Vortex Origins
Chapter 96: The Fourth creature wave?

Chapter 96: The Fourth creature wave?

The northern gates groaned open.

Ash stepped through first, sword still stained. The others followed behind him—limping, silent, bruised. And yet... alive.

Ironhold erupted.

Cheers poured from the walls like a wave. People screamed, clapped, cried. Some wept without sound. Others raised their arms, holding children high in the air like trophies.

Kael lifted both hands above his head, fire still flickering faintly on his fingertips.

"I told you,"

he called out, grinning.

"This was nothing with me around!"

Ash didn’t answer. He watched the crowd instead.

A boy ran into his mother’s arms, sobbing. An old man raised a cracked bottle in a shaking toast. Some faces looked stunned, as if waiting for the next blow that hadn’t come.

They kept walking. The crowd parted, reaching out to touch them—proof that their protectors were real.

From somewhere inside the hold, Liam burst out of a side door.

He froze at the sight of them—eyes wide, mouth open. It was clear he hadn’t expected to see any of them again.

Then came the elders.

Eir led them, long robes brushing the stone. For once, his face held no sharp judgment—only a quiet relief.

He stopped in front of them and bowed his head.

"If it weren’t for you... we wouldn’t have lasted through the second wave. Thank you."

Lane stepped beside him.

"We’ve never seen creatures hit that hard. Never thought we’d still be standing after something like this."

Tim walked up last. His shoulders drooped, and his voice barely rose above a whisper.

"I’m sorry. I gave you all false hope. I didn’t know the military would abandon us like that."

Max stepped forward, lifting a hand.

"It’s fine. In the en—"

Max fell silent, gaze fixed on Kaius.

Kaius still for a moment, his eyes locked on the ground as if searching for something in the stone. Maybe he found it. Maybe he didn’t.

Eir stepped forward, voice soft.

"Kaius... I’m sorry. We didn’t know it would come to this when we sent for help."

Kaius moved, slow and steady, like a man carrying more than just grief. He passed the elders without a word at first—then spoke.

"I know. This isn’t on Ironhold. It’s on me."

He stopped again, eyes scanning the crowd.

"Where’s Emma? And Liam?"

Eir answered, hesitant.

"Emma’s in the infirmary. Liam... he’s around somewhere. But wait, shouldn’t we talk about how we’re splitting the rewards?"

Kaius didn’t look at her. His gaze landed on Liam in the distance.

"Talk to Liam about it, I’m done. As of now, I’m no longer part of Team Galeforce."

He walked off, toward the infirmary.

No one followed.

Kael whistled low.

"Man loses a whole team and just walks off. That’s... dark. Told them they should’ve left when they had the chance."

Max turned to him.

"Kael. Shut up."

Kael shrugged, fire dying on his fingers.

Liam finally approached. His steps were quiet. He looked at Ash, just for a second, then turned his gaze toward Eir.

He didn’t say anything. Not yet.

But something in his face had changed.

Eir stepped forward, his voice carrying through the quiet crowd.

"We’re deeply grateful for what you’ve done. The elders and I already discussed compensation. As you know, Ironhold doesn’t have much left in terms of points... but we’ve survived. That alone should mean something."

He paused, eyes scanning the team.

"Money’s off the table, but we’ve sent guards to strip usable parts from the fallen creatures. Tell us what you need—materials, cores, weapons—and it’s yours."

Max opened his mouth to speak.

But Kael flinched, head snapping to the side. His eyes narrowed. Teeth clenched.

Eir frowned.

"What is it?"

Ash moved also before Kael could answer. His body stiffened, his face draining of color.

’No... I thought it was over.’

The ground groaned. A low rumble grew beneath their feet.

Then it struck.

Stone split open. Iron beams twisted. Buildings cracked like brittle bones.

Kael’s eyes widened.

"Oh no. Not again."

The horn on the north wall blared.

A guard’s voice broke through the chaos.

"Creatures inbound!"

The air shifted. Faces twisted from relief to dread.

Lane shouted over the rising noise,

"Why a fourth wave? There weren’t supposed to be more!"

Augustine, the oldest of the elders, didn’t look surprised. Only tired.

"If this matches the pattern... then this will be the strongest wave in recorded history."

Eir didn’t move. His hands trembled at his sides. The cheers had died, replaced by silence. And then screams.

Kael looked at Max and Ash. His voice was steady.

"You two already know what this is."

Then he shot into the sky, flames wrapping around him.

Max’s fists clenched. He turned sharply to Ash.

"Get everyone out. Now. Head to the hangars."

Ash glanced around. Hundreds—maybe thousands. Families. Elders. Children.

He met Max’s eyes.

"There’s too many. More than Dunehaven. I can’t move them all in time."

Max didn’t blink.

"Try."

Ash gritted his teeth.

"[Skill: Phantom’s Stride]"

And he vanished into the smoke and fear.

Then, A scream rose from the chaos.

"They’re Hallowbound! A whole swarm!"

Gasps swept the square like a wave.

Mia’s jaw tightened. Her hands curled into fists.

"Not again..."

High above, Kael hovered in the air, staring toward the northern horizon. The swarm moved like a living tide—hundreds of creatures, each the size of a wolf, with limbs shaped like jagged sickles. They had no eyes. No mouths. Only a hollow pit where a face should be.

They didn’t roar. They didn’t growl. The swarm was silent, as if the world itself had gone mute.

Kael’s breath caught. His eyes narrowed. He’d heard about them before. He remembered they fed—not on flesh, but on the soul energy inside every fighter. Even touching one made your limbs go heavy and your thoughts blur.

Tim’s voice broke the silence, trembling.

"If it’s the Hallowbound... they shouldn’t be causing this much noise. They don’t shake the earth like that."

Max didn’t respond at first. His eyes were fixed ahead. Watching. Waiting.

Then he spoke.

"It’s not them. The thing coming is even worst."

Eir turned to him.

"Then what is?"

The ground split.

Not in cracks—in collapse.

From the center of Ironhold, the earth erupted. A thunderclap of stone and dust tore through the settlement. A massive shape burst from below, swallowing light and sky.

A sandworm.

But not like before. This one almost dwarfed the one Kael had faced in Sandworm Valley. Its body coiled high, crushing buildings as it rose. Its mouth opened—a gaping tunnel of spiraling teeth.

People screamed. Some vanished under rubble. Others ran.

But not all. Ash had already moved many to safety—somehow, just in time.

Max stared at the beast. His voice was low.

"Tier Six. Sandworm."

The creature reared back, casting half the settlement in shadow.

And the real battle began.