🔥 Chapter 42 — Collapse of the Hub's Defenses
The inner chamber pulsed with green energy, the hub's crystal at its center glowing like a beating heart. Kael and Rhyne crouched just beyond its radius, Ember threads weaving carefully around wards, guardians, and protective runes. Every motion was deliberate, every strike measured.
Rhyne whispered, "The wards are intensifying. The hub knows something is wrong. If we're not precise, it'll trigger a full alert."
Kael's eyes glowed as Ember threads extended like fingers of fire, probing the crystal's defenses. "I know. We destabilize gradually, working with the energy, not against it. One wrong pulse, and the King's forces will flood this area instantly."
The first wave of defensive wards shimmered, sensing intruders, but Kael's Ember threads redirected the energy harmlessly into the floor, nullifying the alarms. Rhyne moved silently, disabling minor magical constructs that could alert reinforcements.
Rhyne exhaled sharply. "We're cutting the defenses one by one. It's working… but the core is still stable."
Kael's flames pulsed in rhythm with the crystal, Ember threads entwining its green veins. "That's intentional. We weaken it in stages. The moment the outer wards collapse, we hit the core with synchronized pulses. It won't withstand controlled disruption."
A shiver ran through the chamber as Kael's pulses struck the crystal in precise timing. Energy arcs flared briefly, then collapsed, harmlessly redirected by Ember threads. Rhyne struck simultaneously, severing critical conduits linking the crystal to outer defenses.
The crystal trembled, veins of green energy flickering wildly. The chamber shook, stones rattling from the ceiling, but Kael's protective Ember cocoon held firm.
Kael whispered, "Almost there… just one more sequence of pulses, then the hub's defenses will collapse entirely."
Rhyne nodded, striking the final wards with flawless timing. The crystal quivered violently, a deafening hum echoing as its control over the hub shattered. Green energy arcs collapsed inward, wards flickered and died, and the hub's defenses fell silent.
Kael exhaled, flames coiling softly. "It's done. The hub is ours. The eastern network is crippled, and the King's ability to coordinate here is gone."
Rhyne grinned. "Then we vanish before reinforcements arrive. The King won't know what hit him until it's too late."
Outside, the forest remained silent, but the balance of power in the eastern territory had shifted decisively in Kael and Rhyne's favor.