Chapter 5: Blood Before Dawn

The scream echoed through the night like a dying animal. It wasn't loud, but it was enough to set the camp on edge.

Vael Corren didn't flinch. He had been waiting for this moment, but now that it had arrived, the weight of it settled heavily in his chest. It was always like this. The anticipation, the sharp feeling of everything about to slip into chaos, was both familiar and suffocating.

From his seat by the fire, he watched the flames crackle, the heat from them almost pleasant in the biting cold of the morning. This wasn't the first man to fall. But it was the first time it felt... final.

The scream came again, followed by the unmistakable sound of bodies dragging across the earth. The clatter of boots, the hard pant of a man struggling to take his final breath.

Riven Sol appeared from the shadows, face set in the same unreadable mask he always wore, eyes cold as stone. He wiped his blade with the back of his sleeve, flicking the blood away without any emotion.

"Jorran didn't make it far," Riven said, his voice flat.

Vael didn't even look at him. He could already feel the heat of the fire in his bones, his mind drifting. "And what of the others?"

Riven stood still for a long moment, his eyes flicking over to the body. He spoke like a man who knew better than to rush the details. "He thought he could run. That was his mistake."

Vael's lips curled into something like a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "A mistake. Yes."

He stood slowly, his boots crunching softly against the frozen earth. The body—Jorran—was being dragged into the center of the camp, where the firelight flickered across his dead face. The man's eyes were wide open, frozen in a grimace of terror.

"How far do you think they'll go?" Vael asked, still staring at Jorran's vacant eyes, his tone distant.

Riven paused before answering, glancing down at the corpse. "As far as you push them."

"Not far enough," Vael muttered, his voice almost lost in the wind. "Not nearly."

He didn't say what he was really thinking. That Jorran wasn't the real target. The real target was always the one still breathing—Thorne Malrik, the one who thought he could bend a kingdom without breaking it.

But I'll break it first, Vael thought bitterly. I'll shatter him and everything he's built. Slowly. Methodically.

Ironreach — The Breaking Dawn

The first blow came just before dawn. Thorne's eyes snapped open the moment he heard the clash of steel. Not the typical sparring or practice drills—the sound was raw, frantic, too urgent. His instincts kicked in before his mind had fully caught up.

It's happening.

He was out of bed before the command came. His boots hit the stone floor with a dull thud, and he grabbed his sword from the table beside him. There was no time to waste.

"General! The walls! They're under attack!" shouted one of the soldiers as he burst through the door, wide-eyed and panting. "They've breached the eastern gate!"

Thorne didn't respond right away, his mind already working through the possibilities. He was ready for ambush, yes, but not like this. Not with the precision of someone who knew his every move.

"Vael," he muttered under his breath. "It's Vael."

A cold rage spread through him, and his grip on the sword tightened. Betrayal had a bitter taste. But it wasn't just the betrayal that stung—it was the fact that Vael thought he could take the city this way.

Not today, Thorne thought, his jaw clenched. "Prepare the men. We hold the walls, or we burn the city down to keep them from taking it."

Vael's Camp — Dawn

The world was still dark when Maera Vex stepped into the ring of firelight. She moved like smoke, silent and eerie. Her presence was always unnerving, like something not entirely human.

"You've started, then," she said, voice low, almost thoughtful. Her gaze lingered on the body, unbothered by the sight of the blood.

Vael glanced at her, eyes cold, unreadable. "It was necessary."

Maera tilted her head. "For what?"

Vael smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "To make them listen."

She didn't respond. Instead, she walked closer, stopping just at the edge of the firelight. The flames flickered across her face, but they couldn't warm the chill in her eyes.

"You do realize, Vael," she said softly, "they'll fight back. Harder than you expect."

Vael looked at her, the firelight casting sharp shadows across his face. "Good," he said, the word rough with anticipation. "Then it'll be worth it."g