Chapter 126: unseen plain
A hush settled over the war-torn plain. The clash of steel, the cries of warriors, all dimmed to soft echoes. Ember units stood vigilant, ensuring no feigned surrender. Serpent forces regrouped at a safe distance, heads low, weapons sheathed. The illusions faded entirely, revealing only a landscape dotted with footprints, broken arrows, and trampled grass.
Lyrus lowered his staff, stepping away from the Elders. He did not attempt to capture them or deliver final insults. This was a victory of principle. The Serpents had challenged integrity with cunning and found it unyielding. Their leaders, though not physically chained, were bound by the undeniable truth of their defeat.
Kazreth and the Elders turned, Threnix following silently. Without a word, they withdrew, leaving behind a silent accord: no more illusions would hold sway here. The Serpents' proud tradition of subtle domination had met a force they could not break—cooperation and moral clarity.
Ember generals and captains watched their foes depart. Eydon's Flames stood proud, having proven discipline surpasses ambushes. Senna's Wings felt satisfaction that stealth and honor overcame silent treachery. Huron's Shields knew their wall of unity had turned brute raids futile. Allies—Verdant Crane, Sunlit Fox, the monks—smiled, relieved that their faith in the Circle had been justified.
Lyrus surveyed the field. Many expected him to chase the Serpents, to press advantage. But he knew better. The final battle's purpose was never conquest—it was to end the cycle of deceit. The Serpents' withdrawal signaled understanding, however grudging, that brute cunning alone no longer dictated fate.
As Ember forces reorganized, tending to the wounded and gathering fallen arrows, Lyrus found solace in the quiet aftermath. Whisperers of the Horizon reported no foreign opportunists looming. Generals confirmed supply lines intact. Captains congratulated their squads. The Ember Circle's greatest test ended not in annihilation, but in a transformative moment.
Days from now, perhaps the
Serpents would reconsider their ways. Or maybe they'd vanish into distant shadows, plotting differently. The Ember Circle remained prepared, having proven that training, honesty, and shared purpose outmatched old intrigues.
Lyrus closed his eyes briefly, offering a silent thought of gratitude to every ally and soldier who made this outcome possible. The world might still hold dangers, but now the Ember Circle stood as a beacon of what collective resolve could achieve. The final battle had come and gone, leaving the land poised for a new era.
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