The silence was broken by the sound of flapping wings cutting through the air. From the distant edge of the camp, flying beasts began taking to the skies. It was Crown Prince Oswald, the five chieftains, and their chosen few attempting to escape.
Wings tore through the clouds as the escapees soared upward, but their retreat was far from smooth. From the cover of the clouds, Marcus, Miaomiao, and the gargoyles descended with ferocious speed, their sudden appearance a harbinger of battle.
Oswald's face darkened with despair as he watched their carefully laid escape plan crumble. "So, this was their plan all along," he muttered bitterly. "They lured us into this trap with their silence."