Under normal circumstances, Allen would not open the Simulator while on the march.
The simulation consumed a great deal of his mental energy. If it lasted too long, he could barely endure one session, but two would give him a splitting headache, and three would send him into a deep sleep.
Running simulations on consecutive days would make him sleep even longer, with extremely dangerous consequences. There had been occasions when he slept for an entire day and night.
He commanded an army and ruled a nation. This had been tolerable when he managed a village, but now it could not be allowed to happen. It would cause tremendous confusion.
Thus, Allen generally avoided simulations when he was busy with other affairs.
But something unexpected happened just as the column entered Nindalf.
Spring had arrived, bringing warmth and blossoms. The snow in the Misty Mountains was melting rapidly, and vast quantities of meltwater flowed into several rivers before finally joining the Anduin River, raising its water level.
As the surging river passed through Nindalf, it flooded many of the shallows that had previously been fordable, especially in North Nindalf.
After scouting the area, they found only one or two places where the army could cross. Those passages were extremely narrow, and getting several thousand troops across would take a long time.
For safety's sake, Allen sent several cavalry squads to scout South Nindalf and see what conditions were like there.
He also planned to rest here himself, waiting for all his companions to gather before continuing their discussion of what to do next.
The southbound force did not travel as a single group. To improve their scouting coverage and keep communications swift, Allen's human contingent took the lead. Allen himself was the fastest member of the entire force, and Klethi