Karzak Skytalon's Arc

Chapter 7 of 10

Karzak walked along the canyon rim where Commander Thrace had trained him years ago. Wind rushed up from below, lifting his feathers. The red stone walls dropped into shadow. This place had always cleared his mind when doubt crept in. He remembered Thrace's words about patience—how every hunter faced dead ends and had to start again. The warlord was still out there. The hunt wasn't over, just harder now. He descended a narrow trail that wound down from the rim. At the canyon floor stood a statue built from metal plates and bronze armor. The bird-raptor figure towered above him, wings spread wide in battle stance. It honored Commander Thrace and others who had fallen in service. Karzak stopped before it and looked up at the fierce carved eyes. His commander had never given up, even when surrounded. The memory stung, but it also reminded him why he kept searching. Further along the canyon, wind moved through a natural stone formation. Crystals and metal tubes hung from the framework, creating sounds that echoed off the walls. The notes rose and fell as gusts passed through. Karzak listened to the melody and felt the tension in his chest loosen. Warriors before him had stood in this same spot, carrying their own losses. The sounds connected him to them across time. Near the canyon's eastern wall, a wooden structure sat open to the air. Heavy beams supported the roof, and a large hearth occupied the center. Ash from fallen soldiers rested there, tended by those who survived. Karzak entered and warmed his talons near the stones. Other warriors had walked away from failed hunts and returned stronger. He would do the same. The warlord had avoided him this time, but Karzak knew the territory now. He understood the network's weaknesses and his own mistakes. Commander Thrace had trained him to learn from setbacks. The hunt would continue, smarter than before.