After a few a other expeditions where we found little sign of the Witches of the Night. Finally, a portal took us to another of the creatures.346Please respect copyright.PENANAAEaMzcBkkn
346Please respect copyright.PENANA9a4hzeTXx8
Unlike the previous ones, which left us somewhat far from the Witches of the Night and their henchmen, this one transported us directly to their camp. It was similar to the one where all the portals started, in Gerês, with several makeshift shelters built in a grove, but it looked substantially smaller. Furthermore, it wasn't abandoned. There were goblins, trolls, ogrons, ogres, and even giants everywhere.346Please respect copyright.PENANAkwJS7ivCCj
346Please respect copyright.PENANAnbWY36L4RS
For a moment, I looked away from the camp, trying to figure out where we were. I quickly spotted two familiar structures through the trees: the Bridge and the Church of São Gonçalo. We were in Amarante, more precisely on the larger of the two islands in the middle of the Tâmega River.346Please respect copyright.PENANAKlESvb8oRu
346Please respect copyright.PENANA4ia2RFefJe
As was to be expected, there were some people on the river bank and on the old São Gonçalo Bridge. A few cars passed through the new bridge, which crossed the river right over the island, but no one seemed to notice or care about the presence of the Witches of the Night's creatures. Something was probably hiding the island's occupants from the town's inhabitants.346Please respect copyright.PENANAeWc9idl5zA
346Please respect copyright.PENANAzjKZPTBXIa
Unfortunately, nothing hid us from monsters. Before we could find cover, a goblin saw us and raised the alarm. All the creatures' attention turned towards us, and some began to approach with their weapons raised.346Please respect copyright.PENANAg55DTzW9pH
346Please respect copyright.PENANAKVDhyXU9xn
Almeida's soldiers readied their automatic rifles. Even though, after every encounter with the Witches of the Night, our contingent of soldiers had been increased, I still doubted there were enough of them to defeat the horde in front of us.346Please respect copyright.PENANAPRtpExJaAS
346Please respect copyright.PENANAsyqpy3qqEz
The creatures were beginning to pick up speed when a howl came from behind them and stopped them. The horde then split, making way towards a huge tent, the only shelter in the camp that hadn't been improvised with local materials. In front of it, there was the hooded figure of a Witch of the Night.346Please respect copyright.PENANAgTuhqyQCZv
346Please respect copyright.PENANAu1sLf4Srrz
In silence, dragging its long black robes along the ground, it approached, hovering. As soon as it overtook the creatures’ ranks, it stopped.
After a few a other expeditions where we found little sign of the Witches of the Night. Finally, a portal took us to another of the creatures.
Unlike the previous ones, which left us somewhat far from the Witches of the Night and their henchmen, this one transported us directly to their camp. It was similar to the one where all the portals started, in Gerês, with several makeshift shelters built in a grove, but it looked substantially smaller. Furthermore, it wasn't abandoned. There were goblins, trolls, ogrons, ogres, and even giants everywhere.
For a moment, I looked away from the camp, trying to figure out where we were. I quickly spotted two familiar structures through the trees: the Bridge and the Church of São Gonçalo. We were in Amarante, more precisely on the larger of the two islands in the middle of the Tâmega River.
As was to be expected, there were some people on the river bank and on the old São Gonçalo Bridge. A few cars passed through the new bridge, which crossed the river right over the island, but no one seemed to notice or care about the presence of the Witches of the Night's creatures. Something was probably hiding the island's occupants from the town's inhabitants.
Unfortunately, nothing hid us from monsters. Before we could find cover, a goblin saw us and raised the alarm. All the creatures' attention turned towards us, and some began to approach with their weapons raised.
Almeida's soldiers readied their automatic rifles. Even though, after every encounter with the Witches of the Night, our contingent of soldiers had been increased, I still doubted there were enough of them to defeat the horde in front of us.
The creatures were beginning to pick up speed when a howl came from behind them and stopped them. The horde then split, making way towards a huge tent, the only shelter in the camp that hadn't been improvised with local materials. In front of it, there was the hooded figure of a Witch of the Night.
In silence, dragging its long black robes along the ground, it approached, hovering. As soon as it overtook the creatures’ ranks, it stopped.
For an instant, it stood there, still and silent as a statue. We looked at it without knowing what to do. Almeida opened his mouth several times. Whether to give orders or speak to the Witch of the Night, I can't say, but he ended up saying nothing.
Finally, the Witch of the Night gave a piercing screech, and the creatures behind her charged us. Almeida's indecision disappeared immediately.
"Fall back!" he shouted.
We ran back to the portal, located just a couple of meters behind us. However, when we got there, we weren't transported back to Gerês. Like its companion (or was it the same creature?) in Valença, the Witch of the Night had made the portal disappear.
At first, we were flabbergasted, unsure of what to do, but soon the soldiers started shooting at the attackers. As I had predicted, even with all the automatic rifles and Almeida's pistol firing, the horde kept approaching, not least because it included several large monsters that could only be killed by a massive torrent of bullets.
Almeida looked around, searching for a way to get us out of that situation. Reluctantly, he ended up opting for the only possible solution.
"Retreat to the town," he shouted.
With the soldiers firing constantly, we retreated to the water. The river flow was low, so it wouldn't be difficult to cross the ford that led to the bank near the town's marketplace. Curiously (or maybe not), we stopped seeing and hearing our pursuers as soon as we left the island. It was undoubtedly the effect of the spell that hid their presence from the town's inhabitants.
When we got to the town, we simply waited. We had some hope that the Witch of the Night's creatures wouldn't follow us out of their camp, but they entered the water without even slowing down. The Organization's soldiers immediately opened fire on them once more.
The gunshots' noise then began to attract the attention of passers-by. Fortunately, as it was mid-afternoon on a weekday, the streets were almost empty. Still, as expected, the few who saw the monsters that chased us, after a moment of disbelief, fled in panic. They would certainly not be long in calling family and friends or even the media. The situation could become the Organization's worst nightmare. However, at the moment, we had bigger concerns.
Even with the water slowing our attackers' advance, the bullets couldn't shoot down enough to prevent them from getting closer and closer.
"Fall back to the historical center," ordered Almeida.
We did so. Even to me, a layman when it comes to tactics, Almeida's plan was obvious. He hoped that downtown Amarante's narrow streets and constant climbs would help offset the creatures' substantial numerical advantage.
With the soldiers firing constantly, we retreated towards the narrow passage that separated the São Gonçalo Church from the old bridge. It was a dozen meters beyond it, in the middle of the Praça da República square, that Almeida's men formed a firing line. They immediately started shooting at the creatures that tried to cross the passage, counting on it to let only a few enemies pass at a time and thus help compensate our disadvantage.
At first, the tactic worked. Goblins, trolls, and even ogrons crossed the passage and were immediately slaughtered by a rain of bullets from the soldiers, never having a chance to get close. However, as soon as the first giants and ogres arrived, the situation changed. These creatures were large enough to go over the bridge's parapet, which bordered one side of the passage, and forced the soldiers to split their shooting.
One of the giants even tore off one of the bridge's stone blocks and threw it at us, killing three of the Organizations' men.
After these casualties and seeing that the enemy was getting closer and closer, Almeida ordered a new retreat.
This time, we entered the narrow street that led to the top of the historical center. With the soldiers constantly shooting, we went up to the small square in front of the Senhor dos Aflitos' Church. From there, Almeida's men could shoot all the creatures that had invaded the Praça da República, including the giants, from an elevated position.
The creatures, of course, went after us, but like the passage between the convent and the bridge, the narrow street limited the number of enemies that could reach the square at the same time. And now, there was no obvious shortcut for the bigger monsters.
During the minutes that followed, the soldiers slaughtered several creatures with impunity. Even one of the giants fell.
However, our enemy soon realized that they had to change their approach. The creatures began to enter the streets adjacent to Praça da República in search of another way to reach us.
I knew that town well enough to know that, although it would take some time, they would eventually find the way to our rear.
I was about to inform Almeida of that fact when he shouted, “Fall back!"
I suppose he came to the same conclusion.
We went up the street that led from the square to the old Santa Clara Monastery, with the soldiers, once again, constantly shooting behind them. When we arrived at the next junction, we could already see, in the distance, the force sent to surround us.
Part of what was once the monastery had been transformed, centuries later, into a residential house, which now served as the Municipal Library. The librarian, when she saw us running in front of the glass that formed the walls of the ground floor, got up from her desk. But when she saw the creatures that were chasing us, she hid under it. Fortunately, there didn't seem to be anyone else in the building to see what the public shouldn't even know existed.
We crossed the narrow passage between the library and the ruins of a chapel that had once belonged to the monastery and climbed to the top of the walls revealed by a recent archaeological excavation, looking for a high point that would give us some tactical advantage.
Almeida's men kept firing at the creatures, trying to stop them from climbing up to our positions. The giants and the larger ogres were the only ones that could reach us without having to climb, and they provoked some casualties. Still, there weren't many of them, and the soldiers' concentrated fire, mainly when aimed at their heads, managed to kill them.
One or other projectile thrown by the smaller creatures managed to hit a weak point in the protective equipment that the Organization's men and I wore, but they had little influence in the fight.
Finally, for the first time since our arrival in Amarante, the situation seemed to be under control. My only fear was that the soldiers would run out of ammunition. After all, they had been firing almost constantly for more than fifteen minutes.
Fortunately, the monsters' attack began to weaken before that happened. New creatures stopped joining the fight, and the rest ended up retreating.
Carefully, fearing a possible ambush, we went back down to the river. Apart from a few bodies (most seemed to have been taken by their retreating comrades), we saw no sign of the enemy. As such, we crossed to the island where the camp was. The creatures had disappeared completely. Only their abandoned shelters showed that it hadn't all been an illusion.
Almeida used his cell phone and called a helicopter to pick me up and reinforcements to help him hide what had happened in Amarante.
When it arrived, I got on the helicopter. It took off just in time for me to see the reinforcements' trucks arriving at the São Gonçalo Bridge.
Unfortunately, we didn't get any closer to discovering the Witches of the Night objectives, and the camp at Gerês was running out of portals to explore.
For an instant, it stood there, still and silent as a statue. We looked at it without knowing what to do. Almeida opened his mouth several times. Whether to give orders or speak to the Witch of the Night, I can't say, but he ended up saying nothing.346Please respect copyright.PENANAeTlim5o2ZI
346Please respect copyright.PENANA93ZVElu7nZ
Finally, the Witch of the Night gave a piercing screech, and the creatures behind her charged us. Almeida's indecision disappeared immediately.346Please respect copyright.PENANAwQEjRw427S
346Please respect copyright.PENANA06ECx5mmwN
"Fall back!" he shouted.346Please respect copyright.PENANAVbynzB54NY
346Please respect copyright.PENANAgfq8l5OOss
We ran back to the portal, located just a couple of meters behind us. However, when we got there, we weren't transported back to Gerês. Like its companion (or was it the same creature?) in Valença, the Witch of the Night had made the portal disappear.346Please respect copyright.PENANAs1BVkUL3gH
346Please respect copyright.PENANAQW7oIV7l5E
At first, we were flabbergasted, unsure of what to do, but soon the soldiers started shooting at the attackers. As I had predicted, even with all the automatic rifles and Almeida's pistol firing, the horde kept approaching, not least because it included several large monsters that could only be killed by a massive torrent of bullets.346Please respect copyright.PENANAAOEJvPcZH4
346Please respect copyright.PENANAdW8eYlB9rV
Almeida looked around, searching for a way to get us out of that situation. Reluctantly, he ended up opting for the only possible solution.346Please respect copyright.PENANAnOGaef6d9k
346Please respect copyright.PENANAeOGnqbJwho
"Retreat to the town," he shouted.346Please respect copyright.PENANAQzM7mNqX9o
346Please respect copyright.PENANAJWtYAD5MZP
With the soldiers firing constantly, we retreated to the water. The river flow was low, so it wouldn't be difficult to cross the ford that led to the bank near the town's marketplace. Curiously (or maybe not), we stopped seeing and hearing our pursuers as soon as we left the island. It was undoubtedly the effect of the spell that hid their presence from the town's inhabitants.346Please respect copyright.PENANAS2BtCqKS5d
346Please respect copyright.PENANAP6ccXq1AcW
When we got to the town, we simply waited. We had some hope that the Witch of the Night's creatures wouldn't follow us out of their camp, but they entered the water without even slowing down. The Organization's soldiers immediately opened fire on them once more.346Please respect copyright.PENANAWmqcdZCjXc
346Please respect copyright.PENANATG9KMBDVcJ
The gunshots' noise then began to attract the attention of passers-by. Fortunately, as it was mid-afternoon on a weekday, the streets were almost empty. Still, as expected, the few who saw the monsters that chased us, after a moment of disbelief, fled in panic. They would certainly not be long in calling family and friends or even the media. The situation could become the Organization's worst nightmare. However, at the moment, we had bigger concerns.346Please respect copyright.PENANABF8LMWM9Pa
346Please respect copyright.PENANAR2vs4UHyyF
Even with the water slowing our attackers' advance, the bullets couldn't shoot down enough to prevent them from getting closer and closer.346Please respect copyright.PENANATzz89PoLFb
346Please respect copyright.PENANAbOiNnTefhN
"Fall back to the historical center," ordered Almeida.346Please respect copyright.PENANAEaGcdOLgpz
346Please respect copyright.PENANAyeogjiO082
We did so. Even to me, a layman when it comes to tactics, Almeida's plan was obvious. He hoped that downtown Amarante's narrow streets and constant climbs would help offset the creatures' substantial numerical advantage.346Please respect copyright.PENANAzgFRawm0KX
346Please respect copyright.PENANAbdTEdshA5j
With the soldiers firing constantly, we retreated towards the narrow passage that separated the São Gonçalo Church from the old bridge. It was a dozen meters beyond it, in the middle of the Praça da República square, that Almeida's men formed a firing line. They immediately started shooting at the creatures that tried to cross the passage, counting on it to let only a few enemies pass at a time and thus help compensate our disadvantage.346Please respect copyright.PENANAvmx0kAgkfp
346Please respect copyright.PENANAfNFllBgRBZ
At first, the tactic worked. Goblins, trolls, and even ogrons crossed the passage and were immediately slaughtered by a rain of bullets from the soldiers, never having a chance to get close. However, as soon as the first giants and ogres arrived, the situation changed. These creatures were large enough to go over the bridge's parapet, which bordered one side of the passage, and forced the soldiers to split their shooting.346Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3niPQUOgs
346Please respect copyright.PENANAv6JV60wXXA
One of the giants even tore off one of the bridge's stone blocks and threw it at us, killing three of the Organizations' men.346Please respect copyright.PENANAhXFAojwmQR
After these casualties and seeing that the enemy was getting closer and closer, Almeida ordered a new retreat.346Please respect copyright.PENANAyTHGzoSrBN
346Please respect copyright.PENANAZjDD2JnKGL
This time, we entered the narrow street that led to the top of the historical center. With the soldiers constantly shooting, we went up to the small square in front of the Senhor dos Aflitos' Church. From there, Almeida's men could shoot all the creatures that had invaded the Praça da República, including the giants, from an elevated position.346Please respect copyright.PENANAWGIhn4bJF3
346Please respect copyright.PENANAMWyLyu8Nbl
The creatures, of course, went after us, but like the passage between the convent and the bridge, the narrow street limited the number of enemies that could reach the square at the same time. And now, there was no obvious shortcut for the bigger monsters.346Please respect copyright.PENANAjFb29vpRzn
346Please respect copyright.PENANAK1Riy0zWJL
During the minutes that followed, the soldiers slaughtered several creatures with impunity. Even one of the giants fell.346Please respect copyright.PENANADGYDUuunvI
346Please respect copyright.PENANARXKUlYtcaO
However, our enemy soon realized that they had to change their approach. The creatures began to enter the streets adjacent to Praça da República in search of another way to reach us.346Please respect copyright.PENANALmNOhqsYQp
346Please respect copyright.PENANAp2wZgKGtfE
I knew that town well enough to know that, although it would take some time, they would eventually find the way to our rear.346Please respect copyright.PENANAkCqbmlzyNL
346Please respect copyright.PENANA2DnxCLJtxp
I was about to inform Almeida of that fact when he shouted, “Fall back!"346Please respect copyright.PENANADfh9WlPcwx
346Please respect copyright.PENANAzSwNga8zoI
I suppose he came to the same conclusion.346Please respect copyright.PENANAMEnUY4tbyu
346Please respect copyright.PENANAoo9QJAcXXf
We went up the street that led from the square to the old Santa Clara Monastery, with the soldiers, once again, constantly shooting behind them. When we arrived at the next junction, we could already see, in the distance, the force sent to surround us.346Please respect copyright.PENANAW9aLntRW2l
346Please respect copyright.PENANAueXjqtb8cY
Part of what was once the monastery had been transformed, centuries later, into a residential house, which now served as the Municipal Library. The librarian, when she saw us running in front of the glass that formed the walls of the ground floor, got up from her desk. But when she saw the creatures that were chasing us, she hid under it. Fortunately, there didn't seem to be anyone else in the building to see what the public shouldn't even know existed.346Please respect copyright.PENANA9OxDa9Ya4S
346Please respect copyright.PENANAZ4XdPhAnH5
We crossed the narrow passage between the library and the ruins of a chapel that had once belonged to the monastery and climbed to the top of the walls revealed by a recent archaeological excavation, looking for a high point that would give us some tactical advantage.346Please respect copyright.PENANA0u305ysl8i
346Please respect copyright.PENANAXznbkbgpBk
Almeida's men kept firing at the creatures, trying to stop them from climbing up to our positions. The giants and the larger ogres were the only ones that could reach us without having to climb, and they provoked some casualties. Still, there weren't many of them, and the soldiers' concentrated fire, mainly when aimed at their heads, managed to kill them.346Please respect copyright.PENANALRIZ6cdNXW
346Please respect copyright.PENANAscJfqKxTqb
One or other projectile thrown by the smaller creatures managed to hit a weak point in the protective equipment that the Organization's men and I wore, but they had little influence in the fight.346Please respect copyright.PENANA5jD8eIPDVc
346Please respect copyright.PENANATjI0tnRC14
Finally, for the first time since our arrival in Amarante, the situation seemed to be under control. My only fear was that the soldiers would run out of ammunition. After all, they had been firing almost constantly for more than fifteen minutes.346Please respect copyright.PENANArEChIoXFlv
346Please respect copyright.PENANACN4BynNxuk
Fortunately, the monsters' attack began to weaken before that happened. New creatures stopped joining the fight, and the rest ended up retreating.346Please respect copyright.PENANAbA500aWV5f
346Please respect copyright.PENANAed4sy8uIyH
Carefully, fearing a possible ambush, we went back down to the river. Apart from a few bodies (most seemed to have been taken by their retreating comrades), we saw no sign of the enemy. As such, we crossed to the island where the camp was. The creatures had disappeared completely. Only their abandoned shelters showed that it hadn't all been an illusion.346Please respect copyright.PENANAo6jDiAatgL
346Please respect copyright.PENANArQYQaMVoPD
Almeida used his cell phone and called a helicopter to pick me up and reinforcements to help him hide what had happened in Amarante.346Please respect copyright.PENANAhQMA4GyKxr
346Please respect copyright.PENANASSW9CeC06x
When it arrived, I got on the helicopter. It took off just in time for me to see the reinforcements' trucks arriving at the São Gonçalo Bridge.346Please respect copyright.PENANAyYh6jhPJS9
346Please respect copyright.PENANAPsshV1g8bc
Unfortunately, we didn't get any closer to discovering the Witches of the Night objectives, and the camp at Gerês was running out of portals to explore.
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