The Crossroads of Strategy

  Inside the fortress atop McMurdo Station, the elven commanders gathered in tense discussion. The recent interrogation of the Bck Sun Mercenaries leader, Voss, had given them more than just information about their immediate enemy. It had revealed the nature of humanity itself.

  "An apex predator," murmured one of the Lunar Priestesses. "Ruthless, adaptable, relentless."

  "We underestimated them," admitted a High Elf noble, his golden hair catching the glow of the magical war table. "Their war machines, their strategies—this is no primitive species we face."

  The discovery of a massive naval blockade encircling Antarctica only deepened the crisis.

  "We have two choices," said a High Elf commander. "One: We inform Queen Era of our predicament and request reinforcements. This will ensure a breakthrough but will lower our standing in the Queen’s eyes."

  A murmur of agreement passed among the High Elves.

  "But there is another way," said Mary, stepping forward. The golden-haired Sun Knight radiated an aura of unwavering determination. "Instead of overwhelming them with numbers, we will break through the blockade at a single point with speed and precision."

  The room fell silent.

  "Impossible," scoffed a High Elf noble. "Their fleet is too vast. Even if we break through, the others will close in before we escape."

  Mary’s emerald eyes gleamed with confidence. "Not if we move before they can react. Not if we strike where they least expect."

  Her pn was simple but bold: identify a weak link in the blockade and exploit it with overwhelming force before reinforcements could respond.

  The High Elves hesitated. Relying solely on a small, elite force rather than sheer numbers was an insult to their military doctrine. "This is reckless," one of them muttered.

  "And requesting reinforcements is weak," Mary shot back.

  A tense silence followed.

  Finally, Mary invoked her authority as Commander of the Royal Knights. Her decision was final.

  Yet that night, a secret message was sent to Queen Era by dissatisfied High Elf nobles, informing her of the situation. They believed Mary would fail—and that only reinforcements could save them.

  Tracking Solomon

  While the elven commanders debated strategy, others worked in the shadows.

  Voss, the leader of the Bck Sun Mercenaries, had provided more than just vague details during his interrogation. Under the influence of elven magic, he revealed key intelligence:

  Solomon Kane had escaped with the young scientist.

  They were on a ship heading toward the blockade.

  But even Voss didn’t know the exact ship.

  That was where the Wind Magic adepts came in. Elven mages attuned to air currents scoured the skies with their magic, tracking unnatural disturbances caused by human vessels.

  Through this combination of human treachery and elven sorcery, Mary and her Royal Knights identified a likely target—a lone U.S. Navy vessel, positioned farthest from the main fleet.

  It was a resupply ship, carrying wounded personnel. Vulnerable. Isoted.

  A perfect weak link.

  Mary chose this ship for a reason.

  It was valuable, yet distant enough that reinforcements would not arrive in time. They needed to capture the young scientist alive—but they did not yet know that David was on board.

  The Attack Begins

  The U.S. Navy resupply ship drifted silently in the frozen waters of the Southern Ocean.

  Inside, Solomon Kane sat in his confined cell, wrists bound in reinforced cuffs. Nearby, in the ship’s medical bay, David sat in the dimly lit medical bay, watching over his daughter as she recovered.

  She stirred in her sleep, murmuring something. David reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. A pang of guilt stabbed through his chest.

  "You’re safe now," he whispered.

  But safety was an illusion.

  Then the attack came.

  The first bst of Lunar Magic severed the ship’s communications. The second disabled its engines.

  Arms bred. Soldiers scrambled. But the elves were already upon them.

  From the dark sky, Mary and her Royal Knights descended like golden comets, their enchanted bdes fshing in the moonlight. They cut through the human defenders with brutal efficiency.

  This was not a battle.

  This was a sughter.

  Inside his cell, Solomon Kane felt the ship tremble.

  He knew.

  They were coming.

  The door burst open—but it wasn’t an elf.

  It was David.

  He stood there, pistol in hand, his expression grim.

  "You’re a pain in the ass, Kane," he muttered. "But right now, I need every good fighter I can get."

  Solomon flexed his wrists as the cuffs fell away. "Took you long enough."

  The two men raced through the corridors. They had one goal—reach the young scientist before the elves did.

  But they were too te.

  The Confrontation

  When Solomon and David reached the medical bay, Mary was already there.

  She stood over the young scientist’s bed, her golden hair shimmering in the emergency lights, her Sun Knight armor radiant despite the chaos. Around her, the Royal Knights formed a disciplined formation, weapons drawn.

  The young scientist’s eyes fluttered open.

  She saw Mary.

  She saw her father.

  She saw Solomon Kane.

  And in that moment, she understood.

  They had come for her.

  David’s hands tightened into fists. "You—"

  Mary turned her gaze on Solomon. The man who had humiliated the elves, infiltrated their fortress, and escaped alive.

  She did not see a broken prisoner.

  She saw a warrior.

  "Interesting," she murmured. "You’re more persistent than I expected."

  Solomon’s hand hovered near his belt, where his confiscated weapons should have been. "And you’re more stubborn than I expected."

  Mary’s lips curved slightly. "I take that as a compliment."

  The ship shuddered violently—the human fleet had noticed the attack. Reinforcements were on the way.

  Mary turned to the young scientist.

  "You are coming with me."

  The young scientist clutched her father’s arm.

  David stepped forward. "Like hell she is."

  A flicker of something—respect?—passed through Mary’s eyes.

  "You are brave," she said softly. "But bravery does not stop fate."

  She raised her hand. A surge of golden light radiated from her palm—

  And then the ship exploded.

  The Escape

  Smoke and fire engulfed the corridors. The force of the bst sent Solomon and David crashing against the walls.

  Through the chaos, Solomon caught a final glimpse of Mary and the Royal Knights—vanishing into the darkness, dragging the young scientist with them.

  Solomon roared in frustration. David screamed his daughter’s name.

  But it was too te.

  As the elves retreated into the night, the battle was over.

  The young scientist was gone.

  And for Solomon Kane, the war had just become personal.

  Respro