The adventurers from the palace retreated past the barricade to the rear. The guards they passed through had been ordered to hold the line until the adventurers' wounds could be healed.
Once the adventurers had passed through the opening in the barricade, it was immediately filled up again with planks and other debris.
Nobody else remained in front of the barricade. This meant that this was the frontline.
Looking back, the guards could see the ragged adventurers as they limped towards the rear. Fresh claw and scorch marks adorned their armor, as did the sprays of fresh blood.
Further behind that was the wall of fire burning in the background. They had penetrated roughly 150 meters into enemy territory. Indeed, judging by the dread that the once-familiar capital had inspired in them, it felt like a foreboding, alien world; enemy territory indeed.
The adventurers had spent time looting the surrounding houses and tearing parts of them down to form a barricade. The guards had thought it would be an useful obstacle, but now it seemed puny and insignificant. It felt like it would crumble at the first sign of serious resistance.