Captain Varran managed to guide his group through the frozen corridor without a single loss, his steady voice and iron composure keeping the soldiers calm as they stepped through each spatial gate and emerged safely on the far side, and less than seven hours later, Commander Alexander followed with equal success, his disciplined formation moving with practiced precision as the ice lined passage held firm beneath the reinforced essence that pulsed quietly through the tunnel walls.
The army on the far side had barely finished reorganizing when it became time for the fourth group to move, and Henrietta took her place at the front with a calm expression that hid her vigilance, her hand resting lightly on the saddle as she gave her final instructions to the cultivators and soldiers behind her, reminding them to keep close and to trust the path that had been carved for them.
