Thar moved along the secondary road at a steady, ground-eating pace. The region under his direct protection still lay several hours ahead, and every delay increased the chance that the widening tears would reach it before he did. Reports had already confirmed structured breaches in neighboring territories. The refined entities—the intelligent ones capable of strategy and coordinated violence—were the true threat. Anything less had to be measured against the greater responsibility he carried.
Then the screams reached him.
