The settlement was smaller than Zephyrion expected.
The imposing walls stretching far into the horizon seemed to encase the forest more than the settlement itself. The settlement sat in the middle of it, lone and abandoned. Spanning about 500m of land, standing at the edge, he could see the end from where he stood.
The houses were built from old wood reinforced with iron. The ground was unpaved. It was eerily silent, not a single person in sight.
Not long after, he ordered Horus and his crew to spread out and secure the area. He could feel the exhausted and impatient cadets behind him. Many had slumped to the ground, clawing desperately for air, while others had even dozed off.
Zephyrion couldn't help but stare at the horizon with narrowed eyes. A crimson flare still pierced the sky. Their current state was as bad as it could ever be. These cadets wouldn't survive an attack.
