The air in Aurelia had been unnervingly still, but the moment Kiera stepped onto the battlefield, the winds began to howl in rhythm with the fury of war.
Her heart raced, not from fear, but from the adrenaline of a long-awaited challenge.
It was her first real taste of combat in this foreign land, a moment that would either cement her place among Ryker's forces or mark her as something less.
There was no room for failure.
As the clamor of the war drums grew louder, Kiera's focus narrowed.
Her eyes scanned the horizon where the enemy had gathered.
Veldaran's forces had been pushing forward relentlessly, their mechas leading the charge against Valcaria's lines.
But Kiera had other plans—she wouldn't let mere machines dictate the outcome of this battle.
Her hand tightened around the hilt of her blade, a finely crafted weapon that had become an extension of herself since her training began.
She had studied the ways of both sword and magic, preparing for moments like this, moments where her strength would be tested to the limit.
"Focus," she whispered to herself.
The battlefield before her was chaotic, a blur of movement as Ryker's forces clashed with the mechas.
Her eyes, however, locked onto a target—an elite soldier from Veldaran, flanked by two heavily armored guards.
She'd been briefed on his importance: Commander Gideon, a ruthless tactician who had earned a reputation for striking fear into the hearts of his enemies.
Taking him down would send a message.
Without hesitation, Kiera dashed forward, her movements a blur.
The enemy soldiers barely had time to react before she closed the distance.
Her sword slashed through the air, its edge a gleaming silver streak.
The first guard attempted to counter, but Kiera's speed was unmatched.
She pivoted, using the momentum of her strike to spin and deliver a precise cut to his exposed flank.
He crumpled to the ground, barely able to cry out before he was silenced.
The second guard lunged at her, aiming to overwhelm her with brute strength.
But Kiera was faster. She ducked under his swing and, with a swift movement, drove her blade upward into his chest.
The impact was clean, and he too fell without a sound.
For a moment, Kiera stood amidst the bodies of her foes, breathing heavily but with clear focus.
She had already proven her worth against these opponents, but her real target—Commander Gideon—was still in her sights.
The commander, standing just beyond the fallen soldiers, watched with a sneer.
"Impressive," he called, his voice cutting through the din of the battlefield.
"But it'll take more than that to defeat me."
Kiera's eyes locked onto his.
She could feel his confidence radiating off him like a force field.
He was a skilled combatant—there was no doubt about that.
His heavy armor and brutal-looking sword suggested that he had been built for destruction.
But Kiera wasn't about to let his intimidation tactics stop her.
"You talk too much," she said, her voice calm but firm.
Gideon grinned, a predator sizing up his prey.
He swung his blade unnaturally, aiming to cleave Kiera in half with a single blow.
Kiera sidestepped, barely avoiding the deadly arc of the blade.
But her foot caught on the uneven ground, and she stumbled slightly.
Gideon's eyes flashed with a dark triumph.
He lunged forward, taking advantage of the split second he had.
But Kiera's training kicked in, her instincts sharp.
She dodged his blow with a burst of magic, channeling her energy through her sword.
The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the ground, knocking Gideon back several paces.
But he wasn't deterred. "Impressive," he muttered again, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip.
"But you'll need more than speed to beat me."
Kiera didn't waste time responding. Instead, she launched herself at him, using the magical surge to enhance her speed and strength.
She moved in close, faster than he could react, and slashed across his midsection.
His armor held, but the force of the strike staggered him.
Before he could recover, Kiera was already on top of him, her sword flashing as it cut through the air once more.
The battle around them continued to rage, but for Kiera, there was only the fight before her.
The world had narrowed to this single confrontation.
She knew she couldn't afford to let Gideon gain the upper hand again.
With a sharp twist of her wrist, she swung her blade downward, aiming for a chink in his armor.
The metal gave way with a satisfying sound, and Kiera's blade sank deep into his side.
Gideon gasped, stumbling backward as blood spilled from the wound.
"You... you're better than I thought."
Kiera didn't respond. Instead, she tightened her grip on her sword and pressed her advantage, stepping in for the final strike.
Gideon tried to raise his weapon one last time, but he was too slow. With a flick of her wrist,
Kiera disarmed him, sending his sword flying from his grasp. He fell to his knees, the fight leaving his body.
"I don't want to hear your excuses," Kiera said coldly as she pressed her blade against his throat, silencing him once and for all.
The sound of Gideon's fall was drowned out by the victorious roar of Ryker's forces as they pushed forward, rallying around Kiera's swift and decisive victory.
The enemy was scattered, their morale shattered by the loss of their commander. Kiera stepped back, her breath coming in slow, steady intervals.
The adrenaline was starting to wear off, and the weight of her actions began to settle in.
Ryker appeared at her side, a rare but approving smile on his face. "Well done."
Kiera only nodded, still too focused to fully process the praise.
The battle wasn't over yet, and there would be more challenges ahead.
But for the first time in Aurelia, she had proven herself—not just as a fighter, but as a force to be reckoned with.
She wiped the blood from her blade and sheathed it with practiced ease.
Her gaze shifted across the battlefield, to the enemies fleeing and the fallen comrades of Valcaria. The war had only just begun.