Chapter 49: The Ambush

Chapter 49: The Ambush

Silvia's POV

The sun had set, leaving only the cold, shifting glow of the stars as Silvia and her team moved into position. The wind howled through the jagged canyons, a low, mournful sound that only added to the tension in the air. This was it—the moment they would prove their worth to the Outland Clans. Failure was not an option.

Tarren lay flat against a rocky outcrop, peering down at the raider's encampment with a pair of old but functional binoculars. "Looks like they're getting comfortable. We've got at least a dozen men, maybe more inside the structure. Two guards posted near the main entrance, another patrolling the outer perimeter."

Silvia nodded. "Then we stick to the plan. Raleth and Tarren take the high ground, pick off anyone who tries to flee. Dragon and I will handle the sentries. We hit them fast, we hit them hard. No survivors."

Dragon grinned beside her, his golden eyes practically glowing in the darkness. "Now you're speaking my language."

Raleth checked the charge on her rifle. "I'll take the first shot once you're in position. That should draw the rest into the open."

Silvia inhaled deeply, steadying herself. This wasn't just another mission—it was a test of her leadership, her ability to control the battlefield. She couldn't afford to second-guess herself now.

The Tension Before the Fight

They hunkered down in the darkness, waiting. Every second stretched like an eternity, the rhythmic sound of Silvia's breathing the only thing keeping her steady. Her fingers curled and uncurled around the grip of her dagger, her pulse steady but thrumming with anticipation.

She turned to Dragon, who watched her with a strange, knowing expression. "You ready for this?" she asked.

He smirked, but there was something softer behind it. "Always. But the question is—are you?"

Silvia's lips pressed into a determined line. "I was ready the moment we got here."

He chuckled under his breath. "That's what I like to hear."

A sudden shift in the wind carried the scent of burning wood from the raider's makeshift fires. Silvia felt it like a warning, an omen that things were about to explode into chaos.

The Assault Begins

From above, a single shot rang out—Raleth's signal. The second sentry at the gate barely had time to react before he crumpled to the ground, a clean bullet hole between his eyes.

Silvia and Dragon moved quickly, slipping into the encampment as chaos erupted. Raiders scrambled for weapons, barking orders to one another, but they had been caught completely off guard.

A raider turned just in time to spot her. He lunged, swinging a crude machete. Silvia ducked low, twisting her body to avoid the blade before slicing upward with her dagger, catching him under the ribs. He gasped, eyes wide, before collapsing.

She had no time to breathe. Another raider rushed her from behind. Without thinking, she pivoted, using her smaller frame to her advantage. She slid under his swing and slashed his leg, making him stumble before delivering a swift, brutal kick to his throat. He went down hard.

Dragon tore through the first man who rushed him, his claws slicing through armor like paper. Another raider leaped at him with a rusted axe, but Dragon merely sidestepped, catching the man's wrist and twisting until there was a sickening snap. The raider screamed before Dragon silenced him with a clawed swipe across the throat.

Tarren's rifle crackled from above, sending more bodies dropping. Smoke began curling through the air as their fire traps ignited, cutting off escape routes and forcing the raiders into a corner.

"Push forward!" Silvia commanded, driving her blade into another enemy's gut. Her voice carried over the battlefield like a war cry.

She saw fear in the eyes of the remaining raiders. They weren't soldiers. They were opportunists, scavengers who thrived in chaos but crumbled when faced with true warriors.

And Silvia was a warrior.

Dragon's POV

Dragon fought beside Silvia, reveling in the adrenaline, the sheer thrill of destruction. He felt alive in a way that only battle could make him feel—but more than that, he felt connected to her. They fought as one, like two halves of the same force.

He stole glances at her between attacks, watching the way she moved—fluid, ruthless, utterly fearless. She didn't hesitate, didn't falter. She belonged on the battlefield.

A raider tried to slip past her, attempting to flee into the darkness. Dragon intercepted him with a brutal swipe, his claws catching the man's shoulder and sending him sprawling. Silvia turned at the sound, locking eyes with him, a silent acknowledgment passing between them.

She nodded once before turning back to her own fight. No words were needed. They understood each other in a way that few ever could.

The Final Blow

Silvia caught sight of the raider leader—a tall, scarred man with a cybernetic arm—barking orders at his dwindling forces. If they took him down, the fight would end.

She sprinted toward him, ducking under the wild swing of a desperate raider and slashing upward as she passed. The leader saw her coming, his eyes narrowing.

"You've made a mistake coming here, girl," he growled, raising a massive serrated blade.

Silvia didn't slow. "The only mistake was thinking you could keep preying on the Outlanders."

He swung. She dodged, barely avoiding the deadly arc. She countered, driving her dagger toward his chest, but he caught her wrist, twisting hard. Pain flared up her arm, but she didn't let go.

Then Dragon was there, slamming into the leader from behind, knocking him off balance. Silvia took the opening and drove her dagger deep into his side.

He gasped, looking down at the blade in shock. He staggered back, falling to his knees. "Damn… you…"

She yanked her blade free, stepping back as he collapsed. Silence fell over the battlefield.

Smoke drifted through the air, the last embers of the raiders' campfires flickering out. The battle was over.

Victory and Aftermath

Silvia wiped the sweat from her forehead. "That's it. We did it."

Dragon turned to her, his grin widening. "Told you we'd make them regret it."

She smirked. "I never doubted it."

She looked around, her team standing victorious among the fallen. They had won—but more importantly, they had proven themselves.

With the raiders eliminated, there was only one thing left to do—return to the Outland Clans and claim their victory.

And Silvia had never been more certain.