43. A Dark Day

AGNARR.

We suffered far more than I had originally predicted. Even knowing Nefzaan was coming, I did not think we would lose so many.

He has far more chiefs on his side than I do. Older, stronger, and those who fought the ancient wars and had experience of years beneath their wings.

We’ve lost many, and the death toll rises with every passing hour as we scour the battlefield searching for our people.

“How many?” Haizhar asks quietly as he wipes blood and ash from his face as he tosses another body of the enemy into the fire.

“We are counting one hundred and thirty losses so far,” I say, my face not giving anything away.

“That is steep indeed, and injured?” Haizhar murmurs as he lifts the body of one of our brothers and places it on one of the carts that we are loading with the dead.

“Countless, more than double of those lost,” I say, closing the eyes of one of my men as I place him on the cart.

He was one of my strongest men… and died, but he took four with him…

I press my lip