“How far ahead are they now...?”

  Sibonen squinted into the foggy dawn. The enemy must’ve reached the boulder clearing by now. Their survival depended on how fast they'd run.

  “Atari, can you make a bridge here? It looks narrow enough.”

  Thankfully, the swamp had narrowed, and Atari nodded weakly.

  “To light our path… Pons Lucidus!”

  As the spell completed, a shimmering bridge appeared. The light wasn’t as bright in the morning mist—just enough to not give away their position.

  “Cross first, Sibonen. We’ll cover you. Once everyone’s over, we’ll follow.”

  Sibonen nodded. Jalsen stayed behind with Isrin, while Atari and Izi crossed first.

  Without warning, arrows flew in from the distance. Isrin dodged, stumbling with a hiss of breath.

  “Are you alright?” Sibonen asked.

  She nodded curtly.

  Sibonen gnced back—the first two were across. He gestured, and Jalsen helped Isrin onto the bridge.

  Sibonen backed across st, eyes fixed forward as dark shapes emerged in the distance.

  Jensen. Baku. And others in bck.

  “Not good. We have to run.”

  “Go—now!” he shouted.

  The enemy paused, then loosed a volley of arrows.

  Jalsen deflected one, but staggered and fell.

  “Run!” he shouted, blood soaking his shirt.

  Isrin and Sibonen didn’t look back.

  When they did, Jalsen was still standing in the swamp, sword drawn, already hit.

  “Keep running,” he said softly, smiling faintly.

  Atari looked back, biting his lip, and let the bridge vanish.

  Only four remained. Wounded. Running.

  They didn't see Jalsen fall—but they heard his scream.

  They found a cave. Sibonen and Isrin cleared it, bdes out.

  No sign of life. Good.

  “We’ll rest here,” Sibonen said. “I’ll stand watch.”

  He stepped outside, scanning the horizon.

  So many dead… but he died for us. For us.

  Sibonen clenched his fists.

  “Hey… are you alright?”

  Isrin came out and stood beside him.

  “That man… he gave his life for us.”

  Sibonen nodded silently.

  “Are you sad because of him?” she asked softly.

  Again, Sibonen nodded. Isrin stepped closer and gently embraced him.

  “You always act so cold… but seeing someone die in front of you—it hurts, doesn’t it?”

  Sibonen didn’t resist. He closed his eyes and leaned into her warmth.

  “His name was Jalsen,” he said. “He was Code D… probably didn’t expect it to end this way.”

  Isrin stroked his hair gently.

  “You saved the rest of us, Sibonen. Thank you.”

  He looked down. He couldn’t afford to break down.

  I’ll protect them. Isrin… all of them. I promise.

  “Is Code B’s strength well known in the merchant corps?” he asked suddenly.

  Isrin smiled faintly. “Yes. You’re new, but most know who they are.”

  Sibonen hesitated, then asked, “Can our communicator repy recent messages?”

  “Hm… maybe ten seconds,” Isrin replied.

  That was enough.

  “Let’s let them hear that Code B is coming. If Jensen or Baku hears it…”

  It was a gamble—but one worth taking.

  “They’ll believe we’re fleeing toward reinforcements,” Sibonen said.

  “And while they waste time chasing phantoms… we’ll prepare for the final strike.”

  Back in the cave, he expined the pn to Izi and Atari.

  “I like it,” Izi said. “Let’s fool them.”

  Atari was getting worse. Sibonen prepared to carry him if needed.

  They lit a fire, pced the communicator where it could be seen, then cracked it slightly—like someone had dropped it while fleeing.

  Then they moved to a nearby hill.

  If they see the fire, hear the signal… they’ll backtrack to check the cave.

  “Are you alright, Ma’am Izi?” Sibonen asked.

  Izi lifted her shirt slightly, showing blood-soaked bandages.

  “Looks bad, I know. But I’m fine.”

  Sibonen didn’t fully believe her, but Izi never fell behind—not once. That was enough for now.

  Atari, on the other hand, was barely hanging on.

  “Honestly… dying back there might’ve been easier,” he muttered.

  “Hold on, Atari,” Sibonen whispered. “Code B’s coming. They’ll fix this.”

  “Maybe… but I…”

  Atari didn’t finish his sentence.

  “We don’t have many bolts left,” Isrin said.

  “If we’re found, we all fight.”

  Izi nodded. “Don’t worry. I won’t slow you down.”

  They y ft against the earth, hiding among the dense jungle growth.

  No movement. No scouts. Maybe they’d made it further than expected.

  Still—if the enemy didn’t see the fire, they might skip the cave entirely.

  If we st till evening… maybe they’ll miss us again.

  Atari was gasping. He couldn’t even lie down properly anymore.

  “If too many of them come…” Atari said hoarsely,

  “then all of you—run. Leave me.”

  Sibonen tried to protest, but Izi answered first.

  “Alright. If it comes to that, we’ll go. But if we do—hold them off for us, yeah?”

  Atari nodded. His face was pale, soaked with sweat.

  “I won’t let them take me alive,” he muttered.

  “No one dies captured,” Izi said grimly.

  “Survival is the mission.”

  Sibonen nodded, face set.

  Then—Jensen’s voice echoed in the distance.

  “They went that way! After them!”

  Sibonen allowed himself a breath.

  They took the bait.

  “They may be fooled,” Izi warned. “But don’t rex. Code C’s trained. Someone might still sweep the area.”

  Everyone nodded and gripped their weapons.

  Sibonen and Isrin loaded their st bolts.