Overnight, the western province of Erduke has descended into chaos, its armies fracturing and collapsing, its cities burning. The Wolf has turned its jaws back against its own.

Is there any doubt what caused General Andreas, better known as The Wolf, and the main force of his army to desert the imperial army, to turn against the empire?

Some say that a man such as Casimir, the War Leader of the Western Armies, sees his soldiers only as figures on a map of war, and knows little of the people, and what drives them. But, one would think that a military man such as Casimir would possess some understanding of the values of his men: loyalty, honor, courage. When he ordered The Wolf to turn on his ally of ten years, the Viscount Luchettai, it never crossed Casimir’s arrogant mind that The Wolf might have more loyalty to his own men, to his friend the Viscount, than Andreas did for the empire and his commanding officers. The lives of thousands are trampled under boot and slain by the sword on the relations of these three men.

Now The Wolf cuts a bloody swath across the province, headed for the Fringe, the frontier of the empire where he will do gods-know-what. Much of the army follows his resolute lead, loyal, career-soldiers willing to throw in their lot with the commander they trust. Those who chose not to, have fallen upon the vulnerable province: plundering, pillaging, turning warlord, and grasping for their own stretch of land.