Chapter 57: Counterattack

Chapter 57: Counterattack

Silvia's POV

The underground tunnels stretched on endlessly, the air thick with dust and the distant scent of damp stone. The resistance fighters moved quickly, their boots barely making a sound against the packed earth. Their retreat had been forced, but it had been necessary. Silvia clenched her fists. Titan might have pushed them back, but this war wasn't over.

Dragon walked beside her, his usual smirk absent, replaced with a quiet intensity. "We can't stay here long. Titan will send scouts. They'll try to smoke us out."

Silvia nodded. "We need to move deeper into the ruins, regroup, and hit back before they think we're weak."

Tarren adjusted her rifle. "We lost a good position. How do we make up for it?"

Garrik grunted. "We take one of theirs."

Silvia studied the rough map in her hands. "There's an old Titan outpost north of here. If we move fast, we can take it before they reinforce it. Use their own stronghold against them."

Dragon chuckled, a bit of his usual arrogance returning. "I like the sound of that."

The Outpost Raid

They reached the outpost just before dawn, using the early morning fog as cover. The structure was heavily guarded, but not fortified enough to withstand a surprise attack. Silvia motioned for the team to split into three units—one led by Garrik to breach the main gate, another led by Tarren to take the high ground, and herself and Dragon to cut off reinforcements.

The first shots rang out as the resistance stormed the gates. Titan soldiers scrambled, caught off guard by the sudden assault. Silvia moved with deadly precision, her magic weaving through the battlefield like living fire. Dragon tore through enemy lines, his monstrous form a blur of claws and destruction.

Tarren's snipers picked off key officers, creating confusion within the ranks. The battle was swift, brutal, and decisive. Within minutes, the outpost was theirs.

But Silvia knew better than to assume victory. She turned to Dragon. "Scan the perimeter. If there are hidden reinforcements waiting for an ambush, I want to know."

Dragon transformed into his panther-like form and disappeared into the fog, his movements completely silent. Meanwhile, Silvia climbed to the highest tower of the outpost, gazing over the battlefield. They needed to fortify this place before Titan's retaliation.

Titan's Trap

Minutes passed. Then an hour. The resistance had begun securing the outpost when Dragon returned, shifting back into his humanoid form mid-stride. "We've got a problem."

Silvia's heart clenched. "How bad?"

"Titan's already moving on us. Fast. There's a convoy approaching from the west, and they're bringing heavy artillery. They knew we'd take this outpost." He looked at her, golden eyes sharp. "This wasn't just a mission. It was bait."

Garrik cursed. "They wanted us here. To trap us."

Silvia's mind raced. If Titan overwhelmed them now, all they'd fought for would be lost. But retreat wasn't an option—not anymore. If they abandoned this post, Titan would cement its hold over the region.

"Then we don't run. We dig in and turn this trap on them."

Preparing for Battle

The resistance worked fast. They repurposed Titan's own defenses—autocannons, energy barriers, and high-powered turrets. Tarren's snipers took positions on the towers while Garrik's warriors reinforced the gates.

Silvia stood at the heart of it all, directing with unwavering focus. "Dragon, I need you in the air. The moment their artillery comes into range, I want you taking out their lead vehicles."

Dragon cracked his neck, flexing his claws. "With pleasure."

The distant rumble of Titan's approach sent vibrations through the stone beneath their feet. The sky darkened as drones swarmed in first, scouting the area before the main force arrived.

Tarren fired the first shot, taking out a drone in midair. "They know we're ready for them. Let's see if they're ready for us."

The Ambush

Titan came like a storm, their armored vehicles roaring down the hillside, their soldiers moving in tight formations. Heavy plasma cannons opened fire, sending shockwaves through the ground as they targeted the outpost's walls.

Silvia unleashed her magic, sending arcs of fire crashing into the enemy ranks. She wasn't just fighting for survival anymore. She was fighting to make sure Titan never stood back up.

Dragon struck from above, diving down and shredding through enemy soldiers before leaping away. The battle was chaos, but they held the line.

Then, the true threat emerged.

A massive war mech, unlike anything Silvia had ever seen, stomped onto the battlefield. Standing nearly thirty feet tall, its cannons glowed with unstable energy.

"What the hell is that?" Garrik shouted.

Dragon's eyes narrowed. "Something we weren't supposed to survive."

The mech locked onto Silvia, its cannons humming. She braced herself, summoning every ounce of energy she had.

The Titan Mech's Wrath

The mech fired a concentrated energy blast, forcing Silvia to dive out of the way. The explosion sent shockwaves through the battlefield, tearing apart sections of the outpost's walls. Garrik and his warriors scrambled for cover as debris rained down.

Dragon roared, shifting mid-air, his monstrous form launching toward the mech. His claws met its armored plating, but the metal barely dented. He landed, snarling. "It's reinforced! We need a different approach."

Silvia rolled to her feet, flames flickering around her fingers. "Then we go for the joints."

Tarren's voice crackled over the comms. "I see weak spots—target the knee actuators and the main power core in the back."

Silvia relayed the orders, weaving between Titan soldiers as she reached the mech's side. Dragon distracted it, dodging its swings as Silvia gathered energy. One shot. Make it count.

She unleashed a concentrated blast, striking the mech's knee joint. Metal groaned as sparks flew, the machine stumbling for the first time. Garrik and his warriors surged forward, attacking its legs with explosives.

Dragon found an opening and leapt onto its back, claws tearing at the power core. "Now, Silvia!"

Silvia unleashed the last of her stored energy, sending a wave of fire straight into the exposed core.

The mech shuddered.

Then it exploded.

The blast knocked them all off their feet, a deafening roar consuming the battlefield. Smoke and fire filled the sky as the mech collapsed, a final groan of metal echoing into the night.

Silvia coughed, pushing herself up. The battlefield was eerily silent. They had won.

Dragon approached her, shifting back into his human form, his face streaked with soot. "Remind me to never piss you off."

Silvia smirked, catching her breath. "Too late for that."

The battle for the outpost was over, but the war was far from won.