I’m coming,” he said. And with that, he follow behind the group. The garden was still heavy with the scent of scorched earth and broken stone when they finally moved toward the tall wrought-iron gates. High walls surrounded the entire place, their surfaces catching the faint shimmer of warding magic. But the moment they stepped out of the garden’s bounds, Ethan froze. His eyes widened in shock. An army—an actual army—stood before them. Dozens upon dozens of knights, clad in polished silver plate that gleamed under the afternoon sun, stood shoulder to shoulder in perfect formation. Each carried a long silver spear in one hand and a round, gleaming shield in the other. Their armor caught the light like mirrors, making them look almost inhuman—like a tide of metal statues ready to march. They weren’t just standing guard. Their posture, the slight lean forward, the way their shields overlapped in a wall… this was an attack stance. One command, and they would rush in like a silv