The Thirty-Sixth Act: Two Letters I

For the residents of Brags, the period from the Month of Harvest to the Month of Frostfall in the Year of the Sword had seemed both long and short. The dreadful shadow left by last year's undead invasion seemed to have resurfaced with the march of the Blood Staff's army. As the Vanmir Legion suffered defeat after defeat, the situation had worsened for a time. Some merchants and nobles had even begun fleeing with their families toward the area around Kurk. Yet just as panic spread through the people, the course of the war suddenly took a shocking turn. First came news that the allied forces of the Viero people, the Lantorilans, and the Tonigellians had intercepted the Blood Staff's army in Slovafen. Not long after, the rumors of Blood Staff's defeat and death were confirmed. The undead withdrew from the Silman region, and within a mere week, the Bone Frames' offensive along the Drags-Vanmir line had melted away like snow and ice. People arriving from the south even confirmed that they were hurrying day and night back to the Bucci region. That period passed faster than any other. New reports arrived every day, and it seemed that in the blink of an eye, the war had gone far away.

The name Blood Staff, which had terrified everyone only half a month earlier, had now become dust in history, losing all meaning to both Eluin and Madara. Another half month passed, and Count Jandernel's army was defeated east of Kurk Castle, south of the Sapphire Mountains, near the Dwarf Ring. After losing its chance to flee to Madara, everyone understood that the count's surrender was only a matter of time.

Some people were destined to become famous in this war. Almost everyone was discussing that army of unknown origin, and