Chapter 38: Charging beasts and a death trap

"What the hell! Did the NPCs just leave us to die?" A player cried out as he looked at the clean formation the NPCs had formed, with no places for them to easily join from.

The bow formation made out of the melee soldiers had near to no gaps between the soldiers' shields, while the entire wall was now filled with the archers. The archers and mages had formed around 6 lines on the ramp-wall, with the most inside line being just elevated a bit, while those at the out-most could see clearly over all the soldiers.

The entire ramp-wall seemed to be around as tall as a person's shoulder now that it had been completely formed. On the outside, it resembled a wall more than a hill, while on the inside it looked very much like a gentle ramp. Taking over 10 metres to reach the top. This top was not wide only allowing two people to stand on it, side to side.

All the players were questioning just what type of game the developers had made, as the gazed at the charging beasts who was still a distance away from the army. The players asked themselves, 'In what game does the NPCs abandon the players?' They also added a complaint to this question, 'And this is the first main quest!'

Most of the charging beasts were of a grey-silver color, making them appear as shadows running through the fields gracefully. While a single Wolfbeast might look quite normal, cute even. In the massive group of thousands, they exuded an intense bloodlust onto the players. Which caused the players to start to panic.

As the players panicked and became worried about how they were going to survive, they all reacted differently. Each group of players had their own reasoning for their choice. Well except those who had completely frozen, failing to comprehend what was going on. The difference in the reasoning of the players heading to different places was also quite clear.

Some of the players rushed to the formation, hoping to reach it before the beasts or at the least in time to not be left alone. They hoped of maybe scaling the wall and reaching safety.

This group hoped to use the strength of the NPCs to take the main hit of the beasts' charge. While they would be able to hide behind the NPCs, at the back of the wall, hopefully not needing to kill any monsters. And if the opportunity ever arrived then they would jump over the wall, into the safe inside of the formation.

Some other players ran to the forest hoping to hide out the fight, or at least avoid coming into direct contact with the beasts. These players hoped that the monsters would focus on the other players and the NPCs, ignoring the forest. They hoped this would happen as the formation's backside, with the wall on which the archers was standing, was around 10 meters from the forest. Giving them around 30 meters of distance to where they were going to hide, and the back of the wall.

This group also hoped that if the monsters chased them into the forest that they could then use the trees to their own advantage. Completely forgetting that they had no plan on how to achieve this.

Other players decided to fully run away, just wanting to not be eaten again. They had experienced it before and while not too bad, with the weakened feeling of pain, the feeling was still very uncomfortable.

While all the players did not fear dying, they had either experienced that the feeling of getting killed was unpleasant and they would rather avoid it if possible. Or they did not want to receive the death penalty. The death penalty which players had found, through dying a bunch, was really harsh. While they were all still level one, this did not mean the penalty was not present. If they died, then they would lose all their items and experience points.

Currently, no exception to this death penalty has been found, yet. If a player had friends or could find their corpse, then they could get back their items. If it had not been stolen by someone before they came back that is. The experience loss seemed to be permanent.

No player wanted to die due to these factors. With them being very far from the city they all knew the items lost would likely be permanent. Most players had used all their money on these items leaving themselves just a few silvers for food, while trying to get more via hunting wolves.

The group of players fully retreating soon received a system message after they had committed to abandoning the NPCs. They had not even made it more than 20 meters so far.

[Cowardly retreat detected, leaving the quest giver in a dire situation.]

[Player has forfeited the quest]

[-15 relation with Phallos kingdom, -20 relation to all NPCs in expedition army.]

Seeing this, most of them wanted to keel over. They had no idea what the relation meant, but they felt certain it would not be something you wanted to lose. Especially so early in the game, when they haven't even managed to travel to other areas.

This group had one thing going for them at least. The monsters did indeed ignore them, rushing at the NPCs, while also trying to flank the formation. Which was going to lead them into the first group of players, behind the wall.

At this time the archers finally let loose their arrows, as the beasts had just entered their max range, which was around a 200 meters. The beasts had tried to flank the formation from a distance, but after a certain amount they needed to just charge.

A hail of arrows was launched at once, resembling a flock of birds. Causing massive carnage to the charging beasts.

As the arrows hit many beasts fell over dead, or weakened. These poor beasts were soon after trampled by their brothers who were rushing over them. Killing them in a torturing manner, being crushed to death, slowly.

The archers freely fired after the first volley, causing even more carnage, but the beasts seemed to not care. The beasts crashed into the wall of NPCs hard, just as the archers had let loose their fifth or sixth shot.

The beasts immediately killed most of the front soldiers with their charge, but they did not accomplish much more. After the initial charge they had lost their momentum. The NPCs killing the beasts in an orderly manner from the back, while seeing their friends dying to keep the front and second front line up.

These lines of soldiers fought valiantly, not stopping until they were dead. If they could move, they would. Trying to kill one more beast

But at a few positions in the formation, the beasts managed to break the lines with more ease, penetrating into the line of soldiers. This happened slowly, but as they continued to press it became clear where the weaker NPCs were.

As this happened the pack spread out, trying to surround the entire formation. A few tens of seconds in the fight and they had already passed the bow-limbs of the formation. Seeing the confused and scared players standing defenselessly in an open field, between the wall and forest.

Seeing this the group of players behind the wall palled. They had believed they would have far more time to try and climb the wall, yet they had just reached this place. Not having any time to even try and climb it. In fact, the nearest player was still around six meters from the wall as the beasts had arrived.

The beasts seeing the easy target, forgot about trying to flank the formation, simply rushing to kill the players in a bloody haze. Seeing this the NPCs on top of the wall were quite happy, as it gave them the time they had wanted.

The back two lines of the archers had turned around when the beasts had reached the bow-limbs. They now opened fire, killing the easy targets. Which were the beasts who were busy ripping and slashing players apart.

The group of players in the forest felt they had been smart to head into it. As they watched the horror show in front of them. They all finally realized why the Miracle Corporation was so adamant on the age restriction. What the players were seeing, could easily give even adults PTSD.

As the mages saw that a good number of beasts had gone behind the formation, they started casting spells. Half the mages cast a water spell, summoning a flood of water, which flowed down the wall like a waterfall. The other half casted a spell which made the earth below the wall, up to the forest, absorb the water far easier. Quickly becoming a dirt field, resembling a marshland. After this, the mages started to cast a different type of spell.

The unlucky players in the field now found themselves struggling to move. Luckily the beasts did not fare much better. But even so the players found themselves dying far quicker than what the beasts were being taken down by the archers.

Some of the players near the wall found hope in the situation, as the beasts were now too slow to reach them. Before they would be able to scale the wall. To their dismay, the water flowing down the wall was turned into ice as the mages finished casting their spell. Making the task of getting to the top very taxing.

While still possible, it would take them more than a few seconds. The players did not know if the NPCs would allow them to take the time. Or simply shoot them as they tried. Some of the players took advantage of the marshy field. Lying down into it, covering themselves with dirt. Hoping to survive in such a manner.

The NPCs did not really care for the players, as they had done their job as bait. Many beasts had been killed easily at the back, while scaling the wall would take them a few seconds, now that the preparations were done. During which the archers could fire on the attempting beast.

The mages hadn't stopped casting spells as they all started casting a third one. This spell caused ice-like spikes to protrude from the top of the wall. Making it a deathly option to any beast who tried to jump over the wall. The beast would simply be impaling itself if it tried.

The players cursed the NPCs when they saw the final addition to the wall. Finally realizing that they had been used as bait, not just ignored and left alone. They were all royally pissed at the NPCs by now.

A few of the smarter players realized they could not fault the NPCs, as this was the best use of a disorderly and uncooperative group of people inside an army. Even so, they were pissed at the despicable act the NPCs had done. Not having given them any indication of this, until it was too late.

By now just a minute or two had passed, yet most of the players in the open were dead. Now only those running away, inside the forest and inside the formation were left.