[Lavinia’s POV — March to the Black Wall — Dawn]
The first light of dawn crawled across the horizon like a blade cutting open the sky.
Hooves thundered beneath us. Armor rattled. Banners snapped in the cold morning wind as the Elorian army surged forward in disciplined waves. The forest swallowed our columns, torch after torch extinguished as sunlight broke through the trees in fractured gold.
Ahead of , the Black Wall rose like a scar across the horizon.
A fortress carved into the edge of the Frostplain cliffs—jagged, towering, impossible to mistake. Even from miles away, it radiated the kind of silence that promised violence.
"Your Highness," General Arwin called from beside , his horse keeping pace with mine. "Scouts report no movent yet. No ren banners. No activity on the battlents."
"Which ans they’re watching," I replied. "Just hidden."
Sir Haldor rode on my right, quiet but alert, his hand never leaving the hilt of his blade. Osric on my left, Solena perched on his arm, scanning the skies with sharp, knowing eyes.
The air felt thick—not with fear, but with the weight of sothing inevitable.
We were close.
Too close for ren to pretend to sleep now. A ssenger galloped ahead, breathless. "Your Highness! Sighting ahead—five hundred ters—"
His words cut off as—
SWOOSH—!!
An arrow whistled past his ear and buried itself deep into a tree trunk.
Another.
Then another.
Then an entire storm.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
Arrows descended from the sky like rain, sharpened to kill.
"SHIELDS UP!!" I shouted, raising my arm.
In a heartbeat, rows of shields flew upward, snapping into locked formations. The air filled with the sound of THUNK! THUNK! THUNK! as arrows hamred against steel.
A few pierced through gaps. A soldier grunted beside , another cursed, and Marshi growled low, his fur puffing out like fla.
"Haldor!" I called.
"Already on it."
He kicked his horse forward, his sword slicing an arrow out of the air with terrifying ease.
Osric pulled his mount closer to mine. "It’s them. The ren snipers. They’ve seen us."
"No..." I narrowed my eyes at the cliffs. "They’ve been waiting."
And then—CLANG—!!!
Sothing heavy hit the ground ahead.
A spear. Black-tipped. Twice the length of a man. It had been thrown. Thrown from the top of the Black Wall.
A low hush fell over the front ranks.
General Arwin exhaled sharply. "Monsters. They’re using their cliff warriors."
"Good," I said, calmly drawing my sword. "Then we make our entrance."
Osric glanced at sharply. "Lavi—"
I smirked. "What? Should I knock politely?"
His jaw clenched. He knew better than to argue now. I lifted my sword skyward.
"EVERYONE—SPREAD OUT! MOVE ACCORDING TO THE PLAN!"
The command cracked across the battlefield like lightning. In an instant— Haldor and the Iron Battalion peeled toward the western gate, shields raised.
General Arwin led the eastern flank, siege-breakers rolling behind him.
Osric surged toward the southern entrance, Solena exploding upward in a storm of feathers and light.
And I—I rode straight toward the north main gate.
"Let’s go, Marshi."
ROAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR—!!!!!
The roar shook the earth. The divine seal on his body flickered awake—golden markings igniting across his fur like living fire.
Arrows rained down from the top of the Black Wall.
Hundreds. Thousands. They smashed against our shields. Ricocheted off armor. Buried into the earth like black rain.
We moved anyway.
Step by step.
Sword by sword.
*CLANG!!
My blade caught an enemy spear, pushed it aside, and sliced clean through his chestplate. Another soldier lunged. Marshi leapt—snarling, divine energy rippling across the battlefield—and crushed him with a single sweep of his paw.
Blood splattered the stones.
He was a beast made for war. And he made sure everyone saw it. But the arrows— The endless, rciless arrows— My soldiers shielded , but even the strongest formation couldn’t withstand this forever.
n were falling.A few at a ti.Then more.
"They’re shooting from above!" one shouted.
"No opening—!"
"They’ll kill us before we reach the gate—!"
I looked up through the chaos. The archers weren’t on the battlents. They were higher. Hidden in the cliff towers carved into the stone itself—just like Arwin suspected.
A vantage point no ordinary soldier could reach fast enough.
"Soone needs to get up there," I muttered. "And stop those arrows before they tear us apart."
The sky darkened with another volley.
"MARSHI."
He landed beside with a thunderous thud, golden eyes blazing. I pointed upward—toward the jagged cliff openings where the enemy snipers hid.
"There," I said. "That’s our goal."
His fur bristled. Divine energy pulsed. Then—
ROOOOOAAAAARRRRRRR—!!!
The air vibrated.
And Marshi leapt.
Higher than a beast should. Higher than a horse. Higher than physics ever intended. Up the cliff face, claws digging into the stone as though it were soft earth.
Arrows shot at him—He ripped through them. Destroyed the archers like they were made of paper.
"AAAGHHHH!!!!!!"
I smirked. I could hear screams. The rain of arrows faltered.
Stopped.
The soldiers around gasped, staring in awe as Marshi cleared a path that should’ve been impossible.
"That’s right," I whispered. "Show them the divine beast they provoked."
With the skies montarily silent, I surged forward.
"BREACH THE GATE!" I shouted.
Battering rams struck the iron doors in perfect rhythm.
"ONE—!!"
BOOM!
"TWO—!!"
BOOM!
"THREE—!!!"
CRAAAAAACK—!!
The gates exploded inward, iron splintering like bones under a giant’s fist. And then—ELORIA POURED IN.
A wave of steel, fury, and roaring battle cries surged into the fortress.
The chorus that followed was a symphony of dominance—the roar of my army, Marshi’s divine scream from above, and the thunder of boots hitting stone.
We had breached the Black Wall.
This was no longer a defense.
This was conquest.
I spurred my horse forward through the open ruin. "MOVE!"
Arrows clattered uselessly to the ground—Marshi had torn their nest apart. Inside the courtyard, Elorian blades were already clashing with ren steel. Our soldiers cut them down with brutal precision.
CLANG!!
A ren soldier fell at my feet, chest spilling crimson. I jumped off my horse, boots hitting the stone with purpose.
"FLAG!" I ordered.
A soldier handed it to —the crimson and gold banner of Eloria, heavy and glorious in my grip.
I ran.
General Arwin’s voice bood behind : "PROTECT HER HIGHNESS!"
Swords converged around . Osric surged at my left, Solena swooping overhead with a shriek that sent ren soldiers scattering. Haldor was on my right, carving a path with brutal, silent efficiency—his blade glinting like cold judgnt.
We climbed the stone steps—slashes, screams, bodies falling—until we reached the top. The wind struck first, sharp and icy, carrying the scent of smoke and fear.
I reached the highest battlent.
The place where ren’s black serpent banner flapped weakly, struggling like a dying thing.
Without hesitation—I seized it. Ripped it free. It fluttered once, then died in my grasp. I raised our flag—bold, burning gold—and with one decisive thrust—
THUUNK!!!
The Elorian banner was buried deep into the stone. The fabric snapped open, a blazing streak of color against the grey sky.
BOOOOOOOMMMMM—!!!!!!!!
The victory horn blared from below.
Once.Twice.
Then a third ti—the sound of a fortress falling.
I removed my helt, letting the cold air hit my face, and stared at the flag now towering above Black Wall. A slow, sharp smirk stretched across my lips.
"This," I said softly, my voice carrying across the battlents, "is just the beginning."
Below us—ren soldiers were already breaking ranks, fleeing in panic.
Their shouts carried through the mountain wind:
"She breached the Wall—!!""RETREAT! RETREAT!""The Princess is here—!!"
I stepped onto the edge of the battlent, eyes locked on the sweeping kingdom of ren spreading below—mountains, rivers, and cities.
All of it is waiting.
"I’m not here for a fortress," I murmured, almost to myself. "But for a kingdom."
My fingers tightened around my sword hilt.
"Our goal," I whispered, eyes burning with cold fire, "is to plant our flag in every corner of ren—until even their shadows bow to Eloria."
The wind roared, whipping my hair back as if the world itself bowed before the declaration.Behind , the Elorian banner snapped like a living creature—hungry, victorious, unstoppable.
Black Wall had fallen.
And the rest of ren—trembling under the echo of our horn—was next.
"Congratulations, Your Highness."
Sir Haldor’s voice cut through the wind—steady, respectful, but carrying a current of sothing deeper. I didn’t turn. I just kept my eyes on the kingdom sprawled beneath us like prey.
"Not now, Sir Haldor," I said, a smirk tugging at my lips. "Save your congratulations... for when I’m sitting on that throne."
I lifted my chin toward the distant silhouette of ren’s capital palace—dark, towering, arrogant.
He bowed, the faintest glint of pride in his eyes. "As you command, Your Highness."
I finally turned, facing my commanders, the battlefield, the blood-soaked stone.
"Inspect every inch of this land," I ordered. "Search the remains of their armory, barracks, and tunnels. And—"
My voice dropped, cold as steel.
"—send word to every nearby village. Tell them who their new ruler is."
Sir Haldor placed a fist over his heart. "As you command. I will begin imdiately."
He descended the stairs with soldiers following him like shadows. Osric stayed where he was, watching .
For a mont, the war quieted around us—just crackling fires, distant groans, and the soft brush of wind.
Then he smiled faintly. "You did well, Lavi."
I walked past him, shoulder brushing his armor, my steps sure and unyielding. "You did well too, Grand Duke," I said without slowing. "But don’t celebrate yet. Because ren won’t sit still. A beast only gets louder when cornered."
The wind seed to hush, listening.
"And now," I continued, eyes narrowing toward the distant mountains, "they’ll be more dangerous than ever."
His expression darkened, the weight of my words settling like stone between us. I stepped down from the battlents, boots echoing against the cold stone.
"Co," I said. "This victory is only the opening strike."
My gaze swept over the horizon, the golden flag above snapping like a herald of doom.
"ren will make their move soon." A slow, dangerous smile curved my lips. "And when they do...we’ll crush their kingdom from the inside out."
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