Joren hit the Wildborn ambush hard.
Echo screamed warning 2 seconds early—Asher's Drift scouts phasing from ravine shadows, Liora's Hollow muffling their steps into ghost-silent killzone. Joren dove, replaying their approach: 5 attackers, curved blades, Flux low from Sera-chase. "Wait!" he barked, hands up. "Not enemy—March trail!"
Asher materialized front—lean, scarred, Drift aura warping airpaths around him like heat haze. "Reach runt. Echo eyes. Why chase our smoke?" Liora flanked, Hollow zone 10m radius eating sound, emotion—Joren's voice dulled, tension dropped unnatural.
"Sera's inbound," Joren snapped, Echo pulsing fresh vision: ember vanguard 8 miles out, airships black against dusk. "Your trails marked. She's burning you next."
Asher's eyes narrowed—Drift tested: sidestep feint, blade whistling. Test swing. Joren Echo-dodged perfect, counter-grab. "Not fighting you!"
"Prove it." Asher struck real—Drift path bent attack 30 degrees unnatural, slicing Joren's shoulder. Flux sparked. Fight on.
Joren countered raw—Echo timing replayed Asher's tell (left sway pre-strike), ducked, tackled low. Asher Drifted free, but Liora closed Hollow—emotional noise nulled, Joren's rage flatlined, focus surgical. Punched through gap, cracked Liora's guard. Wildborn circle tightened.
Then—sky ignited.
Sera's vanguard struck.
Cindervein lances pierced clouds—first airship salvo torched treeline 1 mile east. Ember rain. Wildborn scattered, Asher yelling orders. "Hold—it's the March!"
Battle erupted 3-way.
Sera landed central—veins magma, overcharged from Crown wipe, Inferno Cone sweeping 25m: Wildborn edge vaporized, screams fueling her glow. "Scatterers burn first!" March ground troops poured—Ironwake blades, Blastcore echoes primed.
Asher rallied—Drift weaving troops through blast gaps, impossible angles. Liora Hollow-zoned core camp, muting panic, buying rally. Joren dove in—Echo calling strikes: "Left flank—3-sec Blastcore! Duck!" Wildborn survived longer thanks to his calls.
Sera zeroed Asher. "Drift rat!" Siphoned Wildborn agony—veins split wider—Ember Lance 40m beam. Asher Drifted around it, counter-blade grazing Sera's scar. She roared, Cone reversal—sucked counter-heat, Flux spiked 120%. Overheat cracks forming.
Joren intercepted—Echo replayed Sera's vein-pulse tell (2-beat pre-lance). Tackled Asher clear, took graze—shoulder cauterized. "She's cracking—Flux redline!"
3-way clash peaked. Asher Drift-dashed Sera, Liora Hollow-shielded Joren's approach. Joren Echo-called: "Now—inside cone!" Trio synced accidental—Asher distracted, Liora nulled Sera's rage-focus, Joren point-blank Echo vision: punched exact overheat vein. Sera staggered, Cindervein backlashing—self-burn, coughing magma blood.
March line broke. Airships pulled high—Sera's signal: "Regroup!" Retreat under Ironwake cover.
Wildborn held—but mauled. 40% losses. Camp smoldering.
Asher lowered blade, breathing hard, Drift fading. Liora dropped Hollow, emotional weight crashing back—grief hit hard. Looked at Joren. "Echo saved us."
Joren stood, bloodied, Echo cooling. "Sera's not done. She's dominoing—next is—"
Asher cut in. "You. With us now." Glanced survivors—shocked, rallying. "Gather 'em. Liora—signal clans. Wildborn moves with Echo."
Liora nodded, Hollow pulsing faint—binding loyalty threads. Survivors closed ranks—Joren center, not prisoner. Leader by proof.
Wildborn surrendered to synergy. No fealty. Partnership. Joren's free-run expanded—clans under Echo eyes.
Sera's trail smoked northwest. War's last stretch ignited: Reach-Elior, Coast-Neriah gambit pending, Wildborn-Joren, March-Sera blitz.