Chapter 19 - The Skies Ignite
Before the siege engines could fire, a sudden, blinding flash of light lit up the northern horizon.
The temperature in the valley dropped instantly as a fierce, gale-force wind swept down from the peaks. The clouds above rolled open, parting to reveal a terrifying and magnificent sight: not just one dragon, but a dozen massive shapes descending from the northern sky, led by the colossal silver-trimmed elder dragon and Kestrel, with Winn riding proudly upon his ridge.
The royal war-dragoons froze, their mounts whining nervously as the ancient sovereigns surrounded the academy in a majestic, protective ring of fire and scale.
Winn’s voice, amplified by an ancient acoustic stone she had brought from the northern peak, echoed clearly across the entire valley.
"Citizens of the realm! Soldiers of the council!" Winn shouted, her voice ringing with absolute clarity. "Look at the banners you fight under! Look at the men who command you!"
With a flick of her wrist, she unleashed a cascade of glowing duplicate documents—magically bound parchment copies of Vane's confessions and the council's treasonous orders—letting the wind scatter thousands of pages down upon the marching legions and the gathered crowds.
May you like
Soldiers caught the papers, reading the undeniable proof of the council's thirty-year conspiracy, illegal core-harvesting, and the murder of General Vane. The royal cavalry lowered their lances. Confusion rippled through the ranks as the illusion of the council's righteousness shattered completely.
"Treason!" Magistrate Vane screamed, panic cracking his voice as he commanded his black dragon to charge straight toward Kestrel in the air. "Kill her! Kill them all!"
