Chapter 34: The Gathering Storm
Kael clenched the emblem in his fist, the metal cool against his palm. His victory over Oric should have felt like a turning point, but Varian's words sat heavy in his mind.
A test.
The gods were watching.
Darius wiped blood from his warhammer and sighed. "If this was a test, we made a hell of a statement." He surveyed the battlefield, his expression hard. "But if they send more, I don't know if we can hold out."
Selene stepped beside him, her bow still in hand. "We need to move. Reinforcements won't be far behind."
Kael nodded. They couldn't afford to linger. "Gather the wounded. We march at once."
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A Costly Victory
The rebellion had won the battle, but at a steep cost.
The wounded groaned in pain, clutching at bloodied bandages hastily wrapped around their injuries. Some wouldn't make it through the night. Others had already fallen, their lifeless bodies strewn across the rocky ground.
Kael's fists clenched. Every loss burned, but there was no time to grieve. Not yet.
Varian knelt beside a dying rebel, his hand resting on the man's chest. The soldier's lips moved, whispering a final prayer before his breath left him.
Varian's jaw tightened as he closed the man's eyes. "Too many are dying," he muttered. "And we've barely begun."
Kael placed a hand on his shoulder. "That's why we fight. So they won't die in vain."
Varian exhaled, nodding.
Selene strode up, her gaze sharp. "There's movement on the horizon. Scouts—divine forces. We need to leave now."
Kael looked toward the ridge. The gods' forces were regrouping, shadows moving in the distance.
"We march," he ordered. "Now."
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A New Threat Rises
They moved quickly, leaving the battlefield behind. The rebel army was weary, but they had no choice but to press on.
Hours later, they reached an abandoned fortress hidden within the mountains—one of their few remaining safe havens.
Kael stood on the battlements, watching the sun set over the valley. The sky burned with streaks of red and orange, as if the gods themselves painted the horizon with omens of war.
Darius joined him, arms crossed. "You think they'll come for us here?"
Kael nodded. "They won't stop until we're all dead."
Selene approached, her expression grim. "Then we should be ready."
Varian arrived last, a piece of parchment in hand. "We intercepted a divine messenger. The gods are mobilizing their armies. We have days at best before they march on us."
Kael exhaled slowly.
The real war was about to begin.
And this time, they wouldn't just be fighting one divine warrior.
They'd be facing an entire army of gods.
To be continued…