Chapter 200: The Unseen Strike

The air was thick with anticipation as Kaelen's forces advanced through the narrow pass. The faint light of torches flickered against the rocky walls, their march steady and unrelenting. Hidden among the shadows, Mira's coalition waited, their breaths quiet and hearts pounding.

Erynn crouched beside Mira on the ridge, her sharp eyes scanning the approaching soldiers. "It's a large force," she murmured. "Larger than we anticipated."

Mira nodded, her jaw clenched. "They took the bait, but we'll need precision to pull this off. No mistakes."

Solen's voice crackled softly through the communication crystal. "Troops are in position. Waiting on your signal."

"Hold," Mira replied. "Wait until they're fully in the pass. We need them bottlenecked."

The minutes crawled by as the enemy forces marched deeper into the trap. Mira's gaze fell on their leader, a towering figure clad in dark armor with a crimson plume on his helmet. It wasn't Kaelen, but one of his top commanders.

"That's General Rathar," Erynn whispered. "He's brutal, but predictable. We can use that."

Mira's lips tightened into a grim line. "Let's see if he lives up to his reputation."

When the bulk of Kaelen's forces were within the pass, Mira gave the signal. "Now!"

The coalition's assault began with a thunderous explosion. Elara's mages, hidden on the cliffs, unleashed a barrage of fireballs, collapsing sections of the rocky walls and trapping the enemy.

Arrows rained down from above as Erynn's archers fired in perfect synchrony. Rathar's forces scrambled for cover, their formation breaking apart under the sudden onslaught.

"Charge!" Solen's voice roared through the crystal, and the coalition's ground troops surged forward, cutting into the disoriented enemy.

Mira descended the ridge, her blade gleaming in the torchlight. She fought with precision, her strikes calculated and deadly. Beside her, Erynn moved like a shadow, her daggers finding gaps in the enemy's armor.

The battle raged for what felt like hours, the clash of steel and cries of combat echoing through the pass. Mira's strategy was working—Kaelen's forces were struggling to regroup.

But then, a new threat emerged. From the rear of the enemy's ranks, a group of mages began to chant, their voices rising in unison. A dark, swirling energy gathered above them, crackling with malevolence.

"Elara!" Mira shouted into the crystal. "They've got battle mages. Neutralize them!"

Elara and her team of mages responded swiftly, launching counter-spells. The air shimmered with conflicting energies as the two magical forces collided.

"We can't hold them off forever!" Elara's strained voice crackled through the crystal.

Mira gritted her teeth. "Then we end this now."

Spotting General Rathar amidst the chaos, Mira knew what had to be done. "Erynn, with me!" she called. Together, they pushed through the fray, cutting a path toward Rathar.

The general saw them coming and bellowed a challenge, his massive sword cleaving through the air.

"You think you can take me, little rebel?" Rathar sneered, his voice a deep growl.

Mira didn't waste words. She charged, her blade meeting Rathar's in a clash of sparks. The force of the impact sent a jolt up her arm, but she held her ground.

Erynn darted around the general, her daggers flashing in the torchlight. She struck at his sides, forcing him to divide his attention.

"You'll regret this, traitors!" Rathar roared, swinging his sword in a wide arc. Mira ducked just in time, the blade whistling past her head.

"Not today," Mira spat, using Rathar's overextension to her advantage. She lunged, her sword piercing a weak point in his armor.

The general staggered, his weapon slipping from his grasp. Erynn delivered the final blow, her dagger finding its mark.

Rathar fell to his knees, blood staining the ground beneath him. His eyes met Mira's, filled with defiance even in defeat.

"You... won't win," he rasped.

Mira stepped closer, her voice cold. "Watch me."

With one swift motion, she ended it.

The fall of Rathar sent shockwaves through Kaelen's forces. Their morale shattered, many began to retreat, only to find the pass blocked by rubble.

Solen's troops pushed forward, securing the battlefield. By dawn, the coalition had claimed a decisive victory.

Mira stood amidst the aftermath, her body weary but her spirit resolute. Erynn approached, wiping blood from her daggers.

"We did it," she said. "But this was just one battle. Kaelen won't take this lightly."

"I know," Mira replied, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "But today, we sent him a message: we're not afraid, and we won't back down."

Elara joined them, her robes singed but her expression triumphant. "The medallion worked as planned. Kaelen has no idea we were ready for him."

"Good," Mira said. "Let's keep him guessing."

As the coalition regrouped and tended to their wounded, Mira allowed herself a moment of quiet satisfaction. This was a hard-fought victory, but the war was far from over.

Kaelen would come for them with everything he had, but Mira was ready.

In his war tent, Kaelen received word of Rathar's defeat. His eyes burned with fury as he crumpled the message in his fist.

"They think this is a victory," he growled. "They've only delayed the inevitable."

Turning to his advisors, Kaelen's voice was cold and commanding. "Prepare the Shadow Battalion. It's time to end this rebellion once and for all."