The Ashen Wrath (Watty's SHORTLIST recipient 2018) CHAPTERED VERSION

*75

I watched Daun rush to the console and push Sheln aside. She gripped the sides of the device and lowered her head to speak. "Attention, Lords of the Southern Keep! The Privus of The Walled City are dead—every last one of them, including the High Lord. The Thrall now control this land! We are not as weak as you suspect."

I grabbed Sheln and held her back, keeping her away from the console. "Let your daughter speak."

Daun continued. "The Thrall have developed a super weapon known as The Ashen Wrath—a deadly biological agent. We are completely immune to the chemical's effects, but it kills anyone with Privus blood within minutes. We know you watched the High Lord fall from the tower! You saw his dry and brittle flesh."

Sheln stopped struggling. We both stared at Daun, spellbound. The authority in her voice was impossible to ignore.

"It's stopping!" cried Aryn. "The warship is stopping! The little ones too!"

Sheln pushed away from me and ran beside Daun. "Keep going," she whispered, as she turned a dial and hit a button on the console.

"What did you do?" I asked Sheln when she returned.

Sheln smiled. "Because they've accepted our transmission, I was able to send my images of the dead Privus to the warship. Icing on the cake."

Daun took a deep breath and continued. "The Ashen Wrath is highly contagious—it cannot be stopped by masks or suits. There is no hope for any Privus that breathes the air of this valley! We've infected every inch of this land with the chemical agent, and we will keep deploying it for generations to come to keep you out."

"And you call me the liar," said Sheln. She looked behind her, hearing the airship's engines change tone. "My god, the frigate is actually turning around. The entire air force is retreating!"

Daun stared at the green light as she ranted. "This is your last and only warning—stay away from The Walled City and the valleys beyond. Should Privus come here—from any nation—we will extend the reach of The Ashen Wrath far beyond our borders." She took a deep breath. "Allow us to live in peace, or we'll kill every last one of you."

The light on the console went off. Daun was trembling.