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"But I can't just let you go in there with just the others!"
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Outside the Fold, Celestria could hear the vastness of Ravka stretching around her, alive and teeming with sounds both near and distant. The low murmur of voices drifted from the Grisha camp behind her, a mix of tense conversations and laughter cutting through the stillness of the evening air. The clink of armor and the occasional creak of leather straps hinted at soldiers preparing for their next move, while the fluttering of tent fabric flapped rhythmically in the gentle breeze.
Further off, she caught the faint rustling of leaves, a reminder of the nearby forest where birds called to one another from the treetops, their songs carried by the wind. Hoofbeats occasionally echoed, along with the distant clatter of carts on the main roads as traders moved along, eager to avoid lingering too close to the ominous presence of the Fold.
But there was a heaviness to the air that made the natural world seem muted, as if even the trees and birds felt the shadow of the Fold looming nearby. Every now and then, a chill ran through her, as though the Fold itself was whispering—its silence so deep it seemed to pull the sound from the earth, leaving only an uneasy quiet hovering just out of reach. It was both a comfort and a reminder of the dangers that lay just beyond the light.
Celestria had been brought to East Ravka under General Kirigan's orders, though no one had told her why. She'd barely had time to gather her bow and belongings before she was whisked from the Little Palace to Kribirsk, a bleak border town that rested at the edge of the Fold. The camp was alive with activity as soldiers and Grisha moved around her, preparing for something that clearly weighed on everyone. The Fold loomed just beyond the camp, a massive, unnatural wall of darkness that stretched endlessly in either direction, dividing East from West Ravka with a shadow that seemed to devour the land itself.
Scanning the area, Celestria's eyes caught on a ship set on tracks at the Fold's entrance, making her pause in confusion. Why would a ship be sitting here, of all places? Just as she was piecing together what she was seeing, a boy with sandy brown hair noticed her curious look and approached with a friendly grin.
"It's for crossing the Fold," he said, nodding toward the strange vessel. "Grisha call it ultralight."
Celestria raised an eyebrow, briefly wondering why it was called "Ultralight." The ship didn't seem particularly light to her; it looked hard sturdy and formidable, make it a fortress than a feather.
"It's Made by their own Fabrikators. It's supposed to be faster."He explains.
Next to him, a girl with a causation expression glances at Celestria and then the boy. "What happened to the last one?"She asks, her tone a mix of awe and apprehension. The idea of the ultra light, sparks her curiosity and excitement. However, it's also tinged with fear, as the o ominous presence of the Fold looms nearby, reminding her of its inherent dangers and the risks involved in crossing it.
