening.
Khan made it easy for his companions, fixing his gaze ahead to focus on the night. The Thilku studied him for a bit, but his concentration eventually made them stop. The time for talks would arrive, but not now.
The symphony sent more signals from behind that defensive line. A few battles had started and ended during that break. The few monsters that had crossed Naoo's team had died, extinguishing what remained of the initial tide.
The ground had stopped shaking, creating a peaceful period that stretched for a long time. No attacks arrived in the few hours that followed the first wave, but Khan didn't believe for even a second that the night was over.
Strangely enough, the expected change didn't happen from inside the darkness. Something moved behind Khan, forcing him to turn. Many noticed and imitated his reaction, and figures eventually appeared in the distance.
Multiple teams of Thilku had left their position to advance toward Naoo's group. They weren't exactly moving toward Naoo, but it was clear that they wanted to reach the same defensive line.
Khan's companions weren't surprised about that deployment, only slightly worried. A few looked in Khan's direction, seemingly wanting to update him, but the symphony took care of that in the next seconds.
Multiple auras suddenly appeared in the darkness. Tens of unique colors had reached the symphony at the edge of Khan's senses, warning him about the arrival of a massive army.
'What's that?' Khan gasped, struggling to believe what was reaching his senses.
An army of monsters split into multiple teams advanced slowly across the destroyed plain. Those creatures didn't fall prey to their hunger. Instead, they almost marched in an orderly manner as if they were actual troops.
Khan found the reason for that order in the slightly more powerful figures standing behind each team. Creatures he had already fought and could recognize from their mana signature walked behind the monsters, forcing them to behave.
'Six,' Khan counted, 'No, seven intelligent wolves, with at least twenty Tainted animals each.'
That number would make the entire human settlement run away in fear, but the Thilku were different. During the monsters' slow advance, multiple alien teams reached the frontlines, occupying areas at Naoo's group's sides to cover more ground.
'Two hundred,' Khan counted, 'Against one hundred and fifty.'
The Thilku had matched and surpassed the monsters' numbers, but nothing could ensure their victory. A bloody battle waited ahead.
