The fortress was in chaos. Soldiers began running to and fro while preparing for what seemed to be the inevitable full-scale siege. Aldo Quasti stood on the battlements analyzing the horizon as the enemy forces gathered in the distance. Aldo clenched his fists and his jaw tight with determination, though his heart was heavy.
"They're not going to hold back this time." Aldo muttered under his breath.
A firm hand on his shoulder, the elder had been with him since the very start. Zale looked him straight in the eye. "Aldo" he said, calm and resolute in his voice. "Let me lead this time. I will face them."
Aldo sharply turned to him. "No, Zale. I won't let you sacrifice yourself like Eldrin, not again."
Zale smiled faintly. "You know as well as I do that this isn't just about us. If we don't act decisively now. There won't be a fortress left to defend. You're the heart of this place. The soldiers look up to you for strength. I'll hold the line."
Aldo's voice wavered. "If you go, then I'll go too. I can't stand by and watch this anymore."
"You have to." Zale said firmly. "This fortress needs you alive. Trust me, Aldo. Let me do what I can while there's still time."
Aldo nodded reluctantly after a long moment of silence. "If this is the end." he said quietly, "we'll make sure it's a fight they'll never forget."
Aldo turned to the amassed soldiers. "Prepare the cavalry. We will take them into open ground if the fortress falls. Everyone else, defend yourself. No one takes their falling back." Amidst the chaos, Vesh stood by and watched. Vesh saw Aldo look toward him again.
"Aren't you going to arm yourself?" Aldo asked with his voice gruff but kind enough.
Vesh nodded slightly. "I'll decide what to do soon enough." Vesh said.
Aldo looked at him for a moment then let out a sigh. "You've done enough already by helping our wounded. Do what you think is best."
Vesh's eyes flicked to Eldrin, who was stumbling out of the medical tent with a sword in his hand despite the bandaged wounds.
"What are you doing?" Vesh asked, frowning.
Eldrin smiled but his face was pale. "Resting won't do me any good. If I'm going to die. I'll do it on the battlefield."
"You're still injured, though." Vesh pointed out.
Eldrin waved him off. "Injuries or not, we need every man we can get. Even the wounded can hold a line."
Eldrin looked toward the other soldiers who were badly injured and was shouting with encouragement: "If you can stand up, you can fight. You don't have to let these bastards get the impression we are weaker than them."
Many of them stirred at these words hope renewed for some and though some waited behind with their family for support in some form or other everyone was ready for this battle.
Meanwhile, the enemy forces were already on the move. Theron, the middle-aged ki warrior who had risen to prominence recently was leading them with precision. Unlike Kael, who had been reckless in his approach. Theron divided his troops strategically.
"We'll hit them from the back and the right." Theron told his commanders. "Create gaps in their defenses."
Arthan, the enemy leader stood at their makeshift command post. "I see what Theron is doing and was deciding whether leading all the troops to attack?" he asked uncertainty in his voice.
Another Ki warrior gave him a sharp look. "It's not about certainty. It's about taking risks. If we break through even one side, it's over for them."
Arthan hesitated then nodded. "Fine. I'll lead the left flank myself for support."
As the enemy forces were mobilizing, Aldo's daughter stood at the battlements with her bow in hand. She eyed the battlefield with her keen eyes catching every movement. She noticed a lone figure walking away from the commotion in the distance.
"Who is that?" she muttered to herself, narrowing her eyes.
It was Vesh. He was heading towards the front gate with his steps calm and deliberate amidst the chaos.
At the gate, the guards stopped him. "Where do you think you're going?" one of them asked.
"I have medicine for the poison." Vesh replied smoothly. "And I've been given permission to leave."
The captain of the guard approached eyeing him carefully. "You're the one who's been helping the doctor, aren't you?"
Vesh nodded.
The captain rubbed his chin. "If the patriarch trusts you, I won't stop you. But if you step outside, you're on your own. No one's coming to save you."
"I wouldn't expect them to." Vesh said simply.
With a wave of the captain's hand, the gate creaked open and Vesh stepped out.
The battlefield was deathly quiet. Bodies lay across the ground in every direction leftovers from the earlier battle. Vesh walked with purpose with his eyes searching the fallen soldiers. He came to a particular body that was Kael's.
He knelt beside it and placed a hand on Kael's chest. Closing his eyes, he felt the body out with his little void energy.
"So, this is how ki works" he whispered to himself. He could feel the inside structure and the leftover energy within Kael's body with sime faint traces of nature's mana stored in hidden reservoirs throughout his form. It was a crude and inefficient system compared to even mana. Vesh once wielded but it was effective in its own way.
Vesh pressed the issue, he sensed an oddity. A piece of Kael's soul remained attached still linked to the shreds of his ki.
"How fascinating." Vesh said quietly with a hint of a smirk creeping over his mouth.
With his void energy, Vesh stretched out and grasped the rest of the soul fragment. It curled around his energy like smoke delicate yet powerful.
"This may come in handy." he said to himself standing up and brushing the dirt off his uniform.
The gust of wind bore the sounds of the enemy movements from afar but Vesh did not hear them. He was focused on something else, his mind reeling with ideas.
He turned back to head towards the fortress, he cast a look over his shoulder at the battlefield one last time.