Above the chaos, Ember dove like a streak of silver lightning. Her wings sliced through the stormlight, feathers gleaming as she twisted and struck.
Thorn followed close, vines lashing outward with uncanny precision, sensing every subtle movement of Veythar below. Together, the pair descended with unstoppable force.
Veythar's whip crackled with dark mana, arcs snapping through the air as he deflected Thorn's rapid strikes. His laugh, sharp and cold, carried across the battlefield like ice.
Every movement precise, every dodge predatory. Ember's claws slashed in return, slicing gusts of wind that forced the lord to retreat step by step.
Karl's focus narrowed. From the edge of the fray, he poured his energy into Ember, weaving his light through her wounds and exhaustion.
Each pulse of his healing magic mended feathers, muscles, and spirit. Even after her strongest attack, Ember's vitality surged under his touch, wings flexing with renewed power.
Nearby, Liora moved among Serathis's squad, tending to cuts and bruises, keeping the frontline ready for every strike.
Meanwhile, beneath Dreal's watchful eye, the remaining warriors held steady. Shields clanged, spears thrust, and spells ignited the air.
The Bronze I fighters moved as one unit, containing enemy lines, while Ember and Thorn executed the aerial assault.
Veythar faltered under the relentless storm. The precision of Ember's strikes combined with Thorn's entanglements and Karl's unseen guidance left him vulnerable, every movement, every decision, tilting the battlefield in favor of their combined force.
With a howl of frustration, he retreated, dodging a slicing windblade that whistled past his ear, its edge threatening to carve him in two. His boots skidded over the uneven ground, scattering leaves and dirt, forcing him further back.
Unexpectedly, a massive figure emerged, stepping into Veythar's path, shielding the retreating Lord. Korran—the Silver I warbreaker—loomed over the clearing, his hammer humming with deadly energy.
Korran's hammer struck the ground in a Hammerfall Quake, sending a shockwave through the clearing. Grok lifted his shield, absorbing the brunt, but even the sturdy Bronze II warriors staggered back crashing to the tree.
Serathis surged forward, with his greatsword runes flaring as he channeled energy into a strike that clipped Korran's thigh, breaking the armor. The giant grunted in pain, but he did not falter.
Above, Ember unleashed a slicing windblade toward Korran, targeting the warbreaker's side as he protected Veythar. The wind carved through the chaos, sharp and swift, forcing Korran's attention upward.
Veythar, taking advantage of the chaos, vanished into the portal node, leaving the towering Korran to face the combined fury of Ember, Serathis, and Karl's vanguard.
The battlefield trembled under the storm's fury, wind blade flashed across shattered trees, leaves lashing sideways, and dust flying from every forceful strike.
All eyes locked onto Korran. Every swing of his twin-headed war hammer sent shockwaves across the clearing, cracking the earth and splintering timber.
Serathis met him blow for blow, his greatsword humming with runic energy, while Ember's silver wings sliced arcs of wind that disrupted Korran's footing.
The Bronze II warriors moved in sync, Grok at the front, shield raised high, absorbing the warbreaker's wild counterstrikes.
Each impact thundered through his frame, but he held firm, his stance unshakable.
Behind him, Rhea's hands flared with crimson light; fiery sigils danced across her palms as Ember Burst detonated around Korran's feet, scattering molten sparks and smoke to block his sightline.
Out of that haze, Sylus darted forward—twin daggers flashing in a blur of silver. His Dual-Blade Dance struck at the gaps in Korran's armor before vanishing back into shadow.
The clash stretched on—minute by minute, heartbeat by heartbeat. Korran's movements began to falter; his breathing grew heavy, his swings slower. Fresh wounds opened across his body; bleeding appear from each strike he failed to block.
He tried to retreat toward the portal node, desperate to escape—but there was no opening. Ember's wind blades flashed again, forcing him off balance, while Serathis pressed forward, driving him deeper into the ground.
The vanguard's coordination was merciless—Grok deflecting blows that could crush stone, Rhea launching short-range bursts to break Korran's rhythm, and Sylus exploiting each staggered step to slice tendons and seams in his body.
Even the mighty warbreaker began to buckle under the combined force.
Amid the clash, Karl's instincts flared. A faint ripple of vitality brushed against his awareness—subtle, almost imperceptible, yet unmistakable, emanating from the portal's direction.
"Not again…" Karl muttered, eyes narrowing.
He knew what that meant. Reinforcements.
If he waited even a moment longer, more enemies would arrive—and everything they'd fought for would collapse.
Without hesitation, Karl surged forward through the chaos, boots splashing through the ground, intent on reaching and destroying the shimmering gateway before it was too late.
But before he could reach it, Korran stepped into his path. Battered but unbroken, the warbreaker's eyes burned with fury.
He raised his hammer high, every ounce of his remaining strength gathering into a devastating swing.
Korran roared, swinging his hammer in a wide, earth-shattering arc toward Karl. Grok leapt forward, shield raised, taking the brunt of the strike.
The force slammed him backward, sliding across the ground, but it was enough to protect Karl—at least partially.
Karl, however, was still thrown off balance. He collided with a nearby tree, the impact sending a jarring crack through his shoulder. Pain shot sharply through him, burning with each shallow breath as he tried to steady himself.
Ignoring the pain his eyes flicker toward the portal. Behind Korran, it pulsed with silver light, flaring brighter with every heartbeat—every pulse bringing the enemy closer.
The air thickened, heavy with tension, and Karl knew that if reinforcements arrived now, everything could collapse in an instant.
"Destroy the portal!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the storm.