The city of Liraine held its breath in the hour before dawn. Lanterns flickered behind barricaded windows, and the Vein's current thrummed with tension, running through the stones and water like a pulse beneath the city's skin.
Kael stood on the Guildhall's highest balcony, watching the river. The Dominion fleet was a wall of black iron and blue Vein-light, stretching from bank to bank. He could see the silhouettes of stormcasters preparing their weapons, the glint of armor on the pontoon bridges, the slow, ominous movement of siege towers toward the shore.
Selene joined him, her hair braided back, harmonizer slung across her chest. She didn't speak at first, just stood beside him, her presence solid and grounding.
He reached for her hand. "We're ready."
She squeezed his fingers, her voice low. "We have to be."
Kael nodded, voice barely above a whisper. "I keep thinking about what happens if we fail."
Selene's eyes were steady. "Then we get up and fight again. That's all we can do."
He managed a tired smile. "You make it sound easy."
She squeezed his hand harder. "It isn't. But it's what we have."
Below, the city's defenders took their places. Marshwalkers vanished into the misty alleys, Emberhands checked fuses and charges, Skyfarers climbed into windships tethered to the tallest spires. Whisper's Veinweavers moved through the tunnels, weaving the last of the wards.
Lysara's voice crackled over the comms: "All units, final check. This is it."
---
The Dominion struck with the first light.
Vein cannons thundered, sending arcs of blue lightning across the water. The pontoon bridges surged forward, loaded with shock troops in mirrored armor. The city's barricades shuddered under the first barrage, but held.
Nalah crouched in the flooded east quarter, watching the enemy advance. She signaled her scouts—wait. The first wave of Dominion soldiers crossed the threshold, boots splashing in water. Nalah gave the signal. Tripwires snapped, and barricades collapsed, sending dozens of soldiers tumbling into the canal. Marshwalkers emerged from the shadows, blades flashing.
Sava, her second-in-command, grinned. "That's three squads down already, Nalah!"
Nalah kept her eyes on the next wave. "Don't celebrate yet. They're learning. See how they're spreading out?"
Sava nodded, face grim. "They're not falling for the same tricks twice."
Nalah motioned her forward. "Then we change the rules. Circle left. I'll take the right. If you see them using Vein shields, aim for the ankles."
A younger scout, Arin, whispered, "Will we win, Nalah?"
Nalah's voice was gentle but firm. "We'll endure. That's what Marshwalkers do. Now move!"
They retreated deeper into the alleys, drawing the enemy into a maze of traps and ambushes. For every Dominion squad that advanced, two more vanished into the city's labyrinth. But the cost was high. Nalah saw a young scout, barely sixteen, fall to a Vein bolt. She dragged Sava to safety, grief burning in her chest.
---
In the market quarter, Garrick's forge was an island of light amid chaos. Emberhands worked in shifts, feeding disruptors and barricade spikes to the front lines. Garrick himself was at the barricade, wielding a hammer in one hand and a disruptor in the other.
The Dominion breached the outer wall with a Vein charge. Garrick's team responded with fire—igniting a cache of Vein oil that sent flames roaring through the enemy ranks. For a moment, the defenders cheered.
Jaxen, a burly Emberhand, laughed. "That's how you do it, Garrick!"
Garrick wiped sweat from his brow, grinning. "You want to keep your eyebrows, Jaxen, stand back next time!"
Then the Dominion retaliated. Vein cannons shattered a section of the barricade, sending Garrick sprawling. He staggered to his feet, blood streaming down his arm. Mira appeared at his side, hands already glowing with healing light.
"Hold still," she ordered, pressing her palm to the wound.
Garrick gritted his teeth. "No time. They're pushing through."
Mira met his gaze, fierce and unyielding. "You're not dying today."
He managed a crooked smile. "You always say that."
She pressed harder, and the pain faded. "And I always mean it."
With her help, Garrick rallied his team, driving the enemy back with a counterattack. But the victory was costly. Two Emberhands fell, and the forge itself was damaged—a blow to morale and resources.
---
Above the city, Nirael's windships soared into battle. The *Silver Gale* led the charge, diving through clouds of Vein lightning. Skyfarers hurled firepots and disruptor harpoons at the Dominion stormcasters.
Nirael spotted the enemy's lead stormcaster, a massive ship bristling with Vein projectors. She gave the order. "All ships, target the stormcaster! Now!"
Tovan, her second-in-command, grinned. "Let's give them a show they'll never forget!"
The Skyfarers attacked in formation, harpoons latching onto the enemy's hull. For a moment, it worked—the stormcaster's shields flickered, and a cheer rose from the defenders.
But the Dominion's response was swift and brutal. Vein bolts tore through the *Silver Gale's* rigging. Tovan was thrown from the deck. Nirael screamed his name, banking hard to avoid another blast. She saw Tovan's hand break the surface of the river—then vanish.
Nirael's voice broke. "Tovan! No—no, please—"
Her pilot, Jessa, grabbed her arm. "Nirael, we have to pull back!"
Nirael blinked away tears, jaw set. "We hit the cannon. Then we run."
The Skyfarers regrouped, disabling one of the Dominion's main Vein cannons, but the loss of Tovan stung. Nirael's heart ached, but she forced herself to focus. "For Tovan," she whispered. "For Liraine."
---
Deep in the maintenance tunnels, Selene and Whisper worked furiously. The Dominion had begun to sabotage the Vein lines, sending pulses of chaos through the city's grid. Selene's hands flew over the harmonizer, rerouting currents and stabilizing the core. Whisper's Veinweavers shielded them from detection, weaving light and shadow into the walls.
"We're losing power in the east quarter," Selene reported, sweat streaking her brow. "If we don't restore the flow, the clinics will go dark."
Whisper's voice was calm but urgent. "The Vein is wounded, but it will heal. Trust it."
Selene focused, drawing on everything she had learned. She felt the Vein's current—wild, unpredictable, alive. She coaxed it back into alignment, weaving a new path through the damaged lines. The lights in the clinics flickered, then steadied.
"Got it," she breathed. "For now."
Whisper nodded, her masked face unreadable. "You are more than you know, Selene."
Selene glanced at her, voice trembling. "I'm just trying to keep us alive."
"And you are succeeding," Whisper replied softly. "That is all any of us can do."
---
Kael moved to the front, the relic blazing with Vein energy. Dominion soldiers hesitated as he appeared, sensing the power in him. Kael raised his hand, channeling the Vein into a shield that deflected their bolts. The defenders rallied behind him, pushing the enemy back from the market square.
Lysara's voice came over the comms. "Kael, you're drawing too much attention. Fall back before they target you directly."
Kael grunted, sweat beading on his brow. "If I fall back, they'll break through."
Lysara's tone was sharp. "You're not a wall, Kael. You're a beacon. Don't burn out."
He managed a shaky laugh. "I hear you, Lysara. Just a little longer."
She replied, softer now, "We need you. Don't forget it."
---
The first wave had broken. The city's defenders, battered but unbowed, gathered in the battered council chamber as dusk bled into night. The air was thick with the scent of smoke, sweat, and Vein discharge. Lanterns cast long shadows over faces streaked with grime and grief.
Kael stood at the head of the table, his hand resting on the relic at his chest. He looked at each of his companions—his found family—and saw the day's cost etched into their eyes.
Lysara spread a map across the table, her voice clipped but steady. "We held the market square, the east quarter, and the upper docks. But the north barricade's almost gone. If they hit it again—"
"We'll reinforce it," Garrick rumbled, flexing his bandaged arm. "I'll get Jaxen and the Emberhands to weld another layer before dawn. If they want through, they'll have to crawl over my corpse."
Mira, kneeling beside Garrick to check his dressing, shot him a glare. "Don't tempt fate. I've already stitched you up twice today."
Garrick grinned, but his eyes were tired. "You keep patching me, I'll keep swinging."
Nalah slumped into a chair, her face streaked with grime and tears. "We lost Arin in the alleys. Sava's holding, but she's rattled. I need more disruptors for the Marshwalkers. The Dominion's learning our routes."
Selene, hunched over her harmonizer and a tangle of blueprints, looked up. "We can reroute power to the east quarter, but the main conduits are almost fried. Whisper, can your Veinweavers reinforce the lines?"
Whisper inclined her masked head. "We will try. The Vein is restless, but it listens to those who listen back."
Nirael entered, her flight jacket streaked with soot, her eyes red. She dropped heavily onto a bench. "Tovan's gone. We lost two ships. But the Dominion's stormcaster is crippled. They won't control the skies tonight."
Elya, the messenger, leaned against the wall, clutching her comms device. "I got word to the Marches. They're holding, but they want to know if we can send any supplies."
Kael shook his head. "We can barely feed our own. Tell them to hold. Help will come if we survive the next assault."
A heavy silence settled. Mira broke it, her voice soft but firm. "We saved lives today. More than we lost. That matters."
Nalah looked away, blinking hard. "Tell that to Arin's mother."
Garrick reached across the table, his callused hand covering hers. "We all carry ghosts, Nalah. But we fight so others don't have to."
Selene's hands trembled as she adjusted the harmonizer. "If the Vein lines go, the clinics go dark. I need someone to help me reroute the backup grid."
Lysara straightened. "I'll go with you. I know the old city's schematics better than anyone."
Whisper's voice was gentle. "I will join you. The Vein listens best when we work together."
Kael nodded, relief flickering in his eyes. "Thank you. I'll hold the square with Garrick and Nalah."
Nirael stood, her jaw set. "I'll get the Skyfarers ready for another run. If the Dominion tries to land troops on the rooftops, we'll meet them in the clouds."
Elya pushed off the wall, determination in her voice. "I'll relay updates to all sectors. If anyone needs to fall back, I'll coordinate the routes."
Mira gathered her satchel. "I'll check the clinics and rally the healers. If anyone's too wounded to fight, I'll get them to safety."
Kael looked at them all, pride and fear warring in his heart. "We held today. We'll hold again. For every loss, we remember. For every victory, we fight harder. Liraine stands."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the room.
Garrick cracked his knuckles. "Let's make them regret ever stepping foot in our city."
Nalah managed a wan smile. "Just try not to bleed all over the barricades, Garrick."
He winked. "No promises."
Selene caught Kael's eye as she gathered her tools. "We'll keep the lights on. You keep the hope alive."
He smiled, weary but grateful. "Deal."
As the council dispersed, Lysara caught up to Selene in the corridor. "You did good work today. Don't let the failures drown out the wins."
Selene's voice was thin. "If I'd been faster, maybe we wouldn't have lost power in the east quarter. Maybe fewer would've died."
Lysara stopped her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You're not alone in this. None of us are. The city stands because you kept fighting."
Selene nodded, swallowing hard. "Thanks, Lysara."
Whisper glided up beside them, her presence calming. "The Vein is wounded, but it will heal. We are its stewards, not its masters."
Selene managed a small smile. "Let's go heal it, then."
---
On a rooftop overlooking the battered market square, Nirael and Elya watched the Dominion's campfires flicker on the far shore.
Elya broke the silence. "You okay?"
Nirael shook her head. "Tovan was the best pilot I ever had. I keep expecting to hear his laugh."
Elya touched her arm. "He believed in you. So do we."
Nirael nodded, wiping her eyes. "Tomorrow, we fly for him."
Elya looked up at the fractured sky. "For all of them."
---
Whisper, Selene, and Lysara worked quickly in the tunnels, rerouting Vein lines and reinforcing wards. The air was thick with the scent of ozone and the hum of barely-contained power.
Selene glanced at Whisper. "Does it ever get easier? Losing people?"
Whisper's mask tilted. "No. But the pain reminds us why we fight."
Lysara grunted. "Pain means you're still alive. And as long as we're alive, we have work to do."
Selene smiled faintly. "Then let's get to it."
---
Mira moved through the clinics, checking on the wounded. She paused beside a young Emberhand, his face pale.
He looked up at her. "Will we win?"
Mira brushed hair from his brow. "We're still here, aren't we? That's a kind of winning."
He managed a weak smile. "Thank you, Mira."
She squeezed his hand. "Rest now. Tomorrow will need all your strength."
---
Kael stood alone in the square, the relic's pulse steady against his chest. He heard footsteps behind him—Selene, Lysara, Whisper, Nalah, Garrick, Mira, Nirael, Elya—all gathering one last time before the next wave.
Kael looked at each of them, his voice steady. "We're the heart of this city. As long as we stand, so does Liraine."
Selene took his hand. "Then let's stand together."
They formed a circle, hands joined, a living shield against the darkness.
Outside, the bells rang a slow, defiant toll. The city's hope, battered but unbroken, echoed into the night.
The first day of the siege was over.
The battle was just beginning.
---