Tired of piecemeal skirmishes, General Ciri decided it was time to seize the initiative. She assembled a mixed force under Captain Senna of the Ember Wings. Their mission: push deeper into territory suspected of harboring a Serpent cache—likely weapons or poison supplies meant for future strikes.
Senna led a stealthy advance at twilight, Wings moving like ghosts through tall grasses and sparse woodlands. Behind them, select Flames and Sparks trailed at a cautious distance, ready to reinforce. This operation balanced subtlety and force—Ciri wanted to flush out and corner Serpent agents, forcing a confrontation on Ember terms.
Soon, Senna spotted faint lantern glow beyond a small hill. She signaled a halt, and the Wings fanned out, encircling the area. Through whispers and hand signs, they coordinated a careful approach. As they crept closer, they saw Serpent figures unloading crates from a hidden pit.
Ciri's plan: strike swiftly, letting the Wings disable key sentries, then have Flames and Sparks converge, trapping the enemy. On cue, an arrow from a hidden Wing archer snuffed a lantern, plunging the scene into darkness. Panicked murmurs rose from the Serpents as they fumbled for torches.
Senna's team struck, nocking arrows and launching precise shots that clipped arms and legs, disabling fighters without killing. As confusion spread, Flames rushed in, shields raised, while Sparks flanked to prevent escape. In moments, the Serpents found themselves surrounded, outmaneuvered. Their attempt to set traps or burn the supplies failed as Wings snatched torches from their hands.
Cornered, a Serpent lieutenant snarled at Senna, hurling curses. She remained silent, arrow trained on his throat. When he tried to toss a poison vial, a Spark captain lunged, slapping it to the ground and crushing it underfoot.
With nowhere to run, the Serpents surrendered. Ciri, observing from a distant vantage, nodded with satisfaction. They had captured enemy operatives and seized their hidden cache. Now they had proof of who supplied the Serpents and how their networks operated.
By dawn, the Ember Circle had turned the tables—no longer just reacting, but shaping the battlefield. This gambit, orchestrated by a general and executed by captains and their squads, showed that discipline and strategy could outfox even cunning foes.