The Grand Square of Astraia had never seen a gathering of this magnitude. Beneath the scorching afternoon sun, the white cobblestones were entirely hidden by a sea of black iron and polished steel. Twenty thousand soldiers stood in perfect, terrifying formation, their breathing synchronized into a low, rhythmic hum that vibrated through the surrounding buildings. The air was thick with the scent of gun oil, fresh leather, and the heavy musk of the sub-human vanguard that occupied the western flank. It was a tableau of absolute military might, a physical manifestation of an ambition that had outgrown the borders of a single kingdom.
"The logistics were a nightmare, but the result is undeniable," Lyra said, leaning toward Constantine as they stood upon the high marble dais. "Every man in th
