“How did this happen…?”

  Atari spoke with difficulty, his eyes still closed, voice barely audible.

  Sibonen knelt beside him. “It was betrayal. Jensen and Baku turned against us.”

  Atari didn't respond. His trembling body y still, drained and defeated.

  “I’ve known them for ten years…”

  Atari's voice cracked as he said it. Sibonen had no words. Too much had happened in a single day.

  They were lucky to be alive, but most of the expedition was either dead or had turned.

  If they start sweeping the area… we’ll be caught within hours.

  As that thought crossed his mind, a whisper came from below.

  “Sibonen.”

  He peeked over the boulder’s edge. Below were Izi, Isrin, and a surviving Code D member.

  They regrouped under the rock formation, hidden from view. Movement was dangerous, so they prepared to dig in.

  “It’s too risky to move before dawn,” Sibonen whispered.

  “Let’s set up an ambush instead.”

  He rummaged through his pack. They needed to turn this boulder into a fortress.

  “You’re surprisingly calm. Been through this kind of thing before?” Izi asked.

  Sibonen shook his head. “I served in the military. But not like this.”

  He checked Izi’s wounds—deep, serious. Could they even escape with two critically injured?

  “Isrin, didn’t we bring a communicator?”

  Isrin hesitated. “It’s in the horse’s pack… wait, do you have one?”

  Sibonen pulled out a belt-sized communicator from his pouch.

  “I have one. I don’t know how to use it though.”

  Isrin took over, activating the device. A faint glow appeared, and she quickly covered it with her cloak.

  “Even if it connects… will anyone answer this te?”

  As she spoke, a voice came through immediately.

  “This is Riche from the Field Division. What happened?”

  Isrin quickly updated her.

  While she expined, Sibonen asked the remaining Code D member to help him rig magical fire traps below the boulder.

  “What’s your name?” Sibonen asked.

  The man smiled. “Jalsen. First deployment... not exactly what I expected.”

  Together, they rigged traps and poured oil around the kill zone.

  It wasn’t enough for a full squad, but it could buy time.

  “If they approach from there,” Sibonen said, pointing, “throw this.”

  He handed Jalsen an explosive magic orb.

  “We’re the only ones who can fight. The others are injured. We hold them off as long as we can.”

  Jalsen nodded grimly.

  “I’ll join the fight after the first strike. We buy time for the wounded to escape.”

  “If it’s just four enemies, we stand a chance,” Sibonen added.

  “Let’s trust our luck. It’s all we’ve got.”

  Jalsen left to scout the path. Sibonen climbed back to the others.

  “Come here,” Isrin said.

  From the communicator, Riche’s voice was soft but sharp.

  “I’m sorry I sent you into this. I’m dispatching Code B. Just hold on. Is Izi with you?”

  “I’m here,” Izi replied.

  A pause.

  “If anything happens to any of you, I’ll rip someone apart myself,” Riche said.

  “I’ll come in person.”

  “Don’t worry,” Izi answered. “We’ll hold. See you soon.”

  The line went silent.

  “Code B’s coming,” Isrin said. “That changes everything.”

  Sibonen blinked. “Are they strong?”

  Isrin expined:

  Only five members. A special recon team, unlike Code C’s rger force.

  Their job: advance scouting and guerril tactics.

  Even knowing that, survival until they arrived was a big ask.

  It would take them at least three days to reach them.

  “I don’t care who it is,” Sibonen muttered. “As long as someone comes.”

  Dawn neared. Light slowly returned to the nd—and with it, danger.

  “We should move at first light,” Sibonen said.

  “Atari, can you walk?”

  Atari nodded weakly. Only a few healing orbs remained in their packs.

  “I’ll fight if I must,” Izi muttered. But Sibonen could tell—she wasn’t ready.

  Just then, a rustle.

  Movement in the brush. Enemy scouts.

  Sibonen froze.

  No time. No real soldiers left.

  “Four approaching,” Isrin said, eyes narrowed. “ETA... about 75 seconds.”

  Sibonen readied his crossbow. Jalsen was in position.

  Let’s hope he holds up.

  Atari began chanting softly.

  The enemy crept forward, unaware of the trap.

  Now.

  Sibonen’s bolt struck the ground near them—igniting the oil-soaked magic orb.

  “Gahhh!”

  One of the bck-cd scouts screamed in fme.

  Then Jalsen hurled the explosive orb.

  Boom!

  The fire roared—and then, magic.

  “By fire’s will… Fmma Trepida!”

  Atari’s voice cracked like thunder. Fmes surged forward.

  When silence returned, no one moved below.

  “Let’s go. Jalsen, move!”

  They ran behind the boulders, weapons drawn just in case.

  Atari halted, panting.

  “If we head toward the swamp… we’ll meet Code B faster…”

  Everyone nodded. Atari’s condition worsened with every step.

  “Too many enemies,” Sibonen muttered. “We need to retreat to where we can regroup.”

  If enemies neared the swamp, Atari would build a bridge—one st trick to escape.

  Now, all they could do was stay out of sight…

  And pray.