The northern captain's voice still echoed in the air as his order rang out: "Attack! I want them alive!"
Steel clashed before the last word faded. The courtyard erupted into chaos.
Selena raised her hands and called forth a wall of ice that burst from the ground, separating half of the charging northerners. The force of the conjuration knocked two of them off their feet, their armor clattering on the stone. The others hesitated, but not for long. They rushed around the growing wall, only to be met by a silent, focused Luther.
With his sword flashing like silver lightning, Luther cut through the first man with practiced precision. Another swung at him from behind—but Arya was already there, her twin daggers slipping into the gaps in the enemy's armor like whispers. She moved like a dancer, her blades a deadly blur, and her eyes locked on Luther's for a brief moment—a look that said: I've got your back.
Kael stood still in the middle of the chaos, his eyes glowing white-hot with focus. Selena's blessing still burned in his blood. With a single motion, he slammed his palm to the ground. Fire erupted in a controlled ring around him, forcing the encroaching soldiers to step back. Then, with both hands raised, he summoned water from the damp ground and formed a whirling vortex that slammed into two enemies at once, throwing them across the courtyard.
One tried to flank him. That man never reached Kael.
Stormclaw charged, his fur ablaze with magical fire, each step shaking the ground. With a deafening roar, he swiped at the soldier, the force of the blow sending him flying into the stone wall. The magical beast snarled and lunged into the fight, tearing through metal and steel with raw elemental power. The rest of the soldiers faltered at the sight of him, their courage draining from their eyes.
Selena moved with deadly grace. Spikes of ice burst from the ground wherever she directed her will. She froze weapons in soldiers' hands, shattered shields, and turned their own momentum against them. A soldier tried to blindside her, and she spun, catching him with a shard of ice that burst from her palm like a dagger.
Arya, darting across the battlefield, found herself face to face with a larger northern brute. He laughed—until she slid between his legs, cut his hamstrings, and vaulted back to her feet, delivering the finishing blow with a cold, effortless motion.
Meanwhile, Luther fought his way toward the captain, cutting through the remaining men with calm, deadly force. His eyes never wavered, and his strikes never missed. With a shout, he collided with the captain in a flurry of steel.
The captain was no ordinary soldier—he was trained, precise, and strong. Their blades danced with sparks. He forced Luther back with a brutal overhead strike, but Luther rolled and came up slashing. The two men circled each other, sweat and blood mixing in the dust beneath them.
But then Kael sent a surge of earth magic beneath the captain's feet. The ground cracked and shifted, throwing the man off balance. Luther charged, sword raised—but instead of killing, he struck the captain's sword aside and slammed the hilt of his blade into the side of the man's head.
The captain fell to his knees, groaning. Blood streamed from a wound on his temple.
It was over.
The battlefield went silent but for the groans of the wounded. The last of the northern soldiers either fled or lay motionless. Selena stood tall, catching her breath, her clothes stained with dirt and frost. Stormclaw sat beside Kael, panting with exertion but uninjured. Arya helped Luther lift the unconscious captain.
Kael was the first to reach the prison house. He threw the door open—and there, inside a dark, damp cell, was Ariwin.
"Selena!" Kael called. "She's here!"
Selena rushed inside and fell to her knees. Ariwin was weak but alive, her face pale and bruised, her hands trembling.
"Selena," she whispered. "You came."
Tears brimmed in Selena's eyes. "Of course I did."
They carried Ariwin out together, shielding her from the aftermath of the battle. A few moments later, the captain stirred, groaning in pain as he was dropped unceremoniously at Selena's feet.
Her boots crunched on the stone as she walked to him. Her hair blew slightly in the wind, her eyes cold and sharp. She knelt down and looked him straight in the eye.
"Now… will you tell me everything I need to know?"