GRAVESKIES

Chapter 29

The battle advanced at an unyielding pace.

Rain dropped in pellets.

Rakia had taken the forest of their previous camp and trampled over the first big city of central East Akan without meeting any resistance. The flying deposit loomed over the hills. The crossbows worked their sturdy wooden arms. As usual, the battlefield was littered with blooming color, bursts of electricity and explosions.

The Akan army was being visibly pushed back.

Ryujin had to go in. She had to go in. Her line had already begun advancing but her legs just wouldn't move. Their shadows flared rapidly before her eyes; she couldn't catch them when she reached out her hand. She'd never fought in the back lines, never anywhere but the first lines; she should've been angry about it, but she'd never understood before what the first lines entailed. How had she done this before? Anyone could strike her down from any angle. Every second spent on the field was an opportunity to die, but why did she even want to live?

Her heart pumped claustrophobically in her ears. Her legs were as immobile as wooden planks. It was like a string had been snipped, severing the connection between her body and her mind.

Something touched her shoulder. Ryujin screamed.

"Hey, hey, Volta. It's just me," the voice of General Avis dispelled the mist that clouded her vision. "Calm down. It's okay."

General Avis carried heavy eyebags and her nails had been anxiously chewed on, but she still had her shit together.

"You've been called to the Commander's tent. General Kran needs to speak to you."

Faust had taken over the Commander's tent, dishing out orders and discussing strategy with the other superior officers. Storyteller had been assigned the smaller tent connected to that one, because her presence in the strategic discussions would have a conflicting effect. It would encourage tension between the officers that supported her and believed her methods had been necessary, and the officers that wanted nothing to do with her. Kran wasn't in position to tie her up and take her as a prisoner, but Dianne cared about protecting the country. She knew exactly how she was viewed, and didn't fight back the measures that had to be taken to ensure victory.

The tent was perched atop one of the many hills that surrounded City, and Faust and Willow waited within. The front wall, which opened towards the battlefield, had been ripped from its hinges, fluttering in the callous wind.

Inside, Fern sat at the table too; she'd been assigned to help with making the plans from the safest point of the afflicted area. Ryu refused to look at her, for she would choke up and be rendered useless.

She sat next to Willow, her thick leather gear cracking tightly underneath her silver armor plates. The two exchanged a look of anticipation.

Kran paced before the torn-up square view of the battle. Massive blackening clouds pooled over the valley. "Kane, Volta, do you remember the conversation we had a few months ago at the campfire? After we recovered our prisoners from Belvarre's clouds." He steeled his tongue when saying the nation's name, biting into it deeper to be sure he wouldn't hesitate. "During Laurent's visit on our frontline." And only then his voice broke; upon his husband's name.

Willow raised a confused eyebrow. "I don't really remember, sir."

"Who the hell knows what we even remember anymore, right?" Ryujin tried to joke. Nobody laughed. "Too soon?"

"I proposed you should do something. Laurent listed all the reasons why it wouldn't be possible. And yes, maybe it wouldn't be, not usually. But now we have a different element of context to make use of. We have a storm."