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Chapter 13: War of the Sixth
Smoke billowed over the distant horizon as Kaelen and Aeris reached the cliffside overlooking Thandurak—a fortress city carved into red stone, now under siege.
The banners of House Rauth, the Iron Crown, fluttered in defiance. From within, a single ring pulsed in the mountain's core:
The War Ring.
Kaelen clenched his jaw. "Who attacks them?"
Aeris handed him a spyglass. "They wear no banners. Just masks."
Below, masked warriors in perfect silence stormed the city—disciplined, inhuman. Each moved like a machine. Every blow they struck resonated with unnatural force.
"Ringhunters," Aeris said. "But different. Not just chasing the rings. Protecting something else."
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The War Prince
Inside Thandurak, Prince Bastian Rauth led the defense. Bare-chested, covered in ash and blood, he wielded a warhammer that glowed with ancient runes.
And on his hand blazed the War Ring—deep crimson, sharp-edged, pulsing with raw fury.
"Hold the gates!" he roared, slamming the hammer down. A shockwave rippled through the stone, toppling enemy lines.
Kaelen and Aeris descended into the battle. As they reached the gate, Kaelen's rings flared.
Bastian turned.
And for a brief second, two kings stared each other down.
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An Uneasy Alliance
After the battle, Kaelen approached the war-scorched throne room. Bastian sat atop a fractured chair of stone and bone.
"You've come for the ring," he said bluntly.
Kaelen shook his head. "I came to stop the Herald."
Bastian scoffed. "Then you'll need this."
He raised his hand—and the War Ring pulsed in defiance. "But I don't hand over thrones. I challenge them."
Kaelen stepped forward. "Then challenge me. But don't stand in the way of the world's last chance."
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The Trial of War
They met in the Circle of Ash—no magic, no allies, just steel.
The duel was brutal. Warhammer against sword. Ring against ring.
Each strike tore the earth. Each breath summoned echoes of past battles. But Kaelen held firm—his five rings working in harmony, not dominance.
At last, Bastian dropped to one knee.
And smiled.
"You fight like a king."
The War Ring shimmered—and shifted from his hand to Kaelen's.
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Six Rings. One Choice.
That night, Kaelen stood at the cliff, staring into the storm beyond the valley.
Aeris joined him. "How much more can you carry?"
Kaelen whispered, "Enough to finish this. Or enough to become him."
She touched his hand. "Not alone."
Far to the north, the Seventh Ring whispered its song—in a land of shadows and mirrors.
And the Herald watched it all unfold.
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