Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Months after his last appearance, Annan has advanced to the seventh row of the Holy Council, a sign that his potential and influence have grown. Hamis VI notices but keeps his distance.
• Grand Duke Yunus Maka apologizes for merchants from his duchy who cheated Annan’s Free City. He offers to repay the money, and Annan accepts; they also discuss expanding Annan’s theater business into the grand duke’s territory.
• At the council, the Bone King proposes a coalition between Middle Earth and the Northern Frontier to resist the Ratfolk and the Demon Tide. The council approves an empire-led coalition, easing some of Free City’s fears.
• Annan spots Clo of the Rikaner Kingdom, who avoids him. Annan loudly recounts how Clo sent two Legendary figures to destroy Free City: one died and the other was wounded. He also tells nearby councilors about the conflict between them, further spreading distrust of Rikaner.
• Back in Free City, Annan reports the council’s decision to Olmedo and Idelia.
• The next day, Evelyn shows Annan a Rikaner newspaper denying corruption and Ratfolk influence. Annan responds by writing a joke mocking the kingdom’s propaganda.

Character developments and interactions

• Annan is gaining standing at the council and using humor, commerce, and public storytelling to build alliances and shape opinion. He remains wary of assassination and keen to expose Rikaner.
• Hamis VI appears proud of Annan’s success but discouraged by the widening gap between them.
• Yunus Maka turns an embarrassing commercial dispute into an opportunity for diplomacy. His warm, practical response wins Annan’s goodwill.
• Clo refuses to engage with Annan and hides himself in mist, while Annan deliberately provokes him before an audience.
• Evelyn enjoys Annan’s political jokes and encourages him to keep producing them. Annan’s report to Olmedo and Idelia reassures them about the empire’s intervention.

Significant themes

• Growing influence and shifting status: Annan’s rise through the council’s ranks contrasts with Clo’s relative decline.
• Politics as performance and persuasion: Annan uses stories and jokes to shape how other rulers view Rikaner.
• Propaganda and denial: Rikaner’s newspaper insists the kingdom is just and safe even as its claims invite ridicule.
• Cooperation against shared threats: The coalition offers hope that the empire and neighboring nations can contain the Ratfolk and Demon Tide.

Key plot points and events

• In the Rikaner Kingdom’s capital, King Clo worries that his rule is failing because a small-city lord has publicly challenged and insulted him. The Minister of the Interior reassures him that the Nobles and Legendary figures remain loyal, and Clo orders a new issue of the state newspaper, Rikaner Glory, to reassure the public.
• The paper proclaims that the Kingdom is strong, just, and undefeated. The wind carries it from the capital through scenes of stark inequality: a slum where displaced people scramble for rubbish, a wealthy lakeside manor, and a plague-stricken wasteland.
• The newspaper’s triumphant message ends up covering a corpse in a region devastated by rat-borne disease. The narration reveals that the Kingdom’s Street Sweepers—who might have been able to contain the plague—were arrested and executed for treason before the war.
• At Free City, a storm begins. Annan asks that the Guards retrieve the White Dragons, who have flown outside despite the lightning.
• Annan decides not to expand Free City’s army: too many residents already serve as Soldiers, and the city lacks the infrastructure and time to train more. Instead, he plans to support Grand Duke Girardi’s vulnerable duchy in exchange for resources.
• Annan’s other efforts continue: Arcane Cores and Mountain Essence have been delivered to Wilhelm, and Voice of Freedom is being distributed free in Rikaner’s heartland to spread Free City’s ideas.

Character developments and interactions

• Clo appears more mature and worn down after two years of governing, but remains sensitive to criticism and dependent on reassurance from his Minister.
• The Minister of the Interior flatters Clo and steers him toward propaganda as a response to public doubt.
• Annan shows strategic restraint: he weighs the limits of Free City’s manpower and education system, pursues a resource-for-aid arrangement with Girardi, and uses cultural influence against Rikaner.
• Annan’s practical concern for the vulnerable White Dragons contrasts with the Kingdom’s neglect of its own suffering population.

Significant themes

• Propaganda versus reality: Rikaner’s claims of strength and justice are contradicted by poverty, political repression, and unchecked plague.
• The human cost of war and governance: The Kingdom’s focus on external enemies leaves its people exposed to disease and deprivation.
• Power through influence: Annan believes that sharing Free City’s culture can gradually change how people in an enemy nation think.
• Limits and trade-offs: Free City must balance military readiness against the need for education, stability, and sustainable growth.

Plot and key events

• The Tartun Empire includes Lord Annan Levis on its coalition roster, making clear that Free City is expected to join the coming war. Annan realizes the Empire’s past favors and privileges came with an obligation: when called upon, Free City must support it.
• Annan cancels leave and a planned anti-bandit operation, ordering the Hellfire Legion to assemble and train. The city prepares its weapons and repairs armor, aiming to make a strong showing—and perhaps secure military contracts.
• New weapons are rushed into production. The legion’s existing guns and cannons are powerful but vulnerable to surprise attacks by Master-level fighters. Annan approves a fifty-centimeter mountain-copper Magic Cannon and proposes doubled-caliber Magic Muskets for Professional officers, accepting their cost and heavy recoil in exchange for greater firepower.
• Annan visits the Mushroom House, where Dunbelly discovers that a Goblin Golem stops working when its exterior parts are removed and restarts once they are replaced. Neither of them can explain why. Annan compares this to soldiers’ rituals and habits that seem to reduce weapon malfunctions.
• At the Wheat River, Annan tells Olmedo he wants to create a Fourth Legion composed of other races, including Dragons, Orcs, Elves, and Goblins. It would specialize in missions such as leadership strikes, assassinations, and reconnaissance, and might accompany the Hellfire Legion if time allows.

Character developments and interactions

• Annan moves from hoping Free City can avoid the war to accepting its political obligations. He becomes more focused on preparation and innovation, while also imagining a more specialized, multi-race force.
• Olmedo understands the political bargain before Annan does and urges him to read more. Annan dodges Olmedo’s attempt to discuss his reading by rushing off to contact Femi; later, the two work together on the proposed Fourth Legion.
• Copperbeard advises Annan on the cannon’s caliber, helping balance firepower against weight and range.
• Dunbelly is unsettled by the Golem’s inexplicable behavior; Annan treats the mystery as another example of ritual seemingly affecting machinery.
• Idelia offers to seek help from Old Ancestor if Annan does not want to go, showing concern for him, but Annan decides to face the obligation himself.

Significant themes

• Political favors carry a price: Free City’s prosperity and privileges have created an expectation of military service.
• Preparation and adaptation: Annan responds to looming war through training, equipment upgrades, and plans for specialized troops.
• Unexplained belief and ritual: The Golem’s behavior and soldiers’ superstitions blur the line between mechanical cause and effects that seem to defy explanation.
• Diversity as military strength: The proposed Fourth Legion would organize different races around the unique abilities suited to special operations.

Key plot points and events

• The Empire’s envoys deliver Emperor Tatuun’s order: Annan must bring his troops to Montreal Mountain within a month. Annan agrees and begins preparing the Hellfire Legion.
• The Fourth Legion recruits across species, but its numbers grow slowly. Many human applicants are placed in a reserve force; the Legion eventually gathers more than two hundred members from seventeen races.
• Annan publicizes the Legion through the Voice of Freedom, including a recruitment poster featuring his popular fictional personas. Illymoyas is named commander, though Annan temporarily leads because the blue dragon remains asleep.
• Annan assigns roles suited to each group: orcs are trained as shock troops and equipped by Copperbeard’s smiths; goblins focus on fortifications; young white dragons are prepared as armored battlefield beasts; elves serve as scouts and archers. He also considers testing whether other races can learn the Breathing Method.
• In the third week, the Legion undertakes its first battle, attacking a bandit hideout in Montablinlock Duchy. The initial plan works: elves scout and disable traps, dragons strike from above, and the gates are opened for the main force.
• The assault quickly devolves into disorder. Orcs and goblins fall into familiar raiding habits, elves abandon their battlefield role when their arrows run out, and dragons squabble over captured bandits. Despite the chaos, the Legion avoids harming its own members.

Character developments and interactions

• Annan acts as organizer and commander, balancing recruitment, training, publicity, and military preparation. He refuses Dade’s request to enlist, judging that she can contribute more in Free City.
• Copperbeard objects to the strain the Legion’s equipment demands on the Blacksmith Shop. Annan persuades him to continue by stressing that his work can help bring soldiers home safely.
• Elder, nicknamed “Dragon-Taming Boy,” is one of only two humans in the Fourth Legion and is tasked with directing the white dragons.
• The first battle exposes how difficult it will be for Annan to turn a diverse force with strong individual talents—and ingrained habits—into a disciplined unit.

Significant themes

• Diversity and adaptation: The Legion brings together many races, and Annan tries to build on each group’s strengths rather than impose one approach on all.
• Idealism versus practical needs: Recruitment is framed as a heroic call, but Annan recognizes that ideals alone cannot sustain a force.
• Leadership and discipline: A successful plan is not enough; soldiers must learn to coordinate and follow it under pressure.
• Power and opportunity: Annan challenges the restriction of the Breathing Method to the nobility, hoping to make its benefits available to other races.

Plot points and events

• As the Empire’s deadline approached, Free City continued recruiting and training soldiers. Annan brought foreign recruits to the city through Portals, avoiding human towns where the Foreign Races Edict was still enforced. The Fourth Legion grew to nearly five hundred.
• On the final day, Annan left his legions at their camps and traveled alone to Montreal Mountain with Dean Breichim.
• At Montreal Manor, Annan visited Old Ancestor and gave her new eyeglasses. He explained that he accepted the Empire’s call because the Empire had supported him and he did not want their bond to become one-sided. Olin soon arrived and took him to the mountain.
• Olin revealed that the coalition was to garrison the completed Northern Frontier Wall. Ratfolk vanguards had assembled outside it, though the Empire did not know whether a major invasion was coming. Demons were widespread but had no unified army. Annan learned that he was the only City Lord on the deployment list.
• A Bishop of the Goddess of Abundance stopped their carriage, asking about missing Church members who had visited Free City. Annan acknowledged that they had left after meeting him, and told Olin that he had killed them because they had performed a blood sacrifice. Olin approved of his decision and noted that an attack on Annan at Montreal Mountain would damage the Empire’s standing.
• At the coalition camp, Annan asked for room and permission to cast spells so he could show what his forces could do. Curious nobles gathered, many expecting to mock him.

Character development and interactions

• Annan balances youthful grumbling and humor with a serious sense of responsibility. He accepts a dangerous assignment out of gratitude and loyalty, while remaining decisive against what he sees as evil.
• Old Ancestor teases Annan affectionately and receives his thoughtful gift. Their warm, familiar bond contrasts with his formal obligations to the Empire.
• Olin is blunt and impatient with Annan, but shares crucial intelligence and supports his position when the Church’s actions come up. Her protection is framed as defense of the Empire’s honor, not personal affection.
• The Bishop of Abundance questions Annan about the missing emissaries but withdraws without pressing him.
• The nobles regard Annan with suspicion and envy, setting up a test of his abilities and the strength of Free City’s contribution.

Significant themes

• Reciprocity and loyalty: Annan believes friendship and political ties need mutual support, motivating his service to the Empire.
• Power, morality, and corruption: Annan argues that a god’s conviction of righteousness can become dangerous when power goes unchecked; his killing of the emissaries reflects his willingness to act on that belief.
• Prejudice and unequal treatment: Foreign recruits must avoid towns enforcing the Foreign Races Edict, highlighting persistent discrimination.
• Reputation and merit: Annan’s contribution is substantial, but many nobles dismiss him through class prejudice and rumor rather than judging his capabilities.

Key plot points and events

• Annan’s forces arrive at the coalition camp through Portals while nobles watch from a mountain observation deck. His diverse Fourth Legion includes Goblins, Orcs, Elves, Vampires, other foreign races, Oddities, Succubi, a Ratfolk, and more than a dozen White Dragons. The nobles’ curiosity grows, though some remain skeptical.
• Annan then brings in the Hellfire Legion: disciplined Cavalry in steel armor carrying Magic Muskets. After five thousand Soldiers have passed through, Goblin Golems appear, suggesting the army’s strength goes beyond its unusual recruits.
• At the evening banquet, Annan’s mixed reputation among coalition members shifts: he may be only a City Lord, but his forces make him seem formidable. Many male nobles are especially interested in the Succubi.
• Annan asks a young female quartermaster about the Empire’s plans. She gives no details, but the next day the Empire orders the coalition to march north toward the Great Wall.

Character developments and interactions

• Annan presents his forces confidently, using their variety and visible discipline to make an impression. He also deflects Olin’s disgust at the Succubi by describing them as Priests who ease stress.
• Olin accompanies Annan to the camp, then leaves. She notices the Succubi and reacts skeptically to Annan’s explanation.
• A golden-haired member of the Montreal royal family observes the arrival from afar, partly to judge Annan’s worthiness of the Empire’s special treatment. He remains confident despite doubts about the ordinary Soldiers, citing the Goblin Empire’s past power.
• The nobles’ attitude toward Annan changes from dismissive to uncertain respect, while the quartermaster maintains official distance when he seeks information.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus strength: The coalition initially judges Annan by his rank and the perceived weakness or oddity of his troops, but the army’s scale and organization make those assumptions less secure.
• Unity through diversity: The Legion brings together many races and beings, presenting an unconventional force assembled for a common cause.
• Power and perception: Discipline, spectacle, and reputation shape how the nobles assess military strength—even before the army has fought.
• Preparation for conflict: The march order turns the gathering from ceremony and assessment toward the coming campaign at the Great Wall.

Key plot points and events

• Annan decides to accompany his troops to the Great Wall in the North, unwilling to abandon soldiers he helped train. Imperial officials allow him to go after notifying the Palace.
• The first allied force—50,000 troops—travels through a Portal. The powerful Blackwatch Legion goes first; Annan’s contingent follows, making up about a tenth of the force.
• Annan is awed by the Great Wall: a vast, city-wide structure more than fifty meters high. Blom tells him of the Dwarves’ even larger, legendary wall, renewing his fear that the world may face dangers far beyond the Ratfolk.
• The allied factions divide the existing hundred-mile stretch of wall among themselves while construction continues. Annan’s troops receive a section beside the Imperial forces.
• Worried by an Imperial officer’s boast that the wall cannot be breached, Annan inspects its foundations and neighboring defenses. He finds no immediate weaknesses.
• At night, Annan discovers that his force has been allotted too little food for its 5,600 soldiers. He refuses to spend Free City funds and decides to seek help from a quartermaster he met previously.

Character developments and interactions

• Annan shows loyalty to his troops and caution about the defenses, balancing respect for Imperial strength with persistent suspicion. He also wants his force to build its own reputation rather than appear dependent.
• Blom supports Annan and shares the legend of the Dwarven fortress, while Femi warns against approaching the Blackwatch Legion as though begging for aid.
• The young soldiers are moved by Annan’s decision to stay with them.
• The Blackwatch Legion allows Annan to inspect its position and provides assistance, reflecting its awareness of his relationship with the Empire.
• Annan’s exchange with the Supply Officer ends without extra provisions, leaving him to find another solution.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and leadership: Annan’s choice to accompany his soldiers reinforces his bond with them.
• Security and looming danger: The Great Wall inspires awe, but rumors of ancient threats and the certainty of future devastation undermine any sense of safety.
• Power and status: The Blackwatch Legion’s immense strength highlights the Empire’s military dominance, while Annan seeks to establish his own troops’ standing.
• Scarcity and self-reliance: Unequal-feeling supply arrangements force Annan to pursue resources without weakening his force’s reputation.

Key plot points and events

• The quartermaster brings Olin a letter from Annan inviting her to the Great Wall in the North. Olin clarifies that she and Annan are only friends and encourages the quartermaster to decide for herself.
• The quartermaster travels to the allied camp, passing a strict inspection. Annan is struck by her appearance but soon shifts the conversation to a practical problem: his forces have far fewer supplies than the Imperial army despite having more soldiers.
• Realizing Annan invited her partly to help with the shortage, the quartermaster calls him out. She agrees to assist and asks for a room to prepare.
• Annan apologizes for treating her as a means to an end and admits he noticed her at the banquet. He reassures her that he appreciates her without makeup, and they resume their walk.
• They discuss Annan’s films, including the real people and history behind When Freedom Knocks, then talk about the length of the allied forces’ deployment and Annan’s invention of cement.
• An Imperial order interrupts their conversation. The quartermaster explains that her department restricts contact with allied forces, but she is willing to report Annan’s situation to the Empire. Annan sends her back under escort.
• Annan returns to the defensive line and learns that command plans to launch an offensive in the first phase.

Character developments

• The quartermaster moves from hopeful romantic anticipation to disappointment when she realizes Annan has practical motives. Still, she responds professionally, then gradually relaxes through their conversation about films and military affairs.
• Annan initially treats the visit as an opportunity to secure help with supplies, but recognizes his discourtesy and apologizes. His concern for the quartermaster’s position is understated but genuine.
• Olin sets aside any possible jealousy or attachment, insisting she and Annan are friends and telling the quartermaster to follow her own wishes.

Significant themes

• Romance versus duty: The quartermaster’s feelings encounter Annan’s military needs and her own professional obligations.
• Honesty and consideration: Annan admits his motives rather than pretending, then tries to make amends.
• Art and real life: The discussion of Annan’s films shows how stories can draw on real histories and create lasting relationships.
• War and uncertainty: The supply imbalance, the long-term threat from the Ratfolk, and the planned offensive emphasize the allied forces’ precarious situation.

Character interactions

• Olin gives the quartermaster permission to pursue Annan without feeling bound by rumors about their relationship.
• Annan and the quartermaster’s conversation begins with a blunt negotiation over supplies, then softens into mutual interest and discussion of films, history, and the war.
• The quartermaster offers to communicate Annan’s predicament to the Imperial Military Department, while Annan respects her constraints and arranges her safe return.

Plot points and events

• The Empire launches a one-week “Hunt,” ordering forces to kill Ratfolk stragglers north of the Great Wall and collect their ears for military merit. Annan is given no specific assignment and told to stay within a hundred li.
• Annan organizes the Fourth Legion to scout, the Hellfire Legion to fight, and an Elite Squad to protect him. He also has ghosts record the campaign on Magic Stones so their contribution will be visible.
• After resting and gathering supplies, Annan leads his forces out through Portals. Blackwatch’s commander offers him the chance to follow the veteran legion, but Annan declines, saying his allied forces should contribute independently.
• The search initially finds no Ratfolk. Annan sends the main force onward on foot, then flies ahead with a small group on White Dragons. They dispatch a small band of Ratfolk and pass Blackwatch’s extended column.
• Near the Hunt’s boundary, Annan finds tens of thousands of Ratfolk stripping the Grasslands bare. He establishes a position, opens Portals for reinforcements, and prepares defenses. The Ratfolk charge, and Femi orders the soldiers to wait until they are close before firing.

Character developments and interactions

• Annan is ambitious and pragmatic: he wants recognition and military merit, documents the campaign to protect his reputation, and pushes ahead to reach the enemy before rival forces.
• He also shows concern for his inexperienced troops, canceling training to let them rest while recognizing they need experience in battle.
• Blom remains focused on Annan’s safety and questions the risk of advancing. Annan argues that facing the Ratfolk is unavoidable.
• The Blackwatch commander treats Annan as an ally and offers friendly advice; Annan politely refuses the offer, earning the commander’s respect. Afterward, Annan jokes that the commander’s hearty slap may have cracked his shoulder.
• Femi is eager for combat and rewards, while Blom is more cautious. The two reflect contrasting attitudes within Annan’s command.

Significant themes

• Ambition and reputation: Military merit, public recognition, and recorded evidence shape Annan’s choices.
• Risk and responsibility: Annan balances his own drive to advance against the safety and readiness of his forces.
• Competition and cooperation: Annan respects Blackwatch but wants his own allied forces to prove their worth.
• War as spectacle and opportunity: The Hunt is both a military operation and a competition for rewards, status, and recognition.

Plot points and events

• The Hellfire Legion’s Magic Muskets rout a force of Ratfolk without a single death. The recruits are nervous and clumsy, but the battle reveals how effective their weapons are; only two soldiers are injured, both in minor mishaps.
• Femi tests his Mountain Copper Hand Cannon while mopping up survivors, demonstrating its far greater destructive force.
• Goblins collect Ratfolk ears for military credit. Annan stops Broken Fang from doing so out of a need to prove loyalty, but Broken Fang continues. Ghosts confirm that the area has been cleared, and the legion records 7,380 kills.
• Annan orders the troops to keep clearing the grasslands while warning that larger Ratfolk groups and swarms will pose much greater danger.
• While scouting by White Dragon, Annan’s party spots a man fleeing Ratfolk with a jar. They rescue him. He claims to have been separated from a merchant caravan and warns that Ratfolk stretch far to the north.
• The man says the jar contains his wife’s ashes. Annan directs him toward safety, but after reaching a forest, the man opens the jar and sifts gemstones from the ashes.

Character developments and interactions

• Annan is satisfied with the victory but remains alert to future threats. He shows compassion toward the apparent refugee, while also noticing the suspicious jar.
• Femi proves himself capable and confident with the hand cannon, then cautions the excited recruits against becoming complacent.
• Broken Fang continues collecting ears despite Annan’s reassurance that he need not demonstrate loyalty through cruelty.
• The man with the jar presents himself as a grieving survivor, but the gemstones hidden in the ashes reveal that his story—or at least his purpose—may be deceptive.
• The Elves withdraw from the noisy front line and focus on clearing the flanks; Annan’s forces cooperate in combat and battlefield cleanup.

Significant themes

• Battlefield learning: Training cannot fully prepare inexperienced soldiers for combat, but the legion’s victory offers a chance for them to mature.
• Power and preparedness: The Ratfolk are vulnerable to firearms, yet more dangerous varieties and swarms remain a serious threat.
• Loyalty and trust: Annan rejects the idea that Broken Fang must prove allegiance through violence against his own people.
• Appearances and deception: The rescued man’s image as a bereaved refugee is complicated by the hidden gemstones in his “ashes.”

Key plot points and events

• A fleeing man warns Annan that huge numbers of Ratfolk are moving through the northern mountains. Blom warns that they may wield Fel Energy, a dangerous force capable of curses that even powerful Wizards struggle to dispel.
• Though Annan wants to investigate personally, Blom insists he stay safe. Annan sends Elder, the Dragon-Taming Boy, and the Painting Person north on White Dragons to observe from a distance.
• Annan’s forces gather on the Grasslands as the Northern Frontier’s Rainy Season approaches. Blom predicts a change in the weather; Annan worries that heavy rain could disrupt the army’s Magic Muskets, though it may also hinder the Ratfolk.
• Cavalry capture the same man Annan previously questioned. He admits seeing many Ratfolk but claims they did not notice him. He saw no War Banners, Altars, or giant Ratfolk, suggesting this may be a vanguard rather than the main force.
• Annan lets the man go, gives him access to a Portal to Free City, and takes two Gemstones—ostensibly as gifts for friends. He jokes privately that Free City might profit from the wealthy newcomer.
• The scouts return with a drawing that expands from a few Ratfolk to an immense, seemingly endless swarm. Annan realizes the Empire’s “hunt” is not targeting scattered Ratfolk, but this vast army.

Character developments and interactions

• Annan is cautious and strategic: he delegates reconnaissance, questions the captured man, and plans around the approaching weather. He also shows apparent generosity by releasing the man and offering him a safe route, though his private hope that Free City will profit from him reveals his opportunistic humor.
• Blom acts as Annan’s protective adviser, invoking his promise to Olmedo to keep Annan out of danger. He also assesses the enemy’s strength and teases Annan about being an “honest Lord.”
• The captured man is wary and evasive, but eventually provides what information he has. He gives Annan the Gemstones as thanks and leaves through the Portal.
• Elder and the Painting Person return visibly shaken by the scale of the Ratfolk. The Painting Person conveys the threat through an increasingly wide view of the swarm.

Significant themes

• The scale of the threat: The final revelation transforms scattered reports into the prospect of an enormous invasion.
• Preparation amid uncertainty: Annan must weigh incomplete intelligence, dangerous enemy powers, and seasonal weather.
• Trust and self-interest: The man distrusts the army, while Annan’s kindness is mixed with practical calculation.
• Nature as a military factor: The coming rains may weaken both sides, particularly by making firearms unreliable.

Key plot points and events

• Annan chooses to stand and fight the approaching Rat Tide rather than retreat to the Great Wall. Femi supports the decision, driven by his family’s deaths at Ratfolk hands.
• Annan organizes reconnaissance and preparations. The Goblins identify a forested position underlain by solid rock as the best defensive site; the force clears the surrounding trees, digs trenches, and builds the position up with cement.
• A scout estimates the Ratfolk will arrive in about two days. Annan brings over fifty Magic Cannons and the five Mountain Copper Cannons to strengthen the defense.
• Annan’s messengers warn the other allied forces, but most dismiss the danger. Count Blazing Fire sees Annan’s warning as weakness and advances eagerly to claim military honors. A proud lord brushes off Sven’s warning, while a Warband leader refuses to join up, though he offers vague help if needed.
• Only two of the twenty-nine forces agree to join Annan, and neither is nearby. The first arrives the following afternoon, slowly and without urgency. Annan concludes that many nobles will not act until confronted by danger.

Character developments

• Annan takes command decisively, balancing the need to prepare with limited time. His efforts reveal how isolated and underprepared the allied forces are.
• Femi openly commits to fighting, expressing a personal resolve to avenge his family and oppose the Ratfolk.
• Ymir offers to harass the Rat Tide, but Annan refuses because the mission is too risky and could draw the horde toward her.
• Blom, Gar, Elder, and the others carry out Annan’s orders, showing the group’s practical cooperation under pressure.
• The other leaders display contrasting forms of arrogance and complacency: some crave glory, some dismiss warnings, and even those who offer assistance lack urgency.

Significant themes

• Preparation versus pride: Annan focuses on defensible ground and coordination, while rival leaders prioritize glory or confidence.
• The cost of complacency: Many nobles ignore a genuine threat because they have grown comfortable in safety.
• Duty shaped by loss: Femi’s personal grief fuels his determination to fight.
• Leadership and isolation: Annan must prepare as if alone because most allies cannot—or will not—respond in time.
• Impending danger: The approaching storm mirrors the Rat Tide and heightens the sense that a difficult battle is near.

Character interactions

• Annan gives Femi the choice between a dangerous fight and a safe retreat; Femi’s answer helps settle the decision to stand.
• Annan assigns tasks to his companions and refuses Ymir’s risky proposal, prioritizing the force’s overall survival.
• Annan’s messengers repeatedly urge allied leaders to cooperate, but meet with dismissal, hostility, or empty assurances.
• Blom reports the allies’ lack of response, and Annan adapts by continuing preparations without relying on them.

Plot points and events

• Scattered Ratfolk appear on the grasslands as the third day of the encirclement plan begins. Annan sends a trusted aide with Elder, the Dragon-Taming Boy, and Ghost to assess them. Ghost’s recording reveals a Rat Tide stretching to the horizon.
• The Windmill Duchy’s military minister panics and wants to alert the Empire. Annan explains that the Empire already knows: the Ratfolk are the target of the planned encirclement.
• Blackwatch has camped about fifteen kilometers northeast. Annan takes comfort in having this powerful ally nearby, though the approaching storm and the approaching Rat Tide make time short.
• Annan’s camp is heavily fortified: a nearly twenty-meter cement structure, five trenches, cannon platforms, and rain shelters. He sends the Fourth Legion to clear stragglers while the rest prepare defenses. Thirteen enormous meteor hammers are ready for the White Dragons.
• Scouts report the Rat Tide is nearing the designated hunting ground. Annan warns the other forces that it is less than a hundred miles away and lets them decide whether to advance or retreat.
• The Windmill minister chooses to stay. Annan insists on unified command and arranges the troops into mage support, ranged defense under Femi, and a main line of armored Orcs, Warriors, and golems. He keeps his own powerful Summons in reserve.
• Before dawn, Blackwatch is already fighting the Ratfolk. Annan’s camp remains dark to avoid drawing the main force. Elf Rangers arrive with the warning that the Ratfolk are close, and their squeaks sound from the darkness.

Character developments and interactions

• Annan remains calm and strategic under pressure. He manages the minister’s fear, urges other forces to act on accurate information, and organizes a layered defense while preserving emergency reserves.
• The Windmill Duchy minister moves from alarm and distrust to a grudging decision to remain. He accepts Annan’s authority and the need for one battlefield commander.
• Blom offers practical guidance and helps Annan interpret the minister’s hesitation, while keeping the camp disciplined and quiet.
• The soldiers and allied forces show mounting tension but follow their assignments. The Elves prioritize defeating the Ratfolk over protecting the forest from damage.

Significant themes

• Preparation versus denial: Annan’s early warnings and careful defenses contrast with other forces’ initial disbelief.
• Fear and power: The Empire commands obedience through intimidation rather than affection, shaping how its vassals respond.
• Unity and leadership: Annan argues that a single commander is essential and treats allied troops as part of the same defense.
• The cost of war: The fortifications consume scarce materials and scar the forest, but the threat makes those sacrifices acceptable to the defenders.

Key plot points and events

• A Rat Tide approaches the camp as a storm gathers. The mages build walls and a ring of fire, killing many rats before heavy rain weakens the flames.
• Femi orders the first phase of the defense. Goblin Golems, Heavy Orcs, Warriors, and Rangers engage the Ratfolk beyond the camp; Vampires attack from the air, while the White Dragons wait in reserve.
• The defenders initially hold the line, but lightning strikes and disables a metal Goblin Golem. Annan recognizes the danger and orders the troops back.
• The mages freeze the rain-soaked slope with Ice Trap, turning the storm to the defenders’ advantage. Musketeers fire in alternating ranks, cutting down Ratfolk that cannot cross the icy ground.
• The tide grows denser as Slave Rats consume trees and fill the forest. White Dragons sweep the ground with flails, while Vampires lift groups of Ratfolk into the air and drop them into the swarm.
• At dawn, Brute Rats appear. Their tough hides resist musket fire, so Femi orders the Magic Cannons into action; their opening barrage destroys several and sharply escalates the battle.

Character developments and interactions

• Annan oversees the defense, coordinates with the mages, and quickly adapts when lightning threatens the metal Golems.
• Charin leads the spellcasters, using fire to contain the Rat Tide and later signaling the troops to retreat.
• Femi commands the fighting forces, directing the first phase and bringing the Musketeers and then the cannons into action.
• The mages, soldiers, and supernatural allies work in coordinated roles: ground troops delay the Ratfolk, Rangers attack from the trees, Vampires provide aerial support, and White Dragons clear swarms.

Significant themes

• Adaptation under pressure: Rain and lightning first disrupt the defenders, then become advantages through freezing spells and tactical repositioning.
• Combined arms and coordination: Magic, firearms, artillery, and varied troop abilities each address different threats.
• Escalating danger: The Slave Rats are only the beginning; the arrival of resilient Brute Rats signals a more severe stage of the battle.

Section 26: “Noon”

Key events

• During the relentless bombardment, a Ratfolk named Miller survives by falling into a ditch and hiding beneath the dead. It wakes after the cannon fire stops, only to realize the Rat Tide is still advancing—and dying—in successive waves.
• After hours of fighting, Ratfolk corpses pile high on the mountain. At Femi’s suggestion, Annan orders the Mountain Copper Cannons brought to the front. Their heavy cannonballs have limited range, but several volleys clear much of the slope, allowing the mages to lay fresh ice traps.
• The Rat Tide gradually weakens and eventually stops reaching the Camp. Scouts report that only scattered Ratfolk remain nearby and the main force is moving northeast.
• Once the storm begins to ease, Annan sends troops to clear the battlefield, collect ears, burn the plague-prone bodies, and search for disease-carrying rats.
• Sven discovers a Ratfolk survivor hiding in a ditch. It begs not to be killed and calls for its mother. Broken Fang realizes the creature cannot hear them, then decides to bring it to Annan rather than kill it.

Character developments and interactions

• Miller shifts from panic to instinctive survival, hiding in the ditch during the assault. Its memories of its mother and siblings show its vulnerability and longing for home.
• Annan remains practical and composed under pressure, approving Femi’s proposal and using the cannons to clear the battlefield before directing post-battle precautions.
• Femi takes initiative by proposing the use of the Mountain Copper Cannons.
• Sven nearly kills the survivor but hesitates when it cries for its mother; he calls Broken Fang over instead.
• Broken Fang responds coldly to the idea of a Ratfolk being “one of his kind,” yet recognizes the survivor’s inability to hear and chooses to take it to Annan.
• The exhausted defenders—soldiers and mages alike—collapse into sleep or meditation once the fighting ends.

Significant themes

• War’s indiscriminate brutality: Ratfolk and defenders alike are trapped in a prolonged, exhausting slaughter.
• Survival and compassion: Miller’s hiding and Sven’s hesitation reveal individual vulnerability amid mass violence.
• The humanity of the enemy: The survivor’s fear and plea for its mother complicate the image of Ratfolk as faceless attackers.
• The cost of victory: The Camp survives, but the battlefield is devastated, its defenders spent, and the corpses pose a continuing threat through plague.

Key plot points and events

• After the battle, Femi reports that Hellfire lost 23 Warriors, with 98 more unable to fight. The deaths were caused by Magic Musket barrels bursting after sustained rapid fire; some bursting fragments struck Soldiers despite their Plate Armor. Annan orders the dead buried with honors and their families compensated.
• Sven and Broken Fang bring in a captured Ratfolk named Miller. After Archmage Charin restores his hearing, Miller explains that he is a frightened Slave Rat who learned the Common Tongue by secretly listening to humans. He knows little about the Ratfolk campaign and has never eaten human flesh. A Truth Spell confirms his account.
• Broken Fang explains that the Great Horned Rat’s bloodline curse drives Ratfolk who eat other races’ flesh toward madness. He offers to take Miller in and make him an avenger.
• Annan has Charin cast a recovery Spell on his exhausted Warriors, then asks the three Succubi to help them rest. The storm eases, and Soldiers collect Ratfolk ears as proof of the victory.
• White Dragons return with news that Blackwatch is holding off a far more dangerous Rat Tide, packed with Sorcerers, Elite Rats, and Brute Rats. Annan decides not to send his exhausted troops to help, instead asking Blom to contact nearby forces and sending the Elder to continue watching Blackwatch.
• By afternoon, the Warriors have gathered 280,000 ears; more than 300,000 Ratfolk were killed in half a day.

Character developments and interactions

• Annan shows concern for his dead and wounded, acts compassionately toward Miller, and balances ambition against his troops’ need for rest. Seeing Blackwatch’s battle also forces him to acknowledge how outmatched his own force might be.
• Miller emerges as an unusually lucid and self-named Slave Rat, fearful but capable of speaking with humans. His survival and Broken Fang’s offer give him a chance at a different life.
• Broken Fang acts as Miller’s advocate and offers to guide him into the avenger path.
• Charin treats Miller without prejudice, healing him and helping restore the Warriors.
• Ymir refuses to heal a Ratfolk, revealing Elf prejudice; Charin’s willingness contrasts with her stance.
• Femi delivers the casualty report with visible grief over the accidental deaths.
• Annan and the Succubi provide comic relief: their suggestive offer makes Annan regret allowing them into the legion, though he still hopes they will be useful.

Significant themes

• The cost of victory: Hellfire wins decisively, but weapon failure still causes deaths and injuries.
• Compassion amid war: Annan’s treatment of Miller shows that enemies may be individuals rather than an undifferentiated threat.
• Prejudice and moral choice: Ymir’s refusal contrasts with Charin’s empathy, while Miller’s restraint distinguishes him from Ratfolk who succumb to the curse.
• Limits and responsibility: Annan recognizes that his exhausted troops cannot safely join Blackwatch, even when help may be needed.
• War’s psychological toll: The Warriors’ troubled sleep shows that recovery involves more than physical healing.

Key plot points and events

• After the Hellfire Legion’s Magic Muskets swiftly broke the Ratfolk assault, Annan learned that the Saik Duchy’s forces were trapped by the Rat Tide.
• Annan sent Blom and the Elder to establish an anchor point, then led Hellfire through a Portal to rescue the duchy’s soldiers. He persuaded the Count to join his cause with a promise of a twenty-percent discount.
• Seeing an opportunity to build a larger coalition, Annan dispatched White Dragons and Vampires to search for other forces and repeatedly used Hellfire to rescue those under attack. He also invited in groups that had already dealt with their Rat Plague.
• Annan gathered the leaders of nineteen forces and proposed diverting some Ratfolk from the massive tide surrounding Blackwatch, easing the Empire’s burden. To win their support, he appealed to military merit, public recognition, and generous rewards he claimed were tied to the Hunt Plan.
• The leaders believed his claim because of his reputed connections to the Emperor. At the Windmill Duchy minister’s suggestion, they chose Annan as commander of the allied forces. He accepted, insisting that suggestions were welcome but crucial decisions must have a single authority.

Character developments

• Annan shifts from a successful battlefield commander into a political and coalition leader. He uses rescue, favors, publicity, and strategic exaggeration to gather allies and secure command.
• The Saik Duchy Count moves from anxious suspicion to firm allegiance after Annan rescues his troops and offers favorable terms.
• The allied leaders begin skeptical of Annan’s risky proposal but become persuaded by the prospect of status, recognition, and imperial rewards. Their agreement also shows their willingness to accept Annan’s leadership once they believe it will benefit them.

Significant themes

• Leadership and authority: Annan builds a coalition through both practical action and persuasion, then demands unity in critical decisions.
• Self-interest and shared goals: The nobles are motivated less by abstract duty than by merit, rewards, and reputation, yet their ambitions can serve the common aim of relieving Blackwatch.
• Power of image and information: Public acclaim, military footage, and Annan’s carefully framed claims help shape decisions as much as battlefield strength.
• Pragmatism and trust: Annan earns confidence by rescuing the Saik forces, while also using bluffs and strategic promises to win broader support.

Character interactions

• Annan reassures the Saik Count, covers his retreat, and turns gratitude into loyalty with a discount offer.
• He pitches the Hunt Plan to the allied leaders, answers their reluctance with appeals to rewards and fame, and frightens them with a fabricated account of an imperial investigator named Logeb.
• The Windmill Duchy minister nominates Annan, the Saik Count backs him, and the other leaders follow. Annan then sets clear limits on how the coalition will make decisions.

Key plot points and events

• Annan organizes the allied forces—about 30,000 gathered near him—into melee, ranged, and support groups, assigning each a role and promising that wounded fighters will be protected and withdrawn. He divides Ratfolk-ear spoils equally among the twenty factions.
• After waiting out a storm, Annan leads the allies through Portals to reinforce Blackwatch, which is still holding the Rat Tide at the Northern Great Wall.
• The allies begin attacking the Rat Tide’s exposed edge. Archers open buffer zones, while the Hellfire Legion attacks from the flanks. When heavier Elite and Brute Rats charge, the mage corps supports the frontline with restorative and protective spells.
• Blackwatch’s Archmage Albeck welcomes the assistance and says his forces can hold for three more days. The allied leaders take this as a sign that Annan was right to bring them together.
• Annan urges the allies to stand firm, then orders a fighting withdrawal to draw Ratfolk away from the main force. He deploys Mountain Copper Cannons and Mushroom Bombs, both to aid the battle and to impress potential buyers.

Character developments and interactions

• Annan proves himself a capable commander: he anticipates the allies’ fear of casualties, uses mages to protect wounded fighters, and adapts the plan as stronger Ratfolk arrive. He also thinks strategically about turning the cannon demonstration into a sales opportunity.
• The allied fighters become more confident and committed when they see that wounded comrades will be rescued rather than abandoned. Annan’s leadership earns the faction leaders’ trust.
• Albeck shifts from treating Annan as a junior to recognizing his achievement, praising him and warmly accepting the allies’ help.
• The faction leaders are surprised by Albeck’s kindness and reassured that they chose the right commander.
• Blom questions whether using Mushroom Bombs is necessary; Annan explains that the display could persuade the allied factions to buy the cannons.

Significant themes

• Leadership and trust: Annan earns cooperation by giving clear orders, protecting his troops, and sharing rewards fairly.
• Pragmatism in war: The allies have different strengths and limited endurance, so Annan assigns specialized roles and withdraws them before they break.
• Morale and mutual care: Knowing they will not be left to die gives the fighters the courage to face a far stronger enemy.
• War and commerce: Annan combines battlefield needs with political and commercial calculation, using military success to build future influence.

Key plot points and events

• Annan deploys five Mountain Copper Cannons against the Ratfolk, firing Mushroom Bombs into the Rat Tide. The blast and solid shot devastate the enemy, killing hundreds of Elite Rats and thousands of Slave Rats, and briefly halting the surrounding forces.
• The cannons draw attention—and new orders for Annan’s Magic Muskets—but their extraordinary price makes the leaders balk. Their destructive potential also worries those whose authority depends on Professionals’ superiority.
• The Rat Tide’s commander sends increasing numbers of troops after the allied forces. This exposes its location to Blackwatch, whose Mage Corps attacks and kills the commander.
• Without central command, the Rat Tide falls apart. The allies exploit the confusion, pursue fleeing Ratfolk, and complete the Hunt Plan’s main objective: wiping out the vanguard.
• Annan disperses the allied troops, then uses the White Dragon to locate Ratfolk concentrations for the Hellfire Legion to hunt. Rain delays the burning of the corpses.
• On the sixth day, the Northern Great Wall recalls the allies and announces a victory feast. Annan spends the day meditating, still haunted by the sensations and sounds of battle.

Character developments and interactions

• Annan’s artillery proves both its battlefield value and its commercial appeal. He offers the cannon crew an unusually generous reward, while continuing to bargain shrewdly with the Saik Duchy’s Count over a discount.
• The Centurion is eager to use the cannons and carefully adjusts their aim; Annan’s confidence in his weapons is tempered by his impatience and awareness of their danger.
• The allied leaders admire Annan’s inventions but are uneasy about what such weapons could mean if ordinary people gained comparable power.
• Annan shifts from directing a large allied force to leading targeted sweeps with the Hellfire Legion. His exhaustion after the fighting underscores the personal toll of the campaign.

Significant themes

• Technology and changing power: Cannons and muskets can challenge traditional military hierarchies, unsettling leaders who rely on the status of elite fighters.
• Command and cohesion: The Rat Tide is formidable while organized, but its collapse after the commander’s death turns a difficult battle into a rout.
• The cost of victory: The allies prevail, yet relentless combat leaves Annan physically and mentally drained.
• Pragmatism and profit: Annan combines battlefield innovation with shrewd negotiation, treating military success and commercial opportunity as closely linked.

Plot points and events

• After drawing the Rat Tide’s attention and securing second place in the hunt, Annan realizes he cannot beat Blackwatch—but decides to investigate the first-place prize.
• At Blackwatch’s celebration, Annan negotiates trade agreements with representatives of several factions: they will gain theaters and commercial streets, while he gains profits and political influence.
• The guests discuss the spread of counterfeit Gold Narls. With the gods silent, the Wealth Church has lost much of its authority, allowing nobles to mint unofficial coins and criminals to circulate gold-coated lead.
• The Legion Commander reveals that second place earns ten portions of Mountain Essence, while first place earns a Heart of Magic, a Legendary item that improves Mages’ magical affinity across an entire Mage Tower.
• Annan asks permission to make one final trip north before the hunt ends. After the banquet, he leaves with his companions for the isolated camp, intent on extending his effort to win the prize.
• Though the camp is surrounded by rat corpses and wandering undead, Annan focuses on the Heart of Magic. He opens a Portal to the Morel Family, apparently preparing to seek help.

Character developments

• Annan is calm and strategic, turning his hunting success into both business opportunities and information about the prize.
• He shows ambition beyond personal reward: the Heart of Magic could let Free City train its own Spellcasters.
• He also displays a willingness to bend rules and take risks, thinking he can excuse himself by appealing to an elder if caught.
• The Legion Commander respects Annan’s courage, while still treating him as a junior rather than a serious competitor.

Character interactions

• Annan strikes preliminary commercial agreements with faction representatives.
• He exchanges polite praise and questions with the Legion Commander and Archmage Albek, who explain the prizes and clarify what the Heart of Magic does.
• Annan travels back to camp with the Dragon-Taming Boy Elder, Blom, Burnt Girl, and Painting Person.

Significant themes

• Order and collapse: The counterfeit-coin crisis shows how social systems weaken when the gods and their institutions lose influence.
• Ambition and public benefit: Annan’s pursuit of the prize is driven by the possibility of strengthening Free City’s magical future.
• Power, trade, and influence: Annan builds political connections through commerce while seeking a treasure that could shift the balance of magical power.