Far from the cheers of academy tournaments and ambitious youths chasing glory, another stage was being prepared.
A far deadlier one, a real war.
Across the northern roads of Krynova Kingdom, columns of soldiers marched beneath fluttering banners.
Supply wagons stretched for miles. Blacksmiths worked without rest. Horses were shod day and night.
Grain, steel, arrows, medicine, and siege equipment flowed toward the frontier like rivers feeding a sea.
An army was gathering, a large one.
Perhaps, the largest gathered by Krynova in very long years.
The roads leading toward Handh City were crowded with soldiers carrying shields and spears.
Tens of thousands and more arrived every day.
The kingdom moved with frightening efficiency. As if it had spent years preparing for this exact moment.
Handh City stood at the northwestern border of Krynova.
A fortress city, an impregnable military base and command center.
