The fires of war had already been lit across the Winterwolf Fortress front and were still burning.
On the eastern side of the defense line, a fierce battle had just ended in the narrow river valley. A Typhonian legion of Supernatural Beings had attempted to secretly circle through the valley and attack the Cecilians' supply lines, but while marching, they had alerted a mobile corps temporarily stationed nearby. The two sides erupted into a violent encounter battle. Organized supernatural troops and ordinary people armed with Steel Machines set the entire region ablaze. Three hours later, the remaining Typhonian forces retreated, while the Cecil corps, having sustained some losses, rested in place and maintained vigilance on the valley's high ground until reinforcements arrived from the rear.
A young officer with bronze skin arrived at the still-smoking battlefield. The bitter north wind howled through the river valley, carrying the pungent stench of scorched earth and charred flesh. It made the young man, deeply trusted by Maryland, narrow his eyes slightly.
He looked toward the end of the slope and saw three destroyed chariots lying in Explosion Pits. Thick smoke still billowed from beneath their twisted, warped Armor Plates. Farther away, soldiers moved about the field, clearing the battlefield and placing corpses into body bags.
The Typhonians had not managed to take all their corpses with them when they retreated. Those dangerous remains were best brought back and thoroughly incinerated. Leaving them here could lead to who knew what kind of trouble.
A company commander wearing second-generation Magic-Powered Armor, with a blue insignia sash draped over one shoulder, came up to the high ground and saluted the bronze-skinned young officer. "Commander Payne, the body collection has been completed."
"Mm." The young officer called Payne nodded, then frowned slightly as his gaze fell on