Dawn broke over the ruined fortress. Smoke drifted lazily from the shattered gates to coat the courtyard in a grey haze. Local soldiers moved swiftly through the rubble to secure the perimeter and organize the aftermath.
Aaron stood near the center of the courtyard. He drove his greatsword into the cracked stone and began directing the cleanup efforts.
"Secure those prisoners!" Aaron barked. He pointed toward a huddled group of surviving Fourth Continent soldiers. "Strip their armor and bind them with heavy iron. I want them separated by rank for interrogation."
Kingdom Knights roughly hauled the captives to their feet, tossing aside the enemy insignias before forcing them toward the lower dungeons. Medics rushed past the prisoners with stretchers to carry the wounded toward a makeshift triage center near the eastern barracks. Healing magic pulsed softly through the morning air as clerics tended to the injured.
