Synopsis

The chapter opens with Deon Hart, the Empire's hero, facing an internal conflict while injured in battle. Meanwhile, opportunistic enemies see his weakened state as a chance for rewards, while a separate group is dispatched on an expedition at the border with ulterior motives. Deon is then attacked by assassins, further revealing that there are powerful forces working against him, forcing his immediate subordinates to protect him. His true nature as more than a hero is further alluded to.