Statera *Chosen At Birth*

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Flying over the somewhat familiar forest, Daniel changed his body temperature back to normal once he felt the last bit of cold leave his body. He eventually landed and walked amongst the convoy. Some of the animals looked at him anxiously, but soon enough ignored him all the same. He was troubled by plumes of smoke that towered over the forest that blocked his view.

Healthy trees turned to black ash stained trees. Barren branches were all that remained as the landscape turned barren with no trees at all. Only charred earth with blood and ash stained ground. The smell was horrid with combination. Daniel's stomach churned, but he controlled himself as they were close to a large castle nestled within a crevice in the mountains. The city was layered against the side like a cake. Cobblestone tunnels marked the beginning of a new level.

Overwhelmed, Isabel was silent for the half hour walk across charred land, "I can't imagine what it was like for these people." Isabel whispered to Kat, who was equally as quiet. They walked closer to the city's entrance and Daniel stopped when he realized that he wouldn't fit.

"Ok, everyone off." He groaned as one by one they got off in the same fashion that got on, except for a couple of them sliding down his back for fun." He morphed into a human and then they followed the convoy.

  Walking through the gate, Daniel looked at the damaged cobblestone streets where there were piles of rubble mixed in with flaming wood. Structures that once housed people were now abandoned with holes in the side or some without a roof. All around, people coughed among the smoke and dust trying to recover what little they could. Bit by bit the convoy broke off going down different streets.

"Daniel, come here." Bestienna demanded as they walked up a slope path. They passed under an arched gateway onto another level, that opened into a winding road. Just like the lower level, people were at work trying to put everything back together. Finally, Daniel watched orange energy swarm around some of the street and it went back to normal.

Standing on a flat top of the staircase were five centaurs wearing heavy armor and equipped with many weapons, "We're here to see Arthur. Is he here?" One of them nodded and escorted them to a small courtyard that had a broken stone fountain in the middle along with four burned trees, circling it on a small mound of earth. Wrapping around the mound was a crackled carved stone path that led to huge castle doors that opened slowly.

"I can't believe that you're here." Arthur walked towards Daniel and Bestienna. It looked as if he hadn't slept in a long time. He had some facial hair that was kept neat and organized, matching the color of the messy hair on his head, "I was told about what happened in Zungali." He said before looking to Eric for answers.

"Joseph bribed a few weretigers to disclose the location of the camps. Even used it as an ambush and lure point for the south." Eric reported like a typical soldier would. Daniel assumed that it was a matter of time before Isabel's fear became a reality, especially with the death of Alek.

"Of course, he did. Nothing can make loyalty fickle like money and power. Sad to say." He sighed with a solemn face and then perked up quickly, "No matter, we'll deal with that tomorrow. We all need a good night's rest." Arthur ushered them into the castle before anyone could protest otherwise. Daniel had never slept in a castle before, but there's a first for everything.