🔥 Chapter 8 — Cornering the General
The northern highlands were a whirlwind of fire, ice, and green energy. Kael's Ember spiraled around him like a living storm, flames coiling into blades and whips that struck with unerring precision. The King's first new general, for all his skill, was beginning to falter under the relentless assault.
Rhyne ducked beneath a snap of green energy, slashing to disrupt one of the whips. "Kael! He's weakening! Keep him on the defensive!"
Kael's eyes blazed blue-white. He could sense the general's hesitation, the strain in his energy aura. Every strike he launched now was calculated, each movement designed to cut off escape routes and force the general into reactive maneuvers.
The general tried to counter, spinning his whips in a wide arc, but Kael anticipated the rhythm, Ember extending in spirals that deflected and redirected the attacks. Sparks and shards of frozen stone flew as the general stumbled, energy faltering.
Kael surged forward, flames forming a spear that cut a precise path toward the general's core. The general attempted a final surge, summoning a protective barrier, but Kael's Ember twisted around it, flowing like water, and struck true, forcing the general backward.
Rhyne landed beside Kael, panting but steady. "Kael… he's trapped. He's reacting to you, not controlling the fight!"
Kael's flames coiled violently, Ember pulsing with anticipation. "Good. That means the next strike could end it—or force him to reveal his final technique. We need to be ready for anything."
The general's green eyes flared, a flicker of desperation crossing his expression. He had been confident, precise, in control—but Kael had shifted the balance. Every attack now pushed him closer to the edge, forcing him into a corner where the Ember dictated the battle.
Kael's gaze hardened. "Rhyne… whatever comes, we finish this now. The longer he survives, the more dangerous he becomes."
Rhyne nodded, gripping his sigil blade. "Understood. Let's end this."
Flames and green energy clashed in a deafening roar as Kael advanced, fully controlling the battlefield. For the first time, the general's confidence wavered, and the Ember prepared to strike the final decisive blow.