章 58: Silent Exchanges
With Ember Wings slipping through forests and Ember Shields guarding crucial points, the Ember Circle gradually tightened its grip on contested regions. They planted subtle bait—small supply caches left seemingly unguarded near suspected Serpent routes, or whispered rumors in taverns known to host Serpent spies. These lures were designed to draw Serpent agents into revealing themselves.
Alyra's archers observed from hidden perches as would-be infiltrators approached the caches. Ember Wings tracked them at a distance, noting every hand signal and safe word muttered under breath. Once the Serpents realized they were being watched, they retreated—only to find their exits blocked by quiet patrols. No open battle ensued, just uneasy standoffs where both sides pretended ignorance, moving off before blades were drawn.
In a mountain pass, an Ember Shields detachment stood their ground when a disguised merchant tried slipping a poisoned flask into their stores. Alerted by a Wing's silent whistle, they caught the intruder's wrist and forced him to flee empty-handed. This showed the Serpents that even subtle moves met with resistance.
At a secluded crossroads, a Serpent courier carrying encrypted scrolls encountered an Ember "farmer" tending a field at dusk. The courier, startled, froze. The farmer—actually a Wing operative—simply tipped his hat, giving nothing away. Shaken, the courier rode off, not realizing that another Wing member followed at a distance, mapping his route back to a hidden Serpent outpost.
These silent exchanges were a dance of shadows and whispers, each side testing how the other responded to bait, how quickly they adapted. The Serpents discovered that no gap remained uncovered, no plot easy to execute. The Ember Circle displayed coordinated vigilance, forcing the Serpents to reconsider each move carefully.
Lyrus, informed of these subtle victories, nodded with quiet pride. The new units he had trained—the Wings and the Shields—were paying dividends. Their presence and skill allowed the Circle to apply pressure without launching overt attacks, wearing down the Serpents' confidence.
As the moon rose over watchful forests, both sides understood the stakes had risen. The Ember Circle had proven they could test the Serpents' secrecy and hold their ground. Soon, one side would need a decisive move. Until then, they waged a silent war of patience and preparation, each heartbeat echoing in the tense hush between enemy lines.
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