This time, Miro knew, without a doubt, that what he was doing was right.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Marshal Beorn said.

"Undoubtedly," Miro said, feeling the wind sting his eyes as he gazed out at the great city, far away, but unmistakeably in view.

"Can you see the spires of the Terra Cathedral?" Beorn asked.

"The four tall towers, near the dome in the north?"

Beorn laughed. "Your eyes are better than mine. But yes, that's it. Ralanast lies before us."

"Lord of the Sky, we've come a long way."

"That we have, Lord Marshal." Beorn peered intently at the horizon. "That we have," he said again, scratching at his beard.

There were three factors, without which, they would never have been standing here.

The ironmen had proven to be invaluable, tough enough to push through places where the explosions of prismatic orbs made the approach of men in light armour suicidal. At Carnathion, the glowing constructs smashed through the enemy, preventing a near-disaster when eight imperial avengers tore through Miro's pikemen, and at Goldhaven the walls that the Black Army boasted were unbreakable were broken.

More decisive still were the archers. Miro used his two divisions — one comprised of Dunfolk with hunting bows, the other made up of Alturans with rail-bows — like pieces in a war game, the lines and strategies of the simulator constant in his mind. He destroyed the enemy's mortar teams at Norcia, and routed the legion — the imperial legion! — at Cortona Gap. He quickly realised his bowmen's weakness was close combat, and invented new tactics as he went along: the running line, the forked envelopment, and the rearguard folly.

The third factor was the greatest of all, and without it the liberation of Halaran would have come to naught, no matter Miro's skill or that of those under his command.

The people of Halaran were rising up.

For many in Miro's army this wasn't a journey, it was a homecoming. The Halrana who had fled their home at the battle at the Bridge of Sutanesta were now making good on their vows to return. Many were from Ralanast, but many were also from the towns the allied army was liberating: Carnathion, Norcia, Goldhaven, Lonessa, Sallat…

As the Black Army fled before them, Miro's men entered each town to a hero's welcome. Flowers were thrown in the streets and people openly wept tears of joy. Singing and dancing carried on into the dawn, and as the Halrana under Miro's command were reunited with their families, even Miro felt tears come to his eyes.

He always gave these Halrana the day and night to spend with their families, and to Miro's pleased surprise the soldiers always returned to his command. Miro always gave a speech to the townsfolk, in particular directed to those men who had survived the depredations of occupation.

When they left each town, every man who could hold a sword came with them.