Strength in Numbers

Emboldened by their success, the Ember Circle turned their attention to the Jade Fang Sect, known for swift ambushes and poisoned weapons. These killers hid in marshy lowlands, where reeds and fog concealed their treacherous paths. Traders disappearing and farmsteads ravaged by night had prompted Lyrus to act. This time, he set traps of his own.

Under Alyra's guidance, squads moved silently into the wetlands. Boots sank into muddy ground; insects swarmed their faces. Yet they pressed on, guided by torch-lit signals and quiet hand signs. Hours passed, tense and slow, until a Jade Fang screech broke the silence.

A band of Fang assassins lunged from misty cover, curved daggers gleaming with toxins. Sparks fell into practiced formations, shields interlocking to resist the initial strike. Flames countered swiftly, blades clashing. The Jade Fangs were lithe, darting with inhuman speed, their eyes wild. A Spark cried out as a dagger opened a deep gash along his arm—greenish poison oozed into flesh. He staggered, but a Blaze rushed forward, parrying the next blow and hauling the wounded Spark clear.

Arrows hissed overhead. Alyra's marksmanship shone as Fang assassins dropped, arrows sprouting from necks and skulls. Lyrus advanced calmly, boots sloshing in blood-tinted muck. A Fang fighter rushed him, snarling, only to catch Lyrus' barehanded strike that fractured her jaw and sent her sprawling into reeds. Another Fang tried a backstab—Lyrus spun gracefully, catching the blade between his palms. With a flick of Hellfire, the dagger's metal heated red-hot, forcing the assassin to drop it, screaming as blistered fingers curled uselessly.

Under coordinated assault, Jade Fang morale crumbled. They retreated into the fog, dragging wounded and leaving behind twisted corpses and discarded blades. The Ember Circle pursued just long enough to ensure no ambush lingered.

Later, tending to their injured in a makeshift infirmary, Kael applied antidotes and herbal salves. Thanks to foresight and teamwork, casualties were minimal. By dawn, the marshes fell silent. Those who once feared Jade Fang shadows now knew the Ember Circle's resolve outshone any poisoned blade. The message was clear: treachery would find no foothold in lands protected by the new HellSin clan.