The frigid wind swept up clouds of snow dust, its endless moan like the wails of wronged souls across the snowfield.
Against the deathly white expanse, the Black Forest stood in silence. Twisted branches pierced the veil of snow like countless withered hands reaching for the sky.
"Thump... thump... thump..."
A rhythmic tremor drew nearer, drowning out the howling wind and snow.
It was not a sound of nature, but the deathly drumbeat of heavily armored troops marching in perfect unison.
The first thing to enter their sight was a moving city wall at the edge of the snowfield.
Massive tower shields reflected a dim metallic gleam beneath the moonlight. From afar, the shield guards did not seem especially tall.
Yet every step they took made the frozen earth beneath them tremble.
A chilling aura spread ahead with their advance, forcing even the howling wind to yield.
And at the very front of that wall of steel stood an even more oppressive figure.
Patriot.
His black armor was covered in scars left by time and war. Moonlight flowed across it, only to be swallowed by its profound darkness.
On either side of his head, two crimson points trailed streaks of light through the night as he advanced inexorably toward the Black Forest.
The massive halberd in his hand pointed diagonally toward the ground, its blade hanging low and carving deep furrows through the snow.
Why had they come?
Gorth lowered his head and glanced at FrostNova in his arms. The girl's complexion was no longer pale, and her breathing had steadied.
Without further hesitation, he controlled the vines and hung her back in her original place alongside the others.
Raising his head toward that imposing force, Gorth silently pondered:
*I knew killing the Infection Patrol would draw the authorities' attention,