Chapter 176 You Still Remain The Same
The first sound of the invasion was not a roar but a tremor that passed through the ground beneath their feet, subtle yet unmistakable, as though the land itself had sensed what was coming and could not remain still.
Inside the quarters, Fernando’s head turned slightly, his expression sharpening as he listened.
“They are here.”
Lucia did not hesitate as she moved toward the door, her posture already shifting into command.
“Then we stop waiting.”
Rowan pushed himself off the wall, his gaze steady.
“It begins now.”
Gilat’s eyes held a quiet storm as he stepped forward, his shoulders straightening with purpose.
“This ends today.”
Alberto did not speak immediately. His gaze remained fixed ahead, his breathing controlled, yet there was something deeper beneath the calm that none of them failed to notice.
Fernando looked at him.
“Stay close.”
Alberto shook his head slightly.
“I will not hide behind you.”
Fernando’s jaw tightened.
“That is not what I asked.”
Alberto met his gaze.
“I know.”
Lucia opened the door.
“Enough.”
The corridor outside was already filled with movement as guards rushed past, some issuing orders while others prepared themselves for the fight. The air carried tension that could be felt with every breath.
“Positions,” Lucia commanded.
They moved together, their steps aligned with purpose as they made their way toward the open grounds.
The moment they stepped outside, the sight before them forced even the most prepared mind to acknowledge the scale of what had begun.
The gates stood open.
Beyond them, figures poured in.
Wave after wave of enemies moved forward with intent, their presence darkening the edges of the territory.
Fernando’s voice cut through the rising noise.
“Hold the line.”
Guards rushed to form a barrier, their bodies aligning as they prepared to meet the advancing force. Some still showed signs of weakness, yet none stepped back.
Lucia moved to the front.
“No one breaks formation.”
Rowan stood beside her, his gaze scanning the field.
“They came ready.”
Gilat stepped forward slowly, his eyes narrowing.
“So did we.”
The first clash came suddenly.
Steel met steel.
The sound echoed sharply as the front lines collided, the force of impact sending vibrations through the ground.
Fernando moved without hesitation, his body shifting into motion as he met the first attacker head on. His movements were precise, controlled, each strike deliberate.
Alberto remained beside him for a moment, watching, reading the flow of the fight.
Then he moved.
His steps were quick, his reactions sharp as he intercepted an enemy attempting to flank from the side. His hand struck with force, sending the attacker stumbling before he followed through with another motion that left the man on the ground.
“Stay focused,” Fernando called.
Alberto did not look back.
“I am.”
Lucia engaged another opponent, her movements fluid as she dodged and countered, her expression calm despite the chaos around her.
“Left side,” she called out.
Rowan shifted instantly, stepping in to block the advancing threat.
“They are pushing harder from here.”
Gilat moved through the fight with a quiet intensity, his presence cutting through the enemy ranks with controlled strength. His eyes remained sharp, searching, measuring.
“Do not let them surround you,” he warned.
The battle spread across the grounds, each side pushing against the other in a relentless exchange.
The sound of impact, the clash of bodies, the strain of effort filled the air.
Darius stood at a distance, his gaze fixed on the unfolding fight.
His expression remained calm.
Almost detached.
Balad stepped forward from the opposing side, his presence immediately noticeable as those around him gave way.
“Impressive,” he said quietly.
Darius inclined his head slightly.
“They are holding longer than expected.”
Balad’s eyes moved across the field.
“Not for long.”
Darius’s gaze shifted briefly toward Alberto.
“He is there.”
Balad followed his line of sight.
“So he is.”
A faint smile touched his lips.
“Good.”
Back at the center of the fight, Fernando struck down another attacker before turning toward Alberto.
“Do you see him?”
Alberto’s eyes scanned the field.
“I do not need to see him yet.”
Fernando frowned slightly.
“That is not reassuring.”
Alberto’s expression remained steady.
“He will come to me.”
Lucia called out from the side.
“They are breaking through the right.”
Rowan moved quickly to reinforce, his strikes controlled as he forced the enemy back.
“We need to close that gap.”
Gilat stepped in, his presence turning the tide of that section as he pushed forward with force.
“Now.”
The line held.
Alberto moved deeper into the field, his steps deliberate as though drawn by something unseen.
Fernando noticed immediately.
“Where are you going?”
Alberto did not turn.
“Forward.”
Fernando followed.
“You are not walking into that alone.”
Alberto glanced at him briefly.
“I told you, I will end this.”
Fernando’s expression hardened.
“And I told you, you are not alone.”
Their movements did not slow even as they spoke, their bodies continuing to respond to the threats around them.
Rowan joined them, his breath steady despite the fight.
“If he is here, he will show himself.”
Lucia followed close behind.
“He will not stay hidden.”
Gilat’s voice came from behind them.
“And neither will Balad.”
The name settled heavily in the air.
Fernando’s gaze sharpened.
“Then we find them.”
The fighting continued around them, yet a shift began to form, subtle but undeniable.
The enemies parted slightly.
A path opened.
Balad stepped forward.
His presence carried a weight that drew attention instantly, the movement of those around him reflecting the authority he held.
Fernando slowed slightly, his eyes locking onto him.
“So you finally show yourself.”
Balad’s gaze moved calmly across them.
“I was always here.”
Alberto stepped forward, his posture straight.
“Then come closer.”
Balad’s eyes settled on him.
“There is no need to rush.”
Gilat moved ahead of the others, his presence firm as he faced Balad directly.
Their eyes met.
Recognition passed between them.
“You have not changed,” Balad said quietly.
Gilat’s expression remained steady.
“Neither have you.”
Fernando glanced between them.
“Is there something I'm not aware of?”
Gilat did not look away from Balad.
“We have history.”
Balad’s lips curved slightly.
“That is one way to put it.”
Alberto stepped to the side, his gaze moving between them.
“Then finish it.”
Gilat took another step forward.
“This was always going to end like this.”
Balad nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
The space around them shifted as the fight continued at the edges, yet those closest seemed to sense the importance of the moment and gave them room.
Fernando remained alert, his eyes moving between Alberto and the others.
Lucia stood ready, her posture tense.
Rowan watched carefully.
Darius remained at a distance, his gaze fixed on the scene with quiet interest.
Balad raised his hand slightly.
“Shall we?”
Gilat did not hesitate.
“Now.”
They moved at the same time.
The clash between them carried a force that drew attention even from those still fighting nearby.
Gilat’s movements were controlled, his strikes precise as he met Balad head on. Balad responded with equal strength, his expression calm as he countered each motion.
“You still fight the same way,” Balad said.
Gilat’s voice remained steady.
“And you still talk too much betrayal.”
Their movements quickened, each exchange sharper than the last.
Fernando stepped slightly closer to Alberto.
“This is their fight.”
Alberto nodded.
“I know.”
Lucia’s gaze remained fixed on them.
“We hold the line.”
Rowan exhaled slowly.
“This decides everything.”
The battle raged around them, yet at the center, all attention drew toward the two figures facing each other with years of history behind every movement.
Gilat’s strike came fast, forcing Balad back a step.
Balad’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“You have grown stronger.”
Gilat did not respond.
He moved again.
Balad met him with equal force, their clash echoing across the field.
Around them, the war continued, but in that moment, it felt as though everything had narrowed down to this single confrontation.
Gilat and Balad stood facing each other, neither willing to yield, their presence anchoring the chaos around them as the battle pressed on without pause.