Kerrigan awoke with a sharp, burning pain in her lungs, each breath like inhaling fire. She blinked against the oppressive heat, her vision blurry and unfocused as she struggled to take in her surroundings. Sweat trickled down her face, stinging her eyes as she squinted through the haze of steam and smoke that hung thick in the air.She was in a cave, far underground, the walls illuminated by the searing orange glow of molten lava that flowed just a few feet away.The heat was unbearable, the kind that scorched the skin and made the air shimmer. She could feel the sweat soaking through her flannel pajamas, clinging to her skin as her body tried desperately to cool itself in the sweltering inferno.Her hands were bound tightly behind her back, her wrists raw from the rough rope that bit into her flesh. Her legs were tied together, making any movement almost impossible, and a heavy metal collar around her neck chained her to the wall, its iron biting into her skin with every shift.She s

The dragoons moved swiftly through the dimly lit tunnels, their footsteps echoing off the cold stone walls. Faolan led the way, her keen senses guiding them as she sniffed out any trace of danger. The faint scent of blood and sweat clung to the air, mingling with the stench of mold and damp earth—a reminder of the grim reality of the mine. Shadows danced along the walls, flickering with the dim light of their torches as they navigated the maze of passages, each one more foreboding than the last.Parker’s grip tightened around his rifle, his senses on high alert. The team had cleared several tunnels, silently taking out guards with swift, lethal efficiency, but they had yet to find Conor or Kerrigan. Each step deeper into the mine heightened the tension; the deeper they went, the more the walls seemed to close in, the oppressive heat and stifling air bearing down on them.As they rounded a corner, Faolan stopped abruptly, her ears perking up as she let out a soft whine. She sniffed the

Zadok stood, the fractured Soul Stone pulsing in his grip, its dark energy flaring like a twisted sun. The chamber was a battlefield of light and shadow, each strike of magic and burst of gunfire rattling the stone walls.Conor and Kerrigan, despite their combined might, were being pushed back, every ounce of their power barely keeping the dark onslaught at bay.The dragoons were scattered, bloodied but still fighting. Parker’s shoulder hung limp, Reilynn and Evelynn struggled to fend off the shadowy blasts, and Colonel Eli barked orders, his resolve unbroken even as the tide seemed insurmountable.Conor was on his knees, his breath ragged, pain etched across his face as he tried to stand and protect Kerrigan.Zadok’s sneer widened, his face contorted in a grotesque mask of victory. He raised his hand, shadows coiling around it like serpents, ready to deliver the final blow.“Kneel before Falik, and accept your end,” he growled, his voice dripping with malice as the room darkened with

The mine tunnels echoed with the weary footsteps of the dragoons as they made their way toward the exit. The oppressive darkness and suffocating heat of the mine were finally behind them, but the weight of their losses hung heavily in the stale air.Faolan led the way, her keen senses guiding the team through the labyrinth of rock and stone, her nose twitching at every new scent.As they moved, soldiers from the split teams began to rejoin them, their faces grim. Some men were visibly wounded—bandages hastily wrapped around arms and legs, blood staining their fatigues. Many limped, others leaned on comrades for support, but all were determined to get out of the mine with as few casualties as possible.Parker took a headcount, his expression growing darker with each tally. “We’re missing eight,” he said, his voice rough with frustration and fatigue. “Three of the teams are down men, and the rest are hurt.”Reilynn’s face was set in a hard line as she scanned the group. “We knew it was

The emergency room of Lokir’s central hospital was in complete disarray. Medical staff moved frantically, their white coats billowing as they rushed from bed to bed, trying to make sense of the influx of wounded soldiers.The sudden surge of military personnel had turned the quiet, orderly hospital into something resembling a war zone.Stretchers clogged the hallways, some carrying men groaning in pain, others unconscious, their uniforms stained with dirt and blood. Shouted orders and the frantic beeping of monitors created a cacophony of sound that only intensified the chaos.Nurses and doctors worked in triage mode, doing what they could to stabilize the worst cases first.Provincial army soldiers from Targu, all clad in their dark blue and silver uniforms, stood watch over every corner of the hospital, their presence a stark reminder of the intensity of the situation.Security was tighter than anyone in Lokir had ever seen, and the tense atmosphere only added to the already palpabl