The war of Verdant Lords did not erupt all at once.
It grew like a creeping vine; slow, quiet, then suddenly choking everything it touched.
At first, Korrath probed his enemy's Rootsite with raids. Small groups of biomechanical scouts, probing for weakness.
They never returned.
Then came the supply wars.
Clayton's team struck his spires. He responded by striking the Rootsite's resource lines. From the moment that Korrath's Avatar failed to kill the enemy Verdant Lord in the initial invasion, he knew that this would be a drawn-out battle.
This was the reason for his patience.
Neither side gained enough of an advantage to end the fight during the resource battle, but both drew blood.
Weeks passed.
The Forgotten Atlanta Expanse became a map of shifting shadows. Wherever Clayton's banners spread, Korrath's influence retreated. But in New Chicago, the heart of Korrath's machine pulsed stronger.
Each failure only sharpened his patience.
