Chapter 459
Percral
Regardless of how much time passed, Percral found himself constantly fighting against the cowardice he’d shown as a hatchling. His little pack had been slaughtered by wolfstags, and he’d run away. When he was forced back to the scene, instead of growing past his initial weakness, he again indulged in his painful cowardice, running away and trying to usurp control from the Zaaktif, then Pack Alpha.
It had been years since then, and he had gone from a terrified Pack Alpha who knew he couldn’t compare to Ashlani to a trusted member of the New Empire’s government. In fact, he was considered the general, and the first war of the Nievtra was about to begin. He was positive that he would do exactly as he was commanded by his Zaaktif when the time came, and he now better understood his own abilities than ever before.
And still a part of him considered himself a coward. He’d survived the escape from the human lands, though that was mostly due to proximity to those better and stronger than himself, not his own worthiness. Rulac and Wisterl stood as shining examples of those who had deserved to escape and live. He was just lucky to have been born in the same brood as Ashlani.
This war against the Misti Hawar would serve as his proving ground as to how much he’d changed. In these coming days, Percral would purge himself of his shame, and there was nothing that he would allow to stand in the way of that goal. He’d been extended so much trust for these years, finally, he would prove himself as worthy of that, and worthy of being a leader in the Empire.
When he was called alongside the rest of the Zaaktif’s elites to receive a report from Foire, Percral knew it was time. He commanded three of his most competent lieutenants to prepare squads of 50 each, two Alphas within each squad and leading 24 each. Then, in the meeting, he received the confirmation he saw desperately needed.
“Misti Hawar sign has been found in every direction, they are scouting the forests and setting small marks with their magic.”
The Empire didn’t know what these signs meant, but the heightened security they employed was pushed beyond everything that had seemed possible before then. Instead of hundreds of Kha and Khatif patrolling at all hours under Keel command, thousands were brought to the walls while the forests were scouted in deliberate, wide circles. Percral ensured he directly commanded these patrols as much as possible.
“No sign is insignificant! Anything you see, you report!”