A blanket of fog hangs over the Esaria War Camp. At least I think it's fog until we get closer, only to find that Saebia, our enemies, burned it to a crisp. The tents are gone, reduced to ash, weapons, and bodies lie everywhere, scattered throughout what once was a safe place for soldiers. They attacked in the night.
What remains is slow-moving soldiers taking what they can, their own faces covered in blood and ash—it's raining down from the sky in a plume of smoke. This is only another reason the soldiers need their king, he's the only one strong enough to provide them with strength at a time like this. We will not balk.
"Those bitches," Takata whispers. Before I've had the chance to stop the horse, she's sliding off the saddle and running, shouting at her troops. "Where's my damn squad? Where are they?" While she had once been so relaxed, that can't be said now.
Binx's brows are drawn in from worry, and I shake my head at him. We'll get through this, it's only a minor setback from soldiers that don't know how to play fair. Someone had to know the king of Esaria is fighting on the battlefield today, it's the only reason Saebia would use tonight, of all nights, to lay waste to enemy soldiers.
I've never seen such destruction. And it's not from the attack the night before, but the soldiers that've been here for ages. Scars mar their faces, some are missing eyeballs or arms and legs, they hobble around on crutches with bandages wrapped around their still-leaking wounds. No one speaks, no one moves, no one breathes. We've stumbled upon a graveyard, not a war camp.
Smoke hangs over the air and blocks out what is visible to my eyes. I can't see the rest of the camp without walking through it, we have no other choice but to venture through and see if there's anything we can do. If the king's smart, he'll avoid the sympathy and head straight to the battlefield. There're only so many soldiers we can help; if Saebia comes back and we're not prepared...it'll be the end of the war for Esaria.
"We don't have time for this," I say quietly to my king. He stares straight ahead, watching as a soldier drags the limp body of another to a mass pile. No one notices we've arrived, Takata has long since vanished into the smoke to find her squad of soldiers, if they're still alive, to begin with. "We need to get to the battlefield."
"You're right," the king mutters. "We'll take what we have, we don't have time to gather more soldiers from the king." He turns to Binx and the rest of the commanders and generals. "Gather the soldiers, rally them, let them know their king has arrived to fight alongside them."
Qian doesn't smile as he asks, "Is there anything else we should tell them?" If I thought the bloodlust in his eyes was prominent last night, it's definitely here upon witnessing the camp.
"Tell them...we'll avenge these men. If they win the battle today, we'll be doing them a service."
The commanders and generals leave us there to pick up the pieces. I came into this—all of us came into this—so confident. I thought we'd arrive and lay waste to anything and everything that moved, bearing a symbol that wasn't a sword dripping blood and flame. We have to change tactic.
Just as I think that, a familiar face parts through the smoke, stopping upon seeing us there. It takes me a while to register his name as if he's a ghost I've long forgotten but a whisper of truth echoes into my brain—Darius. His face is covered in dried blood, it cakes against his throat and leaks into his armor, a large gash protrudes down the left side of his face and the sword in his hand is worth nothing now that the blade is broken. Whoever came through here last night...they didn't waste a soul.
His frown turns into a foolish grin as he spots me, dawning war paint, armor, and a fresh tattoo against my skin. Elvira worked for hours, long into the night and long after I'd fallen asleep. When I woke, she was just finishing the branching out against the side of my chest and promised the kingdom would fear me with a marking like this. I believe her.
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Aligning the Forgotten ✓
Fantasy[Book 3 of the Grounding the Storm series] Renit's worst nightmare has come true. Roux isn't at his side, and he's banished from his throne and his crown, leaving him nameless and on the run. While trying to escape his father's cruel reign, he has t...
