The journey from Elysium through the treacherous Malgrave Mountains to Hyparia took nearly two days.
Even with a shortcut, the path remained difficult, veiled in poisonous mist that deterred most travelers.
Yet, this very danger made it the ideal route, ensuring their approach remained undetected as they were all immune to the poison.
Though, Lloyd had opposed Claude's presence on the battlefield, arguing that a king should not expose himself to unnecessary risk.
Yet, Claude had insisted. As a ruler, he needed firsthand insight into his army's operations—where they excelled, where they faltered, and what improvements were necessary to ensure efficiency.
To facilitate movement, Claude had ordered the Dark Mages to establish teleportation points, allowing the army to advance, retreat, or resupply.
He had also tasked Samson with constructing small military outposts—strategic rest stations for knights and mages that would also secure their logistical needs.
