5 ： Sadows of Betra

    ThedawnofanewdaybroughtasenseofcalmandhopetothesmallvilgewhereSukie，HanFengling，andMeihadfe.Thevilgershadbeenincrediblykind，food，shelter，andabriefrespitefromtheirarduousjourney.Yet，theshadowoftheDarkLrowingpowerloomedoverthem，andSukiekheirtimeofpeacewasfleeting.Asthefirstlightofmfilteredthroughthewindow，Sukiestretchedandgotoutofbed，feelingasenseofdetermination.TodaywasthedaytheywouldgathermoreintelligentheDarkLord’spnsandfurthertheirmissiontosavetheKingdomofLian.Shedressedquicklyandquietly，notwantingtowakeMei，whowasstillsoundasleep.Steppingoutside，Sukietookadeepbreathofthecrispmair，savthemomentarytranquility.Thevilgewasingtolife，withvilgersbeginningtheirdailyroutines，unawareofthedangerousfatheringonthehorizon.HanFenglingwasalreadyup，sharpeninghisswordbythefire.HelookedupasSukieapproached，hisfacebreakingintoawarmsmilethatmadeherheartflutter.“Goodm，”hegreetedher，hisvoicefilledwithwarmth.“Goodm，”Sukiereplied，returninghissmile.“Didyousleepwell?”HanFenglinghoughhiseyesheldahintofweariness.“Aswellasoimeslikethese.Areyoureadyfortoday?”Sukie’sexpressiongrewserious.“Yes，Iam.WeofindoutwhattheDarkLordispnningandstophimbeforeit’stoote.”HanFenglingreachedout，takingherhandinhis.“We’lldoittogether，Sukie.Nomatterwhat，we’llfaceittogether.”Theirtendermomentwasinterruptedbythesoundofhurriedfootsteps.Theyturoseethevilgeleader，theelderlymanwhohadweledthem，approagwithalookof.“HanFengling，Sukie，”hecalledout，hisvoiceurgent.“There’ssomethingyouosee.”Theyfollowedthevilgeleadertotheoutskirtsofthevilge，whereagroupofvilgershadgatheredaroundafigurelyingontheground.Astheypushedthroughthecrowd，Sukie’sbreathcaughtihroat.Thefigurewasasoldier，badlyinjuredandbarelyscious.内容未完，下一页继续阅读“Hestumbledintothevilgethism，”thevilgeleaderexpined.“Hekeptaskingforyou.”HanFenglingkbesidethesoldier，hisexpressiongrim.“peoyou?Whodidthis?”Thesoldiercoughed，hisvoiceweak.“TheDarkLord…he’spnninganattack.Hehasaneon，somethingpowerful.Youhavetostophim…beforeit’stoote.”Sukie’sheartraced.“Whereishepnningtoattack?”Thesoldier’seyesflickered，hisstrengthfading.“Thecapital…hewantstotakethecapital.”Withthosewords，thesoldier’seyesclosed，astill.HanFenglingstood，hisjawsetierminatiotothecapital.IftheDarkLordtakesit，theentirekingdomwillfall.”Sukienodded，herresolveunwavering.“Thenwehavenotimetowaste.Weogatherouralliesaothecapitalimmediately.”Thevilgers，overhearingtheversatioomurmuramongstthemselves.Fearanduaintyrippledthroughthecrowd，buttherewasalsoasenseofdetermination.Thevilgeleadersteppedforward，hisvoicesteady.“Wewillhelpyouinanywaywe.emaybesmall，butwehavebravemenandwomenwillingtofightforthekingdom.”Touchedbytheiroffer，SukieandHanFenglingthahevilgersandbeganmakingpreparationsforthejourneyahead.Mei，sensingthegravityofthesituation，approachedSukie，hereyeswidewithdetermination.“Iwanttohelp，”shesaidfirmly.“I’mnotafraid.Iwanttofightformyfamilyandforeveryoneelsewhohassuffered.”Sukiekdown，pgahandonMei’sshoulder.“You’reverybrave，Mei.We’llneedallthehelpweget.Butremember，yoursafetyisthemostimportantthing.Stayclosetous，andwe’llgetthroughthistogether.”内容未完，下一页继续阅读Astheysetoutforthecapital，asenseencypropelledthemforward.Thejourneywaslongandarduous，buttheirdeterminationneverwavered.Alongtheway，theyenteredroupsofvilgersandrebelswhojoiheircause，swellingtheirranksandbolsteringtheirspirits.Onenight，astheycampedbyariver，SukieandHanFenglingsatbythefire，theirhandsiwiheflickeringfmescastawarmglowontheirfaces，andforamoment，theyallowedthemselvestorexandenjoyeachother’spany.“Doyoueverwonderwhatlifewillbelikeafterallthisisover?”Sukieaskedsoftly，hereyesreflegthefirelight.HanFenglinglookedather，hisexpressiontender.“Ido.Idreamofaworldwhereweliveinpeace，withoutfearordarkness.Aworldwherewebuildafuturetogether.”Sukie’sheartswelledwithlove.“Idreamofthattoo.AndIbelievewemakeitareality.”HanFenglingleanedin，pressilekisstoherlips.“Withyoubymyside，Iknowwe.”Theirmomentofpeacewasshatteredbythesoundofrustlinginthebushes.Instantlyalert，HanFenglingdrewhissword，andSukiereadiedhermagic.Afigureemergedfromtheshadows，andtheywerebothrelievedtoseeitwasoheirscouts.“We’vespottedagroupoftheDarkLord’ssoldiersnearby，”thescoutreported.“Theyseemtobesettingupanambush.”HanFengling’sexpressionhardened.“Weodealwiththembeforetheyattackus.Gatherourfordprepareforbattle.”Thecampsprangintoa，theairfilledwiththesoundsofpreparations.Astheymovedthroughthedarkness，Sukiefeltasenseofunityandpurpose.TheywerenotjustfightingforthemselvesbutforeveryonewhohadsuffereduheDarkLord’styranny.Theambushwasswiftandbrutal.SukieandHanFenglihecharge，theirmovementsperfectlysyheyfoughtsidebyside.TheDarkLord’ssoldierswerecaughtoffguard，alequicklyturheirfavor.Inthemidstofthefight，Sukiespottedafamiliarface.TheleaderofthesoldierswasherthanthemanwhohadattackedtheiroutpostandtakenMei’sfamily.Asurgeofangeraerminationfilledher，andshefoughtherwaytowardshim.内容未完，下一页继续阅读“You！”sheshouted，hervoicefilledwithfury.“You’reingawaythistime！”Theleadersneered，raisinghisswordtomeetherattack.“You’reafooltothinkyoudefeatme.”Theirswordscshed，thesingthroughthenight.Sukiefoughtwitheverythingshehad，herangeraerminationfuelirength.HanFengling，seeiruggle，movedtosupporther，hispresencegivihefidencesheneeded.Together，theyoverpoweredtheleader，theirbirengthtoomutohahafinal，powerfulstrike，Sukiedisarmedhim，herswordathisthroat.“TellmewhereMei’sfamilyis，”shedemanded，hervoicesteady.Theleadergredather，buttherewasfearinhiseyes.“They’rebeingheldintheDarkLord’sfortress.You’llneverreachthemintime.”Sukie’sgriptightenedonhersword.“We’llseeaboutthat.”Withtheleadersubdued，therestofthesoldiersquicklysurrehebattlewaswon，butSukiekheirjourneywasfarfromover.TheyhadtoreachthecapitalandstoptheDarkLord’sattadtheyhadtorescueMei’sfamilyfromthefortress.Astheyregrouped，HanFenglingpcedareassuringhandonSukie’sshoulder.“We’llsavethem，Sukie.Ipromise.”Shelookedintohiseyes，herresolvestrengthening.“Iknoill.Andwe’llstoptheDarkLordondforall.”Theirjourinued，eachstepbringingthemclosertotheirgoal.Thechalleheyfacedweredaunting，buttheirloveaerminatiohemmovingforward.Astheyhecapital，theycouldseethesignsoftheimpendingattack:soldierspatrolliskirts，fortificationsbeied，aensionintheairpalpable.Oneevening，astheycampedwithinsightofthecapital’swalls，SukieandHanFenglingsattogether，theirheartsheavywiththeweightofthetaskahead.Mei，sensingtheirubesidethem，hersmallhandslippingintoSukie’s.内容未完，下一页继续阅读“We’regoingtowiwe?”Meiasked，hervoicefilledwithhope.Sukiesmiled，herheartswellingwithloveforthebravegirl.“Yes，Mei.We’regoingtowin.Andwe’regoingtosaveyourfamily.”HanFenglingnodded，hiseyesfilledwithdetermination.“We’veethisfar，andwe’renotgivingupnow.Together，we’lldefeattheDarkLordandbriothekingdom.”Astheypreparedforthefinalbattle，theirbondgrewevenstroheykhatwhateverhappeheywouldfaceittogether.Theirloveandtrustineachotherwereunbreakable，andtheywerereadytofightforthefuturetheydreamedof.Thenightbeforethebattle，SukieandHanFenglingstoodonahilloverlookingthecapital，thecitylightstwinklinginthedarkheyheldeachotherclose，drawingstrengthfromtheire.“We’vebeenthroughsomuch，”Sukiewhispered，hervoicefilledwithemotion.“Butnomatterpenstomorrow，I’mgratefulforeverymomentwe’veshared.”HanFenglingkissedherforehead，hisvoider.“Ifeelthesameway，Sukie.AndIknowthataslongaswe’retogether，wefaything.”Astheystoodthere，edineachother’sarms，theykhatthefightaheadwouldbetheirgreatestchalle.Buttheyalsokhattheirlovewastheirgreateststrength.Andwiththatstrength，theywouldovereanyobstademergevictorious.Thedawnofthefinalbattleapproached，andwithit，thefateoftheKingdomofLianhunginthebaSukieandHanFenglingwereready.Theywouldfightfortheirlove，forMei’sfamily，andforthefutureoftheirworld.Andtheywoulddoittogether.