As the sun dipped behind the western hills, new reports arrived—graver than the last.
A scout rushed into the war room, face pale. "General Kael! Enemy troops spotted advancing from the west—Gargantos forces have broken through the Tervan Woods!"
Before Kael could respond, another soldier burst in. "From the east! Rutor's army has pushed through the Drest Mountains. They're approaching fast!"
Kael slammed his fist on the map table. "They coordinated this."
Yuvan, calm but stern, examined the strategic points. "If both armies attack together, Korasium will be surrounded. And Arven won't last a week."
"We can't be in two places at once," Kael muttered.
Yuvan studied the enemy movement. "Then we need to force one side to move faster. Make them act out of order."
Kael nodded. "We make Arven look vulnerable. We reinforce the eastern side heavily—but leave the west seemingly open."
"You want Gargantos to take the bait," said Yuvan, catching on.
"And when they do," Kael replied, "we strike with full force before Rutor arrives."
Yuvan gave a tight nod. "A gamble. But it might be our only chance."
Kael turned to a nearby officer. "Send word to the capital. Tell the king: the storm has broken. And we need more than just swords to survive this."
Outside, the flames of the recent battle flickered in the wind. But far off, in both east and west, darker clouds gathered.
War had come for Korasium—not from one side, but from all directions.
The peace of the night was short-lived.
By dawn, new scouts returned to Arven Fort—dusty, breathless, and bearing grim news.
"The Rutor army is approaching from the east!" shouted one, bowing before General Kael.
Another followed quickly behind. "Gargantos forces are advancing from the west! They've crossed the Tervan Woods!"
Kael and Yuvan stood in silence for a long moment, staring at the updated battle maps laid before them. Their expressions were grim. Two fronts. Two powerful kingdoms. And only one fortress in between.
"They're working together," Yuvan finally said, his voice low.
Kael nodded. "They want to crush us in one blow."
"We can't hold both fronts at once," Yuvan said, eyes narrowing. "Our forces are already worn from yesterday's fight."
Kael paced around the table, then stopped. "Then we must act before they strike together."
He pointed to the western approach. "We make it look vulnerable—just enough to tempt Gargantos into rushing in. They're prideful and aggressive. If they think we're weak on one side, they'll attack first."
Yuvan understood instantly. "We bait them. Then strike with all we have, before Rutor arrives."
"It's our only shot," Kael said. "If we wait, we lose both flanks. But if we isolate one…"
Yuvan turned to his officers. "Begin preparations immediately. Pull reinforcements from the southern corridor. Set traps on the western slope. And send word to the capital—we're under siege from two sides."
Outside, the wind carried the sounds of marching armies drawing closer. Far in the distance, dust clouds signaled movement—two nations bearing down on Korasium's heart.
But within Arven Fort, the flames of resistance had not yet died. Kael and Yuvan stood ready—not just to defend, but to outwit their enemies.
The game of war had changed. And this was only the beginning.