The dawn sky burned crimson as Rihan stood in the camp outside Valdoria's capital. Thousands of soldiers prepared for battle — armor clattering, horses stamping, banners whipping in the cold wind. The smell of steel, sweat, and fear thickened the air.
Rihan adjusted the simple armor the blacksmiths had given him. It was heavy, awkward, and far less polished than the gleaming suits of Valdoria's knights. His hands trembled slightly as he gripped the sword Elira had insisted he carry.
"This is insane," he muttered under his breath. "Yesterday I was surviving some temple trial. Today… I'm about to join an actual war?"
Nearby, groups of knights sneered openly.
"That's the so-called Chosen One?"
"Looks more like a lost peasant boy."
"If this is who the Trial picked, we're doomed."
Rihan clenched his jaw, ignoring their words. He was used to being doubted — but it still stung.
Elira approached, her silver hair catching the morning light. She placed a steadying hand on his shoulder. "Don't let them shake you. Their pride blinds them. Just remember the power inside you."
Lyra smirked faintly from behind, adjusting her daggers. "Besides, nothing motivates like proving arrogant fools wrong."
Rihan exhaled, nodding.
---
⚔️ The March to Battle
The army began its march. Hundreds of armored boots thundered in unison as they crossed the eastern fields. Drums pounded a grim rhythm.
The further they went, the darker the horizon grew. Smoke rose from distant villages. The once-green fields were scarred with blackened earth.
When they reached the river crossing, the reality of Draemir's advance became clear. On the far bank stood twisted figures — humanoid beasts with charred skin, glowing red eyes, and claws like blades. Behind them loomed larger horrors — armored monstrosities, their bodies fused with molten stone and jagged metal.
The soldiers faltered at the sight. Murmurs of fear rippled through the ranks.
General Kael, a battle-hardened commander with scars across his face, raised his sword. "Hold the line! We fight for Valdoria! No creature of shadow shall cross our soil!"
His voice steadied the men, though their fear remained.
Rihan swallowed hard. This wasn't like fighting in a ruined temple. This was chaos, blood, and fire.
---
🔥 The Battle Begins
With a horn's blare, Draemir's army surged forward, roaring and shrieking. The ground trembled under their charge.
"Archers, loose!" General Kael bellowed.
A storm of arrows rained across the river, piercing dozens of beasts — but still they came, leaping into the water, tearing apart boats, smashing through shields.
"Infantry, forward! Shields up!"
The two sides clashed with a deafening crash. Steel met claw, shield met fang. Screams filled the air as blood stained the soil.
Rihan stood frozen for a moment, the sheer brutality of war overwhelming him. A knight nearby was torn apart in seconds. Another screamed as fire engulfed him.
Then a monstrous creature lunged at Rihan, its claws aimed for his throat.
Instinct took over. His sword flashed upward, clashing against the beast's talons. Sparks flew. The impact rattled his arms — but he held his ground.
The monster snarled, lunging again. Rihan gritted his teeth. I can't freeze. Not now.
A pulse of strange energy surged through him, the same he had felt during the Trial. His blade glowed faintly with dark-blue light as he swung.
The strike cut clean through the monster's chest, splitting it apart in a burst of black flame.
Gasps erupted around him. Soldiers who had doubted him moments ago now stared in shock.
"Did you see that…?"
"He killed it in one blow…"
"Maybe he is the Chosen…"
But there was no time to bask in it. More creatures poured forth, their sheer numbers threatening to overwhelm the Valdorian lines.
---
🩸 The Turning Point
The battle raged for hours. Rihan fought desperately, each strike fueled by instinct more than skill. For every monster he cut down, two more appeared. His body ached, his lungs burned, but he kept moving.
Beside him, Elira unleashed waves of holy light, burning through Draemir's abominations. Lyra darted between enemies like a shadow, her blades carving throats and tendons before disappearing again.
Despite their efforts, the line began to falter. Soldiers broke ranks. The beasts pushed harder, forcing them back toward the river.
General Kael shouted, blood running down his face. "We can't hold them—!"
Then the ground itself shook. From the far side of the battlefield, a colossus emerged — a towering monster clad in molten armor, its steps leaving fire in its wake. Its roar shattered courage like glass.
Panic swept the Valdorian ranks. Some soldiers fled outright.
Rihan's knees nearly gave out at the sight. The creature was enormous, its power suffocating.
Elira's eyes widened. "A Flamebound Titan… Draemir sends one this early?"
The Titan raised a burning fist and smashed it down. The impact sent dozens of soldiers flying like ragdolls.
The battlefield fell into chaos.
Rihan's heart pounded. Every instinct screamed at him to run. To hide. To survive.
But then he saw them — the faces of soldiers who had doubted him, now broken with fear. The villagers he remembered flashed in his mind. And Elira, Lyra, everyone who had fought beside him.
If I run now… everything ends here.
The strange energy inside him surged again, hotter, darker than before. His blade erupted with blue-black fire, its glow cutting through the smoke.
He stepped forward.
"I'll stop it," Rihan whispered, more to himself than anyone else.
Elira grabbed his arm. "Rihan, that's suicide!"
He looked at her, determination burning in his eyes. "Then I'll die fighting. But if I don't try… we all die anyway."
And with that, he charged.
Toward the Titan.
Toward his destiny.