5 ： Sadows of Betra
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，hisjawsetieratiotothecapitalifthedarklordtakesit，theentirekgdowillfall”
sukienodded，herrelveunwaverg“thenwehavenotitowasteweogatherouralliesaothecapitalidiately”
thevilrs，overheargtheversatiooururaongsttheselvesfearanduatyrippledthroughthecrowd，buttherewasalasenseofdeterationthevilleadersteppedforward，hisvoicesteady
“wewillhelpyouanywayweeaybesall，buehavebravenandwonwillgtofightforthekgdo”
touchedbytheiroffer，sukieandhanfenglgthahevilrsandbeganakgpreparationsforthejourneyaheadi，sensgthegravityofthesituation，approachedsukie，hereyeswidewithdeteration
“iwanttohelp，”shesaidfirly“i’notafraidiwanttofightforyfailyandforeveryoneelsewhohassuffered”
sukiekdown，pgahandoni’sshoulder“you’reverybrave，iwe’llneedalltheheletbutreber，yoursafetyistheostiportantthgstaycloseto，andwe’lltthroughthistother”
astheysetoutforthecapital，asenseencypropelledtheforwardthejourneywaslongandarduo，buttheirdeterationneverwaveredalongtheway，theyenteredroupfvilrsandrebelswhojoiheir