***Cadiz***
They came at dawn, when the mist still clung to the valleys and the morning light painted the mountains gold.
Eight thousand soldiers. Maybe more, the imperial banners stretched across the landscape like a dark tide, and at their center rode General Aldous Thorne, his armor gleaming even in the dim light.
I stood on the battlements with Raizel, watching the army approach. Beside us, Lyris and Carl radiated nervous energy, their Null Omega powers humming just beneath their skin. Below in the courtyard, six thousand Draven soldiers stood ready alongside the Ashforde forces, a combined strength we hadn't possessed during the first battle.
"They're not trying to surprise us this time," Raizel observed. "This is meant to be overwhelming, a show of force."
"It's working," Carl muttered.
