Chapter 53: The Battlefront Awakens

Chapter 53: The Battlefront Awakens

Silvia's POV

The weight of command had never felt heavier than it did now. Silvia stood at the war table, her fingers tracing the latest reports from their scouts. The map before her was riddled with enemy placements, Titan's presence tightening around the city-states.

"It's already begun," she muttered.

Dragon leaned beside her, arms crossed. "You expected them to wait?"

Silvia sighed, her gaze locked onto the city of Kallisar, one of the few remaining free territories. If Titan crushed it, their resistance would lose a crucial foothold.

"We need to get to Kallisar before Titan does. If we can fortify it, we might be able to force them into a drawn-out fight on our terms."

Garrik studied the map. "Then we move tonight. I'll take my best warriors and clear the path."

Tarren frowned. "And if we're too late?"

Silvia's expression hardened. "Then we fight our way in."

The Road to Kallisar

The journey was grueling. They traveled under the cover of night, weaving through abandoned highways and long-forgotten ruins. The closer they got, the more evidence they found of Titan's advance—burned-out settlements, lingering columns of smoke where villages once stood.

Silvia clenched her fists. They were destroying everything in their path.

Dragon rode beside her, his sharp gaze taking in the devastation. "They're making an example of them. Showing the city-states what happens when they don't submit."

Silvia's grip on her weapon tightened. "Then we show them what happens when they push too far."

As dawn approached, the first sight of Kallisar emerged from the horizon. The city's walls stood tall, but plumes of black smoke curled into the sky. Titan had already begun its siege.

"We don't have time to scout," Garrik said grimly. "We either go in now or risk finding the gates breached."

Silvia took a steady breath. "We charge. Full force."

The Siege of Kallisar

Their arrival wasn't subtle, nor was it meant to be. The Outlanders rode in like a storm, their war cries cutting through the battlefield. Titan's forces turned to meet them, caught between their assault and the city's defenses.

Silvia led the charge, her magic flaring as she hurled fire into the enemy ranks. "Push forward! We break through their lines now!"

Dragon fought beside her, a blur of claws and steel. Every move was lethal, precise. He didn't just fight—he hunted.

Garrik and his warriors carved a path toward the city gates, driving Titan's forces back step by step.

Tarren fired from the high ground, picking off key officers. "They're regrouping! We need to hit them harder!"

Silvia gritted her teeth. They couldn't afford to be pushed back. She reached deep into her reserves, summoning a surge of raw energy that crackled through the air before slamming into the enemy's front lines. Soldiers screamed as the ground shattered beneath them.

Dragon whistled. "Remind me not to get on your bad side."

Silvia smirked despite the chaos. "Too late for that."

The battle raged, Titan sending reinforcements as their frontline crumbled. But Silvia refused to falter. This was their moment. If they let up, Kallisar would be lost.

She turned to Garrik. "Send a unit through the east side—flank them!"

Garrik nodded, bellowing the order as his warriors broke off.

Suddenly, the sky rumbled. A Titan airship loomed overhead, its cannons rotating toward the battlefield.

"They brought air support!" Tarren yelled. "Silvia, we need to move!"

She cursed. They had seconds before that ship obliterated them.

Dragon grabbed her wrist. "We take it out together. You trust me?"

"Always."

Dragon leaped, shifting midair, his monstrous form dark against the sky. Silvia concentrated, her magic weaving into his movements as he took off toward the ship. She extended her power, sending arcs of energy through him.

The ship fired.

Silvia clenched her fists, redirecting the blast into the air. "Dragon, now!"

With a roar, he struck the ship's hull, his claws raking through metal. Explosions rippled as he ripped into its engines. Smoke and fire filled the sky before the ship collapsed into the valley beyond.

Silvia hit the ground hard, panting, but victorious. They had won this battle.

Dragon's POV

Dragon stood at Silvia's side, watching as the city gates opened. He had fought countless battles, but this one had been different. Because of her.

She was fierce, relentless, a force of nature. He had never fought beside anyone quite like her, and as he watched her now—her face streaked with soot and exhaustion—he realized something else.

He was proud of her.

More than that, he was drawn to her in a way that went beyond battle, beyond survival. She had become more than just an ally, more than just a leader. She was everything.

"You should rest," he said quietly, watching her closely.

Silvia turned to him, exhaustion evident in her eyes. "Not yet."

His golden eyes softened. "Then let me stay with you."

She hesitated for a brief moment before offering him a small, genuine smile. "Just for a while."

He exhaled, relieved, and settled beside her, both of them watching the battlefield beyond. The stars stretched above them, the night deceptively peaceful despite the war they had just fought.

For now, they had won. Together.

Inside Kallisar

The gates opened just as the last of Titan's forces retreated. Silvia and her team were ushered inside, greeted by exhausted but determined city defenders.

A woman in armor, her face streaked with grime, stepped forward. "I am Captain Leona Varis. You saved us."

Silvia shook her head. "We delayed them. But they'll be back. We need to make sure this city is ready."

Leona studied her before nodding. "Then let's get to work."

That night, as Kallisar's defenses were reinforced, Silvia stood on the city walls, watching the battlefield beyond. They had won today, but the war was far from over.

Dragon stepped beside her. "You should rest."

She turned to him, her exhaustion evident. "Not yet."

His golden eyes softened. "Then let me stay with you."

Silvia allowed herself a small smile. "Just for a while."

As the stars stretched overhead, she knew one thing for certain: They would keep fighting. Together.