Act III /The Siege Tightens

Dawn broke over Emberhold, but there was no peace with the rising sun. The fires from the night skirmish had been extinguished, but the smell of burning wood and blood still lingered in the air. The Baron's forces had pulled back for now, regrouping, but Alexander knew it wouldn't last.

Standing atop the inner barricade, he surveyed the battlefield. The outer defenses were lost, bodies strewn across the mud where Emberhold's warriors had fought and fallen. The Baron's banners were visible beyond the tree line, where his army had camped for the night.

Tyrell joined him, rubbing his sore shoulder. "They'll come again. Maybe not this morning, but soon."

"They have to," Alexander said, eyes sharp. "The Baron doesn't have time to wait us out. He needs to crush us before his own men start questioning why this is taking so long."

Silas arrived next, his face grim. "That infiltration attempt wasn't random. He's testing us. Looking for a crack."

Alexander exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Then let's make sure there isn't one."

Preparing for the Next Assault

Gareth and Marcus worked tirelessly with the builders, reinforcing the remaining barricades with whatever materials they could scavenge. Some men worked with hastily cut logs, others used rubble from collapsed structures. Every bit of defense mattered now.

Elias and his fighters rested as much as they could, knowing the next battle would be worse. They sharpened blades, tightened armor straps, and prepared themselves for the next wave of bloodshed.

Alexander gathered the remaining officers around the central fire. "We have to assume he'll try something different. The frontal assault didn't break us, so what will he do next?"

Silas pointed to the ridge where the Baron's banners stood. "If I were him? I'd use siege engines."

The thought made the air heavier. Emberhold's defenses were strong against men, but against trebuchets or battering rams, they wouldn't last long.

"We haven't seen any yet," Marcus noted.

Tyrell frowned. "Doesn't mean they're not coming."

Alexander clenched his fists. "Then we hit them first."

Striking the Siege Camp

Under the cover of darkness, a small strike force slipped through the shadows, moving toward the Baron's main encampment. Alexander led the way, with Elias, Tyrell, and a handful of their best fighters at his side.

They moved swiftly, skirting past patrols, keeping to the trees. When they reached the edge of the camp, the sight made Alexander's stomach twist.

They were constructing trebuchets.

Large wooden frames were being assembled in the clearing, soldiers hammering and sawing through the night. Siege weapons that would tear through Emberhold's walls with ease.

"We can't let them finish those," Elias whispered.

Alexander nodded. "We won't."

He signaled for the group to split. They had to destroy the trebuchets before they could be used.

Tyrell and his men took the left flank, creeping toward the half-built siege weapons. Alexander, Elias, and the rest moved right, approaching the supply stores where barrels of pitch and oil were stacked.

With precise movements, they set fire to the barrels just as Tyrell's group began slashing at the trebuchet's supports. The moment the first flame caught, a ripple of chaos spread through the camp.

The fire exploded, sending flaming debris in all directions. Shouts of alarm filled the night as the Baron's soldiers scrambled for weapons.

"Fall back!" Alexander ordered, leading his men back into the woods as arrows whistled past them.

By the time the Baron's forces could react, half their siege engines were burning, rendered useless before they had a chance to be deployed.

The Baron's Fury

From his war tent, Baron Valtor watched the flames consume his trebuchets. His expression was unreadable, but the cold fury in his eyes was unmistakable.

Darius, standing beside him, muttered a curse. "They're not just defending. They're striking back."

The Baron slowly exhaled, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword. "Then we stop playing games."

He turned to his remaining officers. "At dawn, we storm the walls. No more waiting. No more tests."

His voice was deathly calm.

"We burn Emberhold to the ground."

Emberhold's Reckoning

By the time Alexander and his men returned to Emberhold, they knew the retaliation would be brutal. They had provoked the Baron into an all-out assault.

But there was no regret.

As Alexander looked around at his men—tired, wounded, yet still standing—he knew this battle would decide everything.

There would be no retreat. No more defenses to fall back to.

At dawn, Emberhold would fight for its very survival.

And by dusk, one side would be broken.