April 30, 1697 – Fort San Rafael, Pan-America.
The Iberian retaliation was inevitable. Marshal Armand Roux knew that the capture of Fort San Rafael had sent shockwaves through the region, and the enemy would not sit idly while one of their strongest bastions fell into Elysean hands. The fort was a crucial foothold, giving Elysea control over trade routes and the interior of Pan-America, but holding it would be another battle entirely.
Inside the walls, the fort buzzed with activity. Soldiers repaired damages, artillery crews positioned cannons on the ramparts, and laborers dug trenches beyond the outer perimeter. Supplies continued to arrive from Fort Saint-Louis, but Roux knew they were limited. The Iberians had superior naval strength in the region, and if they moved to blockade the coastline, resupply would become a nightmare.