Wings filled the sky like a tidal wave. A mixture of ice and sand had billowed down from the horizon, growing rapidly, and after reaching the fortress, it first arched menacingly over them and then spread out in front of the walls.
Moon rubbed her eyes, unsure if she was seeing correctly; In the distance, columns of smoke rose from the direction from which the troops had come.
"Kinkajou!" She exclaimed. "Do you see that?" Have they set the oases on fire?"
"Idiots, what they think they will achieve with it? They will only harm themselves if they destroy the only life chances in the desert", Kinkajou snorted.
"Vulture is definitely trying to distract the queen and weaken her so that she doesn't get any reinforcements from the villages", Turtle stated with a quavering voice. "A couple of messengers will come back from there. They have twenty or so dragons with them", he continued, pointing in the other direction.
"Isn't there more... it's not enough to even begin with. Where do the others stay?" Moon was so nervous that she couldn't stand still. "Well, then we have to succeed. Kinkajou, are you ready as soon as the right opportunity comes?"
"Always ready!" Kinkajou shouted.
A black-cloaked figure landed on the wall. In his wake, dozens of dragons lined the walls, all SandWings and equipped with Talons of power's gear.
Moon instinctively ducked lower, though she didn't think the attackers would pay them any attention, at least not right now. Vulture's attention was drawn to the SandWing Queen, who flew to the platform of the tower closest to the wall with a few of her bodyguards.
"Vulture. Your arrival does not seem like a friendly visit. Why do you have such a group with you and what are the IceWings doing here?" Thorn could be heard talking to the intruders.
"I came to claim the throne", Vulture replied straight out with a smug smirk.
"Last time you claimed it for poor Onyx and it didn't end well. For whom this time?"
"It's time for the strongest to rule the Kingdom of Sand. The weak queen must get out of the way of the king. A new era is dawning for all of Pyrrhia."
"As impressive as that sounds, unfortunately I have to decline", Thorn stated laconically.
"That's unfortunate for you because then I have to take it by force."
"It's not that simple. My subjects would not choose a king like you, and neither would Onyx's eye."
"Useless traditions ought to be in the dungheap. If I kill you, both your subjects and the Eye of Onyx must acknowledge that I am the new king."
There was growling and rustling of wings from behind Thorn, and the troops waiting on the ground moved restlessly.
As he spoke, Vulture reared up on his hind legs and spread his wings, which the gold chains around the edges flickered and jingled. As soon as he finished his sentence, one of Thorn's bodyguards lunged at him with a spear outstretched. Vulture swung his front talon and jerked the spear from the guard's claws like a twig from the soft sand, and swept her away with his wing, so that she was flung several meters away into the wall of the stone building next to the wall to the left of Vulture, crashing at an unimaginable speed. Moon turned her head away a little too late.
"We have to succeed. By all the powers of the universe, let this succeed", Moon mumbled under her breath, eyes squeezed shut.
"Stay away from him!" Thorn shouted to her guards and army.
"Good good. No need for martyrs here. It's enough for the former queen to die", Vulture laughed, setting his eyes on the queen.
"Now Kinkajou, quick!" Moon hissed at her friend. "There is no time to wait for a better opportunity."
Instantly, the RainWing merged with the surrounding air and Moon only felt a light swirl of wind as Kinkajou took to her wings.
ВЫ ЧИТАЕТЕ
Silenced Voice
ФанфикIllustrated story! Moonwatcher realizes that her choices, which affect her entire future, have not been what she wants and longs for. Where does she belong? Will she always be an outsider? She has no visions of the dangers that await her as she sets...
