The remains of Oakhaven village lay smoldering in the distance, the air thick with the acrid scent of ash and despair. Flient stood at the edge of the charred ruins, his cold gaze fixed on the forest ahead.
The once-vibrant trees swayed uneasily in the breeze, unaware of the doom about to descend upon them.
"Light the forest," Flient ordered, his voice calm but commanding.
"We'll smoke out any who dare hide and leave no path for escape."
The Cloud knights obeyed without hesitation. Arrows tipped with fire were knocked and aimed at the trees. With a unified release, the fiery projectiles soared into the air, their blazing arcs illuminating the night sky before embedding into the foliage. The flames spread rapidly, consuming the forest with terrifying speed.
Arthen approached Flient, his expression calm but curious.
"What's our next plan, sir?"
Flient turned to his lieutenant, his expression unchanging.
"The village of Sylvan is the nearest settlement. We'll burn it down next. We will make sure these people know their place."
Arthen nodded and turned to relay the orders.
"Prepare to move out!" he barked at the other knights. "Get back to the ship and ready the weapons. We invade Sylvan at dawn."
The knights moved with practiced precision, their armored forms disappearing into the smoke and shadows as they prepared for the next atrocity.
Back at the camp, Youth and his group sat around the fire, the flickering flames casting long shadows against the trees. Sfilt sat among them, wrapped in a blanket, his green hair disheveled and his eyes filled with grief. He clutched the edges of the fabric tightly, as though it could shield him from the horrors he had witnessed.
Sequana crouched beside him, her voice soft.
"Sfilt, can you tell us more about what happened at Oakhaven?"
The boy hesitated, his gaze dropping to the ground. His voice trembled as he spoke. "The knights came without warning. They shot flaming arrows into the village. Everything… everything was on fire." His shoulders shook as he fought back tears. "People tried to fight, but they didn't stand a chance. They killed everyone… my mom, my dad…"
Schneizal placed a reassuring hand on Sfilt's shoulder.
"You're safe now," he said firmly. "We won't let them hurt you."
Youth, sitting a few feet away, stared into the fire, his jaw clenched tightly. The red glow in his eye pulsed faintly, a reflection of the anger building within him.
"Those bastards won't get away with this," he muttered, his voice low but filled with venom.
Vriede crossed her arms, her wolf-like ears twitching in agitation. "If they're burning villages, it's only a matter of time before they move on to the next one."
"They'll go for Sylvan next," Sequana said, her tone grim. "It's the closest village."
Youth stood abruptly, his eye blazing with determination.
"Then we go to Sylvan. If they think they can get away with this, they're wrong."
Sfilt looked up at Youth, his voice small but filled with hope. "You'll stop them?"
Youth knelt down, meeting the boy's gaze.
"I promise, we'll protect Sylvan. We won't let them hurt anyone else."
The group exchanged determined glances, their resolve solidified. As the forest fire raged in the distance, they began to prepare for the battle ahead, ready to stand against the Cloud Knights and defend the innocent lives at stake.