[some moments back.]
"Alexandra, do you think this is a good idea?!" The frantic whisper of the young man reached Alexandra, who was pressed against the cool, rough surface of the boulder.
She silenced him with a sharp: "Shh..."
Her gaze fixed on the imposing gate of Boco's castle. Two hulking, green-skinned krakens stood guard, their crude swords glinting menacingly in the morning sun.
She turned, her golden hair catching the faint light, to the twenty anxious faces behind her. "Those two are low soul class, a lot weaker."
A flicker of determination sparked in her usually gentle eyes.
"Don't you think this is a good idea?" A soldier asked.
A wave of uncertainty rippled through the small group of young men. They exchanged uneasy glances.
"Boco is already attacking our village—" Alexandra began.
"Exactly," A soldier interrupted, his tone firm.
"Shouldn't we be in the village, helping?" another chimed in, a deep frown creasing his brow.
"You don't have to worry about the village," Alexandra stated with an air of conviction. "They are safe."
"Safe?! How do you know that?" A skeptical voice cut through the air.
"Draven will make sure of it."
"If this Draven is so powerful, why didn't you bring him here after we stop Boco's attack?" another pressed, his doubt palpable.
Alexandra's gaze softened as she scanned the worried faces. She sighed, a weight of responsibility settling upon her shoulders.
"Boco will surely escape and rush back to his castle. He will be alert then, his defenses strengthened. But now, while he is still reeling, still distracted by his failed raid, we have a chance. We can attack the castle, overwhelm the remaining invaders, and rescue our girls..."
Her eyes locked onto a young man standing at the edge of the group. "You... Your sister is inside this castle. Won't you do anything to save her? Now that an opportunity presents itself, are you going to succumb to fear?"
She shifted her attention to another, her voice gaining intensity. "And you. You followed me because your elder sister and aunt are trapped in there. Instead of seizing this moment to free them both, you are contemplating retreat?"
Her gaze swept across the remaining men, her voice resonating with a mixture of urgency and disappointment. "Most of you have relatives imprisoned within those walls. That bastard Boco holds more than ten of our women captive, but instead of fighting for their freedom, you are thinking of abandoning them!" She paused, her hand tightening around the hilt of the sword at her side.
"Although I am not a warrior," she continued, her voice softening slightly, "I am here. Just like all of you, my own relative is trapped inside that black castle. The thought of seeing her again fills me with a hope I haven't felt in days." She looked up at them, her expression earnest. "If no one else is willing to follow, I will go alone..."
With those words, she turned and began to walk away, her slender figure moving with a quiet determination towards the castle gates, careful to remain out of sight of the two hulking guards twenty meters away.
The men were left in stunned silence, their initial fear warring with a growing sense of shame. They looked at one another, the weight of Alexandra's words hanging heavy in the air. Finally, a young man broke the silence with a choked sob.
"She is right..." he muttered, clenching his fists. "I want to see my sister again! I can't bear the thought of her being in that monster's clutches for another night."
"Yes!" another voice echoed, filled with newfound resolve.
One by one, the young men nodded, their faces hardening with grim determination. They quickly huddled together, whispering a hasty plan. They would split into smaller groups, creating diversions while a select few, led by the elf who had spoken earlier, would attempt a direct assault on the gate.
_
"This is so boring..." The kraken guard leaned against the stone wall.
"The others might have already taken over the village by now, probably enjoying some females while we're stuck here... just keeping watch."
"Yeah, it's kind of frustrating, but what can we do?" his companion grumbled, shifting his weight.
"Hey there!" A voice called out, startling the two guards.
They looked up, their reptilian eyes widening as they saw a lone figure approaching. It was a young elf, his hand resting on the hilt of the sword at his waist.
"Huh?"
They exchanged confused glances, then focused on the armed figure.
"You! Do you know who this castle belongs to?!" the kraken on the right bellowed.
"Of course, I do!" the elf retorted, his voice ringing with anger. "To that bastard, Boco! I am here to rescue my sister!"
With a defiant yell, he drew his sword and charged towards the two towering guards.
The two krakens stared at each other in utter bewilderment. Even Alexandra, who was concealed behind a cluster of rocks some distance away, gasped, her carefully laid plans thrown into disarray.
"This elf is a fool..." the kraken on the right muttered. "Kill him!"
"If only you were a woman," the other kraken sneered, walking forward to meet the charging elf.
Whoosh!
The advancing kraken froze mid-stride, his head snapping back violently. He turned his gaze sharply, his eyes widening in disbelief as he saw his fellow guard's head rolling onto the dusty ground, followed by the heavy thud of his headless body.
"This?!"
The kraken was stunned, his gaze fixed on another man who now stood calmly behind the fallen invader.
"How dare you—" he roared, momentarily forgetting the charging elf. But it was too late.
WHOOSH!
The remaining kraken stiffened, a look of utter shock etched on his green face. Then, his head, too, was severed, a geyser of dark blood erupting from his neck.
THUD!
His body crashed to the ground, the crimson stain spreading rapidly.
The elf exhaled slowly, turning to the human man who stood in front of the door:
"Good job," he said, a hint of surprise in his voice.
"That was easy," the man nodded, his gaze already fixed on the heavy wooden door of the castle.
The remaining soldiers emerged from their hiding places, their faces a mixture of awe and apprehension as they stared at the bloodied ground and the imposing entrance.
"We don't know how many are inside, or how powerful they are," the man said, his voice low and serious.
"All I know is... we will take it one step at a time."
"Yeah," the elf agreed, his hand still gripping his sword.
The small group of determined men approached the door.
"Who will go in first?" someone whispered nervously.
"The right question is, where is Alexandra?" another muttered, his eyes scanning their surroundings.
"She might already be inside. Let's go," the man who had spoken earlier said, reaching for the heavy door.
But before his hand could touch the wood, an amused voice echoed from above.
"What do we have here?"