After the Allied Forces repelled the McKennan Clan's first assault and dealt them a heavy blow, the shadow of war temporarily lifted from the Northern Great Wall.
The McKennan Clan was still advancing slowly through the Northern Frontier. Its vanguard was not expected to reach the mountains in the North until after the Rainy Season.
Abundant rain turned the war-ravaged woodland back into grassland, and wild grass began to grow unchecked.
Annan wondered how wonderful it would be to raise cattle and sheep on this grassland and live freely, if only there were no war.
But war had never changed...
At Blackwatch's Headquarters, a meeting of the Allied Forces came to an end. Their number had fallen from thirty factions to twenty-seven.
The meeting had focused on something Annan had long been concerned about: the Hive City in the Northern Mountains.
The Empire had ordered the Allied Forces to destroy the Hive City clinging to the outside of the Great Wall before the main Ratfolk army arrived.
And to guard against Ratfolk spies planted among the Allied Forces, they would mobilize and set out as soon as the meeting ended.
Annan followed the dispersing crowd outside.
"You don't seem very enthusiastic," Archmage Albeck said as he saw Annan out.
"Not at all. I'm just worried this might be... a trap."
"It won't be. The Ratfolk can't hide a force strong enough to beat us right under our noses."
"Then that's a relief..."
Annan hoped Jerry had already fled far away, rather than foolishly staying behind to die with the Hive City...
Blackwatch's plan had the Empire's trademark bluntness: open Portals around the Hive City, then have the Allied Forces swarm in.
The only drawback was that Fel Energy protected the Hive City, so they could not appear directly inside