A portion of the Blue Scarf's forces had already gathered outside the castle's main gate, their battle lines spread out in overlapping layers facing the fortress.
A mass of infantry held large shields, with archers, crossbowmen, and a few catapults positioned behind them.
Farther in the distance, several different camp banners fluttered in the wind. Beneath the largest and most conspicuous one—a black banner with a red pattern—a temporary high platform had been erected at some unknown time.
Atop the high platform, one figure was particularly striking.
The man appeared to be in his forties, draped in a magnificent crimson Mage Robe. His hair and beard were both crimson, making him look as fierce as a burning flame.
Merely standing there, he naturally exuded a powerful aura that made one's heart pound.
This was none other than the "Catastrophe Mage" Horn Solar, the Tier Five Conjuration Mage ranked seventy-ninth on the Imperial Blacklist!
