Year 217 Post-Collapse

  Fortress of Dornhal, Contested Territory

  The wind howled across the ramparts of Dornhal, carrying with it the scent of ash and damp stone. Kael stood tall, his cloak billowing with each icy gust, his gaze fixed on the horizon, obscured by mist. Behind him, the fortress—massive, austere—stood as a testament to an age long gone. Its dark, smooth stone walls still bore the scars of forgotten battles, cracks and impact marks whispering of a world that had crumbled.

  He inhaled deeply, letting the cold fill his lungs. Dornhal was his, but for how long? His victories were only milestones on a path lined with dangers and uncertainties.

  The sound of footsteps echoed behind him. Darius, his trusted second, approached, his broad frame casting a long shadow under the torchlight flickering along the walls.

  — "Still brooding over the fate of the world?" he quipped with a smirk.

  Kael didn’t answer immediately. He placed a hand on the cold stone of the battlements.

  — "Can you feel it, Darius? This fortress has stood for centuries… and yet it still endures. I wonder how much blood has been spilled to keep it standing."

  Darius shrugged.

  — "Enough to fill a river. And more will flow. We took Dornhal, but it’s only a matter of time before others come to claim it."

  Kael nodded.

  — "I know. We must prepare."

  At that moment, Lysara, the scout, emerged from the darkness like a wraith. Her black cloak fluttered behind her as she knelt before Kael.

  — "Commander, Revaris’s forces are on the move. They’re advancing slowly but steadily. Based on our estimates, they’ll reach Dornhal in three days."

  Kael clenched his jaw. Revaris was not an enemy to take lightly. A feared warlord, known for both his cruelty and tactical brilliance. Unlike other warlords who relied on brute force and plunder, Revaris preferred to break his enemies mentally before striking.

  Darius grunted.

  — "That bastard must think we’ll run like frightened rabbits."

  Kael nodded.

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  — "More likely, he thinks we’re too weak to put up a real fight. We’ll prove him wrong."

  Before returning to the war room, Kael took a detour through the fortress’s ancient courtyard. Beneath layers of ivy and dust lay remnants of a forgotten world. He stopped before a massive, rusted metal door, its surface dented and worn by time. Faded letters were still visible on its surface:

  "BUNKER SECTOR 4 – RESTRICTED ACCESS"

  Kael ran his fingers over the inscription. This bunker had been built long before the Collapse, before the world was plunged into chaos. What had it once protected? Weapons? Lost knowledge?

  — "This world was once magnificent…" he murmured.

  A rustle behind him made him turn. Lysara stood there, watching him with curiosity.

  — "Still wondering what came before, aren’t you?"

  Kael met her gaze and nodded.

  — "We live in the ashes of a world we don’t even understand. And yet, we fight over these ruins as if they still hold meaning."

  Lysara gave a faint smile.

  — "Maybe they do. You, more than anyone, want to build something new."

  Kael said nothing. He turned away from the bunker and made his way back to the war room.

  Inside the grand chamber where his officers waited, a man in a dust-covered traveling cloak was already present. Revaris’s envoy.

  The man bowed with exaggerated politeness.

  — "Lord Kael, my master Revaris sends you a message. Kneel and swear allegiance, or prepare to be annihilated."

  A tense silence followed.

  Darius let out a dry laugh.

  — "Your master is awfully confident."

  The envoy remained composed.

  — "My master does not leave things to chance. He offers you a unique opportunity to survive. Accept, and your men will be spared."

  Kael slowly stepped toward him, his gaze cold as steel.

  — "Does your master truly believe we will surrender after conquering Dornhal?"

  The envoy struggled to hold his stare.

  — "Revaris does not waste lives needlessly. He respects those who can recognize a war lost before it begins."

  Kael remained silent for a moment. He could have killed the envoy on the spot as a response to the insult, but he knew Revaris was waiting for his reaction. He preferred to answer in a different way.

  He took another step forward, forcing the envoy to instinctively retreat.

  — "Go back to your master. Tell him Dornhal will not fall as easily as he believes. And tell him this… We are waiting for him."

  The envoy paled. He understood the meaning behind those words. He bowed quickly before turning on his heel and hurrying away.

  Darius watched him leave with a satisfied smirk.

  — "We have three days before this war begins. What’s the plan?"

  Kael turned to the map spread across the table.

  — "We’re going to show them that we are not just another band of raiders. We will show them what war truly means."

  Outside, night fell over Dornhal. Torches flickered to life, casting shifting light across the fortress walls. Soldiers prepared for battle, sharpening weapons, reinforcing barricades.

  Kael stood upon the ramparts, looking into the darkness that stretched before him. He knew this battle was only the beginning of a much larger conflict.

  But he was ready.

  Slowly, he drew his sword, its blade catching the firelight.

  Let Revaris come.

  Dornhal would stand.