The King's decree spread like wildfire.
Within days, mercenary bands, desperate lords, and bounty hunters set their sights on Shadowveil. Some came for gold, others for revenge. But none understood the storm they were walking into.
Xel'Varyn watched from atop her fortress walls, her golden eyes scanning the horizon. Smoke trails rose from distant camps—warriors gathering, plotting her demise.
She turned to her commanders. "It is time to teach them fear."
[System Update: Bounty Hunters Approaching]
"A price on your head is a sign of power. Make them regret their greed."
Enemy Forces Detected:
Five Mercenary Companies (Total: 1,500 soldiers.)Three Noble Houses' Retinues (Total: 2,000 soldiers.)Assassins' Guild Agents (Numbers Unknown.)
Time Until Attack: Four Days
Available Defenses:
Bloodforged Legion (300 Elite Soldiers).Shadowveil Militia (800 Trained Recruits).War Machines (Ballistae, Alchemical Fire Traps).Edwin's Spy Network Active (Sabotage Ongoing).Preemptive Strikes
Xel'Varyn refused to sit idle.
Under Edwin's command, assassins slipped into enemy camps.
By dawn, supply wagons burned, commanders found dead in their tents, and horses scattered.
Some mercenary companies fled before the battle even began.
For those who remained?
They would face Shadowveil's wrath.
The First Clash
The battle began at dusk.
From the shadows of the forest, Shadowveil's warriors struck first.
Durn led the vanguard, his massive axe cleaving through armored knights.
Elya, a blur of steel and shadow, weaved between enemy ranks, her daggers striking vital points.
Xel'Varyn?
She stood at the heart of the battlefield.
Her three arms moved in perfect harmony—one wielding a greatsword, another a curved dagger, and the third channeling Qi-infused magic.
With a single swing, she tore through enemy lines, sending bodies flying.
Arrows darkened the sky, but none reached her.
Her Qi-infused aura deflected them, the air around her shimmering with sheer power.
For every Shadowveil warrior who fell, ten enemies perished.
The mercenary bands broke first, retreating in disarray.
The noble houses fought longer, but soon realized their mistake.
By midnight, the battlefield was a graveyard.
[System Update: Victory Achieved]
"Let the world know—Shadowveil bows to no king."
Enemy Forces Defeated: 3,500+ killed, remaining forces scattered.Captured Enemy Generals: Four noble sons, three mercenary captains.Shadowveil Casualties: 200 Militia, 12 Bloodforged Legionnaires.New Territory Seized: Enemy war camps converted into forward bases.A Message to the King
At dawn, Xel'Varyn rode to the battlefield's center.
The captured noble sons knelt before her, bound and bloodied.
She looked down at them, her golden eyes cold and merciless.
"Your fathers sent you to die. You are nothing but pawns."
One of them, a defiant youth, spat at her feet.
"You're just a warlord. The King will crush you."
Xel'Varyn tilted her head, smiling.
Then, without hesitation, she drew her dagger and slit his throat.
As his body fell, she turned to the remaining captives.
"The rest of you will deliver a message to your fathers."
She stepped closer, her voice like a whisper of death.
"Tell them… Shadowveil does not fear kings. We make them bleed."
The captives were released, their broken spirits carrying the weight of her warning.
She knew what would come next.
The King would not tolerate this insult.
The real war was just beginning.