Days became long and anxiety filled. Not just for Raden and Azrael, but the entire city was on edge. They had been protected for centuries from the other three kingdoms and war had been lost to most who called the Eastern Kingdom home. Now, people were afraid and the unrest grew.

Raden would be gone days on end or come back so late that Azrael had gone to bed alone. He was beginning to miss watching her fall asleep laying on his chest. How her breathing would settle and her muscle relax. Nowadays he couldn't remember the last time he had a good few hours of sleep.

Many troops had been sent out to set up camps a few miles from the forest. Orders had been sent to other major cities to prepare and march out and camps were being built as well. If the hoards somehow did get passed the mountain range then they would have another obstacle. In King's City, it was now a twenty-four operation and Raden found himself in the midst of it all.

Eli sat on the ground with his head leaning against a stone wall. "It looks like we're marching out at sunrise." He lulled his head to the side his eyes still closed.

"It was inevitable," Raden simply answered. "Try getting some rest because there won't be much if they attack." He pushed off the wall and dusted off his pants. The guilt he felt right now was immeasurable. This time he had someone to fight for and leaving them was going to be harder than any battle he'd ever fought.

"You do the same."

Raden flew off before another word was said. He could feel the atmosphere of the city sitting heavy. The vibrant city they had been welcomed into was now nothing more than empty streets and quiet skies. Even Azrael had stopped venturing out to the local farmer's market and kept mostly in her room. This war was going to destroy so much of this beautiful realm and those who could prevent that are sitting in comfort letting it happen.

The inn sat warm and cozy with the soft light of lanterns glowing in the dark dreary night as Raden landed. He walked in to see the lobby empty but that wasn't uncommon now. Rosemary popped her head in as she heard to door open.

"Hey Raden, you hungry?"

He nodded. "Do you know where Azrael is?"

Rosemary softly smiled as she wiped her head off on her apron. "She's keeping me company by the bar."

Raden followed her back to the tavern and saw Azrael sitting at the bar with her nose in a book. He walked up behind her placing a hand on each arm and squeezing lightly. She looked up and he kissed her on the forehead.

"How're preparations going," Azrael asked as Raden sat down beside her.

"Still going on, but there's something I need to tell you." He saw the light leave her eyes, breaking him in so many ways. "A new group is marching out tomorrow and I'm going with them."

Azrael looked down and just stared at her book mindlessly. Raden waited for any response but it only ended in silence.

"It'll only be for a few weeks until things are set up. I doubt that anything will happen and I'll be back before you realize it," He tried reassuring her. She didn't move. Raden reached around turning her attention to him. "Anéislis will be with me as well. Just a prayer away like you said."

She leaned into his touch. "I still don't want you to go."

"I know." He brushed her cheek with his thumb. "I won't go back tonight." And he didn't.

~~~*~~~

That morning came all too quickly. Raden woke in a dark room. The sun was seemingly taking its sweet time in rising, but it may have been a tad bit slower today. Raden turned over quielty wrapping his arms around Azrael who was still sound asleep and just held her as close as he could. Sun rays peaked over the horizon and he knew it was time to go.

"I love you," Raden mumbled into Azrael's hair before letting her go. He slipped out of the inn unheard and off to the frontlines he would go.

Everything was ready to go when Raden made his appearance. He would lead a group of sixty soldiers fifty miles out. These groups coming out of King's City would be posted closer in as a second wave of defense. They would journey for most of the day to reach their set point and build camp.

The first three groups set off. One going south, one north, and the last west. Raden was leading the last group. Much of the travel was in silence. The nervous energy vibrated throughout the men here. Most had never held a sword let alone been on the edge of war. Truth be told they were the only boys that volunteered. It would be a giant honor in their names to protect their king and kingdom. Raden knew by the looks on their faces. War was no place for these boys. This would be where their innocence would be slaughtered and their dreams would become nightmares until their dying breath.

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By sundown, they made it and began setting up camp. Torches were lit because they were beginning to lose light fast and tents were being set up while others started cooking dinner.

Raden walked around seeing if help was needed but he mostly kept a lookout for potential threats. Eli walked up and stood by Raden as both looked out over the dark wild that lay before them.

"You think they've made it over," Eli asked.

"Not yet." Raden turned back to the camp. The soft glow of the torches illuminated his face. Shadows danced around him playing tricks on those who glanced his way.

"You scared at all with facing them?"

Raden glanced over his lips pressed in a firm line. "I've fought thousands of these hoards. I'm not scared of them... who's leading them is a different story."

Eli didn't have much more to say after that. He stood in silence by Raden taking in the chatter of the others.

"Go and get something to eat," Raden said, "I don't need any of you falling out because you skipped a meal." Then he flew off over the camp. One sweep before calling it a night.

In the distance, Raden could've sworn he heard the nightmarish screams, but the night tends to play tricks on all senses.

Letters were sent constantly between all camps set up from King's City. Each reported calm on the front and nothing more. Word came from the other camps closer to the forest and it was the same. Mostly calm with the occasional playful attacks from the residents of the forest, but that had become a normal occurrence. Raden chuckled every time at those stories and thought about how Azrael would love to be there running around with the troublemakers.

A word from Lorcán had fallen off since that last letter. He had gone silent since Deimos and the worry of the situation grew in Raden.

"Hey Raden, this just arrived for you." A messenger boy handed Raden a letter.

Raden thanked him and looked at the brown envelope in his hand. It was from Azrael. He smiled and carefully broke the seal.

Dear Raden,

I hope everything is going okay in the camp. I told myself I wouldn't send this, but my nerves got the best of me. Rosemary keeps assuring me that you all will be okay and these are just precautions. I know it is but after dealing with the chaos we did... I can't help but worry. Rosemary has given me any type of work she can think of to keep me out of her hair. The floral shop down the road hired me. So that's where I spend most of my days.

Everything here is calm but everyone is still on edge. Not a day goes by that fights aren't breaking out in the middle of the streets because of the stress. I don't blame them though.

Oh, this group of kids comes by every day to the shop to hang out. It was weird at first because who just hangs out at a shop, but honestly they've become my favorite part of the day. They've kept my spirits up each day and it's eased the anxiety of you being gone.

I do hope you come home soon.

- Love Azrael

He read the letter over at least three times. His smile never disappeared. Azrael's voice rang through his mind as he read as if she was standing right in front of him talking about her day. How he missed seeing her excitement.

"I'm coming home soon enough," He whispered to himself. Raden folded the letter and placed it in his boot. It was a little piece of home that he would keep close to him.

~~~*~~~

A few miles from the forest stood a camp of eastern soldiers. Night had fallen and patrols had changed with no problems seen. Hours had passed into patrol for the two guards when a faint glow could be seen. They stood and watched for a bit as the glow grew and soon one of the men realized this was fire spreading throughout the forest.

The one ran to set off the alarm to the camp. Chaos ensued as the camp sprang awake preparing for an attack. Each soldier hurriedly dressed in armor and grabbed their weapons. Their general yelling orders now. The fire had now run south and looked like it wasn't slowing. The camp was armed and waiting for the attack.

They were never prepared for what would happen next.

The attack came from the skies. A silent invasion cutting through the air like missiles. The screams of the soldiers were drowned out by the hoard's own yells and squeals. Within minutes, most of the soldiers lay dead. Pools of blood soaked into the ground while most of the bodies were unrecognizable. Victorious snorts and screeches rang out from the hoard.

A young boy, no older than fifteen, hid in one of the tents. He had managed to reach the tent in the midst of the bloodbath.

As the hoard began to feast, Serkan calmly walked into the camp unbothered. He turned a clicked his tongue. "It seems you all missed one." He could smell the fear radiating off the boy.

One of the demons sniffed the air and began its hunt. Serkan watched boredly as the demon searched several tents before a scream broke the air. The boy was drug out and tossed at the feet of Oulixeus' favorite.

Serkan knelt down and grabbed the boy's hair pulling his head up. "Your king would be ashamed that you ran." Tears ran down the boy's face and Serkan rolled his eyes tossing the boy away. "You humans are all so emotional."

"Please just kill me," the boy said with a shaky voice.

"I will do no such thing." Serkan peered down with a fierce gaze. "You want to run then you will run." He waved his hand and the boy was now standing. His boots were stained with the blood that soaked the ground. "You will find me a death angel I've been after for some time."

"I... I don’t know where he is."

Serkan reached out grabbing the boy by the throat. "Find him or I will gladly hang your poor mother to the church doors." He threw the boy to the ground. "Now go."

The boy ran off. He didn’t stop running until he reached the next camp by daylight. They all looked on in horror at him as he told them what happened. It was then they realized this was a lost cause effort. As the boy continued, the death angel was brought up. Message was soon sent out to all camps to fall back to King's City and one particular message was sent to Raden himself.

Serkan of course was already on the move. He would devour two more camps before the retreat was effective in saving lives. Parts of the forest lay in ruins and the spirits within were angry. War was waged in the fire and soon Raden would find himself at the forefront.