LOGINCHAPTER 150 — Homecoming and PeaceThe frozen flats stayed quiet long after the northern soldiers disappeared into the haze. Rowan kept her eyes fixed on the distance, watching the last tiny shapes melt into the white horizon. Her breath eased slowly, the tension in her chest loosening one careful inch at a time.Behind her, the troops gathered themselves. Some slumped onto the snow with heavy sighs, some leaned on each other, and others simply stood still, letting the moment catch up to them. The air no longer vibrated with danger. What remained was silence, cold and clean.Azeriel stepped beside her. His voice was low. “The line is broken. They will not recover from this.”Rowan nodded. “Good. Our people can breathe again.”Lyra came toward them, her glow soft and steady. “Rowan, Kai is awake. He’s asking for you.”The words hit Rowan like warm fire spreading through cold skin. Her body moved before she could think, boots crunching across the snow. She didn’t run, but every step was
CHAPTER 149 — Breaking the NorthThe cheers were still fading when Rowan lifted her hand for silence. The snow settled around them in thin waves as the last traces of shadow dispersed. Her fire dimmed slowly, and the weight of the battlefield shifted. The tide was theirs, but the war was far from done.A scout rushed up the slope. “Commander, the northern camps are falling apart. Their lines are scattered. They are pulling back in every direction.”Azeriel stepped beside Rowan. “This is the moment we strike. They are not ready for a counter attack.”Rowan kept her eyes on the horizon where the last shadows flickered. “We move now. If we give them time to reorganize, they will try again.”Lyra approached, glow steady and warm. “Rowan, Kai’s pulse is fully sealed. They cannot touch him anymore. I checked through every layer. His energy is his again.”Relief washed through Rowan so strong she had to steady her breath. “Good. That means we can fight without holding back.”Azeriel pointed
CHAPTER 148 — Tides TurnThe rift pulsed again, shaking the ridge with a deep crack that rolled under everyone’s feet. Rowan held her stance, fire warming the air around her. The shadow lines flickered, trying to link themselves back to Kai’s pulse, but Lyra’s glow pushed against it like a shield.“Rowan,” Lyra called, voice steady but strained, “the pressure is dropping. I can hold him now.”Rowan nodded, eyes fixed on the unstable tear. “Good. Anchor him fully. I need him sealed.”The northern commander struggled back to his feet, fire curling weakly around him. His silver eyes narrowed with irritation. “You cannot win. The rift obeys deeper fire than yours.”Rowan stepped forward. “Then watch it break under mine.”She swept her hand upward, releasing a controlled burst of flame. It struck the edge of the rift, forcing the shadow lines to retreat. Soldiers felt the shift instantly. The air grew lighter, the pull weaker.Azeriel’s voice rang out. “Commander, the field is changing. T
CHAPTER 147 — Rift of ShadowsThe ground trembled as the northern fire surged again, swelling into a roar that swallowed the wind. Rowan steadied herself, eyes locked on the twisting blaze. Snow split beneath their feet, lines of dark light cracking across the ridge like something alive.Lyra gasped. “Rowan… the ground is reacting. This is not a pulse. It is a pull.”Before Rowan could answer, the snow split wider. A violent burst of shadow tore upward, curling like claws scraping the sky. Soldiers staggered back as heat and cold spiraled together in a sickening twist.Azeriel shouted, “A rift is forming! They are using Kai again. They found a way to reach deeper.”Rowan’s heart hammered, but her voice was steady. “Hold formation. Do not break. Everyone fall back three steps and keep your eyes forward.”The rift opened fully. A jagged tear hovered above the snow, pulsing with dark energy threaded through with Kai’s fire. It dragged at the air, tugging with a force that made Rowan’s br
CHAPTER 146 — The Northern AdvanceRowan’s eyes never left the northern ridge. The air trembled faintly, snow swirling as distant shadows stretched across the horizon. “They’re moving,” Lyra whispered beside her, glow steady but tense. “A wave of fire, shadow, and energy pulses. They’re drawing from Kai again, trying to manipulate him as the anchor for their strike.”Rowan clenched her fists, fire flickering along her fingertips. “Then we show them they cannot touch him. Every formation, every trap, every decoy must function as one. Nothing gets through.”Azeriel stepped up, voice firm but cautious. “Commander, this is larger than anything we’ve faced. Soldiers are tense. The northern fire is coordinated with the shadow pulses. Even the scouts are struggling to track it all.”Rowan’s icy gaze swept the courtyard. “Then we move with precision. Fear will not command the summit. Strike teams, rotate formations immediately. Firebearers, hold bursts until the northern pulses misalign. Sco
CHAPTER 145 — Kai’s BeaconRowan’s eyes never left the northern horizon. The snow shimmered faintly under the moonlight, shadows twisting unnaturally. Lyra’s glow pulsed beside her, subtle but urgent. “Rowan… I can feel it,” she said softly, voice tense. “Kai’s pulse is stronger. They’re centering their energy around him. Whatever they’re planning, he is the anchor.”Rowan clenched her fists. “Then we make sure he’s untouchable. Every trap, every formation, every fire pulse must protect him.”Lyra’s fingers traced invisible lines in the cold air. “If they try to siphon his energy again, they won’t just test us—they’ll attempt to harness him directly. But if we prepare, we can turn it against them. Every burst they take from him will rebound.”Azeriel stepped closer, brow furrowed. “Commander, morale is shifting. Soldiers are nervous—they know he’s the key. Some leaders are whispering, worried about his safety.”Rowan’s gaze swept across the courtyard. Firebearers adjusted their posit







