One of the Nightwind Family's barracks stood on an open stretch of ground east of the fortress, only a few hundred paces from the bastion walls.
The ground had been leveled by hand, and permanent walls had been built around it. With towers and ballistae positioned along the perimeter, it was practically a small fortress.
The barracks were divided into several areas with clearly defined functions. Crossbow-bearing sentries stood atop the towers, while patrols below the walls changed shifts almost every half hour.
Farther inside lay the soldiers' quarters. Rows of stone longhouses had a thick layer of funguswood planks lining their walls for insulation.
As soldiers of the Nightwind Family, the Drow warriors did not have to live in tents or cram several people onto communal beds like human armies on the Surface. Each had a room of their own. Corridors inside each elven longhouse divided the interior into twenty or thirty separate rooms.
At the far end of the quarters stood the armory and repair workshop, its chimney belching thick black smoke.
At the center of the barracks lay a broad open space filled with wooden training posts and humanoid targets, along with more than a dozen small, fenced-off training grounds.
The Weapon Master walked ahead. Renato had no idea how he managed to wear a full suit of scale plate armor without his boots making a sound.
Every family warrior who was training or chatting immediately put down whatever they were holding when they saw Aknath approach, placing their right hand over their chest in salute to the Weapon Master.
Listening to Aknath's occasional explanations, Renato was certain that his stealth skills were exceptionally advanced. He was no amateur taking shortcuts with Silence magic.
Renato was not surprised by Aknath's immense prestige in the army. After all,