The horizon burned red—not with sunlight, but with banners, torches, and the rising dust of war.
From the wooden watchtower atop the hill, Arjun stared at the army assembling beyond the valley ridge. Rows upon rows of Blackstone troops—armored footmen, mounted cavalry on tusked lizards, and siege beasts that lumbered with giant, jagged wheels strapped to their sides.
"Thirty thousand… not twenty," Bhanu muttered beside him, gripping the rail with white knuckles.
Arjun's jaw tightened. "Then we'll bury thirty thousand bones here."
He turned and descended the tower. Every step echoed with the weight of leadership.
The villagers—no, his people—stood gathered in the central square. They wore mismatched armor, many with patchwork shields and spears carved from local trees. But their eyes no longer held fear.
He climbed a stack of crates to address them.
"Today," Arjun called out, "we are not farmers. We are not exiles. We are not prey!"
The villagers roared.
"We are defenders. And what we defend is ours! Our homes. Our families. Our freedom."
Behind him, Priya stood with the newly hatched Dreadclaw Roc, now the size of a full-grown horse. Its eyes gleamed, wings twitching.
"My sister will command beasts the enemy cannot tame. I will lead warriors who cannot be bought. And together—we will not break!"
Cheers shook the square. Hope turned into steel resolve.
Arjun activated his Lord Interface.
[Activate 1000x Multiplier on Village Resources: Defensive Fortifications, Trenchworks, and Spike Barriers][New Crafting Blueprint unlocked: Fire Oils, Thundersticks, Ballista Arrows][Skill Learned: Formation Command – Tier 2]
Blackstone's vanguard advanced cautiously. At their helm rode Lord Rathan, his dark crimson armor polished, and his gaze arrogant. On either side of him lumbered siege rhinos, massive beasts dragging battering rams as large as huts.
"Such a pathetic place," Rathan scoffed. "This will be over in an hour."
A horn blared. Then came silence.
Suddenly, the first trench collapsed beneath the front line. Dozens of soldiers dropped into spiked pits.
Arrows rained down from hidden platforms. Fire jars crashed into siege beasts. From the left flank, a dozen massive logs rolled down the hill, crushing cavalry units trying to flank.
From above—a screech.
The Dreadclaw Roc dove like a thunderbolt, talons shredding into enemy lines. Priya stood at a ledge, controlling it with nothing but her palm extended and focused will.
Behind the chaos, Arjun led his elite squad forward through a hidden tunnel that exited beneath enemy supply carts.
He whispered, "Now."
Bhanu and his team tossed thundersticks—homemade explosive canisters—at the supply barrels. The resulting blast sent shockwaves through the valley.
[1000x Multiplier Activated: Thunderstick Damage Increased]
The supply chain burst into flame. Chaos erupted.
Lord Rathan stared in disbelief at the burning supply lines, collapsing siege beasts, and troops thrown into disarray.
"What… what trickery is this?"
Then he heard it—drums. War drums. And chants from the villagers.
Arjun emerged through the smoke, spear in hand, armor gleaming. "This is not your land, Rathan. Turn back, or be buried here."
Rathan growled. "I will skin you and wear your bones as my throne."
Arjun smiled grimly. "Try."
Meera worked feverishly in the herbalist hut. She wasn't just a healer—her knowledge of ancient roots and fire blossoms had helped create the thundersticks. She paused, hand resting over her stomach.
Her expression shifted.
A soft glow emanated from her chest, and a System Notification appeared before her.
[You have conceived a child with Lord Arjun. Bloodline Mutation Detected: Offspring will carry Passive Talent – Resource Resonance.]
Meera's breath caught. "Our future… is already beginning."
Back on the Battlefield
As night fell, the first wave of Blackstone forces broke. Hundreds dead, siege beasts crippled, morale shattered.
But Arjun knew this wasn't the end.
"It was only the opening act," he told Priya, who stood beside him, exhausted but triumphant. "Tomorrow, they'll come with their elites. And they'll be desperate."
Priya nodded. "Then we'll make them regret every step."
And behind them, in their village, the people began to believe something once thought impossible.
Not just survival.
Victory.