[54] The Prophecy Begins

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Edward Barrett P.O.V.

It was early. So early in fact, that the sun hasn’t even risen over the horizon yet. I had a very restless sleep. My body wouldn’t relax and it felt like my mind was buzzing with worry and stress. But can you blame me? Today was the day that the fate of humankind would be decided. Changed forever.

For the past five days the Idris army along with the Soldiers from the Lycan penitentiary have been camped at the base of the Hell’s Gate Crater, just north of the line of mountains that lay quietly behind it. We had gotten the information from Lord Keegan that the portal into Hell was the Hell’s Gate crater, which apparently had been correctly named.

Each day a new army would join us. First came the Westlanders. Both cities from Northaven and Matrena sent their troops to join us. They were stationed to my army’s right, on the northwest side of the crater. Next came the armies from the southeast country of Tanimera. Nazberth city has a very large population. They have been isolated from all other countries as their border is made up of large mountains and rarely have any quarrels with anyone. They were posted by the northeast side of the crater.

I had gotten word that the seaside cities down south were prepared for any attacks. They were separated from Hell’s Gate by hundreds of mountains, but I didn’t know how long that would protect them for.

My army, the Idris army, was the largest by far as we were made up of soldiers as well as Angel Hunters. I could only hope that it would be enough to save us to defeat these monsters.

The sky had stayed a permanent red now, only fading to a light red during the day and a deep blood red when the sun went down. It seemed to stay centered around the crater and expand for a few miles in all directions before eventually fading back to blue, but it was enough to put the most eerie feeling in the pit of a mans gut.

With these thousands of men all living outdoors in such cramped spaces, the camp had turned into a foul looking pit of mud and dirty men that stank of smoke and shit, from horses and men alike. The ground had very quickly turned to dirt as the grass was all trampled away or eaten by the horses.

Small fire pits littered the area and were constantly lit, boiling water for tea, to soak biscuits and heat up our soups of beans and potatoes, which we ate with our strips of dried salted meats. Earlier we had cheese and bread, but that was eaten first during the journey south so it wouldn’t get moldy and go to waste.

There was always noise, never quiet. The horses constantly nickered and called to each other all day. There was always a constant murmur of conversation between the men everywhere. The clanging of pots and pans. Men walking around the area on their night shift watch duties could keep a man awake with the odd clink and clang of their armor. Men practicing their sparing to help pass the time.

I craved silence. I missed it. But I knew it was only going to get louder before it got any better. The only thing coming for us now was war, fighting, bloodshed and screams. There would only be quiet for the dead, whoever those unfortunate souls may be.

Getting out of bed, I decided to get dressed in my war apparel right away. We have been lucky so far today. Even though it is still only in the wee early hours of the morning, for all we know, their portal could have been opened as soon as it was considered the 31st of October, only a handful of hours ago.

It wasn’t too cold out yet, still bearable to be in fall clothing. Quickly slipping into my brown linen trousers and plain white cotton shirt, I pulled on my black leather boots. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my racing heart as I walked over to the trunk where I kept my armor and started to get myself ready, complete with a chainmail shirt underneath and my broadsword attached at my left hip.

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