A Change in Temperament

For the Imperial Capital Army, the march through Eight Paths Slope had been even more grueling than their previous trek across the Shuriman desert.

On a desert march, the hardships came from the weather, the dryness, the rationed water, the drastic temperature shifts between day and night, and the venomous insects buried in the sand, ready to strike without warning.

As long as they prepared for these things, most of them could be managed.

But the march through Eight Paths Slope was different. In this sprawling stretch of hills, the hardships came from the steadily rising elevation, the filth that rained down from the sky now and then, the small-scale harassment that went on day and night, and the ambushes they could encounter at any moment along the road.

Compared with marching through the desert, the Imperial Capital Army had to keep its nerves constantly taut. The stress, combined with the sudden rise in altitude, left many soldiers suffering from edema. Quite a few had to leave the ranks and return to the Fearless Vanguard's fortress at the southern end of Eight Paths Slope to recuperate.

Still, despite the difficulties, the Imperial Capital Army made it through safely. They took nearly ten days to traverse the long stretch of mountain road—and then discovered that the Northern Wanderers hadn't dug in and prepared to defend their city as expected. Instead, they had chosen to attack, blocking the northern exit of Eight Paths Slope as if they meant to trap the Imperial Capital Army in the mountains.

When the scouts brought back the news, the Imperial Capital Army's commanders were secretly delighted, but they didn't rush out of the pass. They gathered their forces and rested inside Eight Paths Slope, taking steady precautions as they prepared for a head-on battle.

The northern