In the south of the Montablinlock Duchy, a well-equipped Cavalry unit rode across the snow-covered wilderness.
Their banner snapped in the wind. The anvil emblazoned on its golden shield revealed where these knights came from.
Gnolls dared not raid them, and bandits dared not approach. Escorting precious cargo in Freight Wagons, the Cavalry avoided towns and Noble estates as they rode west along the Coast.
On January 1, Year 1000 of the Saint Laurent Calendar, the day an old era ended and a new one began, the Cavalry reached a gravel beach bordering Gem Bay.
"This is Gem Bay?" came the Knight Captain's muffled voice from beneath his dark-gold faceplate. "Where are the people meeting us?"
There was nothing here but wilderness and a beautiful Beach.
A mage cast an Area Reconnaissance Spell, and hostile red glows appeared in the distant mountains.
"Enemies in the forest."
The Cavalry lying in ambush, realizing they had been spotted, emerged from the woods one after another. The filthy, savage-looking Cavalry formed ranks and charged toward them.
Bored with the escort mission, the Knight Captain felt a surge of excitement at the prospect of a fight.
"Lances up!"
The knights raised their three-meter lances in unison.
"Charge!"
Their galloping warhorses surged forward.
"Bear's Strength!"
"Leopard's Agility!"
The accompanying mages cast spells over the entire unit. Steam billowed from the horses' nostrils, blood pounded through the knights' veins, and the valiant knights slammed into the savage-looking Cavalry—
"Don't push! Don't push!"
Vice Dean Boris sounded like a market merchant trying to keep customers from snatching up discounted goods.
Annan, standing on the platform outside the Theater, had even been given a Harden Skin spell.
"This was a bad idea... This was a bad idea..." Vice Dean Boris muttered, afraid that one moment's inattention would