The heavy wooden wheels of the cargo wagon ground against the packed dirt of the Oakhaven Trail. Cormac wiped sweat from his brow and urged his draft horses forward. Thirty similar wagons stretched out behind him in a long line winding through the narrow valley. They carried tons of raw iron ore extracted fresh from the deep shafts of Ironhold.
Balthazar needed this specific shipment to cast the first artillery barrels in Ashguard. The master blacksmith had threatened to fire any driver who delayed the delivery. Cormac took that threat seriously and kept the convoy moving at a brutal pace. The sun beat down on the laborers as they navigated the winding dirt road connecting the two domains.
"Keep the spacing tight," Cormac yelled over his shoulder. He stood on the driver bench to see the
