Dusk of the Realm

16

They emerged from Lymeryth from the East, for which Isaiah was grateful.

The southern fields of Azure were alive with the sounds of an enraged battle, and the smell of death was in the air.

Wulf swore as he gazed in the direction of the fight. Isaiah could see where his disappointment stemmed from. The Fae warriors of the Realm typically equipped themselves in fully white armor; Isaiah knew that it was a stroke of arrogance on their part, as they enjoyed seeing evidence of all the blood they drew from their enemies as if war was a game. However, he could also see why they wore it besides their pride: it looked regal under the shining suns, reflecting the light and making each individual Fae a sort of avenging angel.

Meanwhile, the Infernal army was dressed in all black, and though they did not have the advantage of magic and agility that Fae were blessed with, they were certainly not backing down. The two opposing sides were at heads, a tide of light striking a tide of dark, with the former only slightly pushing the latter back. Wulf was entranced by the sight for at least a minute before he pulled his gaze away from it. Isaiah made sure that he was behind the general as he started towards the castle, not wanting to be too close to those furious eyes for fear of what their host might do to him.

"Sir, I want to help them," the violet-haired warrior said. Isaiah wondered if she noticed that her words slurred as she spoke.

Wulf shook his head immediately, replying mid-step, "Absolutely not. You are going to get some rest and some food. You will be no good to them in your current state."

"I'm fine, Sir," the girl argued. Isaiah was surprised. Not that she was trying to act as though she was not utterly exhausted, but that she was willing to disagree with Wulf. He had been under the impression that all Fae were entirely brainwashed to obey their superiors. And even he would try not to argue with a direct order from the general. He had heard the stories, the statistics, the rumors. He was not fool enough to challenge someone of such calibre.

"You are not fine, Vice, and you will rest," Wulf responded smoothly. It was clear that he had not even considered the alternative that his warrior was proposing.

By now, they had reached the eastern gate, and the guard manning it squinted at Wulf for only a second before hurriedly turning and using all of his weight to push down a lever beside him. Then the gate swung open, and Wulf was inside the city, the footsteps of Isaiah and Vice joining his in an echo that added to the eerie silence of the evacuated streets.

"Sir, Vex is out there!" Vice cried, drawing to a determined stop, though Isaiah could see that her lips were quivering. She was trying to put on a facade of strength, but she was too tired to follow it through, and definitely too intimidated by who she was facing to put on a convincing show.

Isaiah was expecting Wulf to snap something nasty at the woman, but instead, he simply strolled a step towards her and fixed her with a sympathetic stare.

"I know," he said, surprisingly softly. "I know she is, Vice. But you know as well as I do that she would not want you risking yourself, and it would be a risk, to put yourself in that much danger when neither your body nor your magic is ready for it. So please, please, come into the castle with me, and try to sleep some before you go to join your sister."

Isaiah blinked, and suddenly found it hard to look at either the general or his warrior. He began to look around at the houses and storefronts surrounding them instead. Azure was exactly as he remembered it; the enormous castle of white stone towering above them, the white cobblestone streets clean as ever, the assorted buildings kept tidy and trapped between the huge stone walls that enclosed the city. For safety, the Fae always insisted, and Isaiah supposed that he could see their point on a day like today.