Leo leaned against the stone balustrade of the high balcony overlooking the outer fields of Ashguard. The morning sun climbed above the eastern peaks and cast harsh light across the sprawling training grounds. Down in the dirt ten thousand soldiers moved as a single living organism.
Captain Alden stood on a raised wooden platform in the center of the field. The captain did not carry a whip or a cane. He held his dark runic longsword and watched his infantry with a critical eye.
"Lock the line," Alden shouted. His voice carried across the open expanse without a hint of strain.
Ten thousand heavy kite shields slammed together in perfect unison. The matte grey steel did not reflect the morning sun. The runic metal absorbed the light and created a dark impenetrable wall that stretched acros
