"Begin the siege..." Valeria commanded coldly as she paced through the ranks, her armor stained by the crimson rain.
The war horns answered her from every direction around Blackspire, roaring one after another into the dark clouds until the entire capital was trapped within a circle of sound.
Their cries rolled across the plains and struck the crystal walls with enough force to make them tremble, shaking the hearts of the defenders no matter how hard they attempted to remain steady.
Hands tightened around weapons, teeth clenched, and frightened eyes remained fixed upon the endless army surrounding their home.
There was no battle plan capable of answering a force of this size, nor any weapon upon the walls powerful enough to guarantee their survival.
Blackspire had only its people and the hope that their combined strength would somehow be enough, but hope had always been the final weakness of those without the power to decide their own fate.
