The camp loomed ahead, its crude wooden walls illuminated by the flickering glow of torchlight. Blackbrand’s banners, marked with a jagged crimson slash, fluttered ominously in the cold night breeze. Emmet crouched in the underbrush alongside Korvin, Tabitha, and the rest of their ragtag group, the tension in the air as sharp as a blade.

Korvin raised a hand, signaling the others to stay low. “We hit the sentries first,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “No noise. Lira, you take the left tower. Drenn, the right.”

Lira and Drenn nodded, their movements quick and practiced as they melted into the shadows.

Emmet gripped his spear tightly, his serpent coiling around his shoulders like a living scarf. Its golden eyes glinted in the darkness, alert and ready. Tabitha knelt beside him, her staff pulsing faintly with restrained power.

“Are you ready for this?” she asked, her voice steady.

Emmet nodded, his jaw clenched. “They’ve taken enough from me. Tonight, we take it back.”

Korvin glanced at Emmet, his expression unreadable. “Stick to the plan, kid. Don’t let revenge cloud your judgment.”

“I won’t,” Emmet replied, though the fire in his chest told a different story.

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The assault began in silence.

Lira’s arrow flew true, piercing the throat of the left tower’s sentry before he could sound the alarm. On the opposite side, Drenn’s maces crushed the skull of another guard with brutal efficiency.

Korvin led the charge, his axe cleaving through the wooden gate with a resounding crash. Emmet followed close behind, his serpent striking out at a pair of startled guards, its venomous fangs sinking deep into their flesh.

Tabitha raised her staff, and a pulse of arcane energy rippled through the air, knocking another group of Blackbrand thugs off their feet. Kael, the quiet mage, muttered an incantation, his tattoos flaring as chains of glowing light bound their enemies in place.

The camp erupted into chaos.

Blackbrand soldiers scrambled to defend their stronghold, but the surprise attack had thrown them into disarray. Emmet moved with precision, his spear striking like lightning as he cut down those who dared to stand in his way. His serpent darted through the fray, its sleek form weaving between enemies as it delivered fatal strikes.

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Tabitha’s magic provided cover, her spells carving through the enemy ranks with unrelenting force. Meanwhile, Korvin and the others targeted the supply wagons, setting them ablaze and ensuring Blackbrand would feel the sting of their assault long after the battle ended.

“Prisoners are in the center tent!” Korvin shouted over the din.

Emmet didn’t hesitate. He broke away from the group, his serpent slithering ahead to clear a path. Tabitha followed close behind, her staff glowing brightly as she deflected an arrow aimed at Emmet’s back.

The central tent was heavily guarded, but Emmet’s determination burned hotter than his fear. He drove his spear through one guard’s chest, then pivoted to dodge another’s blade. His serpent lashed out, its fangs sinking into the throat of a third.

Tabitha raised her staff, and a shockwave of energy sent the remaining guards sprawling.

“Go!” she urged.

Emmet tore open the tent flap, his heart pounding in his chest. Inside, the stench of blood and despair hit him like a physical blow. Dozens of prisoners huddled together, their faces pale and gaunt, their wrists bound with iron shackles.

“Mila! Theo!” he called, his voice breaking.

A woman near the back of the group shook her head. “They’re gone,” she whispered, her voice hoarse.

Emmet froze, his spear slipping from his grasp. “What do you mean?”

“They took two children,” the woman said, her eyes filled with pity. “A boy and a girl. Said they were ‘special.’ They left three days ago, heading east.”

Emmet’s chest constricted, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He stumbled back, the weight of her words threatening to crush him.

“Emmet.” Tabitha’s voice cut through the fog of his despair. She placed a hand on his shoulder, grounding him. “They’re alive. And now we know where to find them.”

Her words sparked a fragile ember of resolve within him. He turned to the prisoners, his voice steady despite the storm raging inside him.

“We’re getting you out of here,” he said. “All of you.”

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The group regrouped at the edge of the forest, the rescued prisoners trailing behind them. The Blackbrand camp burned in the distance, its flames consuming the remnants of the faction’s power in the region.

Korvin approached Emmet, his expression grim. “You did good tonight,” he said. “But it’s not over, is it?”

Emmet shook his head, his gaze fixed on the horizon. “Not until I find them.”

Korvin clapped him on the shoulder. “Then we’ll help you. Blackbrand won’t know what hit them.”

As the first light of dawn broke over the horizon, Emmet tightened his grip on his spear. His siblings were out there, and he would tear the world apart to bring them home.