Blood and Belief

Sevrin announces another grand ritual requiring twelve volunteer sacrifices in exchange for six hours of invincibility. Twelve soldiers volunteer, including those with nothing left to lose. The ritual is horrifying - twelve throats cut, blood ignited, power distributed.

Weeks of skirmishes and patrols grind the squad down. They capture a Karthian prisoner named Edric, a seventeen-year-old conscript who reveals both sides believe the other worships demons. Cael has a private conversation with Edric realizing they're mirror images.

Cardinal-General Corven presents a controversial proposal to the Council of Nine to use demon summoning against Valorheim's blood mages. The vote passes 5-4, with dissenters ordered eliminated.

First major battle against Karthian forces. Sevrin performs an amplification ritual, boosting the blood magic blessing to superhuman levels. The battle is brutal but Valorheim holds through enhanced strength. Aldric is wounded by a Karthian officer but Mira saves him.

The army discovers Thornhaven's devastation firsthand - burned buildings and civilian corpses including a young girl clutching a doll. Cael's squad buries the dead and volunteers for a night raid on Karthian scouts.

The army marches south toward war. Cael's squad bonds further during the grueling march. Mira reveals her tragic backstory: bandits destroyed her village two years ago and she spent six months hunting them down.

Cael's squad adapts to military life as training intensifies. They witness Mage-Captain Sevrin perform a blood magic ritual sacrificing a bull to enhance the army. The soldiers receive a blessing that grants unnatural warmth and strength.

Cael, a sailor conscripted into Valorheim's Army of the Northern March, endures brutal first-day training. He meets his squadmates: Mira (survivor), Aldric (hunter), Petyr (terrified baker's son), Elara (seamstress), and Roth (branded deserter).

Cardinal-General Corven presents a controversial proposal to the Council of Nine to use demon summoning against Valorheim's blood mages. The vote passes 5-4, with dissenters ordered eliminated. That night, Corven performs the first summoning ritual, making contact with a demonic entity that...