Austin and Mike sprang into action once they realized the gravity of the situation. The timing of the message gave them a small head start to prepare for Chet’s advance on their camp. They quickly started to organize the people in the camp for the oncoming attack.
?
Mike started to gather up all the scouts into a formation. The scouts lined up in several lines as Mike walked through them. He started to give them orders in a similar manner to a sergeant. As Austin moved throughout the camp, he wondered if Mike had a history in the military.
?
Austin moved to Beth, and the pair worked to gather the children and the other noncombatants of the camp. Austin saw a sort of horrified confusion in the eyes of the children as they were gathered. It was obvious they did not understand what was happening, but they knew that it was not good.
?
“What’s wrong, daddy?” Austin heard Elliot’s voice stumble through the chaos. He looked and saw Maya was clutching Elliot in her arms as she approached him.
?
Austin did not know how to respond. He did not want to scare his son, but he also knew the situation was urgent. He forced a smile on his face and ran his fingers through Elliot’s hair. “We just think there is a bad man coming. But don’t worry, daddy will handle it.”
?
“Daddy can beat up all the bad guys!” Elliot’s voice turned upbeat like he was reassured.
?
“Yes, daddy can,” Austin nodded. “But you need to go with mommy while I handle it.”
?
“Please be careful,” Maya pleaded. Austin could see the deep worry in her eyes.
?
“I will be,” Austin said before he gave Maya a deep kiss. Afterwards, he hugged the pair tight to his chest. “Go with Beth for now. I’ll find you.”
?
Maya nodded and walked towards Beth. Surrounding Beth were mothers holding their children, waiting for Beth’s direction. Almost all the mothers were clutching their children tight, even the ones with somewhat older children.
?
Austin quickly turned away from the sight. He knew that he needed to work to prepare the camp for the attack. He joined Mike as he walked through the lines of scouts. Austin was shocked to see the urgency and calm that Mike displayed. It further assured Austin that Mike was a former soldier or at least was used to being under the pressure of danger. As they walked through the lines, Austin noticed that some of them trembled. Most of the scouts were younger, and this was probably their first taste of real danger. There were beasts in the forest that would attack, but they did not genuinely want to cause harm; they were more interested in survival. Chet and his crew were different; they wanted to hurt people.
?
“What’s the plan?” Austin asked as he walked with Mike.
?
“The scouts will line the border of the camp,” Mike began to explain. Austin noticed his voice was noticeably stern and direct. It was a major change from his usual friendly demeanor. “The stronger members will be scattered across the lines to balance our overall strength. We don’t know where the enemy will approach from, and this will allow us to react from any direction.”
?
“I see, what’s the plan once they arrive then?” Austin inquired further.
?
“The women and children will be placed at the center of the camp. Wherever the enemy enters, the scouts on the opposite side will move to secure the women and children, then escape. The rest of us will do battle with Chet and his group. Hopefully, we can defeat them or push them back, but at minimum, we will allow the woman and children to survive.”
?
“Sounds like a solid plan,” Austin nodded. “Whatever happens, I’m going to stay to fight Chet. I have the best chances against him.”
?
“I figured you would say that, and I agree. This has moved the timeline up, but you’re our only chance now,” Mike said as he looked downward in shame. “I’m sorry that we have to rely on you like this.”
?
“Don’t worry about it,” Austin forced a smile on his face. “I’m here to provide support and protect people. I just hope that I can be successful.”
?
“I appreciate it,” Mike said, placing a hand on Austin’s shoulder and gripping it tightly. “I really do.”
?
Mike finished giving orders to the scouts of the camp, and they started to take position on the perimeter. Many of the members carried wooden spears and stood straight. Despite their appearance, they gave off the impression of an organized military force.
?
As the scouts took the perimeter of the camp, the women and children collected at the center of the camp. They huddled around each other in a circle. Some of the children started to talk, but they were quickly quieted by their mothers. The camp had turned eerily silent as the scouts quietly stood guard. It was a drastic difference from the typical bustle of the camp.
?
Austin scanned back and forth from his position, trying to anticipate where Chet and his group would come from. Periodically, he broke his scan and looked back at the gathered women and children. Maya had strapped Elliot into his carrier. He fussed a little but quickly calmed down as Maya brushed his hair with her hand.
?
Each minute felt like an hour as they waited in anticipation. Everyone knew that it was a matter of time for Chet to approach. Austin noticed that some of the scouts started to grip their spears tighter as they waited. It was like watching children forced to go to war. They were terrified and had no idea what was coming.
?
Austin started to notice a sickening feeling in his stomach. He felt like he was going to vomit. While there was no stench, the feeling was reminiscent of the feeling of smelling a disgusting odor. Austin closed his eyes for a moment to focus on the source of the sickening feeling. Instantly, Austin could visualize red and purple Essence as the source of the feeling. While the Essence was of the same type as the Aether, the dense accumulation and fiery intensity of it made it stand out.
?
“He’s coming from over there!” Austin yelled as he pointed in the direction of the Essence he sensed.
?
In response, the entirety of the scouts moved their focus on the direction that Austin pointed at. The only ones who did not were the ones on the opposite side of the camp. Their attention moved to the center of the camp, preparing to evacuate the moment that Chet entered.
?
Austin could feel the Essence move faster as it approached. Chet must not have cared about any obstacles in his way as he rushed forward like a bull into the camp. Cracking noises could be heard as branches fell to the ground rapidly.
?
Chet exploded from the tree line, black axe in hand, as he jumped in the air. Austin instantly noticed that Chet had drastically changed. He no longer wore his hair up in a bun, instead letting it hang wildly. Red and purple flame-like patterns adorned his body, and his nails had extended into claws. He no longer looked like a man but instead like a demonic beast.
?
Chet brought his pitch black axe down on the scouts as he descended. Austin quickly sprang into action and called forth a dome of metal around the ground. Silver and purple light cracked like lightning as the axe made contact with the dome. The two opposing Essences fought each other as one tried to defend while the other tried to attack. Instead of continuing his assault on the dome, Chet kicked against it and flipped backward in the air.
?
“Nifty trick,” Chet commented as he landed.
?
Austin did not hesitate for a moment. If he was going to get any sort of advantage on Chet, he had to act quickly. He focused his Essence into his hand, and a metal ball the size of his head formed in his palm. He twisted his body as he swung his arm backward before he snapped forward and threw the ball at Chet. Essence flowed through the metal ball as it rushed towards Chet.
?
The speed of the ball caught Chet off guard, and he could barely react in time. He brought his axe up and blocked the attack with the flat of his axe. Despite blocking the attack, Chet was pushed backward into a nearby tree from the force. The tree cracked and bent as Chet slammed into it.
?
Chet pushed against the tree to regain his balance and scanned the area with his red eyes. He looked in the direction of the attack. Once his eyes fell on Austin, they grew wide. Chet let out a bellowing laugh that echoed through the forest.
?
“I wondered if I would encounter you again!” Chet said with a wicked grin. “I came here to kill and absorb the Essence of everyone here, but I never thought that I would find you. The person I truly want to kill!”
?
Two other people entered the camp from the forest and stood behind Chet. It was Carter and Andrea. The pair had similar flame-like patterns across their skin, and Andrea’s hair was no longer in a ponytail. With their glowing red eyes, they also looked like demonic beasts.
?
“Calm down,” Andrea ordered Chet. “We can’t lose sight of our goal for your petty grudge.”
?
“But Andrea, this is the guy!” Chad protested angrily.
?
“After we accomplish what we are here for,” Andrea smirked as she drew a pitch black knife from her side.
?
“Shouldn’t take us too long,” Carter smiled as he drew a black longsword from the scabbard at his side. “Even the women and children have Essence. It’s like easy pickings.”
?
Austin overheard the group, and he could feel his blood start to boil in anger. He quickly summoned his shield and prepared to move into attack. Before he did, he looked towards Maya and Elliot. He needed to ensure his safety.
?
“Go on, get them out of here now!” Austin yelled at a group of scouts.
?
At Austin’s orders, the entire camp moved into action. Scouts quickly moved to surround the women and children as they directed them out of the camp. Meanwhile, the rest of the scouts raised their spears and moved into a formation in front of Chet and his group.
?
Maya poked her head through the wall of scouts and yelled towards Austin, “I love you! Come back safe!”
?
Austin nodded in recognition and said, “I love you. I’ll make it back. I promise.”
?
Auston took a moment to watch Maya as she was pulled away. Once she was out of sight, he turned his gaze on Chet. Austin dashed through the gathered scouts. Scouts stumbled as they tried to move out of Austin’s way.
?
Austin’s shield arm flung forward in a flying punch as he approached Chet. As the punch approached Chet’s chest, he pulled his axe upward and blocked the attack with the flat of the blade. He quickly pushed his axe against the attack to force Austin back and followed with a downward swing.
?
Austin did not let the push throw him off balance and quickly pivoted out of the way of the falling blade. As the blade passed Austin, he pivoted back towards Chet and threw a punch. Chet’s axe was caught underneath Austin, and he had no option but to let it go as he stepped backward to dodge the attack.
?
“You know,” Austin smirked as he stepped on the axe blade and kicked it away. “Everyone made you out to be so scary, but I guess that reputation is just because you fight those much weaker than you.”
?
“I’ll show you why people fear me,” Chet spat angrily as he cracked his knuckles.
?
“I guess we will see if you are all talk or not,” Austin shrugged before raising his fists. “But even the strongest ant is just an ant.”
