War does not destroy you all at once.
It wears you down—
Until you forget what strength feels like.
The days after Draven’s death blur together.
There is no time to grieve.
No space to breathe.
Only war.
Attacks come relentlessly now.
Not just from one direction—
From everywhere.
Northern borders fall under constant pressure.
Eastern supply routes are cut off again.
Small packs begin to retreat… or disappear entirely.
“They’re spreading us thin,” Kael says, staring at the map inside the command tent.
Red markings cover nearly every territory.
Aria stands across from him, silent.
She sees it.
The pattern.
This isn’t chaos.
It’s control.
Malrik is no longer testing them.
He’s breaking them.
“We’re losing ground,” one commander admits.
Another steps forward.
“We don’t
