A mysterious enemy from the depths of the forest… no, not defeated—yet but no longer going to get in my way. The dark aspect is no longer a danger. My dominions now extend both beyond the river and all the way to the distant Moscow ruler, who closely watches the successes of the young prince Kostrov. In the armory shed, an ancient machine slowly comes back to life—something that can give me, if not power over the Borderlands, then at least strength—and with that strength, I will have to be reckoned with.
Everyone—from neighbors who clearly have no intention of forgetting their plans—will have to deal with me, even though I have already interfered with them more than once. War is inevitable, but soon everyone who lives south of the Neva will face something worse than enmity between themselves. Because they are only now going to learn what I’ve known for a long time.
The taiga is waking up—and it is hungry.