The fires of rebellion burned brighter than ever, but Juri Winkler knew the nobles would not let his strikes go unanswered. His victory in the three-town operation had shaken their supply lines and morale, but it had also provoked their wrath.

Inside Blackspire Keep’s war room, Juri leaned over the massive map of the region. Colored pins and notes marked their gains, while red pins denoted noble-controlled areas. The rebels had expanded their influence, but they were still surrounded by the nobles’ forces.

“Their next move will be calculated,” Juri said, his sharp blue eyes scanning the map. “They’ll want to strike where we’re weakest.”

“They’ve been quiet since the last raids,” Kira said, standing beside him. “That’s not like them.”

“They’re not retreating,” Juri replied. “They’re consolidating. Preparing.”

As if on cue, a scout burst into the room, his face pale and his breath coming in gasps. “They’re coming!”

Juri straightened. “How many? Where?”

“Three columns,” the scout said, pointing to three separate routes on the map. “One heading straight for Blackspire, another moving to retake Highwater, and the third... they’re setting up artillery outside Ravenstone.”

The room fell silent.

“They’re hitting us on three fronts,” Garrick muttered, his brow furrowing.

Halrick grinned, gripping the hilt of his sword. “Then we fight them on three fronts.”

Juri shook his head. “No. That’s what they expect us to do. We don’t have the numbers for that.”

Miles away, Lorian Vehr stood atop a hill overlooking his advancing forces. Three columns of soldiers, mages, and newly deployed Artillery Sentinels moved in unison, their precision reflecting weeks of careful planning.

Lorian’s lips curved into a faint smile as he addressed his officers. “Winkler’s rebellion is growing, but their strength is also their weakness. They’ve overextended. By striking on three fronts, we’ll force them to divide their forces. Blackspire will be vulnerable, and when they fall back, we’ll destroy them completely.”

At his side stood Ashara Valk, her amber eyes cold and calculating. “And if they don’t fall back?”

“They will,” Lorian said confidently. “Winkler is smart, but he’s still human. Even he can’t outthink us forever.”

Ashara remained silent, her gaze fixed on the horizon. Something about Juri Winkler didn’t sit right with her.

Back in Blackspire, Juri studied the map with an intensity that silenced the room. The nobles’ three-pronged attack was designed to overwhelm them, but Juri saw the flaws in their strategy.

“They’re counting on us to split our forces evenly,” Juri said, his tone sharp. “If we do that, we lose. But if we strike where they’re overconfident, we can turn this around.”

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Kira frowned. “And which front is their weakest?”

“The artillery outside Ravenstone,” Juri replied, pointing to the map. “They’re setting up their heavy weapons there because they think we’ll prioritize Blackspire and Highwater. But if we destroy their artillery before it’s operational, we cripple their ability to support the other two fronts.”

Garrick nodded slowly. “And the other columns?”

“We defend Blackspire with minimal forces,” Juri said. “Kira, you’ll lead the ground defense. Use the terrain and traps to slow them down. Halrick, you’ll intercept the column heading for Highwater. Hit them hard, then fall back before they can regroup.”

“And you?” Halrick asked.

“I’ll lead the strike on Ravenstone,” Juri said, his sharp blue eyes gleaming with determination. “The Dominion will crush their artillery before they have a chance to fire a single shot.”

Halrick and his team intercepted the nobles’ column in the narrow mountain pass leading to Highwater. The rebels had prepared the terrain in advance, setting traps and explosives along the route.

As the nobles’ forces entered the pass, Halrick signaled the ambush. Explosives detonated, sending boulders crashing down and blocking their advance. The rebels fired from hidden positions, their bullets tearing through the nobles’ ranks.

The nobles retaliated with a barrage of magic, forcing the rebels to fall back. Halrick grinned as he parried a sword strike, his blade flashing in the sunlight. “That’s right,” he muttered. “Chase us.”

The rebels led the nobles on a grueling pursuit, buying precious time for Juri’s strike on Ravenstone.

At Blackspire, Kira coordinated the defenses with ruthless efficiency. The rebels used the keep’s fortifications to their advantage, forcing the nobles to fight for every inch of ground.

The nobles’ mages unleashed devastating spells, but Kira’s sharpshooters targeted them with precision, disrupting their formations. Meanwhile, traps rigged by Juri’s engineers slowed the nobles’ advance, turning the battlefield into a maze of chaos.

Kira fought alongside her team, her twin daggers flashing as she cut down any soldier who breached the defenses.

“They’re testing us,” she muttered to herself. “But we’re not breaking.”

While Kira and Halrick held the other fronts, Juri led a strike team toward Ravenstone. The Dominion-class Mech moved at the head of the column, its Repeater and missile launcher primed for battle.

When they reached the artillery position, Juri saw rows of Artillery Sentinels—massive machines equipped with long-range cannons designed to bombard Blackspire from a distance.

“They won’t get the chance,” Juri muttered.

The Dominion opened fire, its Repeater shredding the nearest Sentinel while missiles tore through the others. The nobles’ soldiers scrambled to defend their position, but Juri’s team overwhelmed them with speed and precision.

Eren Vas, the former noble mage, used his knowledge of runes to disable the remaining Sentinels, rendering them useless.

As the final artillery machine collapsed in a heap of metal, Juri’s voice crackled through the comms. “Objective complete. Fall back to Blackspire.”

Lorian Vehr stood on a hill overlooking the battlefield near Highwater, his gray eyes narrowing as a messenger delivered the news.

“The artillery at Ravenstone has been destroyed,” the messenger said. “The forces at Blackspire and Highwater are withdrawing.”

Lorian clenched his fists. “Damn him.”

Lady Alarice’s voice crackled through the communication device at his side. “It seems Winkler has outmaneuvered you again, Lorian.”

“This isn’t over,” Lorian growled. “I’ll end this rebellion, no matter what it takes.”

The rebels regrouped at Blackspire, their spirits buoyed by the success of Juri’s plan. The nobles’ three-pronged attack had been repelled, and their artillery destroyed.

But the victory came at a cost. The battles had stretched their resources to the limit, and many rebels had been wounded or killed.

Juri stood atop the battlements, looking out at the horizon. Kira joined him, her expression somber.

“We held,” she said quietly.

“For now,” Juri replied. “But this was just the opening act. The nobles will escalate again.”

“And so will we,” Kira said.

Juri smirked faintly. “Exactly. Let them come. We’ll be ready.”