Korvath, standing on the top of the Wall, heard the small sound of a horn and his face turned solemn.

It was a scout horn.

And the meaning behind it was clear.

Korvath turned his head to the northeast. At first, he only saw fog. The Heights always had fog, so it was nothing special, but then, the fog turned red.

It was not fog.

It was smoke.

Red smoke that rose from the far end and Korvath’s stomach tightened.

Enemy Seen.

That was what the red smoke meant, his face turned solemn. He looked ahead and the smoke kept rising. More and more smoke appeared from other ridges. One by one, all other scouts were beginning to see it.

Within seconds, the entire sky was filled with red smoke, it looked... ominous.

Korvath, however, did not have the time to notice how gloomy it all looked. It was happening, and what he needed to do the most right now was move—

So he did.

He raised his fists, the soldiers behind him understood the signal and—

HOOOOOOOONK

The main horn echoed all over the city, telling every person behind the Wall that the day they had been dreading all this while had finally begun.

The people moved.

They had already received the warning 6 hours ago, in fact, they had been having training drills a few days ago, preparing them for this exact situation.

Kael and those in leadership made sure it happened because the last thing they wanted in a situation as tense as this was for the tribes to attack each other in a moment of panic. They could not have a war inside the Wall, right in the middle of an all-out war outside it.

So the people moved as they were instructed, the assigned civilian wardens began the lockdown, doors closed, alley ropes were drawn across lanes.

While people moved, Gates that were already braced were sealed again, iron bars dropped, chains were pulled tight, and the inner locks clicked right in.

The people from the Dawn of the Dragon were already on the move, helping in every way they could. Just like how the Alliance council had prepared people for the War, Vandra had made her own preparations.

She had worked together with the members who were part of the Army and had figured out all the things they could do that would, in some way, help the army.

And now, the Dawn of the Dragon was doing just that.

Taking care of the people who had panicked, moving people to their homes, helping set up traps, setting up emergency independent medic camps that tended to civilians, not the army.

Every single thing they did was so useful that even when Morvain and other elders in power did not like their existence, they couldn’t help but appreciate their presence, and that only made people’s faith in the Dawn of the Dragon stronger.

On the Wall, Korvath started walking with a calm look on his face, preparing for the incoming army.

He nodded at the leaders of every unit that was planted on the Wall and as he did, the unit leaders nodded back and gave their commands.

"Archers—check your strings."

"Throwers—get to your positions."

"Sling crews—ready the ammo."

"Oil points—covers off."

"YES SIR!!"

The men and women in the army nodded.

Translators had already begun working, relaying orders to their respective units. The army had been organized in a way that minimized the need for translators, but their importance still could not be ignored.

At the command post, Morvain stood with her cloak fluttering in the air.

"Are the Gates sealed?"

She asked one last time, making sure there was nothing wrong.

"Yes!"

Aelindra nodded confidently.

Her people had already checked everything four times. They couldn’t take any risk and she understood it.

A moment later, Gruumak walked in as well, his boots filled with snow, Stonefang Elites following him.

The Stonefangs were part of the main Army, the Army that would be deployed after the Wall was breached.

Yes.

For the first time in the history of the Heights, the Velmourns were no longer protecting the Wall with their lives.

Instead, they were using it to protect themselves.

This time, the strategy was clearer, they would attack the incoming army from above the Wall, their main army would only face the enemy once the Wall was breached.

That was Lavinia’s plan.

A plan that had the least amount of casualties.

A plan that waited until Kael returned with reinforcements.

"You prepared?"

Morvain looked at Gruumak and questioned in a rough, unclear Stonefang tone.

"We are."

Gruumak nodded.

"Wall breaks, we hit, we kill."

"Good."

Morvain nodded.

That was when Aurelia walked in with a solemn look on her face. Her face had been the same ever since she heard the news regarding the possibility of the enemy marching with corrupted beasts.

A part of her wanted to move right now and see it with her own eyes, but she remained patient, instead—

"Watch the sky as much as you watch the ground."

She warned.

The enemy attacked from the sky last time, it was highly unlikely they won’t do the same this time. Morvain and Korvath nodded, they were obviously prepared. They weren’t foolish enough to face the army that was supposedly led by Stormcallers without an Air Unit.

"Air Units!

Mount!"

Korvath commanded and on the inner side of the Wall, the riders brought out their Flying Beasts and climbed up.

They didn’t launch yet, they wouldn’t, not unless the orders were given.

Aurelia nodded at that sight.

"I wish I could join you."

She spoke with a weak smile on her face.

Even though she hadn’t been here for long, she had trained many members of the army for a few days, although she hadn’t gotten closer to them, knowing they would be participating in a war, that too against possible corrupted beasts, she wanted to be part of it—

But she just couldn’t.

Her position was too politically complicated.

"We know."

Morvain nodded, she understood her position.

"Worry not.

This will be over soon."

Korvath gave a confident assurance which eased Aurelia’s face a little.

And as the leaders of the army conversed—

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE

The ground shook.

They were here.