Ep 10: The Breaking Point

Frosthold Under Fire:

The siege of Frosthold intensifies as Zerath’s forces hammer relentlessly at the gates. The defenders hold their ground, but exhaustion begins to show on their faces. Smoke rises from the scorched earth as trebuchets rain flaming boulders onto the fortress walls.

Selyne Valenvar, now clad in battle-worn silver armor streaked with soot, moves among her soldiers, rallying their spirits.

“Stand firm!” she shouts, her voice cutting through the chaos. “Frosthold has stood for centuries, and it will not fall today!”

But even as her words echo across the battlefield, a deafening crack splits the air. The massive wooden gates groan under the strain of repeated battering.

“They’re breaking through!” a soldier cries.

Selyne clenches her fists. “Fall back to the inner walls! We’ll make our stand there!”

...****************...

Zerath’s Tactical Move:

Outside the gates, Zerath watches the battle unfold with cold precision. His crimson armor glints in the firelight, and his dark eyes glow faintly, reflecting the power of the shards he carries.

“Commander Varyn,” he says, turning to his right-hand man. “Send the second wave. Their defenses are crumbling, and I want them broken before nightfall.”

Varyn hesitates. “The second wave is untested. If they falter—”

“They won’t,” Zerath interrupts, his tone sharp. “Their fear of me outweighs any doubts they have. Send them now.”

As the next wave of soldiers marches toward the gates, Zerath grips the shard hidden beneath his cloak. Its pulsing energy courses through him, heightening his senses and fueling his ambition.

“This is only the beginning,” he whispers.

...****************...

A Desperate Defense:

Inside Frosthold, chaos reigns as the second wave of attackers breaches the outer gates. The defenders retreat to the inner walls, setting traps and barricades to slow the enemy’s advance.

Seraphine, still recovering from her injuries, joins the fray. Her twin daggers flash as she moves through the battlefield with deadly precision.

“Seraphine!” Selyne calls out, cutting down an enemy soldier as she fights her way toward her ally. “We can’t hold them much longer!”

“Then we need to even the odds,” Seraphine replies, her voice grim. She gestures toward the trebuchets positioned on a nearby ridge. “If we can take out their siege weapons, we might buy ourselves some time.”

Selyne nods, determination flashing in her eyes. “I’ll lead a strike team. Hold the line until I return.”

...****************...

The Trebuchet Raid:

Under the cover of darkness, Selyne and a small group of elite soldiers slip out of Frosthold through a hidden tunnel. Moving swiftly and silently, they make their way to the ridge where Zerath’s trebuchets rain destruction on the fortress.

As they approach, they spot a small detachment of enemy guards patrolling the area.

“Take them out quietly,” Selyne whispers, signaling her team to spread out.

The ensuing ambush is swift and brutal. One by one, the guards fall, and Selyne’s team sets to work sabotaging the trebuchets.

As they light the last of the charges, a voice cuts through the darkness.

“You’re braver than I expected, Lady Valenvar.”

Selyne spins around to see Varyn, Zerath’s commander, standing at the edge of the ridge with a group of soldiers. His blade gleams ominously in the moonlight.

“But bravery won’t save you,” he adds, raising his sword.

Selyne narrows her eyes. “We’ll see about that.”

The two clash in a fierce duel, their blades ringing out as sparks fly. Selyne fights with precision and skill, but Varyn’s brute strength forces her back.

Just as Varyn gains the upper hand, one of Selyne’s soldiers tackles him, giving her a chance to land a decisive blow. Varyn falls, wounded but not dead, as the charges ignite and the trebuchets explode in a fiery blaze.

“Fall back!” Selyne orders, leading her team back to Frosthold as flames engulf the ridge.

...****************...

Zerath’s Fury:

The explosions draw Zerath’s attention, and his expression darkens as he sees his prized siege weapons reduced to rubble.

“Varyn has failed me,” he mutters, his voice laced with anger. “But Frosthold will still fall.”

He turns to the shadowy figure of Kael, who has just returned to the camp after his encounter with The Crow and Dain.

“You’re late,” Zerath says coldly.

Kael meets his brother’s gaze, his expression unreadable. “I’m here now.”

“Then prove your loyalty,” Zerath commands, handing Kael a black-bladed dagger. “Lead the next assault.”

Kael hesitates, his grip tightening on the dagger. “And if I refuse?”

Zerath’s eyes flash with dark energy. “Then you’re of no use to me.”

After a tense moment, Kael nods and takes the dagger. But as he turns to leave, doubt flickers in his eyes.

...****************...

A Glimmer of Hope:

The episode closes with Frosthold’s defenders regrouping behind the inner walls. Though battered and bloodied, they are not defeated.

Selyne stands with Seraphine, both women looking out over the battlefield.

“The trebuchets are gone,” Selyne says, a faint smile breaking through her grim expression. “We’ve bought ourselves some time.”

“For now,” Seraphine replies. “But Zerath won’t stop. He’ll come at us harder.”

Selyne nods, her gaze hardening. “Then we’ll be ready.”

The screen fades to black as the camera pans to the ridge, where the smoldering remains of the trebuchets light up the night sky—a beacon of defiance against Zerath’s overwhelming force.

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