Chapter 434
As we drew close enough, the people on the walls saw us coming and called out our arrival to those found within the bounds of the city. There wasn’t any delay as my people gathered to welcome our return. Dozens immediately swarmed the walls, shouting welcoming words.
“Zaaktif!”
“Our people!”
“To victory!”
“For Nievtala!”
To my pleasure, Sybil was one of the first to appear on the walls, her scales growing even more lustrous by the day. Instead of a dull brown, she shone almost like a burnished bronze. Seeing so many of us all together, I think the Misti Hawar prisoners’ last hopes of escape dissolved, and they shrunk against each other as we continued on our path forward. The closest to an escape attempt that I’d witnessed in our approach was when, in a moment where the surrounding fires had dimmed, a single shadow danced out of our encirclement. Hala had immediately flared her magic and made the fires blaze brighter than before, singing most of Iskatti’s fur.
It was a little humorous to see the most mostly white furred male with several scorch marks, especially since that was in response to whatever he was attempting. Maksulah’s pleas for his life had barely managed to keep him alive, especially giving her reminders of the apparent international laws of prisoner keeping. It had been rather refreshing to watch the prideful scout bow his head again and again as he thanked his companion for saving his life.
“You return victorious, I see.“ Sybil‘s voice rang out across the clearing between us and pulled me back to the present. I grinned widely as she continued, “We are glad to have our Zaaktif with us once more.”
I raised a fist, my grin wide as I spread my shoulders and declared, “Always victorious. Victory by fang and blood!”