🔥 Chapter 38 — Chaos in the Eastern Corridor
The forest corridor trembled with the first footsteps of the King's approaching forces. Kael and Rhyne crouched behind fallen trees, Ember threads flickering lightly as they monitored the enemy's movement. Every soldier unwittingly followed the path they had carefully designed.
Rhyne whispered, "They're moving exactly as we predicted. Timing is perfect. Once they reach the first trap, chaos begins."
Kael nodded, Ember coiling like a living net. "We trigger gradually. Minimal force at first, just enough to disrupt. Then we escalate as confusion spreads."
As the lead units reached a concealed pit, Kael unleashed a pulse of Ember energy, redirecting latent magical currents to collapse the ground slightly. Soldiers fell, scrambling, disoriented, while those behind stumbled over them. Panic rippled quickly through the ranks.
Rhyne moved along the side of the corridor, disabling minor wards with precise strikes. "Keep them focused on the chaos, Kael. We don't want them recovering too quickly."
The second trap activated—a series of arcs of redirected magical energy from concealed wards, creating blinding flashes and controlled shocks that sent enemy mages tumbling. Ember threads danced, containing the discharges, preventing harm to the environment while maximizing disruption.
Kael whispered, flames flickering like whispers in the dark, "Now the corridor is theirs, but it's no longer safe. Every step they take multiplies confusion. The King's forces won't know what hit them."
Soldiers shouted, weapons clashing in disarray. Orders were miscommunicated, patrols collided, and magical defenses misfired under the carefully manipulated currents. Kael and Rhyne watched from above, tracking every move, ready to intervene if the enemy began to regain control.
Rhyne grinned. "They're falling apart. This will buy us days, maybe weeks, of strategic advantage."
Kael's flames coiled in satisfaction. "Exactly. The eastern forces are fractured, their command broken, and their confidence shaken. The King underestimated us, and now the battlefield has shifted entirely in our favor."
From the ridge, Kael and Rhyne vanished silently into the shadows. Below, the corridor was chaos incarnate—a perfectly executed counter-trap that would echo in the King's strategy for weeks to come.