The rebellion had reached a new and dangerous chapter. With the first skirmish at Grimwater Pass, the line between rebellion and regional war had begun to blur. The victory had sent a clear message to Volteria, but Juri Winkler knew that it would only delay the inevitable. King Leovan, cautious but calculating, wouldn’t retreat without testing the rebellion further.

  In the war room of Freehold Keep, the rebellion’s leaders gathered to plan their next move. Maps of the western border were marked with fresh Volterian troop movements, and reports of activity from the north hinted at potential unrest among the scattered remnants of loyalists.

  Juri stood at the head of the room, his sharp blue eyes scanning the faces of his closest allies. Valeria Eldryn was as composed as ever, her mind already analyzing the possibilities. Kira leaned casually against the wall, her usual air of defiance tempered by concern. Halrick, Garrick, and Eren Vas were all present, each ready to contribute in their own way.

  “Volteria will escalate,” Valeria began. “The skirmish at Grimwater Pass was a probe. They wanted to see how strong we are, and now they know we’re not going to roll over. But they’ll come back, and when they do, it’ll be with an army.”

  “We can’t just sit back and wait for them to hit us,” Kira said, her tone sharp. “We need to be ready to hit them first.”

  Juri nodded. “We will. But our priority right now is fortifying the border. If Volteria thinks they can just walk in, they’ll keep testing us. We need to make it clear that crossing into our territory is a declaration of war.”

  Eren stepped forward, unrolling a schematic on the table. “We’ve been working on new defensive emplacements—mana-reactive turrets that can track enemy movements and target them automatically. They’re not perfect, but they’ll slow down any advancing forces.”

  “Deploy them along the key passes,” Juri ordered. “And keep reinforcing the towns closest to the border. If Volteria decides to launch a full-scale invasion, I want them to bleed for every inch they take.”

  As the rebellion strengthened its defenses, Juri continued negotiations with Captain Serale Dren, the emissary from Tharion’s Marches. The alliance with Tharion’s faction offered a glimmer of hope, but it also came with risks.

  In a private meeting, Juri and Serale discussed the terms of their agreement.

  “Calvian is prepared to send reinforcements,” Serale said, her voice measured. “Engineers, supplies, and even a few battalions of soldiers. But he wants assurances that the rebellion won’t expand beyond the noble territories.”

  Juri’s sharp blue eyes narrowed. “We’re not conquerors, Captain. We’re not interested in taking land that isn’t ours. But if Volteria keeps pushing, we’ll defend ourselves, and that includes taking the fight to them if we have to.”

  Serale studied him for a moment, then nodded. “I’ll relay that to Calvian. Just be careful, Winkler. If this escalates into a regional war, even Tharion’s support might not be enough to hold the line.”

  In Ashridge, the capital of Volteria, King Leovan met with his war council. The gray-haired monarch sat at the head of the long table, his expression stern.

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  “The rebels have made their position clear,” Leovan said. “They’ll fight to defend their borders. But the question is, how far are we willing to push them?”

  One of his generals, a sharp-eyed woman named General Calis Ardane, leaned forward. “The rebels are strong, but they’re spread thin. Their victory at Grimwater Pass was impressive, but it exposed their reliance on that Dominion-class Mech. If we can disable it, their forces will crumble.”

  Leovan’s brow furrowed. “And how do you propose we disable a machine like that?”

  Calis smirked. “We’ve been studying its weaknesses. The mech’s power systems rely on mana stabilization. If we deploy disruption units in the field, we can neutralize its advantage.”

  Leovan nodded slowly. “Begin preparations. But remember—this isn’t just about defeating Winkler. It’s about ensuring that no rebellion like his ever threatens the balance of power again.”

  At Freehold Keep, Juri met with his commanders to finalize their strategy for the western front. Reports indicated that Volteria was mobilizing a larger force, likely to test the rebellion’s defenses again.

  “We can’t afford to let them dictate the pace,” Juri said. “If they’re planning another incursion, we need to meet them on our terms.”

  Valeria pointed to a location on the map: Ironreach Plateau, a high-altitude region near the border. “This is where they’ll likely strike next. The terrain is rugged, but it’s also a natural chokepoint. If we fortify it, we can force them into a bottleneck.”

  “And if they don’t take the bait?” Halrick asked.

  “Then we use the plateau as a staging ground for a counteroffensive,” Juri replied. “Either way, we need to show them that we’re not backing down.”

  The rebellion moved swiftly to fortify Ironreach Plateau, deploying mana-reactive turrets, portable energy barriers, and guerrilla units trained in mountain warfare. Kira and Halrick led the ground forces, while Garrick and his sharpshooters took up positions on the cliffs.

  When the Volterian forces arrived, led by General Calis Ardane, the battle began with a thunderous clash. The rebels held their ground, using the natural chokepoints to funnel the enemy into concentrated kill zones.

  The Dominion-class Mech, piloted by Juri, loomed over the battlefield, its railgun firing in precise bursts. But as the battle raged, the Volterians deployed their secret weapon: mana disruption units designed to neutralize the mech’s power systems.

  Juri’s cockpit lit up with warning lights as the disruption field took effect. The Dominion’s movements slowed, and its weapons began to falter.

  “They’re targeting the mech!” Kira shouted through the comms.

  “I know,” Juri replied, his voice calm despite the chaos. “Focus on their units. If we can take out the disruption field, we’ll regain the advantage.”

  As the Dominion faltered, Juri ordered a risky maneuver. Halrick and Kira led a strike team to infiltrate the Volterian lines and destroy the disruption units. The mission was dangerous, with heavy enemy resistance, but the rebels pushed through with determination.

  Halrick carved a path through the Volterian soldiers, his massive sword cleaving through armor and shields. Kira darted ahead, her daggers flashing as she disabled the disruption devices one by one.

  Finally, the last device was destroyed, and the Dominion roared back to life. Juri wasted no time, unleashing the mech’s full power on the Volterian forces. The rebels pushed forward, driving the invaders back across the border.

  The victory at Ironreach Plateau was hard-fought and costly. Rebel losses were heavy, and the strain on their resources was beginning to show. But the message was clear: the rebellion would not be intimidated.

  Back at Freehold Keep, Juri addressed the People’s Assembly.

  “This war wasn’t our choice,” he said, his voice firm. “But if the world wants to test our resolve, they’ll find that we won’t break. We didn’t fight to be free just to bow to another oppressor.”

  The assembly erupted into applause, but Juri’s sharp blue eyes betrayed the weight he carried. The rebellion had won another battle, but the storm was far from over.