Klaus stepped through the ruined archway with his iron sword resting casually at his side.
The forward operating base was a sprawling courtyard filled with heavy canvas tents, weapon racks, and burning iron braziers.
Over thirty elite soldiers were stationed here and they were heavily armored veterans, wearing thick, fur-lined plate mail and carrying halberds, broadswords, and crossbows.
They had survived the Haunted Winterlands so naturally they were seasoned killers but as they rushed out of their tents and formed a defensive perimeter, raising their weapons toward the lone, dark-haired intruder standing in the snow, they didn't look like veterans.
They looked like prey…
Klaus smiled.
"Skills… Just one more good one." Klaus whispered to himself.
He didn't wait for them to charge. Klaus blurred into motion, using a burst of wind magic to launch himself directly into the center of the closest infantry formation.
"Fire!" a commanding officer yelled from the back.
