The First Sun Summoner | The Darkling *on hold*

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖊𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙

Another full day on horses or in the carriage, they were almost there. The Darkling finally exited the carriage and rode in the front line towards their destination. Clive rode just after him, he felt that the tension had changed. They would see death, hurt or worse.

Artemis and Dusk rode beside Clive, they all looked at each other every second. They hadn't been on many of these missions. They had once and hoped to never go again. Amirah got off the worst, she had been looking forward to seeing her friends again after she was the only one who had to stay at the little palace.

When they arrived, there was one Grisha left, bleeding to death while starving. He had told them the Fjerda had come, they had kidnapped every last Grisha and they were probably on their way to Ice Court. Amirah had been devastated for months. But she knew, like everyone, that death followed them since the day they were tested.

Astra had stayed in the carriage, she and Coretha. Coretha was reading her book and making notes, she didn't spare a glance at Astra. She had found a way of holding her book and notes steady so the broken road didn't mess them up. Astra had had a look at her notes and Coretha's perfect handwriting. It was as Coretha wrote in between two calculated lines that weren't there.

"What are you writing?" Astra asked eventually. Coretha finally looked up and saw a curious smile on Astra's lips. "Just some work for a new project." Coretha waited, she waited for the following question, and Astra, who had nothing to do anyways, asked it. "What new project?"

Coretha tossed her notebook and book away and began with full excitement. "Well, I had this idea. For you and the soverennyi. If you and he can bundle your shadows, I think you'll be able to overpower every enemy.-"

Coretha continued explaining how she thought it would be doable, how she found out, and where she read about this kind of morphing. But Astra didn't listen completely. It was all a blur in her right ear while she looked at her mouth moving. Maybe the information could be useful if two opposite powers could be bundled, but then she imagined the Darkling in power of her light.

That was the last thing she needed.

The carriage stopped and there was utter silence, it was too quiet. Astra and Coretha jumped out of the carriage and saw everyone staring, nobody said a word, even the horses stood frozen.

Astra made her way forward so she could see what was so horrible and then she saw it.

In front of them stood the former Grisha camp, but the Grisha weren't chilling in front of the fires, they weren't resting in their tents. They were spread all over the ground, what was left of them anyway. Five stakes were built and three bodies were bonded to them, the Drüskelle had taken the burden to take off two of the burned bodies from the other two stakes and they laid them on a pile with the other Grisha.

The pyre, they had burned the Grisha alive.

It had stayed quiet for a long time, the Darkling dismounted his horse and began to give orders. The fires of the pyre were still on, the Drüskelle were close.

"Tidemakers, extinguish the fires. Healers, go check for living Grisha. Heartrenders, stay in the area but check if you can find the Drüskelle." He clapped his hands and people began to work. The inferni helped the Heartrenders and Coretha went back to the carriage to be useful elsewhere. Astra stayed still, it was noticeable that this was the first time she saw something this gruesome.

Everyone was busy. Astra couldn't look anymore at the Healers shaking their heads another time if someone asked if there were survivors. It was a stupid idea, but she walked towards the woods, maybe if she found a Drüskelle, she could be something of use.