"Marshal, we can't hold much longer!" a soldier shouted, his voice barely rising above the clash of steel and the screams of the wounded. Elijah gripped his sword tighter, his dark cloak billowing in the wind. The city was on the verge of collapse. Smoke curled into the sky, and the air was thick with the scent of blood and burnt wood. The enemy had struck with precision, forcing them into a desperate battle. Doug stumbled toward him, his hand pressed against his side where blood seeped through his armor. Despite his injury, he stood firm. "Sir, our left flank is breaking. We need to regroup, or they'll cut us off completely." Elijah nodded, scanning the battlefield. His soldiers were battered but still fighting. He had trained them to endure, to stand even when the ground beneath them crumbled. He wouldn't let them fall now. "Pull back to the main road," Elijah commanded. "Form a barrier with the wagons and push them toward the square. We’ll make our stand there." Doug hesi

“Are you sure about this?” Sophia tightened her grip on the lantern, casting nervous glances at the crumbling walls of the abandoned estate. The air smelled of damp wood and decay. Dust swirled around her feet as she stepped forward. “I have to be,” she murmured to herself. The old house had been untouched for years, yet something about it felt… familiar. She had followed the clues from the coded messages, leading her here. But why? As she reached the grand staircase, a voice echoed through the empty hall. “You shouldn’t have come, Sophia.” She spun around, heart pounding. A shadow moved near the broken fireplace. Then, a figure stepped into the light. A man. Older, with sharp eyes and a knowing smirk. Sophia stiffened. “Who are you?” The man chuckled. “You don’t remember me, do you?” Her stomach twisted. There was something unsettling in his gaze, something that made her uneasy. “I know what you are,” he said, voice calm but firm. “And I know why they want you.”

“Push forward! We take back the city or die trying!” Elijah’s voice rang through the battlefield, hoarse but commanding. His soldiers roared in response, surging ahead with everything they had left. The streets of Evendore were unrecognizable—flames consumed buildings, smoke choked the sky, and bodies littered the ground. Steel clashed, screams echoed, but Elijah didn’t stop. His sword was slick with blood, his muscles burned, yet he fought with a reckless fury. Doug was gone. Sophia was missing. And he refused to let their sacrifices be for nothing. A soldier stumbled beside him, clutching a wound. Elijah grabbed him, shoved him toward the others. “Fall back and regroup at the square! We hold that ground no matter what!” The man nodded weakly before staggering away. “Elijah Norton!” A voice boomed over the chaos. Elijah turned, eyes locking onto a familiar figure—Cassian, standing atop a crumbling wall, sword in hand. His face was bloodied, his stance unsteady, but

"Keep moving! The whole place is coming down!" Elijah’s voice echoed through the tunnels, sharp and commanding.   Dust and debris rained from the cracked ceiling as the group pushed forward. The air was thick with the scent of damp stone and blood, the weight of their losses pressing down on them like the collapsing city above.   Sophia stayed near the back, her fingers gripping the straps of her medical bag so tightly they ached. She could still hear Lando’s voice in her head. You hesitate because you know I’m right. The words gnawed at her, making her stomach churn.   Elijah glanced at her but said nothing. He had noticed her quietness, the tension in her steps. But now wasn’t the time to press her for answers. &nb

"We don't have enough to last a week, let alone a full siege," Doug said, shaking his head. Elijah stood near the crumbling battlements, his gaze fixed on the distant torches moving through the valley below. The Warden’s forces were closing in. Every breath of wind carried the weight of impending battle. "We use what we have," Elijah said firmly. "Block off the weakest points, ration supplies. We hold this place as long as we can." Doug gave a sharp nod. "Understood, Sir. I’ll get the men to work." As Doug left, Sophia lingered behind. She looked troubled, arms crossed tightly over her chest. "I need to tell you something," she said hesitantly. Elijah turned to her, his face unreadable. "Go on." She exhaled sharply. "When Lando offered me a choice… I hesitated." Her voice wavered, but she pushed on. "For a second, I thought about it. About walking away." A long silence followed. The torches in the valley flickered like ghosts in the darkness. Elijah’s expression didn