Empire 1449, June 14.
East bank of Nao'an River.
On the distant blue-gray mountain peaks, a touch of silent fish-belly white brightened half the sky.
A long marching column slowly advances on the narrow dirt road of Shattered Stone Plain.
Horses neigh, crowding together, stepping and swaying alongside tired soldiers and knights.
Compared to the bright knight order flags of half a month ago, today's piles of swallow-tail flags are quite dull.
At one side of the crowded marching ranks, Knight Commander Cosme wears a sullen face.
Scanning the knights and soldiers, fatigue, disappointment, and reluctance are evident.
Since their departure in March, they carried three thousand knights, nine thousand soldiers, and a Centaur Cavalry to Golden Horn Bay, then turned towards Thorn Garden and reached Thousand River Valley.
In May, when attacking Bear Chomping Castle, their spirits were high.
