The devastation of the city was far worse than I'd before restoring my sight. Evidence of the earthquakes, shockwaves, and battle were everywhere. Houses were reduced to crumbling shells, their walls listing precariously, the ground littered with shards of glass. Even the magical streetlights were dark, making it difficult to navigate the streets, which were choked with rubble from collapsed buildings. Fires flickered in the distance, casting an eerie glow on the thick plumes of smoke that rose from every corner of abandoned sections of the city.
My vision had shown nearly a third of the city evacuated, but it hardly seemed enough. The empire wasn't as ruthless as I'd initially believed, but still... if I hadn't intervened, tens of thousands would have perished. Were they truly so desperate that they'd gamble the lives of an entire city for a chance to defeat us and slow the demon horde?
