The ruins of the dig site smoldered long into the night, their glow visible even from the city's heart. The air was thick with ash, and the ground trembled intermittently as if the earth itself hadn't settled after the ancient beast's death. Reid stood with the Red Fang on the fractured walls, surveying the horizon where the council's stronghold pulsed with ominous light.
Kaela approached, her armor scorched but her stance unwavering. "They'll retaliate soon. That stronghold is their pride. They won't let this go."
Reid's hand flexed around the pulsing coin. "Good. Let them come."
The Bond's voice murmured, sly and almost amused. "You've bled them, host. Now they will bleed more. But remember… a wounded beast bites hardest."
Around them, warriors whispered, glancing at Reid as if he was something not entirely human anymore. Their loyalty held, but it was fragile, a thread stretched tight. Kaela noticed their sidelong stares and clenched her jaw.
"They're afraid of you," she said quietly to Reid. "If you keep showing them that side, you'll lose them."
Reid's eyes stayed on the stronghold's glow. "They'll fear me and still follow. Fear keeps men alive."
Lira dropped from a ledge above, a grin tugging at her lips. "Some of us follow for other reasons. Don't think too hard about it."
Mara joined them, wiping ash from her bow. "We have scouts reporting increased council activity. They're bringing in siege engines—glyph forges, chain cannons. They're ready to burn this city down to get to you."
Reid's voice was calm. "Then we'll meet their fire with our own."
Before dawn, the council's forces advanced. The sky glowed red with the light of hundreds of glyph cannons, their runes casting eerie patterns against the clouds. Massive siege towers rolled forward, chains clanking like distant thunder. The stronghold's gates opened, unleashing an army bristling with weapons and magic.
Kaela barked orders, rallying the Red Fang to defensive positions. Traps lined the streets—glyph mines, collapsing barricades, channels of relic energy waiting to ignite. Warriors braced themselves, gripping weapons with white-knuckled hands.
The Bond whispered, its tone almost gleeful. "The stage is set. Burn them all, host. Show them the cost of chaining gods."
Reid raised Veil Rend, its flames flaring to life. "Hold the lines. This is where we break them."
The first volley struck like thunder, glyph blasts tearing through the outer barricades. Fire erupted across the city's edges, forcing the Red Fang to retreat strategically into the prepared kill zones. Kaela led from the front, spearing a charging soldier before kicking him back into a trap that exploded with relic fire.
Mara's arrows sang, cutting down officers coordinating the assault. Lira moved like a shadow, slipping through enemy lines and cutting throats before vanishing again. Every strike was chaos, every step a battle.
Reid unleashed his flames, burning through siege engines with strikes that sent shockwaves across the battlefield. The unstable magic in the city reacted, creating sudden walls of fire and bursts of energy that both hindered and aided the defenders.
System prompt:
[Objective: Hold the City's Inner Line]
[Optional Objective: Destroy Three Siege Engines]
As the siege intensified, the council unleashed something new—giant constructs of chain and stone, animated by glyph cores. They smashed through barricades, shrugging off normal weapons. The Red Fang faltered as the constructs advanced.
Kaela shouted, "We need to take those down now!"
Reid surged forward, the flames along his veins burning white-hot. The Bond screamed in delight. "Yes! Break their toys!"
With each swing of Veil Rend, chains snapped and cores cracked, but the constructs adapted, their chains lashing unpredictably. The environment itself warped under the heat of battle, forcing Reid to improvise, using collapsing walls to crush one of the giants.
Just as the tide began to turn, the stronghold's gates opened again. A figure clad in silver runes and carrying a chain-forged spear stepped forward, their presence alone halting the Red Fang's advance. The air thickened with power.
The Bond's voice dropped to a growl. "Host… this one is not like the others."
Reid gripped his blade tighter, flames roaring to life. "Then they'll fall like the rest."
The figure leveled their spear, the runes blazing. "Reid. Tonight, you die."
The figure stepped into the battlefield's heart, their silver runes gleaming with an otherworldly glow. Each movement was deliberate, fluid, as though they carried the weight of countless victories. The Red Fang fell silent, instinctively retreating a step at the oppressive aura.
Kaela's grip tightened on her spear. "Reid, this one's dangerous. More than any commander we've faced."
The Bond hissed, its tone sharp. "This is no commander. This is a chain-born champion, blessed by their gods. Kill them, host, or be broken."
Reid advanced, the blue-black flames of Veil Rend swirling with an intensity that warped the air. "Then let's see what they can do."
The champion struck first, the chain-forged spear cracking the ground as it lashed forward with impossible speed. Reid dodged, countering with a strike that met the spear mid-swing. The impact unleashed a shockwave that threw debris across the square.
The fight blurred into a storm of motion. Sparks, flames, and chains filled the night as each blow threatened to tear the battlefield apart. The champion's attacks were precise, each swing reinforced by glowing runes that hardened their weapon to withstand Veil Rend's flames.
The Bond roared in Reid's head, almost ecstatic. "Yes! Push harder! Show them the price of defying you!"
Reid gritted his teeth, matching the champion strike for strike. Every clash echoed through the city, forcing the Red Fang and council soldiers alike to pause and watch.
The champion shifted tactics, their runes glowing brighter as chains erupted from the ground, snaking around Reid's legs. With a sharp twist, they yanked him off balance and drove the spear toward his chest. At the last moment, Reid unleashed a surge of relic fire, burning through the bindings and forcing the champion back.
Kaela shouted, "Reid! Don't hold back!"
Lira darted in, striking at the champion's flank, but was knocked aside by a chain whip. Mara's arrows shattered several runes on the champion's armor, giving Reid an opening.
He seized it, driving Veil Rend into the champion's side. The strike unleashed an explosion of energy that sent both fighters tumbling apart.
The champion rose slowly, blood mixing with glowing rune light. Instead of fear, they smiled. "Good. You're worthy." They slammed their spear into the ground, activating a chain circle that expanded across the battlefield.
System prompt:
[Warning: Enemy has activated Chain Suppression Field]
[Effect: Relic Energy Output Reduced by 40%]
The Bond growled in rage. "Host! They seek to cage your fire. Do not let them!"
Reid felt the suppression bite into his flames, dimming them. But within the pressure, something new stirred—an echo of the ancient beast's essence absorbed during the last battle. The suppressed flames shifted, darkening with streaks of red.
The Bond whispered with glee. "Yes… use it. Let it out."
Reid's eyes blazed as the corrupted fire roared back to life, overpowering the suppression. The champion's smile faded, replaced by grim determination. The ground trembled as both warriors prepared their final strikes.
Kaela shouted, "Reid! Whatever you're doing—finish it!"
Reid lowered Veil Rend, his voice calm but deadly. "This ends now."
The champion leveled their spear, runes blazing white-hot. "Come, monster."
The two charged, their weapons colliding in an explosion of light and shadow.
The explosion from their first collision rippled across the battlefield, hurling debris and knocking soldiers from their feet. Both armies paused, caught between awe and fear as the duel consumed the center of the siege.
The champion spun their spear, channeling power into the weapon until the runes flared blindingly bright. Each thrust tore through the air like a lightning strike, forcing Reid onto the defensive. The suppression field still gnawed at his flames, but the corrupted essence burning inside him pushed back against the restraint.
The Bond whispered, low and coaxing. "Unleash it, host. Stop fighting like a man. Burn like what you've become."
Reid's vision blurred, the battlefield flickering with ghostly images of chains breaking and flames devouring. He let the corruption flow. The flames along his veins darkened, streaked with crimson, and the air twisted with the heat.
Kaela gasped from the sidelines. "Reid, what are you doing?"
Mara's voice was tight. "He's… changing."
Lira grinned through the chaos. "About time."
The champion lunged, spear aimed for Reid's heart. Reid caught the weapon with his bare hand, flames erupting and melting through the runes. The suppression field cracked, the lines on the ground splintering as his power surged. Veil Rend blazed to life, a storm of blue, black, and red fire swirling around it.
The champion's eyes widened. "Impossible."
Reid's voice was steady. "You tried to chain fire."
With a twist, he shattered the spear's shaft and drove his blade into the ground. Flames erupted outward in a roaring wave, engulfing the battlefield. Chains disintegrated, soldiers fled, and the champion staggered back, armor cracking under the pressure.
The Bond roared, exultant. "Yes! Break them all!"
The champion refused to fall. They gathered the last of their strength, runes blazing like dying stars, and charged. Reid met them head-on, his corrupted flames clashing with the white-hot runes in an explosion that split the ground beneath them.
For a heartbeat, silence. Then the champion collapsed, their armor shattering like glass. Their final words were a rasped whisper. "You… will burn… everything."
Reid stood over them, flames dying down to a faint, ominous glow. The suppression field vanished with the champion's fall, and the battlefield trembled in the aftermath.
System prompt:
[Enemy Defeated – Chain Champion Eliminated]
[Hidden Trait Awakened: Crimson Veil Flames]
The Red Fang roared in victory, but the cheers were uneasy. Many stared at Reid with wide eyes, whispering about the monstrous power they had just witnessed. Even his allies hesitated before approaching.
Kaela walked to his side, voice shaking. "Reid… you're scaring them."
Reid looked past her at the retreating council forces. "They should be scared. The council will send more."
The Bond purred with satisfaction. "And we will burn them all."
Mara lowered her bow, unease clear in her expression. "What did you just do?"
Lira smirked, wiping blood from her cheek. "He won. That's all that matters."
Reid stared at the champion's fallen body, the pulsing coin burning hot in his palm. "This war isn't over. It's only beginning."