Sha, Telekelem Daran, and Tas-son-Dar travel with a caravan from Kholinar to the Shattered Plains. After weeks on the road, the caravan camps in a ravine for safety, but a sudden bandit attack throws everything into chaos.

Sha attempts a stealth strike but is forced back. Telekelem Daran joins the defence but retreats when the line collapses. Tas-son-Dar reaches Brightlady Ralanat and her assistant Zinden, who are preparing to flee; she hires him to help carry supplies, though he is soon separated from them.

The Kholin soldiers rally briefly—until a mysterious Shardbearer in black armour appears. The warrior cuts through soldiers with ease, then destroys a cliffside barrier, triggering a deadly rockslide. The caravan is devastated, and the three companions barely escape.

With the attackers gone, the survivors regroup. Telekelem Daran manages to rally the remaining soldiers to protect the civilians. Sha and Tas-son-Dar scavenge supplies, though the broken bow they find cannot be repaired. Around the fire, the three share their backgrounds and reasons for traveling.

At dawn, Velin, the acting captain, asks the party to seek help from another Kholin caravan headed toward Covenant Stone Crossroads. After gathering what gear remains, the group sets out.

On the road, they rescue a wounded Shin man named Taszo from two axehounds. Grateful, he hires the party as bodyguards to help him complete an important mission to the Shattered Plains.

Their next destination: Covenant Stone Crossroads, and from there, the war camps.