Rez set out at dawn, his destination clear: the neighboring city of Rizuir. With the resistance in tatters after Arvis’ brutal attack, they needed reinforcements, supplies, and, above all, allies willing to fight. Mira’s wounds kept her confined to the hideout, and Eren remained behind to oversee their dwindling numbers. That left Rez to make the long journey alone, save for Kellen, who insisted on coming along.

Rizuir was a city of iron and stone, its towering forges once bustling with Etherium-powered machinery. Now, however, the city bore the scars of pirate raids. Streets that had once echoed with the sounds of hammer on metal were now eerily quiet. Factories stood abandoned, their furnaces cold, and the people who remained moved with wariness, casting suspicious glances at the two newcomers.

Rez had heard stories of Rizuir’s miners—tough, resilient, and fiercely loyal to their own. If anyone had cause to fight the pirates, it was them. He and Kellen made their way to a smoky tavern near the edge of the city, where the displaced miners were known to gather. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of sweat and cheap ale. Hard-faced men and women nursed drinks, their eyes glinting with a mix of resentment and despair.

A broad-shouldered man with a deep scar running down his cheek eyed Rez and Kellen warily. “You don’t belong here.”

Rez met his gaze steadily. “I’m here to offer a fight. One that’ll put an end to the pirates who stole your homes.”

The room fell into a tense silence. Then, a woman with soot-streaked arms stood. “We’ve heard promises before. People come, talk big, then disappear when it gets tough.”

Rez stepped forward. “I won’t disappear. The resistance is real, and we’ve already struck at the heart of the pirates. They’re wounded, but we need more strength to finish the job. I know what it’s like to have everything taken. To see your home burned. I’ve lost people too. But I refuse to let them win.”

Murmurs spread through the crowd. The scarred man narrowed his eyes. “If you’re serious, prove it. Help us take back the refinery the pirates seized. Do that, and we’ll fight with you.”

Kellen let out a low chuckle. “That’s more our style.”

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That night, Rez, Kellen, and the miners launched their assault. The refinery was heavily guarded, but the pirates hadn’t expected an attack from people they’d already crushed. Using a mix of stealth and alchemical trickery, Rez led the charge. Smoke bombs and firecrackers disoriented the enemy while Kellen and the miners struck with brutal efficiency.

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The battle was swift and brutal. By the time dawn broke, the refinery belonged to the miners once more. The scarred man clapped Rez on the shoulder. “You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. We’ll fight with you.”

With their first allies secured, Rez turned his attention to the next task: finding Kael. A former soldier with a reputation for outmaneuvering pirates, Kael had disappeared from the battlefield years ago. Rumors placed him in Rizuir’s lower district, working as a bodyguard for a local merchant.

Rez and Kellen found him in a dimly lit gambling hall, watching a game of dice with mild disinterest. When Rez approached, Kael barely glanced up. “I don’t fight wars anymore.”

“Then fight for revenge,” Rez countered. “The pirates took your men. Your home. They’ll keep taking until nothing’s left.”

Kael exhaled slowly, as if considering. Then, he stood. “I’ll fight. But not for revenge. For the people who still have something left to lose.”

With Kael and the miners on their side, Rez and Kellen returned to the hideout. The battle for Cloud Pass was far from over, but now, they had an army to fight it.

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Back at the resistance hideout, Mira was still recovering, but her relief was evident when she saw the new recruits. Eren, ever the skeptic, pulled Rez aside. “Are you sure about them? Miners aren’t soldiers, and Kael… he’s been out of the fight for a long time.”

“They’re willing to fight,” Rez said firmly. “That’s more than enough. We don’t have the luxury of waiting for the perfect army. We have to build it.”

Over the next few days, the resistance hideout became a training ground. The miners, though untrained in formal combat, took quickly to learning guerrilla tactics. Kael, despite his reluctance, proved invaluable in drilling them in defensive maneuvers. He had a keen eye for strategy, pointing out weak spots in their fortifications and devising contingency plans.

Lyra, eager to help, used her magic to reinforce their makeshift barricades and experimented with new spells that could counteract the Etherium cannon’s effects. Kellen worked on integrating the miners into the resistance ranks, turning them from a ragtag group into a cohesive force.

One evening, Rez found himself sitting with Kael near the edge of the camp. The older man studied him for a long moment before speaking. “You remind me of someone I fought beside once.”

Rez raised an eyebrow. “A good thing or a bad thing?”

Kael smirked. “He got himself killed trying to be a hero.”

“I’m not trying to be a hero,” Rez replied. “I just want to stop them.”

Kael nodded. “Then let’s make sure you live long enough to do it.”

With the resistance reinforced, the time for preparation was over. The battle for Cloud Pass was about to begin.