Khael observed the sequence, a faint smirk curling his lips. (Arden… my brother… finally, your time to shine.)
Lito turned, catching Khael's eye. A single nod passed between them, a silent communication honed through decades of battle and trust. Khael surged forward, not as a storm, but as a blade within it.
He channeled his dragon Shinrei into subtle currents, manipulating the battlefield itself: tents collapsed where enemy soldiers clustered, shadows of corrupted Shinrei were drawn into spirals that disarmed, disoriented, and subdued.
Lito moved as well, sweeping earth and wind to herd the enemy exactly where Arden had set the trap. From the ridge, General Vael Dran's eyes widened in disbelief.
"No… this isn't possible! They can't…" he muttered, voice trembling. Beside him, Varos gritted his teeth, desperately trying to stabilize the remaining Veinwalkers. But the currents of Shinrei bending the battlefield were beyond even his understanding.
Khael's voice rang out, calm and deadly: "It's over. Not by brute force… but by the mind and the bond of family."
Soldiers who survived dropped to their knees, hearts pounding in disbelief. Tents lay in ruins. The Lunaris Dust caches were being neutralized by Arden's precise counter-Shinrei from the cliffs, every movement calculated and unstoppable.
Vael Dran shouted orders frantically, pointing toward the northern cliffs: "Varos! Stop them! Protect the supplies!"
Varos responded immediately, focusing his Veinwalkers' Shinrei to counter Arden's manipulations. Yet, for every strike they made, Arden anticipated it. Traps ignited, barrels sealed, and their Veinwalkers were thrown into confusion.
Arden stood at the center of the northern supply tents, chest heaving, a faint sheen of sweat and Shinrei on his skin. (I… I did it. We did it.)
Lito placed a hand on his shoulder. "Arden… you were magnificent. You led the strike. The supply… everything."
Khael smiled faintly, wings of his dragon aura folding subtly around him. (Brother... Just as I hoped.)
Vael Dran staggered back, panic overtaking his features. "Khael… the Dragon Knight… Lito Corzedar… unbeatable… impossible…"
Khael's amber eyes softened. "Impossible is just a word. Strategy, trust, and control make it reality."
Lito placed his hand on Khael's shoulder, a rare smile crossing his stern features. "This… is how we fight as a family."
The northern winds carried away the smoke, leaving a battlefield of ruin, but also of clarity. Every surviving soldier knew the Dragon Knight had returned, the Wind General had risen, and together with Arden, they had shattered the darkness.
Arden stepped forward from the shadows of the ruined supply tents, dirt-streaked and sleeves rolled, exuding quiet authority. "Everyone… check the perimeter. Make sure no stray dust remains," he commanded. "And tend to the wounded immediately. Their Shinrei must be stabilized before the corruption spreads."
Khael glanced at him, amber eyes sharp with approval. (Arden… you've grown into the man you were always meant to be. Not just a warrior… a protector.)
Lito stepped beside Arden, placing a firm hand on his eldest son's shoulder. "I saw every move you made. The timing, the positioning… precise. You kept the plan intact even under pressure. That's leadership, Arden."
Arden allowed himself a small nod, the hint of a smile brushing his lips. (Maturity isn't about age, it's about responsibility. Today, I proved I can bear it.)
Khael's grin softened. "You were the linchpin, Arden. Without you securing the supplies and neutralizing the Lunaris Dust caches, none of this would've worked."
Arden shook his head slightly. "I only did what was necessary. That's what a big brother does. Protect, coordinate, and ensure no one falls behind."
Lito's eyes glimmered, pride tempered with emotion. "Your little siblings, Ren and Lyra will look to you now. Not just as their brother, but as the standard they strive to reach. Lead them wisely."
A faint breeze carried the acrid scent of burned powder away, leaving the mountain air crisp and clean. Arden looked to the rising sun, the battlefield bathed in soft golden light. (The war isn't over, but today… today we proved that together, nothing can break us.)
Khael stepped beside him, placing a hand on Arden's shoulder. "I knew you'd be ready. The men trusted you, and so did I. That's why I allowed myself to be the decoy. You… carried the plan forward flawlessly."
Arden's expression hardened, determination bright in his eyes. "Then we'll finish this. No more delays. No one else suffers because of this madness."
The soldiers, once trembling, now stood taller, inspired by the unity and strength of the Corzedar family. Lito raised his voice, commanding not just attention but faith. "We march home. Today we've reclaimed more than just a battlefield, we've reclaimed our honor, our hearts, and our people."
The northern winds no longer carried just cold, they carried purpose. Every breath seemed infused with the remnants of the Dragon Knight's aura, and the soldiers followed Arden and Khael like shadows guided by light.
"Arden," Khael called, voice cutting through the crisp air. "We'll need to stabilize the remaining Lunaris Dust caches before they cause any more Sunder."
Arden nodded, already calculating positions and contingencies in his mind. "I'll split the teams. Wave-affinity healers secure the perimeter; Bloom healers prepare the antidote. You… handle the purification of the caches?"
"Exactly," Khael replied, amber eyes glowing faintly as the Dragon Knight's blood stirred. "I'll infuse the Eclora Mist with Dragon Shinrei. It'll neutralize the Lunaris Dust's instability before it spreads further. But timing is critical, too early, and it reacts violently; too late, and it's irreversible."
Lito approached, wind and earth affinities intertwining around his arms like living armor. "I'll coordinate the covering teams. No one slips past our lines. Arden, you direct the troops; Khael, you focus on the caches. Synchronize your timing perfectly—our enemies learned too late, but we won't make that mistake."
The first cache loomed atop a cragged cliff, black mist curling like serpents over the barrels of dust. Khael crouched before it, placing his palms over the seal, the faint hum of his dragon-infused Shinrei pulsing outward. The air shimmered, and the mist recoiled as if afraid of the life energy he poured into it.
"Now, Arden." Khael's voice was low and commanding, carrying over the chaos.
Arden raised his hand, and the squads moved like clockwork. Wave-affinity healers flared their spirits in synchronized arcs, stabilizing the soldiers still flickering with corruption. Bloom-affinity healers unfurled petals of radiant energy, channeling into the antidote mist, which Khael carefully wove around each container of Lunaris Dust.
The first barrels hissed as the Shinrei-infused Eclora Mist neutralized the chemical-spiritual imbalance. Black veins dissipated into faint golden threads, and corrupted whispers faded like a bad dream.
"Cache neutralized," Khael said calmly, amber eyes scanning the horizon. "Move to the next. Timing… keep it precise."
From the ridge above, Vael Dran and Varos watched in disbelief. Their forces were in ruins. Every order they gave was countered, every attempt to stabilize their Veinwalkers thwarted. Panic and despair etched deep lines into their faces.
Vael Dran bellowed, "Varos! Stop them! Don't let them…!"
Varos gritted his teeth, veins pulsating with failed Shinrei manipulations. "It's… too precise… they… anticipate everything…"
But Arden and Khael's coordinated strikes, combined with Lito's battlefield control, left them powerless to stop the systematic neutralization of the caches. Explosions of purifying energy erupted over the supplies, and enemy units fell back in terror.
"Father… Khael… the troops are stabilizing faster than expected!" Arden shouted, excitement sparking in his disciplined voice. "It's retreating!"
Khael smirked faintly, aura flaring. (This… exactly as I envisioned. Arden executes perfectly. Just as we rehearsed.)
Lito's eyes glimmered with pride. "That's my son… no, both of you. Together… unbeatable. Arden… you lead with calm precision. The family legacy isn't just in titles—it's in heart, strategy, and trust."
By the time the sun hung high above the northern peaks, every barrel had been neutralized, every soldier's Shinrei stabilized. The Lunaris Dust, once a weapon of terror, lay harmlessly purged, leaving only the faint scent of purified life energy in the wind.
Arden lowered his gaze, surveying the recovered troops. (…This is what it means to protect.)
Khael placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, amber eyes meeting steady brown ones. "You were the MVP, Arden. Without your leadership, none of this would've worked. Today, you weren't just my brother… you were the shield of the north."
Arden allowed himself the barest hint of a smile, tempered by responsibility, eyes reflecting relief and quiet triumph.
Lito exhaled, wind tousling his hair. "This… this is how battles are won. Not by power alone… but by family, trust, and flawless strategy."
Above the battlefield, the first golden rays of the sun broke through the lingering mist, illuminating the trio standing amidst ruin turned salvation.
(This is more than victory… this is legacy.) Khael thought, eyes catching the light as the northern winds carried away the remnants of fear, leaving only resolve.
To be continue