The Hidden Village lay included in a stressful quiet. The first wave of Azryen's forces were repelled, however anybody knew it become simply a flavor of the authentic typhoon that become brewing. The villagers—younger and old—had been huddled of their homes, their breaths shallow, their ears tuned to each remote sound that would sign the go back of the enemy.
Yuan walked alongside the village's edge, his hand wrapped tightly across the hilt of Yahuo. The sword pulsed with a regular energy, like a heartbeat, filling him with a strange, nearly eerie experience of calm. Each pulse reminded him of the historic electricity locked withinside the blade, a electricity that he knew ought to imply the distinction among victory and defeat. The weight of the weapon felt heavier tonight, as though it sensed the darkness that lay ahead.
Zaelis seemed beside him, her face drawn with exhaustion however her eyes blazing with a fierce dedication. "The scouts have pronounced motion at the western ridge," she said, her voice slightly a whisper.
Yuan's jaw clenched. "So they're regrouping."
"Yes. They're expecting some thing—or a person."
Both of them knew who that a person become. Azryen himself. The darkish preferred become now no longer one to allow his forces fail with out stepping in to complete the job. Yuan ought to nearly sense the man's presence like a chilly wind creeping over the horizon, and his hand tightened round Yahuo instinctively.
Zaelis regarded up at him, her gaze searching. "You've confronted him earlier than, haven't you?"
"Yes," Yuan said, his voice low and encumbered with bitterness. "And I lost."
Her expression softened, a touch of unhappiness mingling together along with her resolve. "This time, you won't be alone."
The quiet electricity in her phrases grounded him, reminding him of the human beings he become combating for, of the consider they'd positioned in him notwithstanding his beyond failures. With a nod, he became returned in the direction of the village center, collecting himself for what lay ahead.
The villagers and warriors alike amassed withinside the vital rectangular beneathneath the faint glow of torches, their faces reflecting a combination of worry and hope. Elders muttered defensive charms beneathneath their breath, at the same time as moms held their kids close. Despite their anxiety, each gaze become constant on Yuan as he stepped forward.
"Listen to me!" Yuan's voice reduce via the murmurs, sturdy and unwavering. "Azryen will come. And he won't prevent till this village is not anything however ashes. But tonight, we stand collectively—now no longer simply to shield our homes, however to shield the whole thing we keep dear. This warfare could be hard. But remember: we combat as one."
A wave of dedication rippled via the crowd. It become a fragile, flickering flame, however one which grew brighter with every phrase Yuan spoke. He ought to sense their spirits rallying, binding collectively withinside the face of a not unusualplace enemy.
As he regarded round on the faces earlier than him, Yuan felt a swell of obligation not like some thing he'd recognized earlier than. He wasn't simply combating for himself; he become combating for all of them. For each family, each child, each elder who had positioned their religion in him.
Zaelis stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over the villagers. "We recognise the land higher than they do. We recognise each rock, each tree, each hidden path. Use that knowledge. Use your wits. Our electricity is in our unity."
A refrain of settlement rose from the crowd. The villagers had been scared, yes, however they had been ready. They had some thing really well worth combating for, some thing Azryen's forces might in no way understand.
Yuan nodded, feeling the anxiety ease barely because the villagers took up positions across the village. Each person, no matter age or strength, had a function to play. They have been organized for the worst, even supposing that worst wore the face of loss of life itself.
Hours exceeded in demanding silence because the village awaited the inevitable. Yuan's senses have been sharpened, his heartbeat synced with the rhythm of Yahuo's pulse. Every sound, each shift withinside the air felt amplified, as though the arena itself held its breath.
Then, from the darkness, a faint tremor reached his ears. It turned into diffused at first, like a far off drumbeat, however it grew louder with every passing 2nd till it have become a thunderous roar. The floor under them shivered, and Yuan knew—Azryen turned into coming.
Figures emerged from the shadows, darkish silhouettes in opposition to the dim moonlight, transferring with a calculated precision that noted well-honed discipline. They wore the logo of Azryen's forces, a twisted, coiled serpent that regarded to transport and writhe as aleven though alive. At their head turned into a tall determine cloaked in darkish armor, his face hidden, his presence radiating an air of secrecy of uncooked power.
Azryen.
Yuan took a steadying breath because the darkish widespread stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the village with bloodless disdain. Azryen's eyes, glowing like smoldering embers, eventually landed on Yuan, and an unsettling smile curved his lips.
"So, you've discovered new braveness when you consider that our ultimate encounter," Azryen said, his voice a low, menacing rumble. "It won't shop you."
Yuan met his gaze, unfaltering. "This time, I'm now no longer right here to shop myself. I'm right here to quit you."
The Hidden Village lay covered in a traumatic quiet. The first wave of Azryen's forces had been repelled, but anyone knew it end up sincerely a taste of the real hurricane that end up brewing. The villagers—more youthful and old—were huddled in their homes, their breaths shallow, their ears tuned to every far off sound that might signal the move again of the enemy.
Yuan walked along the village's edge, his hand wrapped tightly throughout the hilt of Yahuo. The sword pulsed with a normal energy, like a heartbeat, filling him with a strange, almost eerie revel in of calm. Each pulse reminded him of the anciental power locked withinside the blade, a power that he knew should mean the difference amongst victory and defeat. The weight of the weapon felt heavier tonight, as aleven though it sensed the darkness that lay ahead.
Zaelis appeared beside him, her face drawn with exhaustion but her eyes blazing with a fierce determination. "The scouts have stated movement on the western ridge," she said, her voice barely a whisper.
Yuan's jaw clenched. "So they're regrouping."
"Yes. They're looking ahead to a few issue—or someone."
Both of them knew who that someone end up. Azryen himself. The dark favored end up now now no longer one to permit his forces fail without stepping in to finish the job. Yuan should almost feel the man's presence like a cold wind creeping over the horizon, and his hand tightened spherical Yahuo instinctively.
Zaelis seemed up at him, her gaze searching. "You've faced him in advance than, haven't you?"
"Yes," Yuan said, his voice low and weighted down with bitterness. "And I lost."
Her expression softened, a hint of disappointment mingling collectively at the side of her resolve. "This time, you won't be alone."
The quiet power in her terms grounded him, reminding him of the humans he end up fighting for, of the don't forget they'd placed in him however his past failures. With a nod, he have become again withinside the path of the village center, amassing himself for what lay ahead.
The villagers and warriors alike accumulated withinside the important square beneathneath the faint glow of torches, their faces reflecting a mixture of fear and hope. Elders muttered protecting charms beneathneath their breath, on the identical time as mothers held their children close. Despite their anxiety, every gaze end up consistent on Yuan as he stepped forward.
"Listen to me!" Yuan's voice lessen through the murmurs, strong and unwavering. "Azryen will come. And he won't save you until this village isn't always some thing but ashes. But tonight, we stand together—now now no longer sincerely to protect our homes, but to protect the entirety we hold dear. This struggle can be hard. But remember: we fight as one."
A wave of determination rippled through the crowd. It end up a fragile, flickering flame, but one that grew brighter with each word Yuan spoke. He should feel their spirits rallying, binding together withinside the face of a now no longer unusualplace enemy.
As he seemed spherical at the faces in advance than him, Yuan felt a swell of responsibility now no longer like a few issue he'd identified in advance than. He wasn't sincerely fighting for himself; he end up fighting for all of them. For every family, every child, every elder who had placed their faith in him.
Zaelis stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over the villagers. "We recognize the land better than they do. We recognize every rock, every tree, every hidden path. Use that knowledge. Use your wits. Our power is in our unity."
A chorus of agreement rose from the crowd. The villagers were scared, yes, but they were ready. They had a few component virtually nicely really well worth preventing for, a few component Azryen's forces may in no manner understand.
Yuan nodded, feeling the tension ease slightly due to the fact the villagers took up positions throughout the village. Each person, irrespective of age or strength, had a feature to play. They were prepared for the worst, even if that worst wore the face of lack of existence itself.
Hours passed in disturbing silence due to the fact the village awaited the inevitable. Yuan's senses were sharpened, his heartbeat synced with the rhythm of Yahuo's pulse. Every sound, every shift withinside the air felt amplified, as aleven though the area itself held its breath.
Then, from the darkness, a faint tremor reached his ears. It changed into subtle at first, like a much off drumbeat, but it grew louder with each passing 2d until it have come to be a thunderous roar. The ground beneathneath them shivered, and Yuan knew—Azryen changed into coming.
Figures emerged from the shadows, dark silhouettes in competition to the dim moonlight, moving with a calculated precision that stated nicely-honed discipline. They wore the brand of Azryen's forces, a twisted, coiled serpent that seemed to move and writhe as aleven aleven though alive. At their head changed into a tall decide cloaked in dark armor, his face hidden, his presence radiating an charisma of raw power.
Azryen.
Yuan took a steadying breath due to the fact the dark sizable stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the village with cold disdain. Azryen's eyes, sparkling like smoldering embers, in the end landed on Yuan, and an unsettling smile curved his lips.
"So, you've found new courage whilst you don't forget that our closing encounter," Azryen said, his voice a low, menacing rumble. "It won't keep you."
Yuan met his gaze, unfaltering. "This time, I'm now now not proper right here to keep myself. I'm proper right here to give up you."