Chapter 125: The invincible man
Elder Osereth's voice crackled: "We tried every subtlety, every old rite. We tried force and guile. You stand unbroken. How?"
Lyrus answered, not triumphantly but with gentle clarity: "Strength forged in trust and honesty cannot be undone by illusions. We trained together, shared burdens, prepared not just for war, but for the responsibility that comes after. No nightmare you conjure can sever those bonds."
Ravessa's veiled eyes narrowed. She tapped her staff once—no illusions this time, just a hollow sound of recognition. "You have surpassed the webs we spun," she admitted softly.
Threnix, now weaponless, looked to Kazreth, expecting a command. The Jade Whisper's shoulders slumped slightly. He knew prolonging this duel only deepened their loss. The Serpents had prided themselves on cunning that outlasted any foe. Yet here stood a leader whose calm truth outlasted their cunning.
On the broader field, Serpent captains signaled retreat. Rivek and Surien, seeing their attempts to break Ember lines fail, pulled back. Vesarl's poisoners scattered, unwilling to waste more toxins. Clan leaders Dhazul, Velsa, and Harrek realized brute force or trickery no longer promised victory. Under harsh glares and grudging respect, they called their warriors to withdraw. The Ember captains did not pursue recklessly, but secured positions, ensuring no ambush awaited.
Generals Malzaryn, Ivrineh, and Yashever stepped back from entrenched duels, acknowledging that their layered offensive had found no success. Ember generals maintained steady watch, ready to counter any last-second treachery. But no treachery came.
In silence, the Elders comprehended that the final moment arrived. Kazreth considered one last desperate strike—an ignoble attempt to stab Lyrus while he talked. But something in Lyrus' steady gaze disarmed that impulse. Attacking now would mean denying the reality that they had been bested by moral fortitude and unity.
Osereth spat on the ground, voice bitter: "We concede nothing, yet we cannot deny what stands before us." Ravessa sighed, staff lowered. Threnix clenched fists, frustrated but helpless.
Kazreth's jade mask tilted: "We entered this expecting to reshape fate with cunning. Fate now reshapes us. Perhaps it is time we step away from the shadows."
Lyrus exhaled gently, not mocking nor gloating. He offered no humiliating demands. His victory was evident in the battlefield's calm, in unity that endured every plot. The Serpents' power had not vanished, but their aura of invincibility had faded.
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