Chapter 62: Resurgence

Chapter 62: Resurgence

Silvia's POV

Dawn had barely broken when Silvia stood at the edge of the encampment, staring toward the north. The scouts' reports had confirmed her worst fears—Titan's forces were regrouping far quicker than anticipated. If they didn't act first, their recent victory would be meaningless.

Dragon stretched beside her, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're going to tell me we're attacking before breakfast, aren't you?"

She glanced at him, her expression unyielding. "Do you ever eat breakfast?"

Dragon smirked. "Not when we're in the middle of a war."

"Then it shouldn't be a problem."

Tarren and Garrik approached, looking as tired as everyone else but as determined as ever. "The scouts spotted Titan's forces digging in about twenty miles out," Tarren reported. "They're setting up defensive structures. Whatever they're planning, it's not small."

Garrik exhaled. "They're bringing in heavy artillery. If we wait, they'll fortify. We'll lose the momentum we just gained."

Silvia nodded. "Then we won't wait. We hit them first."

The War Room

Gathered around the battle map, Silvia and her commanders studied Titan's current positioning. The enemy was positioned along a valley ridge, using natural terrain to their advantage.

"They're expecting us to come head-on," Garrik muttered, tracing his fingers along the map. "If we do, it'll be a bloodbath."

Silvia tapped a secondary route. "Then we don't come head-on. We move around the ridge and hit them from behind while a decoy force keeps them distracted."

Dragon grinned. "Classic misdirection. I like it."

Tarren adjusted her rifle strap. "I can position my snipers along the canyon walls. Take out their officers before they even know what's happening."

Garrik crossed his arms. "We'll need a ground team to disable their artillery before they can turn it on us. I'll take a small unit and handle it."

Silvia met their gazes. "Good. We move in three hours. Get your teams ready."

The Preparation

The next few hours were spent in a flurry of preparation. The resistance forces packed ammunition, reinforced armor, and went over last-minute adjustments to the plan. Silvia moved through the camp, checking in with the troops.

She stopped when she saw Dragon sharpening his claws against a whetstone. "You ready?"

He smirked, flexing his fingers. "Always."

Silvia took a deep breath. "This isn't just about taking out a Titan force. If we do this right, we cripple them for weeks. Maybe months."

Dragon leaned forward. "And if we do it wrong?"

She exhaled slowly. "Then we lose more than an opportunity. We lose people."

For once, Dragon didn't have a snarky remark. Instead, he placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing lightly. "Then let's not do it wrong."

The Ambush

The resistance forces moved into position with practiced silence. Silvia crouched behind a rocky outcrop, watching Titan's troops below. Their massive war machines hummed with stored energy, towering above squads of foot soldiers.

She activated her comms. "Tarren, are you in position?"

Tarren's voice came through. "Locked and loaded. Waiting on your signal."

Silvia turned to Dragon. "You take the left flank, I'll move in from the right."

Dragon nodded, his usual smirk replaced with a rare seriousness. "Try not to get yourself killed."

She smirked. "I should be telling you that."

Without another word, she raised her hand. The signal.

Tarren's sniper rifle cracked through the silence, taking out the first Titan officer. Within seconds, the battlefield erupted into chaos. Garrik's team breached the artillery defenses, explosions ripping through Titan's fortifications. The enemy scrambled, momentarily confused, and Silvia knew it was time to strike.

She charged forward, flames igniting in her palms as she blasted through the first wave of soldiers. Dragon leapt onto a Titan war machine, claws raking through its armored plating as he tore into its pilot. Resistance forces surged in, overwhelming the scattered enemy lines.

A Titan soldier swung at Silvia, but she ducked, rolling beneath his strike before retaliating with a burst of fire. The man screamed, dropping his weapon as the flames consumed him. Another rushed at her, but Dragon was there first, intercepting with a lethal swipe.

"You're getting slow," he teased.

She twisted, dodging a plasma bolt. "You've already said that."

Dragon wiped the blood off his claws, his smirk deepening. "Just making sure you're listening."

Turning the Tide

The battle waged for what felt like hours. Titan's reinforcements poured in, but the resistance held their ground. Garrik's team managed to disable the heavy artillery, giving Silvia's forces the opening they needed to push forward.

Silvia took in the battlefield, assessing. "We're winning, but we need to finish this."

Tarren's voice crackled in the comms. "Something's coming in from the east—looks big."

Silvia turned just in time to see the approaching mech—a heavily-armored Titan war machine, its cannons glowing ominously.

Dragon cursed. "You've got to be kidding me."

Silvia gritted her teeth. "Everyone, fall back to defensive positions!"

The mech opened fire, energy blasts ripping through the battlefield. Silvia barely dodged in time, rolling to the side as debris rained down around her.

Garrik's voice came through. "We can't hold out against that thing for long!"

Silvia's mind raced. There had to be a weak spot. Then she saw it—the power core at the back of its chassis.

"Dragon, I need you to get me on top of that thing," she said.

Dragon eyed her. "Are you insane?"

"Probably."

He exhaled, then grabbed her by the waist. "Hold on tight."

With a powerful leap, Dragon launched them both onto the mech's back. Silvia steadied herself, summoning all the energy she had left.

"You better move!" she shouted at Dragon as she unleashed a concentrated blast of fire at the core.

The explosion rocked the battlefield. The mech shuddered, its systems failing, before collapsing in a fiery heap.

Silvia hit the ground hard, coughing as dust clouded the air. Dragon landed beside her, grinning. "That was reckless."

She smirked. "But effective."

The remaining Titan forces, seeing their war machine destroyed, began to retreat. They had won. Again.

Silvia stood, watching as the enemy fled. "We're not done yet. We push forward. We take back everything they've stolen from us."

Dragon nodded, his grin sharpening. "Now you're talking."

The war still raged, but the tides had turned. And Silvia was ready for whatever came next.