The royal map room of Aethelgard bathed the surrounding faces in a cold blue glow. King Voranthar leaned over the massive crystalline table. Dozens of ministers, high lords, and royal mages stood around the perimeter to watch the holographic projection of the Third Continent.
Two radiant golden beacons blinked steadily on the eastern edge of the map. They represented Chris and Megan.
"They cornered the Vanguard," a royal mage reported, dragging a finger across a secondary rune plate. "The enemy force is trapped in the eastern desert basin."
Voranthar nodded once. He watched the golden beacons pulse. The invasion of the Second Continent had been a complete military disaster, but the Heralds would fix the momentum here.
Without warning, the two golden lights flickered wildly. They shrank into pinpricks of dull grey and vanished from the crystal map entirely.
The room fell completely silent.
