🔥 Chapter 45 — Laying the First Traps
Kael and Rhyne moved silently through the dense forests east of the fallen hubs. Ember threads flickered across the undergrowth, sensing the approach of the King's reinforcements. The air was tense, each pulse of magic from the enemy like a drumbeat signaling the coming clash.
Rhyne crouched behind a moss-covered boulder. "They're advancing faster than I thought. We need to slow them down before they reach the hubs."
Kael nodded, Ember coiling around his arms like living fire. "Exactly. We'll set traps along the main approaches—physical obstacles, magical misdirections, and controlled ward discharges. We disrupt their march without committing to full engagement yet."
They moved along a narrow path, placing enchanted snares among tree roots and broken stones. Ember threads subtly redirected the currents of residual magic from the forest, creating illusions of empty terrain where soldiers might expect ambushes.
Rhyne's eyes scanned the horizon. "If they split forces to bypass the traps, they'll weaken themselves. That's when we hit the isolated groups."
Kael's flames pulsed rhythmically. "We force them to make mistakes. The first trap is never about destruction—it's about confusion. Once the chaos spreads, the King's army will be vulnerable."
They paused near a shallow ravine, the perfect location for the first ambush. Kael extended Ember threads across the chasm, creating invisible barriers that would trip soldiers or redirect magical attacks harmlessly toward decoys. Rhyne placed magical markers that could trigger controlled pulses when the enemy advanced, further disrupting formations.
Kael whispered, "This is just the beginning. Every path we manipulate, every trap we set, shapes the battlefield. By the time they realize what's happening, we'll already control their movements."
Rhyne grinned. "Then let's prepare the next trap. They won't know which way to run."
Kael's flames flickered, Ember coiling like a heartbeat in the night. "Exactly. The King thinks he's reacting—but this time, we dictate the pace, the location, and the outcome. Every step they take leads them closer to disarray."
As the first patrols of the King's reinforcements approached the forest edge, Kael and Rhyne melted into the shadows, ready to watch their traps spring and the eastern front shift once again in their favor.