Chapter 54: The Counterstrike

Chapter 54: The Counterstrike

Silvia's POV

The morning after the battle for Kallisar came with a biting chill, the first hints of winter creeping into the air. Silvia stood on the city walls, watching the sun rise over the war-torn landscape. Smoke still curled from the remnants of the battlefield where Titan's forces had retreated, leaving behind broken machines and bodies.

But this wasn't a victory to celebrate. This was only the beginning.

Dragon joined her, his presence grounding as he leaned on the stone parapet beside her. "You're thinking again."

Silvia smirked but didn't look away from the horizon. "I do that a lot."

"I've noticed." His golden eyes studied her. "You're wondering when they'll strike back."

She nodded. "Titan doesn't lose. They'll send more troops, more weapons. We bought ourselves time, but not much. We need to hit them before they regroup."

Garrik, Tarren, and Captain Leona Varis arrived moments later, the latter looking much more put together than she had the previous night. Kallisar's defenders were tough, but even they weren't prepared for another full-scale siege.

Leona wasted no time. "We don't have the numbers to withstand another direct assault. If Titan returns, Kallisar falls."

Garrik crossed his arms. "Then we don't wait for them. We take the fight to them."

Silvia met his gaze. "Agreed. We hit their supply lines, disrupt their command. If we can take down one of their regional generals, we can throw them into disarray."

Tarren tapped the map spread over the makeshift table. "General Roth oversees this region. He's stationed at a fortress east of here. Heavy security, but if we can cut him off, Titan will lose its ability to coordinate its forces."

Silvia exhaled. Taking down a Titan general wasn't impossible, but it would be dangerous. "Then that's our next move."

Dragon grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Finally, a plan I like."

The Assault Begins

Night fell swiftly as Silvia and her strike team approached the Titan stronghold. The fortress loomed ahead, its floodlights casting eerie glows across the landscape. Guards patrolled the walls, their shadows stretching long against the stone.

Silvia motioned for silence, her heart steady but alert. This wasn't like the battle for Kallisar. This was infiltration. Precision. One wrong move and they were dead.

Tarren whispered, "I count at least two dozen guards on the perimeter. More inside."

Garrik adjusted his grip on his weapon. "Then we take them out quietly."

Dragon smirked. "Or we let Silvia show off again."

Silvia rolled her eyes but didn't argue. She extended her hand, her magic weaving into the air like smoke. The shadows around them deepened, cloaking their movements. "Move fast. No noise."

One by one, they slipped through the gaps in the fortress's defenses. Silvia moved like a ghost, her blade flashing in the dim light as she silently dispatched guards. Dragon was a force of nature, his claws ending threats before they could even raise an alarm.

They reached the fortress doors, where two heavily armed guards stood. Dragon nodded at Silvia. "Ladies first."

She smirked, then thrust out her hand. A pulse of energy slammed into the guards, sending them sprawling. Before they could recover, Dragon finished them off.

Tarren pressed against the steel doors. "We're in."

Silvia took a steadying breath. Time to end this.

The Showdown with General Roth

The command room was at the heart of the fortress. As Silvia's team burst through the doors, General Roth barely had time to turn before she had a blade at his throat.

He sneered, unafraid. "You have no idea what you've just done."

Silvia didn't flinch. "Oh, I think I do."

Before she could react, Roth activated a hidden switch. Alarms blared. Reinforcements stormed in.

Dragon growled. "So much for quiet."

The battle was instant chaos. Silvia fought with calculated precision, her magic lashing out at soldiers while Dragon tore through them. Garrik and Tarren covered the exits, holding back the flood of Titan reinforcements.

Roth slipped away in the chaos, but Silvia saw him moving toward a communications console. If he called for backup, they were dead.

Silvia sprinted, dodging gunfire. She reached Roth just as he activated the transmission.

"You think this changes anything?" Roth snarled. "Titan is inevitable."

Silvia's dagger found its mark. "So am I."

Roth gasped, slumping to the ground.

Dragon appeared beside her, panting. "We need to move."

Silvia grabbed the general's command key and turned to her team. "We're done here. Blow the place."

The Aftermath

Explosions rocked the fortress as Silvia and her team escaped into the night. Flames licked at the sky, the Titan stronghold reduced to rubble.

They had done it. Titan had lost a general.

As they reached their rendezvous point, Dragon chuckled. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."

Silvia smirked. "Too late for that."

The war had just taken a turn. And this time, it was in their favor.

Dragon's POV

Dragon watched the fortress burn, a deep satisfaction settling in his chest. Titan had always loomed as an unstoppable force, but tonight, they had proven that even the largest beast could bleed.

He glanced at Silvia, who stood slightly ahead, her shoulders squared as she watched the destruction. She looked exhausted but unshaken, firelight reflecting in her determined gaze. She didn't just fight battles. She waged wars.

A rare sense of admiration filled him. He had known powerful warriors, but none like her. She was clever, ruthless when needed, yet carried the weight of every life lost. She wasn't fighting for power—she was fighting to break the cycle.

He stepped beside her, folding his arms. "What's next, commander?"

She turned to him, an amused glint in her tired eyes. "You think you can keep up?"

Dragon smirked. "I'd like to see you try and shake me."

For the first time since the war began, Silvia allowed herself to laugh. Just for a moment. A brief taste of victory before the next battle came.