The clouds above the Three-Stone Plains gradually parted, and sunlight spilled over the snowfields, bringing a trace of warmth to winter.
The steel behemoth named Boundary Stone belched black smoke. Its tracks and mechanical legs crushed the frozen earth, its rumbling shaking snow from the treetops.
Behind it, Prince Wilander's troops pursued at full speed across the snowfields.
Warhorses neighed, and wheels bounced over the frozen ground.
The prince rode with his brow tightly furrowed, staring at the broad trail carved by the tracks ahead.
"Too fast."
The general beside him reined in his horse. "I don't know what's gotten into Hector. He suddenly began marching at full speed this morning. Your Highness, something's wrong. Unless someone's waiting to receive him up ahead, this is suicide."
Wilander said nothing. His thoughts kept returning to that isolated force. If Hector really had linked up with the Empire's main army, then Veylin was probably already...
"Your Highness! Something's happened at the center!"
A messenger galloped up from behind. "Miss Caroline requests your immediate presence! She said... she said we have a guest!"
Wilander perked up and sharply turned his horse around.
What greeted them, however, was a rare, relaxed smile on Caroline's face.
Following her gaze, everyone was astonished to discover that the Half-Dwarf who should have been far away at the Silver Vein River was now sprawled without a shred of dignity on a carriage's driver's seat.
Wrapped in an oil-stained leather jacket, with ice crusting his beard, he tipped his head back and poured liquor into his mouth.
Seeing the prince approach, he casually wiped his mouth and let out a loud, drunken belch.
"Well, hello, Your Highness."
Ora Stonebeard grinned, revealing uneven yellow teeth. His large hands patted the carriage beneath him. "You're moving pretty fast. Almost couldn't find