Greyvine Hollow
The morning mist rolled in like a quiet whisper — thick, white, and unnaturally cold. Rin, who had the first watch, hadn't seen much before the sun rose, but she heard something. A low rustle. A click of claws on damp soil. Something not human.
By the time Kail awoke, the perimeter had been breached.
Danger Alert – SYSTEM WARNING
Wildlife Threat Detected
Type: Predatory Canine (Lurkhound)
Estimated Count: 2–3
Danger Tier: 2 (Moderate Threat)
Village lacks defensive structures
Morale drops -2 (Fear of attack)
Kail blinked his eyes open to the sound of hushed voices and the faint crackling of the fire still smoldering beside their camp. The atmosphere was heavy with tension, the air thick with unease. He groaned, sitting up, and scanned the group. Everyone was already on alert.
Rin stood near the edge of the camp, her eyes fixed on the tree line. She was crouched low, one hand on her makeshift spear, the other on her belt where a stone knife rested. She didn't need to say anything. Kail could tell she was deep in thought, calculating their next move.
He groggily made his way over to her. "What's the situation?"
Rin didn't take her eyes off the trees. "Tracks. Long, three-toed paw prints. Claws sunk deep into the mud near the farming plots. It's not a bear."
Kail squinted toward the edge of their camp. The ground was still damp from the morning fog, and a chill ran through him as he examined the tracks. Something wasn't right. The prints weren't those of a common predator. They were too large, too menacing. They spoke of something primal, something that hunted in packs.
A sharp, low growl cut through the mist, and Kail's stomach dropped. It was closer than he'd like.
"What the hell is a Lurkhound?" Kail asked, his voice strained.
Mira, who had quietly approached from behind, answered, her voice cold and knowing. "Scavengers. Pack hunters. Bigger than wolves. Worse than hyenas. We saw one drag a soldier off a cart once. Half his armor was still on. And the other half? It was gone by the time we arrived."
Elric, standing nearby, grumbled under his breath, "I really hate this place sometimes."
The air felt thick with dread, and Kail knew they needed to act quickly. The village's defenses were still nonexistent. No walls, no barriers, no weapons beyond what they'd crafted with their own hands. They were vulnerable. He was vulnerable.
"We need a plan," Kail said, his voice steady but laced with urgency.
Time to Build – Primitive Defenses
Kail snapped into planner mode. His mind raced through the options, his brain working at full capacity. He knew they weren't ready to face this threat head-on. Not with just a handful of survivors, and not without proper defenses.
He opened the system interface, his fingers moving quickly as he scrolled through available blueprints. The options that appeared made his heart race with both excitement and dread.
Blueprint Unlocked:Basic Spike Trap – Requires: Wood x6, Vine Rope x2, Pit x1 – Effect: Injures or deters mid-sized predators
Blueprint Unlocked:Palisade Fence (Segment) – Wood x4 per segment – 10 segments cover ¼ perimeter
Kail's fingers hovered over the screen, calculating the resources they had. It wasn't much, but it was enough to give them a fighting chance.
He tapped a few more times, and a new section popped up under Law. The feature had recently been unlocked.
NEW FEATURE UNLOCKED:Law Slot II
Law Option: "Village Guard Rotation" – Residents take turns on night watch – +4 Morale, reduces surprise attacks
Law Option: "Predator Bounty" – Gain KP if dangerous beasts are eliminated
Kail's mind was already running through possibilities. He needed to keep the group's morale high, and the "Village Guard Rotation" seemed like a perfect way to make sure everyone had a role in defending the camp. At the same time, the "Predator Bounty" law could give them the incentive to track down and eliminate these threats before they became a real problem. But something about putting a price on the creatures felt wrong. They didn't fully understand what they were up against.
Without hesitation, Kail enacted the "Village Guard Rotation," giving everyone a chance to contribute. It wasn't ideal, but it was the best they could do for now.
Defense Construction Begins
By midday, the team had already begun constructing the first phase of their defenses. Elric and Tobrin dug two shallow pits near the farming edge, while Rin and Mira worked together to carve sharp wooden spikes with the axe. Kail, meanwhile, fumbled with the rope, trying to tie it to the makeshift traps. It wasn't pretty, but it was functional.
The whole process was painstakingly slow, but each trap they completed made them feel just a little bit safer. They were still outmatched by the predators they were dealing with, but they were no longer completely helpless.
"We'll dig more tomorrow," Kail said, placing a leafy camouflage mat over one of the traps. "This should buy us time."
Tobrin, still new to the harsh realities of their existence, looked up at Kail with wide, fearful eyes. "Will it kill one?" he asked, his voice shaky.
Kail met his gaze, his voice firm. "No. It'll slow it. Hurt it. Maybe scare them off."
Tobrin didn't seem reassured, but he nodded, accepting Kail's answer as the best he could offer.
Kail didn't add that he wasn't sure what would happen if the traps didn't work. The truth was, he had no idea what would happen. But he had to stay calm. He had to be the one to lead them through this.
Nightfall – Tension Mounts
The night settled over Greyvine Hollow like a shroud. The mist remained thick, almost suffocating, and the forest around them seemed to come alive with strange noises. Every rustle, every crack of a branch, sent the group into alert mode. The threat of the Lurkhounds lingered in the air, heavy and palpable.
Rin took the first watch, her sharp eyes scanning the darkness. Then Elric, and then Kail. Mira insisted on taking Tobrin's turn, even though the boy was barely able to stand after their long day of work. He didn't argue, though. He was too scared to protest.
At some point after midnight, the low growl of a Lurkhound echoed from beyond the eastern woods. It was too close. Too close. Kail's hand tightened around the stone knife he was holding, his heart hammering in his chest. He had to keep it together. He had to.
SYSTEM ALERT:Trap Triggered
One Lurkhound Injured – Pack Retreating…
No casualties reported
The sound of retreating footsteps filled the air, and the tension that had built up over the past hours began to fade, if only slightly. Kail let out a long breath, the tightness in his chest easing just a little. The traps had worked. For now.
Everyone stirred as the trap alert echoed through the system. The night was still far from over, but for the moment, the village was safe.
Morning
The next morning, the blood-streaked leaves served as a reminder of how close they had come to disaster. Rin stood at the edge of the camp, staring into the woods. She wasn't relaxed, not by a long shot. But the Lurkhounds were gone—for now.
Kail had never felt such a wave of relief and dread at the same time. He knew it was only a matter of time before the creatures would return. They couldn't keep relying on luck. They needed more traps. More defenses.
Rin glanced at him, her face set in a grim expression. "You really don't stop, do you?"
Kail didn't hesitate. "Stopping gets people killed."
Mira wiped the sweat from her brow as she approached, her voice dry. "You're not like the nobles I knew."
Kail looked at her with a raised brow. "I'm not from here."
Mira narrowed her eyes. "I'm starting to believe that."
SYSTEM UPDATE
Blueprints Unlocked:
Spike Trap (Tier I) – Palisade Fence Segment (upgradable later)
Law Enacted:Village Guard Rotation – Morale: +4 (neutralized threat penalty)
Night Watch now active
Defense Summary:
– 2 Traps Built
– 1 Successful Trigger
– Wildlife repelled without injury
KP Earned This Chapter: +5
Reaching KP Milestone:26 → 31
LAW SLOT II: Activated & used
Kail watched as his small group went about their tasks, knowing that this was just the beginning. The Lurkhounds were the first test, but they wouldn't be the last. But Kail wasn't the same person he had been when they first arrived at Greyvine Hollow. He was more than a planner now. He was a leader. And this place—this village—would grow stronger, no matter the threats they faced.
They had come this far. They would go farther. Together.