Kingdom of Ash

grappling for purchase.
Barely looking, Aedion slammed out his
ancient shield. A yelp and fading cry was his
only confirmation that the rogue soldier had
gone tumbling to the ground.
Rolfe smiled grimly as Aedion halted, the
weight of his armor like a thousand stones.
Overhead, Crochans and Ironteeth flew slowly
back across the city walls, red capes drooping
over brooms, leathery wings beating
irregularly. Aedion watched the sky until he
saw the riderless wyvern he looked for every
day, every night.
Spotting him, too, Lysandra banked and
began a slow, pained descent toward the city
wall.
So many dead. More and more each day.
Those lost lives weighed his every step.
Nothing he could do would ever make it right
—not really.