[CoSaR] - I

The slave watched as the town slowly burned. The remaining inhabitants screamed as their homes crumbled on top of them and their neighbors were burned alive on the streets. Guilt tugged on her as the screams began to lessen, and the fire began to be sated.

“So many innocent lives destroyed for nothing," She turned to the general beside her, “is this truly necessary?"

He chuckled, “A few lives for a greater cause. You should be very familiar with the way war works, Azura.”

“It causes much unnecessary bloodshed because two or more parties can’t get along with each other. Yes, I am much aware of the dealings of war, Válgr."

Válgr smiled, “Feeling guilt? Are you not the World Destroyer? Conqueror of Realms? Guilt is beneath you.”

Azura grunted, “Guilt is never beneath anyone, others just chose to ignore it."

“That is what a true warrior must do to become the best.”

“Or to become heartless."

“Heartless?” Válgr laughed, “Is that what you consider me, the mightiest jotunn that has ever lived?”

Azura glanced up at the 9-foot being, “Don’t flatter yourself, Válgr, that is the beginning of a mighty man’s downfall."

“I am not a man.”

She waved her hand, “Semantics, you all have the same faults."

Válgr laughed again and Azura rolled her eyes. She watched as the ashes of the town floated in the air.

“You will pay greatly for the lives you have taken today, Válgr."

“Sympathizing with our enemies?”

Azura didn’t answer him, instead, she turned away from the town. Her enemies and his were not one and the same, and Válgr would never understand that. He believed all fae deserved to be punished just for living.

Her magic prowled inside her, wishing to be let out and avenge all those who had died on the field today; but she couldn’t. The being responsible for all the bloodshed was the same being who controlled her very breath. Her magic didn’t fully understand it either, it only understood the urge to right the injustice.

Patience. Soon, she would give Válgr what he deserved; but now, she needed his resources to get to her target. Vulas Farwynn, High Lord of the Shadow Court, wouldn’t leave his realm unless provoked enough. Right now, Válgr and his power spree were the only chance she had. She would suffer just a little longer if it ended in final peace for her people.

A cage, again. Azura scowled at Válgr as she was forced into the steel room. Her scowl only deepened as the cage was lifted and placed on the back of a wagon.

Válgr peered into the small space, “Lighten up, witch, you have an easier ride than most of us.”

She only glared at him.

Válgr smirked and closed the door, engulfing her in darkness. This was how he usually transported her—in a fully-enclosed iron cage, like she was some mindless beast that could only destroy. It was barely big enough to contain her wings, even when she pulled them in tightly.

The army began to move, and Azura winced as she was jostled around. It wasn’t enough that Válgr enslaved her, his people had to torment her as well. She knew they were purposely careless when it came to transporting her. Whether Válgr personally chose the more rocky paths for his army to traverse through was still open for discussion.

She tried to wrap her wings around her more tightly; but no matter how she placed them, they were always bruised and sore by the time she was released. It was all part of Válgr’s tactic of scaring his enemies and keeping her under a tight leash. The jotunn was no fool, he knew that she would kill him the moment Fate gave her a chance.

A scream. Obsidian blades. Bloody feathers.

Azura gritted her teeth and breathed.

You can make it, Azura…

Azura closed her eyes at the whisper of her father’s voice. It had been far too long since she had last seen him.

A flash of magic. Her father’s gaze.

Two hundred and sixty-eight years too long.

Azura locked up the memories and opened her other senses. She could feel the entire army that followed the jotunn. Their alliance to each other was… interesting. Races that would rarely ever ally with each other, fighting together for the last decade to rid themselves of the same enemy. Their purpose made sense, but their alliance was still doubtful. Yet, so far, there hadn’t been many traitors and the army had stayed together. An unpredictable force that demanded the world’s attention and that of the Protectors. Only fools would want that much attention.

Azura began to tunnel into her magic, stroking the sparks and soothing the tendrils of light that wanted out. She had to be ready to make her escape when the time came. Immortality had taught her many things, and she wasn’t going to spend another hundred years as a slave. The time to avenge her people would come, soon.

Faelyn Farwynn would come first. Then, after she captured the son, the High Lord himself would come and see that the ghosts of his bloody past were back for vengeance.

The captain looked out over the city walls. A cloud of ashes drifted towards them and slowly coated the plains beyond. He sighed and beckoned to one of the other soldiers.

“Yes, sir?”

“Send word to the Council, the Lesser Army is on its way to Carlhaven.”