Wings of Fire • Path to Ascension [Book 3]

scene xi.

I am so sorry these took so long but I wanted them to be perfect. I know they can't be, but I tried my hardest to come close. I'm so tired that if you notice any mistake it is 100% my fault. I might come back for it but for now I need to sleep for 100 years.

That being said, thank you so much for sticking with me until the end! I will post one chapter a day so you don't have to wait too long, just long enough that you hate me :)

Get ready for an emotional roller coaster. 

I want to keep this note brief, so more ramblings after the epilogue. 

Without further ado I give you: Act IX: Ascension.

- ❈ -

"This is a really bad idea."

     Ghost stared at the Fortress, which was a smudgy shadow far below them in the predawn light. It was almost a league away and nearly small enough to hide behind his talon. If he held it out and spread his claws as wide as they could go, only the outer ring was still visible. If one of the sentries could see them they'd just think they were vultures.

     Hopefully.

     "This is a terrible idea," he said again.

     "It's all we have," said Hawker, checking the position of the sun. It wasn't out yet, which was good as they were supposed to break in and out of the Queen's Tower before dawn made the mission too risky. They'd originally intended to come for evidence at midnight, but the skies had been too clear and Atta was worried about them being spotted. She'd also wanted them to rest after their long flight from the Baobab Grove. A single night was not enough to fully recover from such a long distance, but Ghost wasn't complaining. It was better than nothing, and he was grateful. He could deal with sore wings for just a little longer – what was that in the face of the end of the war?

     Thankfully, it was overcast now, which helped their odds. The center of the yet-unleashed storm was steadily drawing closer to their position and would provide the final cover they needed – instead of fearing the dawn, they had a bit more time before conditions became too light to escape undetected.

     But they had to be quick. Hawker said as much when he asked, "Do you think we should wait for more cover, Ghost, or are we fine to descend now?"

     "By 'wait for more cover', you mean wait until we'll be in the cloud," said Eight from atop Demi's back, warily eyeing the approaching mountain of water vapour, "and I attract lightning."

     "At least it's an interesting way to die," joked Taproot, and it was a testament to Ghost's growth that he just sighed and rolled his eyes, fighting a smile. It was strange how comforting Taproot's personality could be, now; grounding them in the face of probable failure and death.

     Because there was no ignoring it: if they failed, Pantala was likely doomed.

     Metalmark frowned at the cloud the same way Eight did. "I vote for leaving early. If we don't get struck by lightning then we'll impale ourselves on the Tower."

     "That's what I'm here for." Ghost looked down again and found the Queen's Tower amid the sea of grey.

     "Can you tell if anyone's on lookout, Ghost?" Hawker asked.

     At a fierce gust of wind from the storm, Eight tightened her grip on Demi's back. "If I was on lookout – or on top of a DartWing five thousand dragonlengths in the air – I wouldn't want to be stuck outside during a storm. I say we go now. Like, right now, before we die."