News of the attack on Chalassy's border reached them before dawn, delivered by a breathless scout. "The Bringers of Death…" he gasped, his voice choked with terror. "They attacked the villages… Jam used the Wand of Death…"
Anu didn't waste a moment. He gathered his squad immediately, his orders sharp and direct, cutting through the early morning haze. There was no room for hesitation, not when one of Osta's most feared warriors—Jam—was involved. The Wand of Death was a weapon of legendary cruelty, capable of summoning shadows that drained the life force from those they touched. Its mere mention was enough to make seasoned soldiers pale.
Riding out at the head of his squad, Anu felt the cool morning air whip against his face as they pushed their horses to the limits. The rhythmic thunder of hooves seemed to mirror the pounding in his chest. He couldn't stop thinking about what awaited them at the border. A village—a home for so many—was now reduced to ashes and corpses by a man who reveled in death.
As they approached the village, burning wood and flesh filled the air—a grim perfume marking Jam's passage. The charred remains of homes stood as silent witnesses to the brutality, their frames reaching toward the sky like skeletal fingers. Anu felt his breath catch at the sight, but there was no time to linger.
"Spread out and find survivors," he ordered, his voice carrying a cold edge of authority. "But stay alert. Jam's forces could still be nearby."
Merna and Tony led the search while Nora tended to the wounded. Anu kept a vigilant eye on the horizon, scanning for any movement. The echoes of a haunting melody reached his ears—a song that sent a chill down his spine: Rashnu's Song is a weapon of fear and despair.
Just then, a figure emerged from the haze. Jam approached, his black cloak billowing like the wings of a raven. He held the Wand of Death in his hand—a twisted staff that seemed to absorb the light around it.
"General Anu," Jam called, his voice laced with mockery. "I've heard so much about you."
Anu tightened his grip on his sword. "You'll regret coming here," he replied, his voice as cold as steel.
The battle that followed was intense and chaotic. Shadows danced across the battlefield, disorienting Chalassy's soldiers. Anu's mind raced as he tried to anticipate Jam's movements while protecting his squad.
Merna was everywhere at once, her daggers flashing as she defended her comrades with deadly precision. Anu couldn't help but feel a surge of pride watching her—she was every bit the warrior he knew she could be.
As the shadows closed in, Anu called for his squad to regroup, using their training to counter the chaos. Together, they pushed back the enemy forces, forcing Jam to retreat.
The echoes of Rashnu's Song faded into the distance, leaving only the sounds of the wounded and the dying. Anu stood amidst the wreckage, exhaustion weighing heavily on his shoulders. They had survived, but the war was far from over.
The victory against Jam's forces had come at a heavy price, leaving the soldiers of Chalassy rattled and uncertain. Anu's squad gathered around a campfire, the flickering flames casting long shadows on their weary faces. The air was thick with the scent of burnt wood and lingering dread. They had driven Jam back, but his parting words echoed in Anu's mind, poisoning the moment of respite with a bitter edge of doubt.
Tony, his muscular frame silhouetted against the fire, broke the silence. "We barely held them off this time," he muttered, his voice heavy with uncertainty. "If there are more Wands like Jam's out there… how are we supposed to fight that?"
The question hung in the air, unspoken fears settling over the group like a shroud. Anu's fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword, the leather worn smooth by years of use. He knew his squad was looking to him for answers—for reassurance—but the truth was, he didn't have either.
Merna, sitting across from him, leaned forward, her expression resolute. "We're not going to give up," she declared firmly. "We've faced worse odds before and face them again. We just need to stay together and keep moving forward."
Her words comforted the group, but Anu saw the flicker of doubt in her eyes—a flicker that mirrored his own. He didn't blame them for being afraid. The Wand of Death had nearly broken them, and the looming threat of more such relics was enough to shake even the most seasoned warrior.
As they prepared to rest for the night, scouts returned with dire news: multiple Wand users had been spotted coordinating attacks on Chalassy's borders. Anu felt a cold knot form in the pit of his stomach. This was no longer just a battle for territory—it was a battle for survival.
Later, Merna approached Anu, her eyes searching his face for any sign of his thinking. "Anu," she began, her voice quiet and hesitant. "What are we going to do?"
He didn't answer immediately, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. "We need more information," he replied, his voice steady despite the turmoil. "If we're going to stand a chance, we must understand what we're up against."
Merna hesitated as if weighing her following words carefully. "I… I just want you to be careful," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "You mean a lot to all of us. To me."
Anu turned to look at her, the sincerity in her eyes piercing through the layers of doubt and exhaustion that weighed on his mind. He reached out and gently took her hand, a small but meaningful gesture of gratitude. "I'll be careful," he promised, his voice sincere. "I won't let anything happen to you or the squad."
Merna smiled faintly, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little. "Thank you, General."
As they stood there, the firelight flickering between them, Anu couldn't shake the feeling that the path ahead would only grow darker from here. But with Merna by his side, he felt a glimmer of hope—a hope that they could face whatever came next together.