The ground trembled as an army of 160,000 strode forward. An endless barrage of the sound of thousands of feet marching onwards, leaving only scores of tracks in its wake, a clear sign for anybody passing by that something was happening.
Up close it was the sound of chainmail and armor clashing together which overpowered all other sounds. The creaking of wood of the catapults could be heard only faintly and the groans of the foot soldiers were all but drowned out completely.
The soldiers talked despite the noise around them. Laughter was a common sight, many soldiers seemed to be looking forward to the battle ahead. The army lacked unity, there was not a single mindset, but there was a single goal: make sure you survive the war and get back home safely.
She looked out at the fields in the distance, the same fields that would soon be covered in blood and ash. She watched as the soldiers took march after march in the direction of Snowbrooke.
If it would have been up to her and her mother, the attack would have been put off. But according to old law, whatever command or law the late king had made before his death, could not be undone by the next royal to rein.
She had to warn Thomas before anything happened. Time was running out and with it, the fate of humankind. That feeling crept in her stomach, the feeling of knowing that she might not be able to save everyone.
She had to get to Snowbrooke before they did, but how? Sure she could fly but her wingspan was small, therefore, it wouldn't get her there before them.
An idea came to mind, Newt. He was a dragon with the biggest wingspan she'd ever seen a dragon have. He would get her there with plenty of time to warn Snowbrooke and come up with a plan to stop the war. With a sharp inhale of breath, she turned into a raven and began her flight to Tezmera.
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The flight to Tezmera was not as long as Y/n had imagined it would be, it seemed as though the volcanic kingdom was right next door to hers. Her skin prickled from under her feathers because of the heat in the air from the bubbling volcanoes.
Despite the present threat of the active volcanoes that looked as though they would erupt at any moment, the people of Tezmera stayed. They stayed because they had faith in their protectors, the dragons, to keep the volcanoes at bay and the villages safe. That was something Y/n wished her kingdom had; faith.
The castle soon came into her view and Y/n awed at it as she flew. The Damaris kingdom was a sight to behold when viewing it from above, even seeing it from the ground the palace was beautiful.
Eight thick, square towers formed a protective barrier all around the castle and were connected by enormous, vast walls made of dark black stone. Dull windows were scattered generously around the walls, along with holes for archers and artillery.
A great gate with giant wooden doors and various artillery equipped guards stood in the front, the only entrance to the castle was at the edge of a cliff, but it wasn't the only way in, but it would be the best shot if someone wished to conquer the castle.
She flew down slightly and made her way to the window of the Damaris Prince, who she knew would be in his room sulking at the thought of everything going on. With a small 'caw', Y/n flew into the open balcony and landed on the stone ground.
"I was wondering when you would arrive." The voice spoke from the chair by the fire place, his golden eyes catching hers quickly. "Took you long enough."
"Yes, well what can I say. I'm a slow flyer." She chuckled and watched as the man walked over to her and embraced her in a comforting hug, to which she returned in content. "How are we going to stop this? We need a plan."
Newt hugged her tighter and kissed the top of her head as he pulled away. She stood confused for a moment as she watched him walk over to the small table that stood in the middle of the room, and pick up a small trunk. The wood was a dark and deep shade of brown, the top was smooth but the sides were decorated with a beautiful vine like shape.
She looked at Newt cautiously and took it from his offering hands and opened the wooden box carefully and stared at the contents inside of it. Inside was a folded letter that had been neatly placed in it and just under it was a beautiful dagger that was wrapped in a fine leather.
Y/n gave the dagger a closer look at it when she couldn't help but feel like she had seen it before; held it in her hands before. She carefully turned it around and gasped slightly when she saw the initial carved into the hilt of the silver knife. She brushed her thumb thoughtfully across the 'T' and smiled.
"Look." She went to give Newt the dagger but stopped when she noticed how he backed away from the blade and stared at it with fear. "What's the matter?" She asked him.
"I cannot touch it." He spoke as he eyed the dagger with a weary look. Just the thing being in his presence, out of the box, made him feel weak. "What are you talking about?" She asked him, unaware of the power over him she held in her hands.
"It's silver." "And?" "Gods cannot be touched by silver or else they die."
It was then she remembered the nightmare Ruton had given her only days before. The sword that she had used to attack him was silver. He had given her the thing she needed to win - the way to kill him.
Y/n put the dagger away in the box, out of Newts way, and took the neatly folded letter out. Based off of the dagger that had clearly been Thomas, she assumed that the letter would be from him as well. She opened it and began reading, her eyes tearing as she read over the scribbles of his words.
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She passed the letter to Newt for him to read and stared out at the world that was beyond the balcony. A tear slipped down her cheek as his words echoed in her mind. 'With love, Thomas'.
"I don't understand," Newt spoke from beside her as he handed the letter back to her, tears of his own gathering in his eyes as he stood confused. "Is it a goodbye letter? A suicide note?" Y/n stared at the parchment in her hand and tried to think of why he would have given it to her.
"He's fighting in the war." She concluded, more tears gathering in her eyes. It was weird how her body still reacted to sadness as if she could feel it, but couldn't. To her, it was water falling from her eyes.
"That's suicide!" Newt exclaimed and walked back into his room, gathering the box so they could take off to Snowbrooke. Y/n glanced down at the note in her hand and nodded her head slightly. "Suicide note." She whispered.
