The air reeked of smoke and burning metal. The resistance hideout, once a safe haven buried deep within the underground tunnels, now lay in ruins. Fires raged through the cavernous expanse, casting eerie shadows against the crumbling stone walls. The Etherium cannon had struck its mark with terrifying precision.

Rez pulled himself from beneath a fallen beam, coughing violently as dust clogged his lungs. All around him, the wounded groaned, some calling for help, others too far gone to make a sound. The air was thick with the acrid scent of ozone—a signature of the pirates' advanced weaponry. He staggered to his feet, scanning the devastation for familiar faces.

“Mira!” His voice was hoarse, barely audible over the chaos.

A few meters away, Eren knelt beside Mira’s motionless form. Blood soaked her side, seeping through the torn fabric of her jacket. Her breaths came in shallow, ragged intervals. Eren's usually impassive face was tight with frustration and fear as he pressed a wad of cloth against her wound.

“She needs a healer,” Eren snapped, his voice strained. “Now.”

Rez’s stomach twisted. The resistance had medics, but many were either dead or tending to others. He knelt beside Mira, gripping her wrist. Her pulse was faint but steady.

“I’ll find someone,” Rez promised. “Just keep the pressure on.”

Before he could move, a deafening explosion rocked the tunnels, sending a fresh wave of dust cascading from the ceiling. Arvis’ forces weren’t finished. They were coming to finish the job.

Rez grabbed Eren’s shoulder. “We can’t stay here. We need to fall back.”

Eren’s eyes darkened. “If we run, we lose everything.”

“If we stay, we die.”

Eren clenched his jaw but nodded. Rez turned to the survivors. “Everyone who can move, help the wounded. We retreat to the secondary tunnels.”

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

The resistance members moved quickly, though their movements were sluggish from exhaustion and grief. The resistance hideout was lost, but the fight wasn’t over.

----------------------------------------

The tunnels were damp and eerily silent. The remaining resistance members had set up a temporary camp deep within the labyrinthine network beneath Cloud Pass. Lanterns flickered against the rocky walls, casting long, wavering shadows. The tension in the air was suffocating.

Mira lay on a makeshift cot, her face pale, sweat beading on her brow. A young medic had managed to stabilize her, but she wouldn’t be leading anyone for a while.

Rez stood at the center of the chamber, surrounded by what remained of the resistance’s leadership. Eren leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his face a mask of barely contained fury. Kellen, the rogue, sharpened his dagger with slow, deliberate strokes, his eyes scanning the room. Lyra, the young mage-in-training, fidgeted beside him, her face tight with worry.

“This was calculated,” Rez said, breaking the heavy silence. “Arvis knew exactly where to hit us. The only way he could’ve known is if someone sold us out.”

Murmurs rippled through the group, a mixture of shock and anger.

“I wouldn’t put it past the pirates,” Kellen muttered. “They’re good at finding cracks to slip through.”

Eren’s eyes flashed. “Does it matter? We need to strike back before they wipe us out completely.”

“We can’t rush in blind,” Rez countered. “They still have the Etherium cannon, and now we know it works.”

Silence fell over the group again. The cannon had turned their stronghold into rubble with a single blast. If the pirates brought it to the surface, they could level Cloud Pass itself.

Rez exhaled slowly. He hadn’t planned on leading a resistance. He was an alchemist, not a general. But Mira was out of commission, and someone had to step up. He ran a hand through his soot-streaked hair, forcing himself to think.

“We need to take the fight to Captain Foundry,” Rez finally said. “Destroy the cannon at its source before they can use it again.”

Eren gave him a hard look. “And how do you propose we do that? Our forces are scattered, our weapons are limited, and they know we’re wounded.”

Rez’s mind worked through the possibilities. “We have an inside man.”

“The mechanic,” Lyra realized, eyes widening. “He’s still on the Iron Tempest.”

Rez nodded. “And now that his daughter is safe, he has no reason to hold back.”

Eren was silent for a long moment, then he gave a slow nod. “If we’re doing this, we need a real plan.”

Kellen smirked, flipping his dagger between his fingers. “Then let’s get to work.”

Rez took a deep breath, steadying himself. This war was far from over. Arvis had struck a devastating blow, but he had made one critical mistake: he hadn’t finished them off.

And Rez intended to make him regret it.