A Dance Of Crowns & Thrones | Book I

Chapter 161 | He Who Survived

In the wild world, there was no more desperate creature than a human being on the verge of losing love.

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As night deepened, the warriors arrived at the edge of the Mage's sanctuary, where the smoldering ruins of what had once been a place of refuge glowed faintly against the dark. Shadows flickered, thrown by the dying flames, casting a grim tableau of the massacre that had taken place. Guided by what Matthew had learned from Teshia's shaken recount, they steeled themselves, yet the sight before them was a horror even their hardened souls hadn't anticipated.

The air was thick with the acrid stench of charred remains and decaying bodies, a blend of burning flesh and smoke that hung heavy and unyielding. Ash drifted through the air like a suffocating snowfall, blanketing the scene and blurring their view. It felt eerily reminiscent of the Seatac invasion, a grim echo of a past horror now come full circle. The once-thriving sanctuary lay in ruins, stretching endlessly in a grim landscape of death and desolation.

Moving forward, the ash thickened, and Jesse and Mya began coughing, their hands instinctively covering their mouths. Jasmine tore a strip from her jacket, fashioning a makeshift mask to shield herself from the choking air. Their eyes stung and watered, making it difficult to see clearly through the dense haze. The ground beneath them was treacherous, strewn with debris, remnants of lives abruptly ended.

Toni broke the silence, his voice heavy with disbelief. "What the hell... this is brutal." His words cut through the oppressive quiet, an echo of the collective shock they all felt.

Mya shook her head, her voice shaking. "No one... no one could have survived this." She whispered, the rawness of the scene chilling her to the bone. The devastation was complete.

Matthew took in their surroundings, his arm raised to block out the smoke and ash swirling in the air as he moved to the front of the group. "Watch your step. We don't know who—or what—is still around here, survivors or otherwise."

The question that had haunted them all finally broke the silence as Jasmine voiced it. "If Isis and Cid have enough power to do this, to wipe out the mages so completely, then what kind of fight are we really in for?"

"A brutal one," Richie muttered darkly, picking his way over scorched bodies. He reached a hand out to help Mya over a pile of rubble, the motion born from habit even in a time like this.

Just as Jesse turned to speak to Toni, Eko's voice sliced through the air, her tone sharp and high-pitched, aimed squarely at Matthew just a few steps ahead. The flames cast an ominous glow as they moved deeper into the wreckage, her frustration building.

"Then seriously, go home! You're not even to being here! Between that and your mood swings! I don't need you coming at me over this shit!" Matthew's voice dominated sharply across the scorched landscape.

Eko's frustration ignited like a spark to fuel, her eyes flashing with fury. "This is exactly what they've been planning for ages, and if this scene isn't a goddamn warning, then what is?" Her voice shook with intensity as she gestured toward the burning wreckage around them. "We need every academy on alert level one, especially Allegiant. This isn't the time to be careful!"

"And start a panic?" Matthew turned to her, his voice cold and hard, fists clenching tightly. "We've discussed this!"

"Hold that thought!" Eko raised a hand, fighting back the nausea that was quickly getting the best of her, her other hand pressed firmly to her mouth as she gathered herself.

Matthew's eyes narrowed, his tone commanding as he observed her struggle. "Seriously, Eko, go home. You're in no condition to be here."

"No!" she retorted, managing to straighten up, her face a mixture of defiance and determination. With a loud groan, she jabbed her finger into his chest. "Sound the academies, Matthew! This isn't a joke!"