VWUUUNGGG... Pshhh!
The sharp whistle of the mana-steam engines driving the Sky-Hunter helicopter squadron slowly subsided, leaving only the soft hum of the rotor blades spinning to a gradual, complete stop.
The aerial combat squadron made a flawless landing on the asphalt apron of the Iron Hearth military airfield. The distinct scent of pine sap from the surrounding forest blended with the warm aroma of engine lubricant.
Click. Slide!
The door of the lead helicopter was pulled open. From the darkness of the cabin, a man stepped down.
Rianor Sudrath.
His appearance was far from immaculate. His usually sharp, upright posture looked visibly leaner. His simple gray shirt was dull, caked with travel dust, and his left arm was heavily wrapped in thick medical bandages—a permanent burn scar from Pyrrhus's barbaric torture in the dungeons beneath Magniora.
