🔥 Chapter 50 — The King's Desperate Strike
The eastern plains burned with scattered fires, smoke curling into the sky as Kael and Rhyne stood on a ridge overlooking the battlefield. The King's forces, though fractured, were reorganizing faster than expected. A large contingent had been dispatched from the central regions, moving with purpose toward the fallen hubs.
Rhyne tightened his grip on his sigil blade. "He's sending everything he can spare. This is his counterattack—he knows the eastern front is slipping from his grasp."
Kael's Ember threads coiled tightly, flames flickering like living serpents. "We expected this. He thinks sheer force can overwhelm us, but we control the terrain, the traps, and the hubs. We dictate the pace of the battle."
Below, the King's army advanced in organized waves, the first units entering the forests that had been turned into a maze of illusions and controlled traps. Arcs of green and Ember energy pulsed as subtle wards and hidden snares disrupted formations. Soldiers stumbled, mages misfired spells, and officers struggled to regain control.
Rhyne whispered, "They're walking right into it. Every unit we delay weakens the entire force. By the time they reach the hubs, they'll be fractured and exhausted."
Kael extended Ember threads ahead, weaving them through the trees and undergrowth. "Phase two of the counterattack begins. We strike key leaders, disable mages, and force them into choke points. He may have numbers, but we have precision."
The King's elite units, sensing the disruption, attempted to flank the forest. Kael anticipated the move, sending illusions and misdirected energy arcs to guide them into a pre-set bottleneck. Rhyne intercepted patrols silently, taking out officers to increase confusion.
Kael's eyes glowed, Ember threads spiraling outward. "The King will soon realize he's trapped in a battlefield he cannot control. His desperation will force mistakes—and that's when we finish him."
From the ridge, Kael and Rhyne watched as the first massive engagement unfolded. Confusion reigned among the King's ranks, the eastern front fully under Kael and Rhyne's manipulation. The decisive clash for control of the eastern territories had begun.