The coalition retreated from the Wraithwood, their forces diminished but resolute. The haunted forest loomed behind them, its oppressive silence replaced by the sounds of wounded soldiers and weary footsteps. Billy marched at the head of the column, his Lord Form shimmering with faint remnants of chaos energy. Despite his composed demeanor, doubt gnawed at his resolve.
The Wraith’s words lingered in his mind. You’re not ready for what lies ahead.
---
The Outpost
The coalition arrived at a fortified outpost near the Highlands’ border by nightfall. Built into the side of a rocky hill, it offered a temporary refuge from the threats of the Wraithwood. Fires blazed as medics tended to the wounded, and commanders gathered in the war room to debrief.
Kaelin placed his instruments on a cluttered table, shaking his head. “The rifts are spreading faster than we anticipated. If the Wraith finds a way to stabilize them…”
“Then this region is doomed,” Soria finished grimly.
Billy leaned against the wall, his armor hissing as it retracted into his Lord Form. “We need answers. What does the Wraith want? Why accelerate the rifts if it risks destroying everything?”
Kaelin adjusted his spectacles, his expression pensive. “I’ve been studying the remnants of the Revenant’s magic. It’s possible the Wraith isn’t trying to destroy the region but to harvest the chaos energy leaking through the rifts.”
Billy frowned. “Harvest it? For what?”
Kaelin’s gaze darkened. “To stabilize themselves. If the Wraith is a fragment of the Shadow Lord’s essence, they might be using the rifts to strengthen their hold on this world.”
Lady Soria crossed her arms, her tone sharp. “And what happens if they succeed?”
Kaelin hesitated before answering. “They could become a full-fledged Shadow Lord, capable of commanding armies, bending reality, or worse.”
The room fell into an uneasy silence.
---
Fractures in the Ranks
As Billy strategized with his closest allies, murmurs of dissent rippled through the camp. Exhausted soldiers whispered in the shadows, questioning the coalition’s leadership.
“He’s too young,” one soldier muttered, glancing at Billy as he passed.
“Did you see his eyes during the battle?” another added. “That chaos energy… it’s not natural.”
By morning, the grumbling had reached the officers. A lieutenant, a grizzled man named Garrick, approached Billy during breakfast.
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“Lord Knight, a word?” Garrick said, his tone respectful but firm.
Billy set his bowl aside, gesturing for Garrick to speak.
“The men are uneasy,” Garrick began. “They fought bravely, but they’ve seen things they can’t explain. The beasts, the rifts… your power.”
Billy’s purple eyes narrowed. “You think they’re afraid of me?”
“They don’t understand you,” Garrick admitted. “And fear grows in the void of understanding.”
Soria entered the tent, overhearing the conversation. “The soldiers need a reminder of who they’re fighting for,” she said. “Take the time to speak with them, Billy. Show them you’re not just their commander—you’re their ally.”
Billy exhaled, nodding. “You’re right. I’ll address them before the next march.”
---
The Council Reconvenes
That evening, the coalition’s council gathered to plan their next move. A large map of the Wraithwood dominated the table, marked with reports from scouts and sightings of rifts.
“We can’t afford another full-scale battle in the forest,” Soria argued. “We’re still recovering from the last one.”
Kaelin tapped a specific location on the map. “The rifts are most concentrated here. It’s likely the Wraith’s base of operations.”
Billy studied the map, his mind racing. “We’ll need a smaller force—elite units that can infiltrate the forest and strike directly at the source.”
Lord Icarus, ever the skeptic, scoffed. “A suicide mission, led by a lord with untested power? You risk more than your life, Knight—you risk the coalition itself.”
Billy met Icarus’s gaze, his voice steady. “And if we do nothing, the rifts will spread, and the Wraith will grow stronger. This is our best chance.”
The room erupted into debate, but Kaelin’s calm voice cut through the noise. “There’s no time for politics. The rifts are destabilizing faster than expected. If we hesitate, the Wraith will outmaneuver us.”
Reluctantly, the council agreed to Billy’s plan.
---
Preparing for the Strike
As the camp prepared for the infiltration, Billy walked among the soldiers, speaking with them individually. He listened to their concerns, shared their fears, and reminded them of their shared purpose.
One soldier, a young woman with a bandaged arm, looked at him with wide eyes. “Do you really think we can stop the Wraith, my lord?”
Billy knelt, meeting her gaze. “I don’t think—we will. Not because of me, but because of us. Together, we’re stronger than any shadow.”
His words spread through the camp like wildfire, reigniting the soldiers’ spirits.
---
A Warning from Within
That night, Kaelin approached Billy in his tent. The mage’s face was pale, his voice low. “Billy, there’s something I haven’t told the others.”
Billy sat up. “What is it?”
Kaelin hesitated, then placed a glowing crystal on the table. “This was recovered near the largest rift. It reacts to chaos energy.”
As Billy reached for the crystal, it pulsed with light, resonating with the energy coursing through him.
Kaelin stepped back. “Your connection to the rifts… it’s stronger than I realized. You might be able to stabilize them—or destroy them completely.”
Billy frowned. “Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”
“Because there’s a risk,” Kaelin admitted. “If you push your chaos energy too far, you might destabilize yourself.”
Billy’s purple eyes glowed faintly as he clenched the crystal. “Then I’ll just have to control it.”
---
Marching Toward the Unknown
The next morning, the infiltration force set out for the heart of the Wraithwood. Billy led the group, his mind focused on the battle ahead. Soria and her cavalry flanked the main column, while Kaelin carried the tools needed to analyze and disrupt the rifts.
As they entered the forest, the mist seemed thicker, the air heavier with malevolence. The soldiers moved in tense silence, their weapons ready.
Ahead, a faint glow pierced the darkness—the rifts, pulsating with chaotic energy.
Billy stopped, his voice low but firm. “This is it. Stay sharp. No mistakes.”
The Wraithwood’s shadows seemed to shift around them, as if the forest itself was alive. Billy tightened his grip on his weapon, chaos energy sparking at the edges.
“We end this tonight,” he said, leading his forces deeper into the darkness.
---
End of Chapter 27