Chapter 52 The First Wave

• *Akin*
• The sun sets behind the trees, turning the sky the color of blood. I shudder to think what this battlefield will look like when the sun reemerges. How many of us will still be standing?
• I’m at the front line, shoulder to shoulder with the generals, watching the tree line just beyond the barrier. The wind rustles the leaves like a sinister whisper, the promise of death. My fingers tighten around the hilt of my sword, ready to strike any target at a moment’s notice. As much as we’ve trained for years, this is the first time many of us will ever face direct conflict with another kingdom. The burden of that knowledge settles on all of us as we wait with anticipation for the coming armies.