The Sun's Awakening

Chapter Nineteen

Lillies sprouted in the spring. Much like the war-readied warriors sprung from their beds this sunless dawn. Heralding a day to be ripe with bloodshed.

Oxin and Sterling loomed over a map of the cliffside that bordered their lands, plotting where the enemy may strike and how they may counter. Eledorah stood across them, a scone in one hand while she gripped her sword with the other. They stationed themselves atop an outlook where the view of the adversary's encampment was only made visible by the smoke trails on the horizon.

They were close. 

The overwatch she found herself stationed in was an impressive feat of both architecture and camouflage, seamlessly blending into the rugged landscape of the desert mountains. Designed to provide an unobstructed view of the surrounding area while remaining nearly invisible to the untrained eye, it was a marvel of strategic ingenuity. She never credited saytroids for being an advanced species –given the way their villages looked– and this just proved her wrong.

The base of the lookout was anchored firmly into the rocky terrain, with stone walls that matched the natural hues of the mountains – a mix of sandy browns and deep russets. The stones were carefully selected and arranged to mimic the natural rock formations, making the structure appear as an extension of the earth itself.

A narrow, spiral staircase wound its way up from the base, hugging the inner wall.

As one ascended the staircase, small, strategically placed windows offered glimpses of the vast desert expanse outside. These openings were covered with finely woven mesh, allowing airflow while keeping out the harsh desert winds and sand. At the top, the space opened up into a circular observation deck. The floor was made of sturdy wooden planks, their dark, weathered surface contrasting with the stone walls. 

From this vantage point, one could see for miles, the vast expanse of sandy dunes and rocky outcrops stretching out to meet the horizon.

Oxin reached into a leather pouch at his side and withdrew a hefty, intricately carved object. "I have something for you," He said, holding out a necklace made from fragments of satyroid horns. The pieces were polished to a smooth sheen. "We had this crafted from my late father's horns. It's more than just a piece of armor—it's a symbol of our strength, our heritage. It's too... Feminine, for my taste. I wish for you to wear it into battle."

She graciously accepted the necklace, knowing its significance to him. She traced the smooth surface of the horn fragments with her fingers, "Thank you, Oxin. I'll wear it with pride."

Oxin nodded, a rare softness in his eyes. "It will protect you. His intentions may have been warped in the end by wicked promises of power, but he always loved your kind."

Sterling huffed. "Can we get back to strategizing? I want to ensure that we use the dragonborn to our best advantage. They need to emerge when the opposition least expects it."

"No one will be expecting a dragon to fly above them. I think we have the element of surprise on our side, no matter what." Oxin retorted.

Ele clasped the necklace behind her neck, struggling for a moment to line it up. With it now hanging around her neck, she felt a surge of tenacity. A timid finger stroked one of the sharpened fragments as she lost herself in thought. This small token of protection served only herself, yet what of her people? The last of her kind remained within these walls. Mostly only the men were fighting whilst the women remained behind with their children. Very few women chose to join the battle. And of those women, none were taught the intricacies of flight. 

They'd be no better than flightless, powerless vessels on the battleground. 

Lost of rational thought, she blurted out, "Please allow me to order the female faenixes to obtain from battle. They will be a liability out there and only serve as a distraction to our warriors."