5 : Sadows of Betra(1 / 2)
thedawnofanewdaybroughtasenseofcalandhopetothesallvilwheresukie,hanfenglg,andihadfethevilrshadbeencrediblykd,food,shelter,andabriefrespitefrotheirarduojourneyyet,theshadowofthedarklrogpowerloodoverthe,andsukiekheirtiofpeacewasfleetg
asthefirstlightoffilteredthroughthedow,sukiestretchedandgotoutofbed,feelgasenseofdeterationtodaywasthedaytheywouldgatheroretellinthedarklord’spnsandfurthertheirissiontosavethekgdooflianshedressedicklyandietly,noantgtowakei,whowasstillundasleep
steppgoutside,sukietookadeepbreathofthecrispair,savtheontarytranilitythevilwasgtolife,withvilrsbegngtheirdailyroutes,unawareofthedanrofathergonthehorizon
hanfenglgwasalreadyup,sharpenghisswordbythefirehelookedupassukieapproached,hisfacebreakgtoawarsilethatadeherheartftter
“good,”hegreetedher,hisvoicefilledwithwarth
“good,”sukiereplied,returnghissile“didyoleeell?”
hanfenglghoughhiseyesheldahtofwearess“aswelisliketheseareyoureadyfortoday?”
sukie’sexpressiongrewserio“yes,iaweofdouhatthedarklordispnngandshibeforeit’stoote”
hanfenglgreachedout,takgherhandhis“we’lldoittother,sukienoatterwhat,we’llfaceittother”
theirtenderonasterruptedbytheundofhurriedfootstepstheyturoseethevilleader,theelderlyanwhohadweledthe,approagwithalookof
“hanfenglg,sukie,”hecalledout,hisvoiceurnt“there’sthgyouosee”
theyfollowedthevilleadertotheoutskirtfthevil,whereagroupofvilrshadgatheredaroundafigurelygonthegroundastheyphedthroughthecrowd,sukie’sbreathcaughtihroatthefigurewasaldier,badlyjuredandbarelyscio
“hestubledtothevilthis,”thevilleaderexped“hekeptaskgforyou”
hanfenglgkbesidetheldier,hisexpressiongri“peoyou?whodidthis?”
theldierughed,hisvoiceweak“thedarklord…he’spnnganattackhehasaneon,thgpowerfulyouhavetoshi…beforeit’stoote”
sukie’sheartraced“whereishepnngtoattack?”
theldier’seyesflickered,hisstrengthfadg“thecapital…hewantstotakethecapital”
withthosewords,theldier’seyesclosed,astillhanfenglgstood,hisjawsetieratiotothecapitalifthedarklordtakesit,theentirekgdowillfall”
sukienodded,herrelveunwaverg“thenwehavenotitowasteweogatherouralliesaothecapitalidiately”
thevilrs,overheargtheversatiooururaongsttheselvesfearanduatyrippledthroughthecrowd,buttherewasalasenseofdeterationthevilleadersteppedforward,hisvoicesteady
“wewillhelpyouanywayweeaybesall,buehavebravenandwonwillgtofightforthekgdo”
touchedbytheiroffer,sukieandhanfenglgthahevilrsandbeganakgpreparationsforthejourneyaheadi,sensgthegravityofthesituation,approachedsukie,hereyeswidewithdeteration
“iwanttohelp,”shesaidfirly“i’notafraidiwanttofightforyfailyandforeveryoneelsewhohassuffered”
sukiekdown,pgahandoni’sshoulder“you’reverybrave,iwe’llneedalltheheletbutreber,yoursafetyistheostiportantthgstaycloseto,andwe’lltthroughthistother”
astheysetoutforthecapital,asenseencypropelledtheforwardthejourneywaslongandarduo,buttheirdeterationneverwaveredalongtheway,theyenteredroupfvilrsandrebelswhojoiheircae,swellgtheirranksandbolstergtheirspirits
onenight,astheycapedbyariver,sukieandhanfenglgsatbythefire,theirhandsiwiheflickergfscastawarglowontheirfaces,andforaont,theyallowedtheselvestorexandenjoyeachother’spany
“doyoueverwonderwhatlifewillbelikeafterallthisiver?”sukieaskedftly,hereyesreflegthefirelight
hanfenglglookedather,hisexpressiontender“idoidreaofaworldwherewelivepeace,withoutfearordarknessaworldwherewebuildafuturetother”
sukie’sheartswelledwithlove“idreaofthattooandibelieveweakeitareality”
hanfenglgleaned,pressilekisstoherlips“withyoubyyside,iknowwe”
theirontofpeacewasshatteredbytheundofrtlgthebhesstantlyalert,hanfenglgdrewhissword,andsukiereadiedheragicafigureerdfrotheshadows,andtheywerebothrelievedtoseeiaheirsuts
“we’vespottedagroupofthedarklord’sldiersnearby,”thesutreported“theyseetobesettgupanabh”
hanfenglg’sexpressionhardened“weodealwiththebeforetheyattackgatherourfordprepareforbattle”
thecapsprangtoa,theairfilledwiththeundfpreparationsastheyovedthroughthedarkness,sukiefeltasenseofunityandpurposetheywerenotjtfightgfortheselvesbutforeveryonewhohadsuffereduhedarklord’styranny
theabhwasswiftandbrutalsukieandhanfenglihechar,theiroventsperfectlysyheyfoughtsidebysidethedarklord’sldierswerecaughtoffguard,aleicklyturheirfavor
theidstofthefight,sukiespottedafailiarfacetheleaderoftheldierswasherthantheanwhohadattackedtheiroutpostandtakeni’sfailyasurofanraerationfilledher,andshefoughtherwaytowardshi
“you!”sheshouted,hervoicefilledwithfury“you’regawaythisti!”
theleadersneered,raisghisswordtoetherattack“you’reafooltothkyoudefeat”
theirswordscshed,thesgthroughthenightsukiefoughitheverythgshehad,heranraerationfuelirengthhanfenglg,seeiruggle,ovedtosupporther,hispresencegivihefidencesheneeded
tother,theyoverpoweredtheleader,theirbirengthtooutohahafal,powerfulstrike,sukiedisardhi,herswordathisthroat
“tellwherei’sfailyis,”shedeanded,hervoicesteady
theleadergredather,buttherewasfearhiseyes“they’rebegheldthedarklord’sfortressyou’llneverreachtheti”
sukie’sgriptightenedonhersword“we’llseeaboutthat”
withtheleadersubdued,therestoftheldiersicklysurrehebattlewaswon,butsukiekheirjourneywasfarfroovertheyhadtoreachthecapitandsthedarklord’sattadtheyhadtorescuei’sfailyfrothefortress
astheyregrouped,hanfenglgpcedareassurghandonsukie’sshoulder“we’llsavethe,sukieiproise”
shelookedtohiseyes,herrelvestrengtheng“iknoillandwe’llsthedarklordondforall”
theirjourued,eachstepbrggtheclosertotheirgoalthechalleheyfacedweredauntg,buttheirloveaeratioheovgforwardastheyhecapital,theyuldseethesignftheipendgattack:ldierspatrolliskirts,fortificationsbeied,aensiontheairpalpable
oneeveng,astheycapedwithsightofthecapital’swalls,sukieandhanfenglgsattother,theirheartsheavywiththeweightofthetaskaheadi,sensgtheirubesidethe,hersallhandslippgtosukie’s
“we’regogtowiwe?”iasked,hervoicefilledwithhope
sukiesiled,herheartswellgwithloveforthebravegirl“yes,iwe’regogtoandwe’regogtosaveyourfaily”
hanfenglgnodded,hiseyesfilledwithdeteration“we’veethisfar,andwe’renotgivgupnowtother,we’lldefeatthedarklordandbriothekgdo”
astheypreparedforthefalbattle,theirbondgrewevenstroheykhahateverhappeheywouldfaceittothertheirloveandtrteachotherwereunbreakable,andtheywerereadytofightforthefuturetheydreadof
thenightbeforethebattle,sukieandhanfenglgstoodonahilloverlookgthecapital,thecitylightsklgthedarkheyheldeachotherclose,dragstrengthfrotheire
“we’vebeenthroughuch,”sukiewhispered,hervoicefilledwitheotion“butnoatterpenstoorrow,i’gratefulforeveryone’ve
shared”