Rakahn advanced at the head of his men, moving with soft, calculated steps through twisted trees and thorny bushes. A dense mist cloaked their path, concealing their movements as they slipped through the forest, still shrouded in the shadows of dawn.
His men, weary from recent battles, had received strict orders: no murmuring, no breaking of branches, not even a breath too loud.
They couldn't afford a single misstep.
Several paces ahead, Rakahn knelt behind a thick bush, watching the forest road where enemy reinforcements were expected to pass. His eyes swept over the darkness with a focused intensity, searching for the faintest sign.
His hand tightened on the hilt of his weapon, his thumb grazing the metal as if preparing himself mentally for the attack.
