When Lara returned to the infirmary, it was overflowing with the wounded. The air was thick with the sharp tang of blood and herbs, mingling with the low groans of soldiers in pain. The two larger tents, once used as barracks, had been hastily converted back into medical stations. Canvas flaps hung open, revealing rows of men lying on makeshift cots, their bodies broken and battered.
Though the battle at the front had ended with the retreat of the Estalis forces, the fighting raged on to the east, west, and north.
General Odin had already diverted troops to the western front, where Northem forces had taken to the edge of the mountain, using the rocky terrain as shield and vantage point. Defeating them was proving difficult — they could vanish into the foothills, regroup, and strike again like shadows slipping through the cracks.
