Elowen entered the Red Flags training grounds at sunrise. The wind carried a faint chill. City Knightfall lay beneath the hill, orderly and precise. Streets were empty at this hour. Patrols moved in rotation. Towers rose, tall and imposing, crimson banners snapping sharply in the wind.
Daniel led her along a stone path. His movements were calm. His gaze scanned everything. Elowen followed. Her great sword rested against her back. Its weight pressed against her shoulders. She welcomed it. Every swing of the blade, every step, reminded her of her own strength and its limits.
"This is where you will learn control," Daniel said. His voice was even. "Watch before you act. Understand before you strike."
She nodded without hesitation.
Ahead, soldiers trained in formation. Swordsmen moved in tight lines, striking with sharp, measured precision. Archers fired at moving targets. Mages cast elemental attacks that struck only designated zones. Every movement had a purpose. Mistakes were corrected immediately.
Elowen noticed the difference from her own army. Her soldiers were brave but lacked cohesion. Here, trust was absolute. Every soldier could predict the other's movement. Every strike complemented another.
Daniel stopped near the edge of the platform. "Watch," he said. "This is discipline. This is control. This is what allows the Red Flags to survive when the rest of the world falls apart."
She observed, taking mental notes. Every formation. Every strike. Every defensive stance. Every pause. She imagined her own sword working with these soldiers. Her swings could create openings. Her timing could shift a formation.
Suddenly, a sound tore through the air.
The ground quivered. The air thickened. A portal opened at the edge of the field. Its colors shifted violently, unnatural and burning. The sky seemed distorted above it.
Creatures poured out. Hellspawn. Some small and vicious. Others massive, armored, clawed. They ran toward the soldiers and the city beyond.
Red Flags moved instantly. Lines formed. Archers fired volleys. Mages cast protective wards. Swordsmen advanced. Discipline turned chaos into control.
Elowen stepped forward. Daniel's eyes flicked to her sword. He did not speak. She lifted her great sword. The runes along the blade flared faintly, feeding her strength and focus.
The first creature charged. She swung. The blade landed solidly. The force crushed the skull. Its body collapsed.
Another charged from the side. She pivoted, cutting through armor and muscle with one motion. The third attack came from the front. She adjusted mid-strike, sending the creature flying backward.
Daniel moved alongside her. His Scarlune blade intercepted a massive claw midair. He did not strike her. He guided attacks, redirecting force to test her response.
"You swing hard," he said calmly. "Control it. Let the sword guide your weight. Strength is useless without timing."
Elowen adjusted her stance. Her next strikes combined weight with precision. She cleared space for soldiers behind her. Each attack was efficient. Each swing opened lines for archers. Each block protected allies.
Creatures continued to emerge. Portals flickered, spawning more. The Red Flags soldiers fell back in formation, holding a controlled perimeter. Elowen adapted. She became a living wall. Her sword blocked and crushed simultaneously.
One massive beast lunged from the side. She raised her sword, blocking the strike. The force nearly knocked her down. Daniel's Scarlune intercepted the follow-up attack, shifting its momentum without touching her.
"Watch your distance," he said. "Your strength is raw. Temper it. You are powerful. That is obvious. But raw power is dangerous to those around you."
She nodded. Her breathing steady. She recalculated her timing. Every swing now accounted for recoil, spacing, and the soldiers behind her. Her sword became a precise tool, not just a weapon.
A mage fired a ward that flung a group of smaller creatures backward. Elowen did not pause. She stepped forward, cutting through two armored beasts. Her swing cleared space for archers to fire. Every movement complemented the Red Flags' formation.
The portals began to close. The creatures that remained were trapped. Soldiers advanced, eliminating them efficiently.
The battlefield fell silent. Stone slabs were cracked. Dust rose in gentle plumes. Her sword dripped with blood and ichor. Her boots were stained. She stood among fallen creatures, her breathing even.
Daniel stepped forward. Scarlune resting against his shoulder. "Do you understand why the Red Flags are respected?" he asked.
Elowen sheathed her sword. "Strength is nothing without control," she said. "Discipline matters more than power."
He studied her. "You are strong," he said. "Stronger than I expected. But strength alone will get you killed. Focus will save you."
She met his gaze. "I can focus," she said.
"I will test that," he said. "Not to break you, but to see if you can work with this battalion."
A messenger arrived, panting. "General, southern district reports portal activity. Civilians are safe. Red Flags units engaged."
Daniel nodded. He looked at her. "You will come with me. You will see coordination in action. You will act under stress. Observe and respond. Do not hesitate. Do not panic."
Elowen mounted her horse. Her sword was strapped to her back. Daniel mounted beside her. They rode swiftly. The city's towers passed as they descended. Streets remained empty. Civilians peeked from windows, whispering.
The southern district was ten minutes away. Chaos had erupted around the portal. Soldiers were in defensive positions. Civilians cowered in buildings.
Elowen leapt off her horse, drawing her sword. The first creature lunged at a civilian. She swung. The blade cut it cleanly. Momentum carried her to the next attacker. She blocked a clawed strike, pivoted, and severed another's limb.
Daniel intervened subtly. Gravial shifted the battlefield. Not enough to harm her, but enough to demonstrate control under stress. He intercepted creatures threatening her, allowing her to focus on priority targets.
Civilians stared. Whispers spread. "She is strong." "Her sword is huge." "She fights like a soldier of the Red Flags."
Elowen did not notice. She moved with purpose. Her sword struck in controlled arcs. Every swing opened gaps. Every block saved soldiers or civilians.
By the time the portal closed, the area was secure. Red Flags soldiers regrouped. Civilians emerged cautiously, unharmed.
Daniel watched her. His expression was unreadable. "You are not a fighter for show," he said. "You are a warrior. You do not follow blindly. You take control. That is why people respect strength. Not for existence, but for application."
Elowen sheathed her sword. Dust and blood coated her boots. Her hair clung to her face. She looked at Daniel. "I want to learn from you."
He smiled faintly. "Then you will follow orders. Observe. Act when necessary. Do not panic. Focus. Only then will your strength matter."
The sun began to fall behind Knightfall's towers. Crimson banners snapped in the wind. The city below remained calm, disciplined, secure.
Elowen realized the world had changed.
Raw strength alone would not survive here.
Control, timing, and precision mattered more than power.
Red Flags was feared because of discipline. Daniel was feared because of mastery.
Her journey had begun.