The sea of Goldbiter Rats spread as far as the eye could see. They perhaps numbered in the billions, compared to the tens of thousands of men in the northern alliance.

It hardly seemed fair. Whether in number or momentum, the gulf between both sides was overwhelming. If not for great emperors barely stabilizing the defensive perimeter, the northern alliance would have collapsed already.

But even so, they were backs against the wall, tottering on the brink of defeat. There was little suspense to what would happen if the rats could open a single gap in their ranks. Carnage would ensue, pure and simple.

Each warrior was an elite who’d experienced life and death on the battlefield. It was readily apparent the dire straits they were in. The northern alliance boasted of a considerable elite force, but they...