The flames raged, licking at the temple walls, turning the cold stone into a blazing inferno. Warriors screamed as they were consumed, their disciplined ranks breaking apart as Renard Varos, Captain of the Obsidian Hounds, stood amidst the chaos—his crimson blade ablaze with molten fire.

The battle had shifted.

The warriors of the hidden city, who once dominated the fight, were now on the backfoot. Fear and hesitation began to set in as they saw their strongest burned alive.

But amidst the chaos, one man remained completely composed.

Aelric’s golden eyes swept across the battlefield.

To most, it was a massacre.

But to him, it was a board with moving pieces.

And the board was still winnable.

He exhaled.

“Now… I lead.”

“Kaela!” Aelric’s voice cut through the chaos.

Kaela, crouched behind cover, instantly turned toward him.

“Take your fastest warriors and break them apart,” Aelric commanded. “Lure them deeper into the temple ruins. We need to thin their numbers.”

Kaela’s eyes gleamed with understanding.

A second ago, the warriors had hesitated. But Aelric’s calmness was absolute.

She grinned. “On it.”

She launched forward, her spear spinning in her hands.

With inhuman speed, she dashed through the enforcers, striking in quick, precise movements. She didn’t aim to kill. She aimed to enrage them.

A soldier lunged at her—she stepped aside effortlessly, kicking him into another enforcer.

“Come on, you bastards,” she taunted, her smirk sharp. “Try to keep up.”

It worked.

Several Obsidian Hounds abandoned their positions to chase after her, not realizing they were being led straight into an ambush.

The warriors of the hidden city followed her lead, disappearing into the ruins.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Now, Aelric turned to Veyne.

“You block their exits,” he ordered. “No one escapes.”

Veyne grinned, rolling his shoulders. “I like the sound of that.”

His grip tightened on the sword he had received earlier. It felt right in his hands now.

Before, it had been just a weapon.

Now, it was an extension of himself.

He dashed forward, his blade slicing through enforcers trying to flee. The warriors moved beside him, cutting off every escape route.

Within moments, half the Obsidian Hounds were trapped.

At first, Veyne swung wildly, relying on sheer power.

His strikes were overwhelming, but lacked control.

Then—he saw it.

Renard’s swordplay.

The way his blade moved effortlessly, transitioning from one attack to another.

The way he controlled his footwork, minimizing wasted movement.

Even the other enforcers—they had patterns.

Veyne’s mind absorbed everything.

He started to mimic their movements, adjusting his stance, his swings becoming cleaner, more precise.

A warrior lunged—Veyne parried without thinking.

His body moved naturally.

Another enforcer struck from the side—Veyne twisted his wrist, redirecting the blow before countering.

He wasn’t just swinging anymore.

He was fighting.

Kaela, mid-battle, noticed.

“He’s adapting… fast.”

A grin pulled at her lips.

“Maybe he’s not just raw strength after all.”

That left one problem.

Renard.

The flames flickered in Aelric’s eyes as he analyzed the commander.

He relies on his fire too much.

That was his weakness.

Fire needed oxygen. The more he used it in an enclosed space like this, the more the air would thin.

Aelric turned to the warriors still fighting. “Pull him deeper inside! Make him burn as much as possible!”

Kaela, understanding his intent, shouted, “You heard him! Fall back into the temple!”

They moved as one, drawing Renard further in.

Renard smirked. “Running already?”

He swung his blade. Fire surged, forcing the warriors deeper into the ruins.

Perfect.

Renard was burning too much too fast.

Aelric could already feel the air thinning.

And so could Renard.

The commander’s expression twitched. The flames flickered slightly weaker.

He frowned.

Aelric’s smirk widened.

It’s working.

Now for the final move.

Aelric’s mind raced.

The temple was ancient. Old stone, weakened by time.

Renard’s fire had already cracked the foundation.

One final push—and the structure would collapse onto him.

Aelric turned to Kaela.

“Hit the pillars!”

Kaela blinked, then grinned. “You got it.”

She dashed toward the weakest support columns.

With precise spear strikes, she pierced into the cracks, making them spread.

The entire temple rumbled.

Renard’s eyes widened.

The ceiling above him began to cave in.

“You bastard—” he snarled, but it was too late.

A massive chunk of stone collapsed from above, burying Renard beneath it.

Aelric’s sharp gaze never wavered.

The enemy commander was pinned.

But the battle wasn’t over yet.

The warriors cheered.

“We did it!”

“It’s over!”

Some of them stepped forward, raising their weapons for the final blow.

Renard, wounded and pinned beneath the rubble, was at their mercy.

But before anyone could strike—

Aelric’s voice cut through the air.

“Stop.”

The warriors froze.

Aelric walked forward, his expression unreadable.

“We’re not killing him.”

Kaela narrowed her eyes. “Why?”

Aelric looked down at Renard.

“Because he’s more useful alive.”

The warriors exchanged glances.

Aelric continued, his tone cold, ruthless.

“We know too little about the Order. If we kill him now, we gain nothing.”

His golden eyes burned.

“But if we take him alive… we might finally learn the truth.”

Kaela studied him for a moment—then smirked.

Veyne rested his blade on his shoulder. “So… what do we do with him?”

Aelric turned to the warriors of the hidden city.

Their leader, the silver-haired elder, exhaled. “This… this is our first victory against the Order.”

The warriors straightened, determination burning in their eyes.

Aelric nodded. “Then let’s make sure it’s not our last.”

He turned to Renard.

“You’re coming with us.”

Renard gritted his teeth—but he said nothing.

The battle was won.

But Aelric knew—this was just the beginning.

Chapter 12 ends