I had seen fortresses before; from tiny things that were barely a single tower to those that were small villages unto themselves.
Even before I was close enough to see the battle damage, I knew I was looking at a disaster. The whole thing was of wood, the wards were... perhaps not improperly done, but certainly not made to last. Someone had started growing sylvan douseweed along the base, and it had sent roots into the ward magic to aid its own growth.
The walls rose some sixty, perhaps seventy feet sheer upward, the squared towers another twenty feet above that. But there were no machicolations, and the blind spots... were obvious. There were no mounts on the walls for heavy weapons, and those atop the towers had limited lines of sight.
Okay, I didn't want to start this volume without at least reaching the halfway point of Servant of the Axe. However, I have received too many questions about when the main character will "become strong".
This is THAT point in the timeline.
I will, of course, continue writing Servant of the Axe, intending a one-for-one chapter between these story and that one.
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As always, thank you for your readership! It matters to me more than I can put into words.