🔥 Chapter 15 — The Decisive Strike
The southern forest trembled under the clash of Kael's Ember and the King's general's green energy. Flames and emerald whips danced through the trees, carving arcs of destruction and hurling shards of ice and stone into the air.
Rhyne called out, ducking a snapping whip. "Kael! He's weakening! You can finish this—don't hold back!"
Kael's eyes glowed blue-white, Ember coiling around him like a living storm. He could feel every pulse of the general's energy, every fluctuation in his defenses. "I know. This is the moment… I have to force his ultimate vulnerability."
The general launched a desperate attack, a whirlwind of green energy whips aimed at Kael from all directions. Kael flowed with the Ember, twisting and dodging with precision, redirecting attacks, and simultaneously probing for the smallest gap. Each strike was sharper, faster, more controlled—guiding the general into a corner of his own making.
Rhyne slashed through lingering energy whips, opening space. "Kael! Now!"
Kael concentrated, drawing all of the Ember's power into a single spiraling spear of fire, coiling like a dragon around the green energy. He launched it with perfect timing, striking directly at the core of the general's aura. Sparks and emerald flames collided in a violent explosion, shaking the forest and sending shards of ice and stone flying.
The general staggered, green energy flickering uncontrollably. He tried to summon a final defense, but the Ember flowed around it, twisting, redirecting, and finally piercing through. With a roar, the general collapsed, energy dissipating, leaving a scorched and shattered clearing behind.
Rhyne landed beside Kael, panting but steady. "Kael… you did it. The second general is down. You've truly mastered the Ember's potential."
Kael's flames coiled gently, Ember pulsing softly. "It's not just mastery… it's understanding. Every battle teaches me something new. The King still has forces in motion, but now we've gained an advantage."
The forest lay quiet, the smoke and energy fading. Kael and Rhyne stood together, victorious, aware that the next challenge—the King himself—loomed on the horizon. The war was far from over, but the Ember had proven that even the strongest generals could be overcome.