Kael adjusted his grip on his de, his breath steady as Lira''s voice crackled through hismunicator. Her words, though rushed, were enough to unsettle him. She was now standing near Varok and seeing firsthand the giant blue skeleton.


    "A


    whatn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Stay tuned to empire


    ?" Kael asked, his toneced with confusion and worry.


    "A skeleton, Kael. Massive! Pulsing with… somet unnatural energy,"


    Lira replied, her voice tense.


    "I don''t have time to exin. Look for information in themand center. Hurry!"


    Kael''s jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Alright. I got it."


    He turned his attention to the captives in themand center, a mix of invaders shackled and silent under the watchful eyes of his squad.


    Kael''s cold eyes locked on the one who seemed to be in charge, a tall, gaunt figure with cruel eyes and armor marked with various blinking lights.


    Kael strode forward, his de scraping against the metallic floor.


    "You," he said coldly, pointing the weapon at the invader. "What do you know about the skeleton?"


    The invader sneered, his lip curling. "Filthy native!" he spat. "You think you have a chance? Lord Krevak is here. He''ll ughter everyst one of you!"


    Kael''s expression darkened. Without a word, he swung his de in a swift arc, slicing cleanly through the invader''s leg.


    "AAAARRGH!"


    A scream of agony tore through the room as the invader copsed, clutching the bleeding stump.


    Kael crouched beside him, his voice low and deadly. "I''m not here to debate. You talk, or I''ll make you wish you had. I will ask another who much eager to live after I killed you."


    The invader red at him through the pain, defiance burning in his eyes. Kael then stabbed the man''s hand, pinning it to the floor. The scream echoed louder this time, reverberating through the metallic walls.


    "Last chance," Kael growled. "What is the blue skeleton?"


    The invader gasped for breath, his face twisted in hatred. "You think you can understand?" he hissed. "That skeleton is the remains of a god. A


    dead


    god, who buried herself in this wretched world of yours!"


    Kael''s eyes narrowed, his mind racing. "A dead god?" he repeated, his tone both skeptical and intrigued.


    The invader sneered again, his voice dripping with contempt.


    "You natives have no idea what you''re dealing with. That skeleton… it''s an incarnation of power beyond yourprehension. And you… you blindly let that things with so much power just sitting there."


    Kael frowned, the invader''s words leaving an uneasy weight in his chest. A god''s skeleton buried in their world? It sounded impossible, yet, the invader''s vehemence made it hard to dismiss.


    Before Kael could press further, the ground beneath them shuddered violently. The room trembled as dust and rock fragments rained down from the ceiling.


    "Kael!"


    Nerin shouted throgh hisms.


    "The reinforcements are here! You need to move, now!"


    Kael cursed under his breath, ncing back at the invader. There was no time for further interrogation.


    With a swift motion, Kael drove his de through the invader''s heart, silencing him instantly.


    "Kill the rest," he barked to his squad. "We can''t leave any of them alive."


    The soldiers moved with precision and killing all the remaining captives. After that, Kael sheathed his weapon, his mind still reeling from what he''d learned.


    As they fled themand center, the walls shook with increasing violence, the distant sounds of reinforcements growing louder. Kael''s thoughts raced alongside his footsteps.


    "A dead god,"


    he thought.


    "What does that mean? And how does it tie into everything happening here?"


    One thing was certain—this wasn''t as simple as they thought.


    ---


    In the sky, a fleet of a dozen sleek, ck aircraft streaked toward the ck Mountain looming on the horizon. Their engines roared, cutting through the air as they drew closer to their destination.


    Below, thend bore scars of recent devastation. Craters, scorched earth, and shattered structures. Yet, the most striking sighty ahead, two figures locked in a titanic battle outside the mountain, their shing energies rippling across the battlefield with destructive force.


    "It''s Lord Krevak!" the leader of the squadron shouted, his voice urgent over thems. "Faster! We must assist him immediately!"


    The aircraft surged forward, their formation tightening as they prepared to join the fray.


    On the ground, ar fought Krevak with every ounce of his strength, his dark scales glinting as molten-ck armor covered him. Each blow exchanged between them sent shockwaves through the air but ar''s sharp eyes caught sight of the iing fleet. His chest tightened.


    "They''re bringing reinforcements,"


    he thought grimly.


    "I need to fall back and report this. Saeldir and Erend need to know what I''ve discovered—about these gods, their revenge, and what it means for us Dragonborn."


    But doubt crept into his mind. If he retreated now, Krevak and his forces would gain precious time to regroup, to prepare for another assault. And worse, ar would still be in the dark about the full scope of their ns.


    His thoughts swirled as Krevak''s relentless assault forced him to block another devastating strike. The golden mes licking at Krevak''s de seared the air, forcing ar to move with more care.


    He gritted his teeth, making his decision. While parrying another attack, ar opened hisms and sent a quick message to Saeldir.


    "Saeldir, this is ar,"


    he began, his voice still steady.


    "I''ve uncovered something strange here. I meet with someone who look like the invader leader and he mentioned some kind of gods, beings who seek revenge on us, the Dragonborn. I''ll lose contact for a while because I need to know more. Say this to Erend."


    As he ended the transmission, he switched channels to Commander Varok.


    "Commander, I''ll be staying behind. Go without me. You need to secure the team and retreat. Do not wait for me."


    Varok''s reply came swiftly.


    "Understood, my Lord. Do what you must. We''ll hold the line elsewhere."


    ar exhaled deeply, focusing back on Krevak. He needed to sell his decision convincingly.


    With deliberate intent, ar let his guard slip just enough. Krevak seized the opening, striking with brutal force. The blow sent ar hurtling backward, his armor cracking as he crashed into the ground.


    Krevak''s golden fire surged around him, his lips curling into a vicious sneer. "Is that it, Dragonborn?" he growled. "You''re not as strong as I thought."


    Before ar could recover, Krevak extended his hand, golden mes spiraling outward to engulf him. The fire wrapped around ar''s body like chains, searing his armor and locking him in ce.


    "You''ll burn in my mes, Dragonborn!" Krevak hissed, his voiceyered with incredible malice.


    ---