5 ： Sadows of Betra（1 / 7）

thedawnofanewdaybroughtasenseofcalandhopetothesallvilwheresukie，hanfenglg，andihadfethevilrshadbeencrediblykd，food，shelter，andabriefrespitefrotheirarduojourneyyet，theshadowofthedarklrogpowerloodoverthe，andsukiekheirtiofpeacewasfleetg

asthefirstlightoffilteredthroughthedow，sukiestretchedandgotoutofbed，feelgasenseofdeterationtodaywasthedaytheywouldgatheroretellinthedarklord’spnsandfurthertheirissiontosavethekgdooflianshedressedicklyandietly，noantgtowakei，whowasstillundasleep

steppgoutside，sukietookadeepbreathofthecrispair，savtheontarytranilitythevilwasgtolife，withvilrsbegngtheirdailyroutes，unawareofthedanrofathergonthehorizon

hanfenglgwasalreadyup，sharpenghisswordbythefirehelookedupassukieapproached，hisfacebreakgtoawarsilethatadeherheartftter

“good，”hegreetedher，hisvoicefilledwithwarth

“good，”sukiereplied，returnghissile“didyoleeell?”

hanfenglghoughhiseyesheldahtofwearess“aswelisliketheseareyoureadyfortoday?”

sukie’sexpressiongrewserio“yes，iaweofdouhatthedarklordispnngandshibeforeit’stoote”

hanfenglgreachedout，takgherhandhis“we’lldoittother，sukienoatterwhat，we’llfaceittother”

theirtenderonasterruptedbytheundofhurriedfootstepstheyturoseethevilleader，theelderlyanwhohadweledthe，approagwithalookof

“hanfenglg，sukie，”hecalledout，hisvoiceurnt“there’sthgyouosee”

theyfollowedthevilleadertotheoutskirtfthevil，whereagroupofvilrshadgatheredaroundafigurelygonthegroundastheyphedthroughthecrowd，sukie’sbreathcaughtihroatthefigurewasaldier，badlyjuredandbarelyscio

“hestubledtothevilthis，”thevilleaderexped“hekeptaskgforyou”

hanfenglgkbesidetheldier，hisexpressiongri“peoyou?whodidthis?”

theldierughed，hisvoiceweak“thedarklord…he’spnnganattackhehasaneon，thgpowerfulyouhavetoshi…beforeit’stoote”

sukie’sheartraced“whereishepnngtoattack?”

theldier’seyesflickered，hisstrengthfadg“thecapital…hewantstotakethecapital”

withthosewords，theldier’seyesclosed，astillhanfenglgstood，hisjaws