The Dominion-class Mech stood in the center of the mining camp, its towering frame gleaming in the pale morning light. Its angular armor was reinforced with the rare metals extracted from the mines, and the faint hum of its mana core pulsed like a heartbeat through the cold air. The rebels gathered around it, their breath visible as they stared in awe at the machine that symbolized their defiance against the nobles.

Juri Winkler stood at the mech’s base, making final adjustments to its systems. His sharp blue eyes flicked between his handheld console and the towering machine, every calculation in his mind working toward perfection. This wasn’t just a weapon—it was a statement.

“Everything checks out,” Juri said, his voice steady despite his exhaustion.

Halrick smirked, leaning against the barricade. “Good. Because I’ve got a feeling we’re going to need it sooner than later.”

Juri’s gaze shifted to the horizon, where dark clouds were gathering. “Sooner,” he said quietly. “They’ll be here by nightfall.”

Far from the mining camp, Lorian Vehr marched at the head of the nobles’ forces. Snow crunched beneath the boots of his soldiers, and the air shimmered faintly as the mages accompanying them maintained protective wards.

At the center of the column was their newest weapon: a mana siphon device, mounted on a wheeled platform and flanked by two heavy Sentinels. The device hummed with an unsettling energy, its central crystal glowing with an ominous red light.

“This will break them,” Lorian said, his tone calm but confident.

One of the mages, a wiry man with a hawkish nose, nodded. “The siphon will drain the rebels’ mana-based weapons and disable their machines. They won’t stand a chance.”

“Good,” Lorian said. “I want this rebellion crushed today.”

In the mining camp, the rebels worked quickly to reinforce their defenses. Barricades were rebuilt, mines were buried in strategic locations, and sharpshooters took up positions along the ridges.

Juri gathered his core team—Halrick, Kira, and Garrick—in the command tent to finalize their plan. The map of the camp was spread out before them, marked with defensive positions and fallback points.

“They’re bringing something new,” Juri said, his tone sharp. “The scouts reported a device in their column—a mana siphon. If they deploy it, it’ll disable anything powered by mana, including the Dominion.”

Kira frowned. “How do we counter it?”

“We don’t let it activate,” Juri said. “The siphon needs time to charge. Our priority is taking it out before it can disable our systems.”

Halrick grinned. “Sounds simple enough. Just smash it.”

“It’s not simple,” Juri said. “The siphon is heavily guarded. We’ll need to split their forces, draw the Sentinels away, and create an opening to destroy the device.”

Garrick nodded. “And if we can’t?”

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Juri’s smirk was faint but dangerous. “Then we improvise.”

By nightfall, the nobles’ forces appeared on the horizon. Torches flickered in the distance, their light reflecting off the heavy armor of the soldiers and Sentinels. The mana siphon’s glowing core was visible even from the camp, its red light casting an eerie glow on the snow-covered ground.

Juri climbed into the cockpit of the Dominion-class Mech, the controls lighting up as the mana core activated. The machine’s systems came to life, and the mech rose to its full height, towering over the camp.

“Everyone to your positions,” Juri said through the mech’s external speakers. “Hold the line. We can’t let them break through.”

The rebels moved into place, their weapons at the ready. The air was thick with tension, the calm before the storm.

The nobles’ forces advanced, their mages unleashing waves of fire and lightning to test the rebels’ defenses. The barricades held, and the rebels returned fire, their Repeaters lighting up the night with bursts of gunfire.

Juri guided the Dominion into the fray, its massive frame moving with surprising agility. The mech’s mounted cannons roared to life, sending explosive shells into the enemy ranks and scattering soldiers like leaves in the wind.

Halrick charged into the fight alongside the Dominion, his sword flashing as he cut down any soldier who ventured too close. Kira and Garrick worked from the ridges, picking off key targets and directing the rebels to hold the line.

The first Sentinel advanced, its runes glowing as it unleashed a blast of energy toward the barricades. Juri reacted quickly, using the Dominion’s reinforced arms to block the attack. The energy dissipated harmlessly against the mech’s armor, and Juri retaliated with a powerful punch that sent the Sentinel crashing to the ground.

As the battle raged on, the nobles deployed the mana siphon. The device hummed with an unsettling energy, its red glow intensifying as it began to charge.

Juri’s console lit up with warnings as the siphon’s field began to spread. The Dominion’s systems flickered, and the Adaptive Drones faltered in their movements.

“They’ve activated the siphon!” Kira shouted. “It’s draining our systems!”

Juri gritted his teeth, his hands flying over the controls. “We need to take it out now!”

Halrick, still fighting near the front lines, shouted, “Cover me! I’ll get close enough to destroy it!”

Juri hesitated, his sharp mind weighing the risks. Finally, he said, “No. I’ll do it. The Dominion can take the hit.”

Juri directed the Dominion toward the mana siphon, its massive frame carving a path through the chaos. The nobles’ soldiers tried to block his advance, but the mech’s mounted cannons and reinforced arms cleared the way with brutal efficiency.

The heavy Sentinels moved to intercept him, their glowing runes pulsing with power. Juri’s heart pounded as he maneuvered the Dominion to evade their attacks, each movement calculated to minimize damage.

As he closed in on the siphon, Juri activated the mech’s disruption charge—a device he had installed specifically for this scenario. The charge emitted a pulse of energy that destabilized the siphon’s field, creating a brief opening.

“Now!” Juri shouted, firing the Dominion’s main cannon.

The shell struck the siphon’s core, shattering the red crystal in a blinding explosion. The device emitted a high-pitched whine before collapsing in on itself, its energy dissipating into the air.

With the siphon destroyed, the Dominion’s systems came back online, and the Adaptive Drones resumed their assault. The rebels rallied, their firepower overwhelming the nobles’ forces.

One by one, the remaining Sentinels fell, their frames crumpling under the combined might of the Dominion and the rebels. The nobles’ soldiers, realizing they were outmatched, began to retreat.

The battlefield was littered with the remains of the nobles’ forces. The rebels moved among the wreckage, salvaging what they could and tending to the wounded.

Juri climbed down from the Dominion, his body trembling with exhaustion. Halrick clapped him on the shoulder, a wide grin on his face.

“Hell of a fight,” Halrick said. “I’ll admit, that thing of yours is impressive.”

“It’s just the beginning,” Juri replied, his voice quiet but resolute.

Kira approached, her expression unreadable. “You saved the camp, but they’ll be back. Stronger than ever.”

“Let them come,” Juri said, his sharp blue eyes glinting with determination. “We’ll be ready.”