Plot
Field Marshal Tamas presses his army across the Kez border, striking fast and sharp, where his confidence in rapid maneuvers secures early triumphs in his forward drive that stretches supply lines thinner than expected. Momentum falters when a sudden Kez counterattack cuts him off from his main force; left with only a fraction of his men, he must retreat through hostile territory, hounded by a superior foe. Soldiers remain by his side despite hunger and fatigue, clinging to his reputation and the belief that he can bring them home, while Tamas enforces discipline, using ambushes, rapid marches, and blackening tricks to outpace his pursuers.
Back in Adro, Taniel Two-Shot struggles after surviving his clash with Kresimir, and while doubt eats at him, his trust in Ka-poel, the darkening girl who never speaks, grows stronger, for she remains an anchor through hardship. With little support, Taniel is tasked with holding a battle mountain pass against enemy forces that should overwhelm him; his rifle work and Ka-poel's uncanny powers form the thin line that keeps the enemy contained.
Adamat hunts for his kidnapped family, a search that forces him into the darkest alleys of the capital, where he faces exile, intimidation, and threats at every corner as criminals and opportunists block his path. Desperation drives him to strike uneasy bargains, and with every step, he wonders who can truly be trusted as he presses forward, unwilling to abandon those he loves.
In Kez, Tamas's army dwindles as starvation and exhaustion claim many, ambushes cut into their numbers, and hope wanes, when the battered column pushes onward. Tamas becomes both commander and guardian, urging them with promises of safety if they endure; his name and stubborn drive keep them together when all else could scatter them.
Far from his column, Taniel and Ka-poel face trials of their own as Kresimir, wounded but not defeated, rises again, his fury felt across the land. Taniel clings to his gunpowder, defying forces far greater than mortal strength should resist, while Ka-poel's sorcery weaves through the struggle, guiding his hand when his own will falters.
Adamat edges closer to his family's captor, his quest uncovering ruthless games inside the capital where manipulation runs unchecked; he knows hesitation may cost his wife and son their lives, and so he endures each blow with grim determination.
As Tamas nears the Adran border with his soldiers staggering on their last reserves, he rallies the remnants, turning broken stragglers into raiders who bite back against their pursuers, their pride flaring again to push them homeward.
Taniel's stand at the pass grows into legend; outnumbered beyond measure, he fights until his body nearly fails him, with Ka-poel's presence shielding him from collapse as her magic twists the flow of battle just enough to hold the line.
Adamat reaches his family, scarred but unwilling to let despair win. Tamas returns across the border, marked by hardship yet still standing, and Taniel, weary to the bone, refuses to yield. The campaign leaves Adro scarred but unbowed, its people steeled for trials still to come.
