Chapter 50: Dawn at Wethelnar

Makuran blinked his eyes open. The grass was cool and damp under him. The chirping of crickets was starting to fade, and a few lone birds were twittering in the distance. The sky was a pale violet, a streak of pink on the horizon. Dawn was approaching.

He stretched in the grass, savoring the final moments of fading night. All around him, the armies of Sword Flash were stirring as well. They were camped about a half-mile north from the Lerian's northern tip, some two miles south of Wethelnar. A string of rolling hills hid them from view in the west, where the Urts would be marching up. And back at the Lerian, the hidden trees waited.

Makuran got to his feet, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. It had been a long night, but he felt refreshed. Something about sleeping under open sky gave him a sense of rejuvenation after his long struggle. And the warriors of Sword Flash were friendly enough. He almost felt normal again.