The mining camp had transformed into a hive of activity in the aftermath of the battle. The Dominion-class Mech stood at the center of the camp, its towering frame surrounded by rebels inspecting, repairing, and marveling at the machine that had turned the tide. For the first time in weeks, the air was filled with more than just tension—there was hope.

Juri Winkler stood near the mech, his sharp blue eyes scanning the camp. Though the rebels cheered their victory, he knew it was temporary. The nobles’ failed assault was only a prelude to something larger.

Kira approached, her arms crossed as she stopped beside him. “You’re thinking too hard again.”

“Always,” Juri replied without looking at her. “We won a battle, but the war is far from over.”

Kira smirked faintly. “So what’s next, genius?”

Juri’s eyes narrowed as he gazed toward the horizon. “We don’t wait for their next move. We hit them first.”

Juri called a meeting that evening, gathering his core team and several senior rebels in the command tent. The fire crackled in the center, casting flickering shadows on the map spread across the table.

“The nobles are reeling,” Juri began, his tone sharp and commanding. “We destroyed their mana siphons, wiped out their assault force, and proved that their weapons can’t stop us. But if we give them time, they’ll regroup and come back stronger.”

Halrick leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “You’re saying we take the fight to them.”

“Exactly,” Juri said, tapping a marked location on the map. “Their nearest stronghold is here: Blackspire Keep. It’s a central hub for their supply lines and a staging ground for their troops. If we take it, we cripple their ability to attack us.”

Garrick frowned. “Blackspire is heavily fortified. You’re talking about a full-on assault.”

“No,” Juri said. “We’re not going to fight their army head-on. We’re going to infiltrate, sabotage their defenses, and turn their own resources against them. Once their position is weakened, we strike.”

Kira folded her arms. “And how do we get in without being noticed?”

Juri smirked faintly. “I have a plan.”

The rebels set out under the cover of darkness, moving swiftly through the snow-covered mountains. Juri led the way, accompanied by Kira, Halrick, Garrick, and a small team of handpicked fighters. They brought the Dominion-class Mech with them, its massive frame concealed beneath a tarp and towed on a reinforced sled.

As they neared Blackspire Keep, Juri stopped the group and pulled out a spyglass. The keep loomed ahead, its black stone walls rising above the surrounding forest. Torches flickered along the battlements, and the faint glow of runes hinted at magical defenses.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“We’ll set up here,” Juri said, gesturing to a ridge overlooking the keep. “This will be our staging ground.”

Halrick glanced at the keep, his expression grim. “That place is a fortress. How are we supposed to get in?”

“We won’t,” Juri replied. “The drones will.”

He activated a console, and the Adaptive Drones scuttled out of their transport crates, their spindly legs moving with eerie precision. Each drone carried a small payload of explosives, designed to target the keep’s runic defenses.

Kira raised an eyebrow. “You’re betting everything on those little guys?”

“Trust me,” Juri said. “They’ll get the job done.”

SABOTAGE

As the drones moved toward the keep, Juri monitored their progress on his console. The machines climbed walls, slipped through cracks, and avoided patrols with precision, planting their charges on key rune clusters embedded in the walls.

“Charges set,” Juri muttered, his fingers flying over the controls.

The drones retreated, their movements swift and silent. When they were clear, Juri pressed a button on the console.

A series of explosions rocked the keep, shattering the runes and leaving the walls vulnerable. Shouts echoed from the battlements as the nobles’ soldiers scrambled to respond.

“That’s our signal,” Juri said, climbing into the Dominion’s cockpit.

The rebels launched their attack, moving down from the ridge and engaging the nobles’ forces in the outer courtyard. The Dominion led the charge, its Repeater roaring to life as it cut through enemy ranks.

Kira and Garrick flanked the soldiers, their weapons picking off key targets. Halrick charged headlong into the fray, his sword flashing as he dispatched soldiers with brutal efficiency.

The nobles fought back fiercely, but without their magical defenses, their coordination faltered.

Inside the cockpit, Juri focused on the Dominion’s movements, guiding the mech with practiced precision. He targeted the keep’s remaining defenses, firing missiles into watchtowers and crushing barricades beneath the mech’s massive legs.

“Keep pushing!” Juri shouted through the comms. “They’re breaking!”

As the rebels advanced, a new threat emerged. From the inner keep, a massive Sentinel Knight strode into the courtyard, its frame larger and more heavily armored than any Sentinel they had faced before. Its rune-covered greatsword crackled with magical energy, and its movements were unnervingly swift for its size.

The Sentinel Knight let out a deafening roar, its sword carving through a line of rebels with a single swing.

Juri gritted his teeth. “I’ll handle it.”

“Be careful!” Kira shouted.

The Dominion and the Sentinel Knight clashed in the center of the courtyard, their blows shaking the ground. The mech’s Repeater fired point-blank into the Sentinel’s chest, but its armor held firm.

The Sentinel retaliated with a sweeping strike, its blade glancing off the Dominion’s reinforced plating. Juri guided the mech backward, narrowly avoiding another attack.

“Halrick! Garrick! Cover the flanks!” Juri ordered.

The two men moved into position, targeting the Sentinel’s joints with precise shots. The distraction gave Juri an opening.

He activated the Dominion’s missile launcher, firing a volley at the Sentinel’s exposed back. The explosions tore through its armor, and the massive machine staggered.

Juri seized the moment, guiding the Dominion forward and slamming its armored fist into the Sentinel’s core. The impact shattered the runes, and the Sentinel collapsed in a heap of twisted metal.

With the Sentinel Knight destroyed, the nobles’ remaining forces retreated into the keep. The rebels pressed the advantage, storming the inner halls and taking control of the stronghold.

When the dust settled, Juri stood atop the keep’s battlements, overlooking the battlefield below. The Dominion stood behind him, its frame battered but victorious.

Halrick joined him, grinning. “Well, we did it. Blackspire’s ours.”

“For now,” Juri said. “But this is just the beginning.”

Kira approached, her expression cautious. “You know they’ll come for it. And for us.”

“Let them,” Juri said, his voice cold but resolute. “We’ve shown them what we can do. Now, we show them what happens when they underestimate us.”