Dusk of the Realm

38

The residents of Azure threw on their robes and ran out of their houses, holding their families close as they watched the spectacle. Or at least, that was how it started. As the unannounced demolition continued and seemed to gain in strength rather than dwindle, the houses nearest the castle were evacuated by instruction of the Fae warriors. It was not long before the event became a free-for-all, however; the warriors could not control the panic, and considering they seemed to be lacking both information and any form of command themselves, it was impossible to keep the peace. The citizens were not sure if they were under attack, did not know if their princess was alive, and embraced their worries in the dark. By the time there was more debris than there was castle, the whole of the city was awake and demanding the answers to questions that seemed to be trapped under the marble remains.

The tree nymphs nearest the event clasped hands with their neighbors as they witnessed the great castle's collapse and watched Fae leave the structure by any means at their disposal in their desperation not to be crushed. As it so often did with the tree nymphs, the news traveled quickly through the forest: the castle was coming down with people inside. The damage had not even been entirely done before more news began working its way through their branches: the general had been seen toting the limp body of the princess herself through the western fields, and there was something clearly wrong with her, if she was alive at all. If she was gone, it would mean the Realm would be bereft of the Dusk dynasty for the first time in over a millennium.

The Wolves stood at the shore of Lake Muiress with a water nymph by their side. They did not have to say a word to feel each other's sorrow as they gazed at the smoke rising above the trees. Even from this distance, they could hear the marble collapsing, could hear people screaming. It was like a bad dream, and too soon, too soon for them to work up the courage to go back, too soon for them to have made it there in time anyway... it was all over.

It was dawn.

                _________________

Iliss strode through the network of tunnels briskly, two Infernals flanking her as if they were much protection from the threats she was up against. If she had learned anything over the past years, it was that Infernals had a more generous view of their abilities than they ought. If they were half as brilliant as most of them thought they were, she would not need to put so much effort into planning their victory.

She told them to halt before she opened the door to the cavern she had been called to. She did not need any Infernals knowing that she was not the only person behind this war. She was not even the true ring leader, though nobody knew that - not even Cade. She was determined not to let anybody know that she took orders from a higher power, and for her part, so was the actual commander, whom liked to call herself the Mistress - which Iliss believed was just her idea of transforming an old insult into her own twisted joke. It was better for everyone, and everything, that the most classified secrets were known by she and Iliss alone.

The moment Iliss closed the door behind her, the Mistress was upon her, appearing from the shadows as if she was composed of the darkness itself.

"I've already heard," she stated in a clipped tone, her eyes warning Iliss of an approaching storm. "Is Tarin alright, or did we just lose everything?"

Iliss tried to hold back her scowl as she strolled past her, bumping her shoulder as she went. "Nobody knows yet. The city is in turmoil, and the castle is in shambles. All I've heard is that there were a good amount of casualties as the place came down, but there has been no news yet on any of the people we're interested in."

The Mistress followed her across the room, clearly not willing to give Iliss a break. "It must have been quite a sight. It echoed like thunder throughout the tunnels; I even heard it from here. We lost the men who had been underneath the castle, as well. All that marble coming down... it caused an earthquake, and they were buried alive. I have no idea how you have any hope for Pevana and--"