The sun climbed over the jagged hills surrounding Ironclad Bastion, casting long shadows across its battered walls. Smoke still rose from the scorched remnants of the nobles’ weapons, a stark reminder of the rebellion’s daring victory. The fortress—once a symbol of the nobles’ control—now flew the crimson banners of the rebellion.
Inside the fortress, Juri Winkler and his core leadership worked tirelessly to consolidate their gains. Supplies were inventoried, defenses reinforced, and the wounded tended to with makeshift care. Yet, despite their success, Juri’s sharp blue eyes betrayed no satisfaction. He knew the nobles would not take the fall of Ironclad lightly.
“This fortress was a major blow to their control,” Juri said during a meeting in the keep’s central hall, his voice steady but laced with urgency. “But it also painted a target on us. Their retaliation will come, and it won’t be small.”
Valeria Eldryn, now an official ally of the rebellion, leaned back in her chair, her green eyes sharp and calculating. “They’ll come for me as much as they’ll come for you,” she said. “By siding with you, I’ve effectively declared war on the council.”
“We knew the risks,” Juri replied, folding his arms. “And we’ve prepared for them. Ironclad is defensible, but we can’t afford to be reactive. If we wait for them to attack, we’ll lose the initiative.”
Kira glanced at the map spread across the table, her brow furrowed. “What are you suggesting?”
Juri’s gaze hardened. “I’m suggesting we turn this fortress into a trap. Let them come to us, and when they do, we’ll break them.”
Far to the north, in the grand hall of Castle Vorell, Lady Alarice Vorell presided over an emergency council meeting. The news of Ironclad’s fall had sent shockwaves through the noble hierarchy, and the room was filled with tension.
Lorian Vehr stood at the center, his expression grim as he addressed the gathered nobles. “The rebellion is no longer a nuisance. They’ve become a threat to the very foundation of our rule.”
“They’ve taken Ironclad,” one councilor said, his voice trembling. “How did this happen?”
“Through audacity,” Lorian replied, his tone sharp. “Winkler is bold and clever, but he’s also overconfident. He thinks he can hold what he’s taken. We will prove him wrong.”
Lady Alarice’s green eyes narrowed. “What resources are you requesting to rectify this failure, Lorian?”
“Everything,” Lorian said without hesitation. “Our most elite soldiers, the remaining Artillery Sentinels, and... Project Scourge.”
The room fell silent.
“You’d unleash Scourge?” one councilor asked, his voice filled with unease. “It’s untested.”
“It’s a risk we have to take,” Lorian said. “Ironclad is a keystone. If we destroy Winkler there, the rebellion will collapse.”
Lady Alarice considered his words, her expression cold. “Very well. You have your resources. Do not fail.”
Lorian bowed. “I won’t.”
At Ironclad, the rebels worked around the clock to prepare for the inevitable attack. Engineers reinforced the walls with enchanted steel salvaged from the nobles’ own weapons, while Kira organized training drills for the new recruits.
Juri oversaw the construction of new defenses, including a network of turret-mounted drones and mana-nullifying barriers designed to counter the nobles’ mages.
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Eren Vas, the former noble mage, approached Juri in the workshop, holding a glowing rune in his hand. “This should amplify the range of the mana barriers,” he said. “If the nobles bring mages, they’ll find their magic useless.”
“Good work,” Juri said, taking the rune and integrating it into the defense schematics. “We’ll need every edge we can get.”
Valeria entered the workshop, her presence commanding. “The nobles won’t just bring soldiers,” she said. “They’ll bring siege engines, magical constructs, and likely something we haven’t seen before.”
“Then we’ll adapt,” Juri replied.
Valeria studied him for a moment, then nodded. “I hope you’re right, Winkler. Because if we lose here, we lose everything.”
The attack came at dawn.
A massive noble army marched on Ironclad Bastion, their ranks bristling with soldiers, mages, and towering Artillery Sentinels. At the heart of their formation was a new and terrifying weapon: Project Scourge.
The Scourge was a monstrous construct of black metal, its frame covered in glowing red runes. It stood twice the height of a Sentinel, its arms ending in massive blades that pulsed with dark energy. The machine radiated an aura of fear, and even from a distance, the rebels could feel its oppressive presence.
On the battlements of Ironclad, Juri watched the approaching army through a pair of binoculars. His sharp blue eyes narrowed as he studied the Scourge.
“That thing’s not just for show,” he muttered. “It’s a weapon designed to break us.”
Kira stood beside him, her expression grim. “And how do we stop it?”
“We find its weakness,” Juri said. “Everything has one.”
The nobles’ forces began their assault with a barrage of artillery fire. Massive shells crashed into Ironclad’s walls, shaking the fortress but failing to breach its reinforced defenses.
The rebels responded with precision fire from their turret-mounted drones, targeting the nobles’ artillery and infantry formations. Kira led the ground defense, coordinating sniper teams and ground units to hold the outer perimeter.
In the workshop, Juri monitored the battle from his console, directing the Dominion-class Mech and the Bastion Walkers to key points along the walls. The mechs tore through the nobles’ ranks, their weapons devastating against both soldiers and Sentinels.
But the Scourge remained untouched, its massive frame moving steadily toward the fortress.
When the Scourge reached the walls, it unleashed its devastating power. With a single swing of its blade, it shattered one of the reinforced gates, sending debris flying. Soldiers poured into the breach, forcing the rebels to fall back to the inner defenses.
Juri guided the Dominion into battle, the mech’s weapons firing at full capacity. Missiles streaked through the air, striking the Scourge’s armor, but the runes absorbed the blasts with little effect.
“It’s shielded!” Juri shouted through the comms. “Focus fire on the runes—overload them!”
The rebels adjusted their strategy, targeting the glowing runes on the Scourge’s armor. Slowly, cracks began to form, and the machine’s movements grew more erratic.
As the battle raged, Juri realized they couldn’t afford to let the Scourge continue its assault. It was only a matter of time before it breached the inner keep.
“I’m taking it down,” Juri said, guiding the Dominion toward the Scourge.
“Are you insane?” Kira shouted through the comms.
“Maybe,” Juri replied. “But it’s the only way.”
He activated the Dominion’s overload mode, pushing the mech’s systems beyond their limits. The Repeater fired in rapid bursts, each shot aimed at the Scourge’s cracked runes.
The Scourge retaliated, its blade slicing into the Dominion’s armor and tearing through its left arm. Sparks flew as Juri struggled to keep the mech operational.
“Come on,” he muttered, his sharp blue eyes fixed on the Scourge’s core.
With one final push, Juri fired a missile directly into the Scourge’s exposed chest. The explosion tore through the machine, sending it crashing to the ground in a shower of sparks and shattered metal.
The destruction of the Scourge broke the nobles’ momentum. Their forces faltered, and the rebels seized the opportunity to drive them back.
By nightfall, the battlefield was silent, the nobles’ army in full retreat. But the cost of victory was high. The Dominion-class Mech was heavily damaged, and the fortress’s defenses were in ruins.
Juri climbed out of the Dominion’s cockpit, his body bruised and his movements slow. Kira and Valeria approached, their expressions a mix of relief and concern.
“You did it,” Kira said.
“We did it,” Juri corrected, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. “But this isn’t the end. They’ll come again.”
“And we’ll be ready,” Valeria said.
Juri nodded, his sharp blue eyes gleaming with determination. “Yes. We will.”