The coalition emerged from the Wraithwood battered but victorious. The night sky above them shimmered with stars, a stark contrast to the oppressive gloom they had left behind. Despite their success in collapsing the rift and banishing the Wraith, unease lingered in the camp. Billy Knight, still recovering from the battle, was acutely aware of the shifting dynamics around him.
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Restoring Order
The soldiers set up a temporary camp at the forest’s edge. Fires crackled as medics tended to the wounded, and weary fighters slumped against logs, their faces lined with exhaustion.
Kaelin was the first to approach Billy, who stood apart from the camp, gazing into the distance. His armor had receded into his Lord Form, but faint traces of chaos energy still flickered in his veins.
"You held the line when it mattered," Kaelin said, his voice filled with quiet admiration.
Billy didn’t respond immediately, his eyes fixed on the forest. “The Wraith was only a piece of what’s coming. It wasn’t just trying to destabilize the rift—it was preparing the way for something bigger.”
Kaelin nodded grimly. “The Shadow Lords.”
Billy turned to face him, his purple eyes glowing faintly. “If that’s true, then we’re running out of time. The coalition isn’t ready for an enemy like this, and I doubt they’ll follow me if they think I’m the bigger threat.”
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Doubts Among the Coalition
The murmurs of dissent had grown louder. Soldiers avoided Billy’s gaze, and officers whispered behind closed doors. Even Lord Icarus, who had grudgingly approved the mission, seemed to grow more critical with each passing hour.
“You saw what he did,” Icarus said during a private meeting of the coalition council. “No human should wield that kind of power. What happens when he loses control? What happens when he turns that chaos against us?”
Lady Soria, ever loyal to Billy, scowled. “He just saved your lives. If you’re so terrified of him, maybe you should’ve faced the Wraith yourself.”
“He’s dangerous, Soria,” Icarus shot back. “And if you can’t see that, you’re as blind as the rest of his sycophants.”
Kaelin intervened before the argument could escalate further. “Enough! We don’t have the luxury of fighting amongst ourselves. Billy’s power is the only reason we survived the Wraithwood. If you want to question his methods, do it after we’ve ensured the region’s survival.”
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The room fell into uneasy silence, but the seeds of doubt had been sown.
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The Price of Power
Later that night, Billy stood before the soldiers, as Soria had urged. His presence was commanding, his voice steady, but he could feel their unease.
“I know some of you fear me,” he began, his gaze sweeping across the crowd. “You’ve seen what chaos energy can do, and you’re right to be wary. It’s unpredictable, destructive, and dangerous.”
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.
“But it’s also our weapon against what lies ahead. I won’t pretend to be something I’m not. I’m not just a lord—I’m a soldier, like all of you. I’ve faced the same fears, fought the same battles, and bled for the same cause. If you can’t trust the power I wield, then trust the person who stands before you. I fight for our survival—for all of us.”
The soldiers remained silent for a moment, their expressions unreadable. Then a young recruit, the same woman Billy had spoken to before the battle, stepped forward.
“We follow you, Lord Knight,” she said, her voice steady despite the tension in the air. “Not because of your power, but because you’ve never given up on us.”
Her words sparked a ripple of agreement through the camp. One by one, the soldiers voiced their support, their confidence in Billy slowly reigniting.
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An Unexpected Visitor
As the camp settled into an uneasy calm, a scout rushed into Billy’s tent, her face pale.
“There’s someone at the perimeter,” she reported. “A lone figure, claiming they have information for you.”
Billy exchanged a glance with Soria and Kaelin before strapping on his armor and heading to the perimeter.
The figure waiting for him was cloaked in shadow, their face obscured by a hood. They raised their hands in a gesture of peace. “I mean no harm, Lord Knight.”
Billy’s hand hovered near his weapon. “Who are you?”
The figure pulled back their hood, revealing a face marked by faint scars and piercing blue eyes. “My name is Dorian. I was once an emissary of the Shadow Lords. I’ve come to warn you.”
Kaelin stepped forward, his expression skeptical. “Why should we trust you?”
Dorian’s gaze didn’t waver. “Because the Shadow Lords are already here. The Wraith was just a scout. Their armies are mobilizing, and your coalition is woefully unprepared.”
Billy narrowed his eyes. “What do you gain by betraying them?”
“I want freedom,” Dorian replied simply. “The Shadow Lords demand absolute loyalty, but I’ve seen what their rule brings. Death. Suffering. I won’t be a part of it.”
Billy studied him for a moment before nodding. “You’ll have to earn our trust, but if you have valuable information, we’ll hear it.”
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A Warning from the Shadows
Dorian revealed a map marked with locations where Shadow Lord forces had begun to appear. “They’re targeting key regions—places rich in chaos energy. They plan to destabilize the entire Highlands and use the energy to open a permanent rift.”
Kaelin frowned, his mind racing. “If they succeed, they’ll have an endless supply of power. It would make them unstoppable.”
Billy clenched his fists. “Then we stop them before they can finish.”
Dorian hesitated. “There’s one more thing. The Shadow Lords know about you, Billy. They see you as a threat, but also as an opportunity. They’ll try to turn you—or destroy you.”
Soria stepped closer to Billy, her tone protective. “They’ll have to go through us first.”
Billy’s purple eyes glowed faintly in the dim light. “Let them come. I’m done running from shadows.”
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End of Chapter 29