The Highsword Island was nearby, so instead of opening a waygate, Damian decided to fly there while enjoying the view. Almost half of Ashenvale had already seen the strange metal ship by now, and rumors about it must have spread. He was curious to hear what people thought of it.
Only the regions controlled by Vidalia and a few powerful lords still had some semblance of order; the rest were chaotic, plagued by constant skirmishes, and full of abandoned villages with no one left behind. Even if Damian stopped the fighting temporarily, more conflicts would arise as soon as they left. Stability needed to be restored in Ashenvale.
He had hoped that some form of quasi-government—a coalition of the remaining lords—would band together to resist foreign invaders. But it seemed that all the capable leaders had been lost in the war. Those who remained lacked the ability to organize such a movement for their country.
They landed peacefully on the open campus of Highsword Academy.
