The two sides rushed at each other without wasting time. The high-ranking commanders on both sides knew from a very long time that both sides were equally strong. This was the reason Tandris soldiers were confident. With Tandris’s will on their side, how could they possibly lose? The Velcrains were rushing to their deaths. Or at least… that’s what they thought… Today, however, things were different. ’Seraphytes Unit Three, take to the skies. Target the Inferniks on the southern flank.’ The Seraphytes soldiers heard Ember’s calm voice in their heads, and as if someone had taken control of their bodies, they moved. Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh Their radiant wings illuminated the darkened battlefield. Bolts of golden light rained down on the hulking Inferniks, cutting through their molten armor with precision. A group of Seraphytes formed a protective dome of shimmering light around the Stoneborn warriors holding the line below, deflecting the devastating Hellfire attacks. ’Seraphyte Unit Four, support the left flank with barriers.’ Ember ordered, and another cluster of Seraphytes broke formation, their combined light forming an impenetrable wall that stopped the advance of Tandris forces attempting to encircle Velcria’s troops. ’Stoneborns Unit Two, advance five paces and create fissures beneath the Dreadborn.’ Rumble Rumble Rumble At her words, the earth trembled as the Stoneborn stomped forward in unison, their fists pounding the ground. Crack Crack Crack Massive cracks split the battlefield, swallowing Tandris soldiers whole. Those who weren’t caught in the fissures found themselves stumbling, unable to maintain their balance. ’Form a wedge and push through their center.’ ’Sylvanix Unit Three, cover their flanks.’ The Stoneborn Unit reformed with a discipline uncharacteristic of their usually individualistic nature, their massive bodies bulldozing through Tandris ranks. BOOM BOOM BOOM Their stone gauntlets crushed Inferniks with terrifying ease, while their rocky skin shrugged off Hellfire blasts and void rifts alike. ’Sylvanix Unit One, spread out. I need vines choking their cavalry.’ The Sylvanix moved with unparalleled agility. Their vines erupted from the ground, tangling and toppling Tandris’s mounted forces. Thorn barrages struck the enemy soldiers with fearsome precision, disarming them before they could regroup. ’Deploy healing spores to the Stoneborn front lines. They must hold until the Seraphytes neutralize the Inferniks.’ Ember’s commands were heard again, and a golden mist spread across the battlefield as Sylvanix Unit released their rejuvenating spores, mending wounds and revitalizing the Stoneborns ahead. "What in the hell is happening!?" One of the Tandris commanders standing on an elevated platform screamed in rage, and it wasn’t just him with these questions. The rest of the commanders were the same. "The Inferniks should have broken their lines by now! How are they the ones being pushed back!? Why haven’t they taken down the enemy Seraphytes yet!?" "What is wrong with the enemy soldiers!? Why are they faster and stronger than I remember!? Does any of you remember a normal Stoneborn Unit being strong enough to create fissures all over the ground!? How are they doing that!?" "The Sylvanix aren’t normal either. They have not only captured the Inferniks and the Dreadborn using their vines, but they are also healing the Stoneborns we had barely managed to injure!" "My Unit’s Aura of Dread isn’t working either!" A Dreadborn commander shared a problem. He had been trying to get into the heads of the enemy soldiers to try and get some advantage, but no matter what he did, nothing worked. It was as if his powers were being blocked by some kind of barrier he couldn’t see. "My Unit’s Mind Shroud isn’t working either!" A Nightveil commander was facing the same problem. "Something is wrong with the enemies!" The commanders reached the same conclusion. "These are not the enemies we had faced in all the skirmishes before. These soldiers are too strong and well-coordinated. Even a random unit from their army is pushing our elite force like children playing with sticks! We are unable to catch them by surprise. Even if we somehow manage to hurt them, another unit arrives to heal them the next instant. If we try to surround them, our formation breaks in the middle, and our soldiers are the ones who end up getting surrounded! This is not Velcria! It is almost as if we are facing completely different beings!" These commanders weren’t new. They had thousands of years of experience. These beings had been facing enemies from Velcria even before the war between the two factions started, and because of that, they could tell. Something was wrong. Something was extremely wrong. The rate at which their soldiers were being crushed was simply too high. The enemy was too overwhelmingly powerful. They were supposed to be the winning side here. How are they being pushed back to this extent!? If this goes on, it wouldn’t take the enemies more than a few hours to completely annihilate them! "It must be that woman!" Suddenly, the Nightveil commander shouted as he pointed at Ember. "The Goddess of War! She must be the Goddess of War the spies reported about!" "Haah!? Does that make any sense!?" Another commander shouted. "Is whatever’s happening making any sense to you!?" The Nightveil commander shot back. "We need to take her down." The Nightveil commander ordered, his hollow dark eyes narrowed as he stared at other commanders. The rest of the five commanders nodded. "We need to come up with a plan. A plan to get rid of that woman as soon as possible. We need to assassinate her." The commanders had decided. … As she hovered in the air, Ember saw everything. Every movement, every weakness, every opportunity. Her mind worked faster than anyone else’s, processing the chaos with cold, calculated precision. This was her forte. This was her ground. This was where General Ember shined the brightest. ’Tandris is reinforcing their northern flank.’ She noted, her golden eyes shining as she spotted a cluster of Nightveil drifting ominously toward the vulnerable area. ’Seraphytes Unit Two, focus fire on the Nightveil in the north.’ She commanded, and golden beams of light sliced through the shadows, disrupting the Nightveil’s phantom forms. The spectral beings recoiled, their void rifts collapsing before they could even form. ’Stoneborn Unit Three, shift to protect the northern flank. Sylvanix Unit Five, cover their retreat, and Unit Two, attack the Dreadborns behind you with poison clouds while Stoneborn Unit One attacks them.’ The Units she commanded moved at a surprising speed. With a million soldiers all under the effect of the Law of Boundless Unity, the Velcria army was strengthened to an absurd degree. This, combined with Ember’s eyes that watched over the entire battlefield and her ability to command her soldiers with such precision, Tandris Army was in shambles. A complete one-sided war. No, this was no war. It was a massacre. A massacre of Tandris’s soldiers. ’Ember.’ Suddenly, Rune called out. Ember didn’t reply. The cat woman, however, knew that her sister was listening, so she continued. ’Six of their commanders, Peak Divines.’ The cat woman warned. Ember, however, just chuckled and, ’Let them come. It is a good opportunity to deal with six high-ranking soldiers at the same time.’ Yes, the Velcria General was actually waiting for the enemy commanders to come and try to assassinate her.