🔥 Chapter 10 — The Final Strike
The northern highlands burned and cracked under the force of Kael's Ember and the general's emerald energy. Shards of ice and stone floated in the air, suspended by raw magical power. Kael's eyes glowed blue-white, flames spiraling around him like living serpents.
Rhyne shouted, dodging a whip of green energy. "Kael! This is it! The final move—you need to end it now!"
Kael nodded, feeling the Ember pulse in perfect rhythm with the battlefield. Every strike, every flicker of energy, had led to this moment. "I know… it's time to finish this. No hesitation. No holding back."
The general unleashed a sweeping barrage, green whips spinning with deadly speed. Kael didn't react blindly—he let the Ember guide him, twisting and flowing with the attacks. Flames extended outward, forming whips, shields, and blades that intercepted every strike while simultaneously probing for the final opening.
The general hissed, chest heaving. He could sense the shift—Kael was no longer reacting; he was controlling the flow of battle. Every move forced the general onto the defensive, and his ultimate technique was faltering under the Ember's relentless pressure.
Kael's eyes narrowed. He drew the Ember into a single, concentrated spear of fire, twisting and coiling it with precise control. "This ends now," he shouted.
With a leap, Kael launched the spear at the general's core, the flames twisting around the green energy, piercing the aura and striking true. The general screamed, staggering backward, green flames flickering uncontrollably. The northern highlands shook violently as shards of ice and stone erupted into the sky.
Rhyne landed beside Kael, panting but steady. "Kael… you did it. You've broken him. The general's defeated."
Kael's flames coiled gently, Ember still pulsing as he took a deep breath. "We've won this battle… but the war isn't over. The King still watches. The highlands are scarred, but we've proven we can survive—and fight back."
The general collapsed, energy dissipating, leaving a scorched and shattered battlefield behind. Kael and Rhyne stood side by side, victorious—but aware that the true challenge was yet to come.
Above, faint cracks pulsed in the sky, a reminder that the Harrowed King was far from defeated.