Inside the dome made of earth are the Beastfolk soldiers and Grand Ecstasy.

  Karka walks forward and stand proud. His demeanor radiate authority and power as everyone behind him watch.

  "Eiveryone. Couver your ears."

  Without question. Everyone follows and cover their ears to the best of their abilities. After sensing that the people behind him followed his orders, Karka makes a deep inhale and...

  Karka unleashed a prideful roar that echoes around the village and the nearby forest. After the showcase of power, Karka cough a little bit before facing everyone.

  "Ai hope that's enough of a call."

  "More than enough." Mateo's affirmation.

  Karka grabs a spear offered by one one his soldier.

  "Souldiers! Held your spears and spread. Thies is not the time for hesistation! Giev our friends, families and love ones the peace and end their agony with respect!"

  The soldiers gives a response by shouting and giving a salute by pumping their fist on their chest and then running and spreadig inside the dome, including Karka who face one of the small hexagonal holes. Grand Ecstays and Ismorela remains in stand-by watching the entire operation.

  The soldier hold tight on their spears, waiting... As the entire group went silent, a distinct noise slowly turns audible until it becomes louder partnered by a visual confirmation from the distance.

  "Hiere they comes!"

  Meters away are the infected beastfolks rushing like a mindless horde coming from different direction. They just heared the roar Karka created and now running to its source.

  "Reimember that they're not the ones you know anymore! Immobilize or kill them!"

  The beastfolk horde collides with the barrier. Karka sees the empty wrath of the beastfolks outside.

  "I'm sorry."

  Karka plunge his spear in one of the hexagonal holes and hitting one of the beastfolk to the head, killing it. Karka pulls quickly and kills another one.

  The soldiers inside the dome retains their distance away from the dome and the walls using their spears. Ensuring that the hands and the fluids of the infected would not reach them.

  "Fuick! I'm sorry!" One of the soldier screams with guilt while stabbing the infected.

  The infected who got killed or dismembered falls to the ground and replace by another infected. Making a pile of dead infected beastfolk around the dome.

  "aaaaaaaaAAAAAAAA!!!!" A soldier scream with terror as he looks below. In front of him is a little beastfolk. Tears flows out of him as he stare on the beastfolk kid who mindlessly trying to reach him.

  Karka sees what's happening and walk in haste towards the crying soldier and pull him away. He replaced him and proceeds to kill the kid beastfolk with a quick stab. After doing so, Karka looks behind and see the Soldier completely devastated on the scene and unable to even stand. Karka can't do anything but to give a sad and pityful look on the beastfolk soldier before resuming on doing their task.

  Karka curses everything that leads to the tragedy unfolding to their village as he kills what dears to him one-by-one.

  A beastfolk woman who always giving him baskets of wild mushrooms.

  "AAAAAAA!!!"

  A teenager beastfolk who have a dream of joining their ranks.

  "AAAAAAAA!!!"

  A fellow soldier who died protecting the survivors.

  "FUUUUUUCK!"

  A innocent beastfolk girl who become an infected.

  "FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUUUUCK!"

  Ismorela is kneeling on the ground, sobbing and despite her not even wishing to watch. Her eyes are still transfixed as she see the people she knows die on their very own hand. Despite it being a murder out of mercy, she knows that everyone would gonna bear this guilt until they die.

  Grand Ecstasy can't even stomach the scene as they avert their gaze. Sophia is crying while praying for the souls of the fallen. Helyna feels her stomach turning but she remains steadfast.

  "This is so cruel." Claustrine's comment.

  "I'm sorry." Beltrand feels guilty after showing such battle hunger earlier. Clenching his fist and feeling disgusted on the thought of being excited fighting the beastfolks.

  The entire event lasted for 10 minutes until Karka kills the last infected. The corpses creates a ring around the earth dome. The soldiers and Karka are panting and exhausted. Their body is not the one who tired, their spirits are as they feel empty after the grueling torment.

  "Ismorela..." Karka's soft call.

  "Yhes?" Ismorela is a husk.

  "It's your turn now."

  Ismorela knows what Karka means and she stand up staggering. She starts doing their prayer by doing a serene, slow dance. As she dance, her hands starts to burns and creates a line of red flame which follow her move. Ismorela is really giving her emotions as her tears sparkles on the blazing heat while dancing on the beat only Ismorela can hear.

  Still dancing, Ismorela walk near the dome and face her burning palm in her dead fellow beastfolks.

  "Pheiksha Kialis."

  A burst of red flame released on Ismorela's palm and burn the corpse. With her palm still releasing flame, Ismorela rhythmicly walks in a circle as she burns the ring of bodies around the Dome until it created a ring of red flame. Ismorela stops and starts praying alongside her fellow surviving beastfolk as the red flame burns the bodies.

  Grand Ecstasy watch with silence and reverance as the beastfolks performs their funeral. The red flame burns until only a ring of ashes remains around the dome.

  Karka finish his prayer and the emptiness is clearly visible as his proudness is nowhere to be seen. It's also the same from his soldiers and Ismorela who remain silent. Grand Ecstasy can't say a word as they don't know what to say on the people who obviously still grieving.

  "Whaut now?" Karka's almost silent question.

  Mateo gives a nod of understanding.

  "Right now. All of you should rest. This must be hard for all of you."

  "Yeah."

  "Sorry."

  "Doin't apologize. We just did what we need to do."

  ~~~~~~°~~~~~~

  Grand Ecstasy, Karka and Ismorela goes inside the temple and to the hall where the survivor stays. They greeted by Natsuko while the people gives them silent stare.

  "It's done?"

  Karka nods. Natsuko close her eyes and gives a silent prayer.

  "Are we safe to leave now Mateo?" Natsuko's question.

  "I'm against on that.

  "Why is that?"

  "Because we're still in a quarantine. This temple is currently the safest place on this forest in a miles wide radius."

  Mateo gives quick glances on the beastfolk behind Karka. Two kids, a boy and a girl caught his eyes, the duo is seen medling on something in the corner.

  Natsuko, Karka and Ismorela squints their eyes as they don't really understand what the man in front of then said.

  "Thein what we should do? Wei can't just stay here without even food nor water on reserve."

  "We can only defend ourselves and wait for the elves." Mateo continues to stare to the kids.

  "Deefend from what?!"

  "Aire you hungry?" One of the female beastfolk kid Mateo is observing asked.

  .

  .

  "W-WHAT?!"

  Karka is taken back by surprise when Mateo suddenly shove him to the side. Mateo is running towards the two kids trying to give a piece of food to a not scared rat.

  Without saying a word. Mateo kicks the rat which shock everyone inside the room. The rat went flying and hit the wall so hard which snuffed its life instantly.

  Mateo gives a stern look on the kid who clearly afraid on the sudden violence that unfold.

  "Are you bitten?"

  "E-eh?!"

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  "Are you bitten by that mouse?! Be honest!" Mateo's angry questions, the two kids starts to cry while the beastfolk who observes the altrecation feels wrath. Spewing hate speech towards Mateo.

  "Mateo?!" Even Claustrine is baffled on her leader.

  The two kids are now crying.

  "N-N-Nou... Mre. Mousy didn't bite me." One of the kid answers with fear.

  "Maeteo?! Whaet the fuck are you doing?!" Karka's cool lose again.

  Natsuko almost join the justified anger of her people but then, she remembers what Mateo said regarding the disease.

  "Everyone! I implore you to calm down a little bit!"

  "P-Priestess?" Karka's question.

  "There must be a reason why Mateo did that. We should hear his explanation first and don't make this situation even worse."

  The beastfolks still gritting their teeth but the words of their priestess are absolute so they follow.

  "Mateo apologize! What you did is not nice!" Sophia's reprimand.

  Mateo realize his mistake and formaly apologize to everyone.

  "I'm sorry. I'm just worried on everyone's safety especially on this kid. If that rat bitten her, it's over for her."

  The mood shift after Mateo's revelation. Karka and Ismorela especially are shocked.

  "Wait... This can also infect the animals?" Ismorela's realization.

  "That's the truth."

  Mateo walk towards the dead mouse and hold it from the tail. Showing its foaming mouth to everyone.

  "Y-You said that it also infects humans, right?" Natsuko's question.

  "Humans alongside cats, dogs, foxes and other animals who give birth and feed milk on their offspring can be infected. Not every animals are susceptible to this plague but the number of animals and monsters that it can infect is still worrysome."

  Mateo open his arms.

  "We are in the middle of a very lively and diverse forest. And if this disease spreads that fast with no cure. Then..."

  "Thie forest around us is truely infected. Fuell of diseased animals of varying sizes." Karka's words of defeat.

  "W-EAIT!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO CURE?!"

  Mateo is taken aback when a shouts from one of the survivors reach him. He look on the beastfolk's leaders and gives them a sad look.

  "Looks like you need to explain what just happened outside."

  Karka and Natsuko understands what Mateo means. The people inside the Temple must be still have the expectations that their love ones can be cured but that's an impossibilty. And they have the responsibility to bring the truth.

  "Everyone. Listen, we have something to say..."

  The Beastfolk survivors listens in horror as Natsuko and Karka reveals the truth. Ismorela, already hurted remains catatonic as she watch the hope of his fellow kin shattered.

  "NOOOOOOO!!!"

  The hall is filled by cries of anguish as the beastfolk grieve. Grand Ecstasy and the Beastfolk leaders feel the heart being stabbed as they watch the scene of the people imagining their loved ones.

  "NOOOO!"

  "WHYY!!!???"

  "MY SON!!!"

  Mateo gritted his teeth as he listens to the cries of the people.

  But their mourning is short lived.

  BOOM?!

  Grand Ecstasy and the leaders are alerted instantly. The give a look to each other before running outside the temple in hurry.

  And what greeted them is a huge hole on the dome, the beastfolk fending off animals who trying to enter the safehaven and have a bite.

  Karka waste no time and repair the walls with his magic before running towards one of the soldiers.

  "Whaet happened here?!"

  "WeI just hit by a fireball and caused an explosion! Creating an entry point!"

  "HUH?!"

  Before Karka even make sense of the event. Another fireball hits the barrier and made another hole away from the soldiers.

  "Guys! Wield your weapons, it's time for us to move!" Mateo's command to his team which follow up by pulling their weapons out of their BoS.

  The animals seeing the new entry points starts to rush on.

  "Trinne!"

  "Yes!"

  Claustrine rise an earth wall and close the entry point. While Mateo, Helyna, and Beltrand fend off the infected animals.

  The group ensures the not a single spit would reach or even touch their armor as they retain distance slashing the vermins. An easy work for then due to erratic and mindless movement of the animals.

  It's not the same to Karka's side though. They finally killed all the invaders but...

  "C-Caoptain... I got bitten."

  Karka stare on one of the damaged soldier. A bite mark clearly visible on his leg. One of the soldiers trying to tend on his wounds but the soldier gently shove the medic away.

  "It's no use."

  Soldier stares on his captain.

  "Captain. It would be an honor if you're the one that end my life with your blade." The soldier gives a bitter smile.

  Karka stares on the soldier with pained and empathetic demeanor before forcefully calming his nerve as he's still the captain the soldiers still viewed with high regards. Karka pull his sword as the soldier kneel peacefully.

  "Good work soldier. Your bravery and loyalty will be appreciated by our god."

  "Thank you captain." The soldier close his eyes and smile, then he bows down. The soldiers nearby gives a respectful salute, pumping their fist on their chest.

  "Farewell Gyanatar. I will never forget you."

  Karka swings his sword as clean as possible. Decapitating the soldier's head with just a single swing. The headless body falls forward as the head roll few meters away.

  "Ismorela. Do your work."

  "Yes..."

  Karka wipes his sword as he leave the dead soldier while Ismorela comes and starts her prayer.

  "Soldiers! It's not over, let's help the others!"

  The soldiers shouts and wield their weapons again as they run towards Grand Ecstasy.

  The party reduced the monsters inside the dome to a safe degree. Mateo is now free and focus his attention outside of the dome and there he see it, another fireball flying towards them.

  "Sophia! Fireball incoming!"

  Sophia hastely look outside and just having a quickly glance of the huge fireball makes her cast her barrier and block the mysterious magic, protecting the dome from another breach.

  "What's casting these fireballs?!" Beltrand's rant as he kill the vermin he's fighting.

  The beastfolks finally joins them and makes their hands free from fighting.

  "Are magical creatures can also infected?" Claustrine's question.

  "Please don't jinx it." Helyna's fear.

  Mateo's eyes widen when he see what's outside of the dome.

  "You gotta be shitting me."

  Far from the dome, Mateo sees a group of clearly human silhouettes walking erraticly towards them. The two mages in the front already preparing another fireballs to be casted to the dome.

  "Infected humans..." Sophia's terrified words.

  "They must be adventurers got caught by the plague." Claustrine gritted her teeth.

  The two mages release their fireballs who now flying towards the dome in different spot.

  "Sophia! Trinne! Block them!"

  "Ok!" -Claustrine.

  "Leave it to me!" -Sophia.

  Sophia and Claustrine run towards the area where the fireballs are going hit. Facing the attack, the two use their magic to prevent the dome for being destroyed. Sophia cast a yellow barrier while Claustrine erect a wall, blocking the fiery magic and causing an explosion.

  "They surely casting those fireballs with disregard huh?!" Beltrand's annoyed reaction.

  "And it also packs a punch. A single fireball is enough to cause a breach." Helyna's comment.

  "Those adventurers are obviously gold ranks. It's guaranteed that their power is beyond normal." -Claustrine.

  "It still doesn't explain how they can use magic if they're infected!" Sophia's opinion.

  Mateo continues to observe the humans from afar. And after considerstion. Mateo sheated his sword and pull out the bow from his shoulder and arrow in his BoS- both he borrowed from Shirna.

  After loading the bow, Mateo starts to draw the string and quickly shot an arrow.

  "Huh?!"

  Mateo have basic knowledge on how to use a bow and arrow. Yet what's happening is out of his comprehension as despite his archery knowledge and posture.

  SWOSH!

  The arrow's accuracy is laughable as it's not flying on a desired path Mateo wished it o be. Veering on the sides until the arrow hits the dome from the inside instead of leaving through one of the holes.

  Not detered, Mateo tries to fire another arrow but this time, he hold it longer and there he finally notice that something is wrong.

  The bow feels heavy on his hands, the string is so strong and the combination of both makes Mateo's hand shake a little, ruining his aim. The special bow Shirna have not even helping on the case.

  "What the hell is happening?" Mateo's thought. Still, he fired the arrow only to get the same result which Beltrand caught in entirety.

  "What the fuck are you doing Mateo?" Beltrand asked with confusion.

  "I don't know what's happening. I just suddenly unable to properly use a bow." Mateo calmly answers as he put the bow on his shoulder and the arrows back in his BoS.

  "Then abanddon that idea and think of something else. We can't just hold here forever." Beltrand's words.

  Another barrage of Fireball starts flying but it's now closer to the dome. Sophia and Claustrine succesfully block the two.

  But they didn't expected a third one from a different and farther angle. The fireball's size is a lot larger compared to the ones its following and it can potentially create a larger hole, causing a more severe breach.

  "We can't block that!" Claustrine's scream.

  Karka starts to run towards the fireball's impact site but...

  "Sheit! I'm too far!"

  Tendrils made of water sprouted out of nowhere which exits the dome through the holes and it blocks the huge fireball, causing an explosion of steam mid-air.

  The water tendrils came from Natsuko, controlled by her tails.

  "Natsuko?!" -Mateo.

  "Leave the defense on us, you should prioritize those adventurers."

  "She's right. I see that those infected adventurers have no self-preservation unleashing their magic on us in above average potency. This gonna detremental on us in a long run." Claustrine's opinion.

  Mateo nods in agreement.

  "Grand Ecstasy, get ready. We going out."

  "Aye sir!" -Beltrand.

  "Remember what I explained to you all! Never ever get bitten or it's game over. Our objective is to kill the infected adventurers."

  "Leit me join you." Karka's suggestion. Mateo smile calmly.

  "Leave this to us. Prioritize protecting what's dear to you."

  Karka is midly surprise but it's only for a moment as he give a small nod.

  And thus Grand Ecstasy comes closer to a side of the dome with fewer infected.

  "Once Claustrine open the wall, we going to rush out and ignore the monsters."

  "Noted." -Helyna.

  Mateo gives signal to Claustrine with his hand and with ease, she created a small opening om the dome.

  "Goooo!"

  Grand Ecstasy leaves with a blaze of glory, eliminating the critters who tries to attack them. Meanwhile, Karka quickly seals off the dome again.

  "Pleiase be careful out there." Karka's wish.

  In the open, Grand Ecstasy are now closing in to the mix of infected mammals.

  "Everyone should beware of the smaller animals!" Mateo's warning.

  A pack of rabid wolves tries to flank their sides but Sophia protected everyone with a barrier. Followed by Claustrine cleaning them with a fire blast.

  In the front are Helyna, Mateo and Beltrand slashing and decapitating the beasts who aim to attack them as they clash. Helyna spotted a rat trying to climb her leg but she kick it away.

  "It's true! The smaller ones are very concerning!" She shouts.

  Their action caught the attention of a horde of infecteds who now starting to swarm them.

  "Shit!" Beltrand shout after sending one of a rabid cat away with his shield.

  "Everyone stop!" Sophia's scream.

  Despite the sudden call. Grand Ecstasy follows and they halt their run. Sophia planted a barrier totem to the ground, just enough time for it to enclose Grand Ecstasy and block the horde of infected.

  "They're too many. We gonna get stranded here." Beltrand's worried words.

  "What we should do?" Helyna shares Beltrand's thoughts.

  The horde becomes even more compact as they surround the barrier Sophia made. Everyone watch as the infected tries to claw and bite their way inside to no avail.

  "If not to the fact that they can kill me with a single bite, I would dive right into them." Beltrand's annoyed words.

  As the party think of a way to escape their predicament. They suddenly feel warm, and the surroundings became bright orange.

  And when they look up, they see a gigantic fireball going to drop on them like a fiery meteor.

  "Ah.-Mateo.

  An huge explosion that deformed the land follows. Once the smoke is gone, it reveals the impact zone.

  A crater with a patch of land in the middle, the area protected by Sophia's barrier which is now full of severe cracks until it finally shattered into pieces alongside the totem who absorbs all of the damage.

  "We're... Alive?" Helyna is surprised.

  Mateo meanwhile use the opportunity as he saw the infected surrounding them turn into dust and ash.

  "Everyone! Resume running!"

  His call bring back his friends into their senses as they hastely resumes running towards the adventurers who they see creeping towards them.

  "What just happened?" Sophia is also shocked to the suddem turn events.

  "The infected have no concepts of allieship, I guess?" Mateo's only theory.

  The party is finally close enough to see what's they gonna deal with. It's truly a group of 6 adventurers. 2 are mages, 2 are swordsmans and two are unarmed.

  Grand Ecstasy see that one of the mages have sever damage in it's body. Raptures and wounds on its skin and blood shot eyes. One of it's arms are dangling while the other hold his staff.

  "Those are sign of Mana overuse."

  "Mana overuse?" Mateo's question.

  "It's the effect of using huge concentrated amount of mana above on what your body can handle. The excess mana would leak agressively outside your body like water flowing out of cracks on a jar."

  Claustrine wince on the sight.

  "That poor mage unleashing those powerful fireballs with no control. Normally, that instantly kill him but it seems this disease is pushing him above on what his body is capable off."

  Mateo looks on the other adventurers. Worry starts to set on him.

  "And we can assume that's gonna be the same on the rest of them Trinne?"

  Claustrine makes a sad nod. Mateo sigh.

  "They're gold rank adventurers. This is gonna be difficult everyone."

  The Infected Adventurers finally caught their presence and they start running towards Grand Ecstasy with feral yet void wrath.