Chapter 23: Against The Wall
The wait was long and terrifying.
As time dragged on, the weight of their plight began to settle more heavily on the townsfolk. Some clutched their javelins tighter, others stared blankly at the horizon, sweat pooling in the crooks of their arms despite the cool air.
The rain had finally stopped, leaving behind a gentle breeze that whispered through the leaves and broken branches. But the silence it brought did not soothe, it only sharpened the dread that loomed over them all.
Kaelor sat at the base of the gate, Ignis across his lap, eyes fixed on the distant hill. His heart was calm, but his hands, his hands wouldn’t stop trembling.
And then he saw him.
A figure leapt from the crest of the hill, darting down into the valley below.
Hound.
He whistled sharply as he ran, signaling the coming storm.
Kaelor rose to his feet, slowly unsheathing Ignis. His gaze lifted to the sky, now streaked with hues of burnt orange and deep violet. ’Dusk.’
Their long wait was over.
The wolves were here and they came like a tide.