the war is approaching(3)

The night before the war felt heavier than any battle they had ever faced. It was the kind of silence that suffocated, the type of tension that seeped into the bones. The camp was filled with soldiers, mercenaries, and powerful warriors, but even among them, Dakota and his allies stood apart.

They were the ones at the heart of it all.

One way or another, by this time tomorrow, everything would change.

Each of them sat in their own space, lost in thought. No more battle strategies. No more discussions. Just silence and the weight of what was to come.

Henry sat on a boulder, his sword resting against his shoulder. His fingers traced the edge of the blade absentmindedly, his eyes locked onto the distant horizon.

"I've never feared death before. I've always fought, knowing that if I died, I died. But this time… it's different."

He clenched his jaw.

"This war isn't just some battle. It's not some tournament. It's war. Real war. And people I care about could die."

He tightened his grip on his sword.

"Blazer is a monster. But Dakota believes in me. He thinks I can fight by his side and make a difference. I won't let him down. I won't let any of them down."

A slow smirk formed on his face.

"I just have to keep swinging my sword until there's nothing left in my way."

Luna sat near a fire, sharpening her daggers. The rhythmic scraping of metal against stone was the only sound in her little corner of the camp.

"Tomorrow, I'll be killing Lisa's father. The man who's looked down on Jack, on me, on everyone."

She exhaled slowly, her golden eyes narrowing.

"Jack and I… we've fought together for years. We've bled together. If he dies, I die. If I die, he dies. That's how it's always been."

Her hands stilled.

"But this isn't like before. This isn't just a mission. If we slip up even once, we're dead. No second chances."

She looked at the flames in front of her.

"We have to survive. All of us. I'll make sure of it."

Amelia sat under a tree, staring at the stars. Her fingers traced invisible patterns on her knee as she thought about the war ahead.

"I have no illusions about what's coming. I've seen what people like Lisa's father are capable of. I've seen them destroy lives, entire villages, without hesitation."

She hugged her knees closer to her chest.

"I don't want to kill. But I have to. If we hesitate for even a second, we die. I have to accept that."

Her eyes hardened.

"I won't die. I won't let my friends die. I'll do whatever it takes."

Jack lay on his back, staring up at the sky. His hands rested behind his head, but there was no relaxation in his posture.

"Lisa's father. That bastard. I've wanted to kill him for years, and now I finally get my chance."

He exhaled sharply.

"But revenge doesn't mean shit if I don't make it out alive. If Luna doesn't make it out alive. If Dakota doesn't."

He closed his eyes for a moment.

"I never thought I'd care this much about a fight. But this one… this one matters."

Liam sat with his back against a tree, rolling a flickering lightning between his fingers.

"I've always chased strength. Always wanted to be better, to be faster, to be stronger."

He gritted his teeth.

"But this isn't about strength anymore. This is about survival. About making sure the people I give a damn about don't end up in the dirt."

His lightning flared for a moment before vanishing.

"I need to be more than just strong. I need to be unbreakable."

Lucas stood at the edge of the camp, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. His breathing was heavy, his rage barely contained.

"Lisa. That monster. That murderer. I'm going to kill her."

He could still hear the screams of the people she had destroyed. He could still see their lifeless bodies.

"I don't care if I die doing it. As long as she's dead first, nothing else matters."

But deep down, another thought whispered in his mind.

"No. That's not true. I need to survive. Because if I die, she wins. And I won't give her that."

Ava sat on a rock, staring at her hands. Flames danced between her fingers, flickering and fading.

"Fianna. The Queen of the red flames. I never thought I'd get to face her."

She closed her eyes.

"Dakota trusts me to take her down. I can't fail him. I can't fail anyone."

She opened her eyes, determination burning within them.

"I will win."

Mia traced the water floating in front of her. She wasn't like the others. She wasn't a front-line fighter.

"But Dakota chose me for this. He believes in me."

She swallowed hard.

"I just hope I don't let him down."

While the others were lost in thought, Dakota stood alone in his tent. In his hands was an old wooden box—the mysterious box he had received back in his fourth year at the academy.

"Ever since I was reincarnated into this world, I've been waiting for this very moment."

He placed his hand on the lid.

"I've been planning for this very moment."

With a deep breath, he opened the box.

Inside was a crystal—a blue, shining crystal.

A slow smile spread across Dakota's face.

"Yes. I got it."

He picked it up, feeling its power pulse through his fingers.

"This crystal will help me immensely against my fight with Blazer. Ah, good. I got the things I want."

He closed his fingers around it.

"I just hope that this will all go well. That we will win."

He exhaled, his eyes dark.

"We have to win."

Two days passed in an instant.

The sun rose on the day of the war.

Ava stood at the head of her army, surrounded by powerful warriors. Among them were Dakota's mother, two tower masters—Miko and Mako, the guild leaders of the strongest guilds—and legendary heroes who would fight alongside her.

In the distance, Dakota and the others stood ready.

The war was about to begin.

The final battle was upon them.

And they were ready.