War breaks out in the far north, as the Empire's oppression of the mountain people results in a terrifying backlash. With the one competent leader in the Northern Garrison assassinated, the ignorant garrison commander flings the troops headlong into a highly defended, mountainous position, with disastrous results.  Ikta and his friends are kept as part of the reserves for now, but it won't be long until they're thrust into the war as well.
Without these two types,
،من دون هذين النّوعين
Ohne diese beiden Typen
Sin estos dos tipos,
Sin estos dos tipos,
Sans eux, les Shinaak
perdent leur force militaire.
La mancanza di questi due tipi
li renderà molto meno temibili in battaglia.
Sem esses dois, a força de
 ataque deles despenca.
А без них синакцы куда слабее на поле боя.