Rhae, focused on securing reinforcements, sent scouts to reach out to Ragnar, Baldwin, and Tusk and Alcyon's groups, hoping they hadn't faced similar ambushes. Just as her scouts were about to depart, the thunder of hooves broke through the air. A lone horse, streaked with dirt and frothing at the mouth, emerged on the path, carrying an injured man slumped over its neck. Rhae's sharp gaze narrowed, recognizing the horse instantly—it was Ragnar's.

Her heart hammered as she realized the man lying motionless was Ragnar himself. Without hesitation, she launched forward, closing the half-mile distance in a mere second. Theo, Gabriel, and Stark followed close behind, their faces grim. Gabriel swiftly assessing his injuries. His hands moved deftly, binding wounds and attempting to stabilize Ragnar's pulse, but Ragnar's face remained deathly pale, his breath shallow. He was barely hanging on.

Rhae turned to her troops, ordering them to rest while she brought Ragnar into the tent. Gabriel finished administering basic treatment, casting a concerned glance at Rhae before stepping out.

As silence settled, Theo looked over at Rhae, "Do you think the one that attacked us also struck Ragnar's group?"

Rhae's expression darkened, sadness etching into her features. "I fear so. Ragnar isn't weak, and for him to be in this condition... it could only mean he directly faced Wraith himself. No other could damage him this severely."

Theo frowned, considering her words. "Then Wraith must have attacked Ragnar first, before sending forces after us. They must have withdrawn when the sun was about to rise."

"That's what I suspect as well," Rhae replied thoughtfully. "But how did they know about our plans? We only finalized our route three days ago."

Theo's eyes sharpened, scanning the horizon as if expecting an enemy to emerge from the shadows. "Perhaps they were lying in wait for us, anticipating our move. But however they did it, we need to be ready. Wraith will likely strike again tonight. This time, he won't hold back."

Rhae nodded, the determination in her eyes steeling. "Exactly. Tonight, he'll aim to end us. Theo, I need you, Stark, and Gabriel to lead our troops I'll take on Wraith myself."

Theo's face tightened with worry. "I know you're strong, but can you face him alone?"

Rhae looked away for a moment, as if weighing the burden of her responsibilities. "If it were just Wraith, I'd be fine. But with him consumed by this dark energy, his power is... unpredictable. I don't know how strong he is now. Finish off his subordinates as quickly as possible, join me. Together, we might be able to bring him down."

He hesitated, and then asked, "Are you sure you can trust me with this? You've only known me for three days."

Without another word, Rhae moved closer, gently taking his hand. Her eyes softened, her expression vulnerable. "I can't explain it, but I feel like I know you from somewhere. I don't know why, but I feel... safe around you. Something inside me tells me to trust you, Theo. So, I do."

Theo's heart skipped a beat. He had seen Rhae as a warrior, unbreakable and strong. Now, seeing this side of her—soft, unguarded—stirred something within him. She was not just a fierce leader; she was a woman with fears, hopes, and quiet moments of vulnerability. This new perspective of her left him speechless.

As they lingered in silence, Ragnar stirred, his eyes fluttering open. His voice was faint, barely a whisper, but Rhae quickly moved to his side, supporting him as he sat up, bracing his back against a sturdy wooden pole.

"Rhae..." Ragnar's voice was hoarse, each word a struggle. "We were traveling through the dark forest, and then... darkness surrounded us. We didn't even have time to prepare. Demonic creatures swarmed us, relentless. Most of our men were slaughtered in moments. I fought them off as best I could, but then... Wraith appeared."

Rhae's hand tightened on his shoulder as Ragnar continued, "He's... not the same, Rhae, Demonic aura surges through him now. I tried to fight him, but he's too powerful. I barely withstood two strikes before he left me like this." Ragnar took a shaky breath, the memory of his near-death etched on his face. "I think he left me there, expecting I'd die slowly. One of my men, barely alive, managed to put me on my horse and send me here."

Rhae's face grew even grimmer. "This morning, Wraith attacked us too. He withdrew only because dawn was breaking."

Ragnar nodded, grimacing. "Then he's coming back for sure. We need to be ready. He'll try to catch us off guard. We should move to open ground where we have a chance."

Rhae shook her head. "We're still two days away from any clear terrain. I've already sent word to Baldwin and Tusk—they might reinforce us in time. Baldwin's group reached high ground and sent a message just before we were ambushed, so I doubt Wraith attacked them. And Tusk's group has the advantage of good ground, with Alcyon's support. They won't be easy to surprise. I think you were Wraith's first target. Ours was the second, and he won't stop until we're done."

Ragnar's eyes darkened with worry. "Then we need every advantage we can get. Rest up, Rhae. Tonight, will be a long fight."

She nodded and stood, determination radiating from her. "Theo, come with me. We have much to prepare."

Rhae gathered her lieutenants—Stark, Gabriel, Kristen, and Amber—while Ariel, still recovering from her injuries, couldn't join the briefing. The air around them felt tense as Rhae spoke with urgency.

"We need to be prepared," she began, her voice steady yet laced with the gravity of their situation. "Wraith is going to attack again, and we need to move faster and stay alert at all times. If Wraith attacks us tonight, I want you to engage his subordinates and neutralize them quickly. We don't have exact knowledge of how strong they might be after their meddling with dark powers, but we can't afford hesitation. We fight with everything on the line to survive. If we can get through tonight, we'll reach the high ground by tomorrow night,"

She paused, making sure every word landed with impact.

"Theo, you stay at the rear. Gabriel, Stark—lead your subordinates in the middle. Kristen, Amber—take the sides and keep a lookout. We'll move as fast as we can. Get our troops ready. If Baldwin, Tusk, and Alcyon can reach us in time, we'll have their help. But for now, we fight with what we have."

With the orders given, they began to march swiftly through the terrain. By the afternoon, Rhae received responses from Baldwin and Tusk's groups. Baldwin's message assured her they had encountered no attacks yet, and they were sending troops to assist. Tusk confirmed the same, adding that they had adjusted their route and were moving more quickly to meet them.

As night fell, the group continued their march without rest, knowing the threat of Wraith loomed heavily. It was only on the second evening, after a long and grueling day of movement, they finally reached the high ground, there Rhae met Baldwin and explained the situation and they waited there while some of Aerial Therians took flight to find what's happening at the Main battlefield, as dusk came part of Tusk's group arrived and the remaining would take another day to reach and they were led by Alcyon and Dan is with them.

Once Tusk arrived, they met in the designated meeting tent. Baldwin, Tusk, and the others had all arrived, and the mood was tense as they discussed the situation.

Ragnar, still recovering, sat with them, Rhae addressed the group, her brow furrowed in thought. "We thought Wraith would attack again, but he didn't. He's supposed to be waiting for us here, but there's no trace of him anywhere around, why? What's his plan?"

Tusk leaned forward, considering the situation. "Also, there are no signs of Kaelthor or Solgard forces yet."

Tusk added, "I haven't heard from Fenrir or Talon in the past three days. They should have sent messages to us by now."

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Rhae's mind raced as she mulled over the possibilities. "What if Wraith and the Solgard army have already reached Frostpeak Highlands? What if they're already engaged in battle while we've been here, thinking we need to attack Solgard, but Wraith's true target is already there?"

Tusk's face tightened as he turned to Baldwin. "What were you doing, Baldwin? You've been here for two days. Why didn't you try to contact Fenrir?"

Baldwin shook his head, frustration evident. "I contacted them the day I arrived, but received no response. The next day, I was about to move towards them, but I got a message from Rhae saying Wraith had attacked Ragnar's group, so I sent half my troops to assist while I waited here in case Solgard forces showed up."

Theo's eyes widened as the pieces fell into place. "I think Wraith was already attacking Fenrir while we were traveling. He probably stopped anyone from alerting us. To distract us, he came after us himself and attacked randomly, making us think he was coming for us again. But in reality, his target was the main battlefield."

Rhae nodded, adding, "Wraith was never the strategic one. Someone else is pulling the strings."

A sense of urgency grew in the room. Rhae addressed Tusk, her eyes sharp. "How soon can we reach the main battlefield?"

Tusk thought for a moment. "If we elites move with force, we can get there in less than half a day."

"Good," Rhae replied. "Let's move the troops at full force. I want to reach there in as soon as possible. Baldwin, Theo, and I will head out ahead. Tusk, I want you guide the rest of the army."

With preparations set, the group disbanded and prepared for the final leg of their journey. Baldwin, Theo, and Rhae set off at full speed toward the main battlefield, while Tusk, Alcyon, and Dan led the rest of the army, ensuring they were all moving quickly and efficiently.

As the ground beneath them shifted and the wind howled, they knew this would be their final push.

As Rhae, Baldwin, and Theo neared the battlefield, the intensity of war cries roared through the air, growing louder with each step. The oppressive force of dark energies seemed to weigh down on them, making the very atmosphere feel like it was suffused with shadows. Rhae scanned the field, her heart pounding as she saw no sign of Fenrir or Talon. Instead, the banners of Solgard and Kaelthor kingdoms flew triumphantly across the battlefield—an ominous indicator that Eldoria's forces were losing ground. There were no signs of Eldoria's flags, nor those of the Varghr mercenaries.

The darkness was so thick it cast a complete dark over the land, Rhae felt a sense of dread settle in her chest, but she pushed it down and drew her weapon, racing into the fray without hesitation. She cut down enemies with fierce precision, tearing through Solgard's ranks in a relentless rush. Behind her, Baldwin fought aerially, dealing blows from above to disrupt the ranks, while Theo followed closely, his blade turning as he struck down foes.

As they reached the heart of the battlefield, Rhae saw a familiar figure struggling against the onslaught—a lone warrior in blood-stained armor, battered and hanging on by sheer willpower. It was Talon, fighting off Solgard's forces with his last reserves of strength. Scattered around him were a few Eldoria soldiers, exhausted but still clinging to life as they fought desperately.

Without a second's hesitation, Rhae and Theo surged forward, cutting down the demonic forces that surrounded Talon. Together, they fought back wave after wave until they managed to secure a small area of safety amid the chaos. Talon, barely able to stand, collapsed to one knee, gasping for breath as he leaned on his weapon. Rhae crouched beside him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Talon!" she shouted over the clamor of battle. "What happened? Where's Fenrir? And where are the rest of our forces?"

Talon's face was pale, his voice hoarse as he forced himself to respond. "It was an ambush... Wraith and his forces intercepted us. They attacked without warning... Their power, it's unlike anything we've ever seen. They overwhelmed us from all sides."

He coughed, struggling to gather enough breath to continue. "Fenrir... he led a counterattack with our main force to try and break them, but I lost contact with him. The dark energy—it separated us, cut us off from each other. I was barely able to fight my way here..."

Rhae's face tightened with grim determination as she processed Talon's words. This wasn't just an ordinary battle; Wraith's forces were systematically dismantling their ranks with terrifying strength. And now, with the battlefield shrouded in darkness, it was nearly impossible to communicate or regroup.

Rhae exchanged a quick glance with Theo, then turned back to Talon. "Stay with us, Talon. We're going to push through."

Talon nodded weakly, gripping his weapon as if it were the only thing keeping him grounded. Just then, another surge of demonic forces approached, their guttural growls and twisted figures advancing through the darkness. Rhae braced herself, her eyes flashing with determination.

"Everyone, form up!" she shouted to Theo and the few remaining Eldoria soldiers. "This battle isn't over yet. We're going to find Fenrir and fight our way through this darkness."

With renewed resolve, Rhae raised her weapon, rallying her comrades as they prepared to push forward once more. In the heart of darkness, they would fight—now it's not victory, but for survival.

TWO DAYS EARLIER

MAIN BATTLEFIELD - FROSTPEAK HIGHLANDS AND KAELTHOR BORDER

On the main battlefield, Talon reached the designated location and spotted Fenrir. In his late 50s, Fenrir towered over Talon by nearly half a foot, with an imposing build that still held immense strength. Fenrir Lumen was no ordinary Therian; he was a descendant of the Mythical Dragon: Lumen race. The Lumens were once the strongest of all, but fear of their power led to their annihilation by an alliance of kingdoms. Only Fenrir and his brother, Alcyon, survived that massacre. At just 16, a furious Fenrir had decimated the entire alliance forces that attacked them just with some help from Elf warriors, earning a fierce reputation as an unmatched warrior. Since then, he'd become a mercenary. After years of that battle, he married the Elf warrior who aided him, She later died giving birth to their daughter, Lara, whom Fenrir loved deeply. Naming her Lara Fenrir, he raised her with all the affection and pride he could muster. Although an injury in battle later sapped half of his strength, even at half-power, Fenrir was widely regarded as the strongest living Therian. He and Talon had co-founded the Varghr mercenaries, now renowned as the most formidable mercenary group in existence.

On the battlefield, Fenrir greeted his old friend with warmth and took him to meet Aldric Strome, lord of Frostpeak Highlands, along with his general, personal Knights, and two generals from Main kingdom Army. Aldric, appreciative of Talon's arrival, thanked him sincerely.

"Lord Aldric," Talon responded humbly, "we owe you for helping us in that dire battle long ago. You saved Fenrir's life, and I've wanted to express my gratitude ever since. So, this is my way of paying it back."

Aldric nodded, appreciative. Talon looked at the generals, Ilara the Wind strider she's slim with long silver hair, she's the general for the army that is at Frostpeak Highlands, Darius, every person in all the kingdoms would recognize that name, he's tall and strong, and he's known as one of the strongest generals in the Eldoria Kingdom and he's one of general of Emperor Arthur's Main army, and Kaelan Lionheart, he's also in the same position as Darius, and he's a former slave who rose through the ranks and became a general, As they settled into their seats, Talon looked around and asked, "Where's Lara?"

Fenrir chuckled. "You know she's never one for meetings or formalities."

Talon narrowed his gaze at Fenrir. "You've got to stop pampering her. She's not a child anymore. As your daughter, she should start taking responsibility. One day, she may take your place."

Fenrir laughed, scratching his head in an attempt to deflect Talon's reprimand. "Don't be so uptight, Talon." His tone grew bit serious. "We're mercenaries. Whoever proves their worth will lead after me. Just because she's my daughter doesn't guarantee her the position. Alcyon is the same; he has to prove his mettle if he wants to lead someday."

Talon shook his head but let the matter drop, though he was clearly still irritated. Fenrir's mood quickly lightened again as he resumed discussing battle plans. But just then, a chilling sensation swept over the room as dark, black fog began seeping into the tent, bringing with it an ominous energy.

Fenrir reacted immediately. "Aldric, you need to get to safety!" he commanded, ordering two of Aldric's personal Knights to escort him back to the palace. Then, alongside Talon and the generals, Fenrir stepped out of the tent. The entire encampment was shrouded in the dark thick fog, which now rose nearly six feet high. A sense of unease hung thick in the air, and the fog seemed alive with dark energy.

As they watched, soldiers began emerging from the mist, but these were no ordinary fighters—they were warriors of Kaelthor and Solgard, their bodies infused with demonic energy, and cloaked in a black aura that seeped from their forms.

In an instant, Fenrir shifted into his semi-beast form, taking on the powerful dragon features of his Lumen heritage. He roared, a fierce, earth-shaking sound, and the force of it temporarily cleared the fog for miles. The flow of enemy soldiers pouring in slowed, but only briefly. The dark fog began to rise again, reclaiming its grip over the battlefield.

Without hesitation, Talon sprang into action, cutting down the enemy soldiers who surged around him. Battles erupted across every corner of the camp, with Fenrir unleashing lightning attacks, clearing half the demonic forces in a series of powerful strikes. As Fenrir gained the upper hand, a familiar figure emerged from the dark fog—a man consumed by a demonic aura, his eyes wild and glinting with malice and a smile that resembling cunning nature.

Fenrir's eyes narrowed as he recognized the intruder. Easily fending off the man's first strike, Fenrir gave a knowing smile. "It's been a long time, Wraith, since we last crossed swords."

Wraith, partially consumed by demonic energy, smirked back, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Indeed, Fenrir. I was wondering if that old injury had finally tamed the legendary beast."

Fenrir's smile faded, replaced by a fierce intensity. "You'll find out soon enough," he growled, readying himself for the clash to come. The fog thickened around them, but all that mattered now was the battle about to unfold between two of the most powerful beings on the battlefield.