Night settled over the borderlands, draping the jagged landscape in a heavy blanket of obsidian and silver.
The Iron Swords had established camp in a small clearing near the road, sheltered from the wind by a ring of boulders. In the center, a campfire in the shape of a star lay burned low and steady. The logs were arranged like the spokes of a wheel, feeding into a central heart of flame that provided maximum warmth with minimal fuel.
The merchant and his wife slept near the heat under a tent, exhausted by the day's terror.
But their daughter remained awake. She sat wrapped in a blanket, her eyes wide and fixed on the darkness beyond the light, flinching at the snap of every twig.
Milo sat across from her. He saw the tremor in her hands.
He lit his Summoner's Mark.
His lynx summon materialized from the darkness behind him. It formed as a small, plush Beast of soft fur and petite stature. It padded across the dirt, shrinking until it was the size of a house cat.
Milo twitched his finger. A moth made of shadow fluttered from his sleeve. The lynx pounced, batting at the moth with exaggerated clumsiness, tumbling over its own paws.
The daughter blinked. Then, a small, cute giggle escaped her lips. She reached out, her fingers brushing its fur. The lynx sat on the girl's lap, purring a resonant vibration.
Vera walked over to Milo, holding a water bottle. She sat down on the log next to Milo, the sound of her armor creaking.
"Drink," she said. "You look like a dried prune."
"Thanks." Milo took it, his hand trembling slightly. He took a long pull of the cold water, relaxing as the liquid hit his stomach.
Vera watched him. Her eyes turned to his shoulder. The skin around his Summoner's Mark was red and irritated, searing with a faint glow.
"You're cooking your Mark," Vera said, her voice low enough not to disturb the girl. "That Soul Sear isn't a joke. Keeping a manifestation active for no reason? You are burning mana you don't have."
Milo lowered the canteen. He watched the girl bury her face in the lynx's shadowy flank, her breathing finally evening out.
"It stings a little." Milo wiped his mouth. "But look at her, Vera. She stopped shaking."
He offered a tired, lopsided grin.
"It's a fair trade."
———
Midnight arrived, bringing a deeper cold to the high plains.
Olin sat perched on a high rock overlooking the camp, his silhouette framed against the moon. His attention fixed on a glowing holographic book hovering near his face, keeping a silent vigil.
By the embers of the fire, Regius sat on a flat stone. His eyes moved left and right, his fingers dragging on his holographic screen. He was sorting the inventory projected from his Sigil Link. Sorting through the materials, his equipment, and his necessities.
Vera and Milo sat opposite him, nursing mugs of heated tea.
The adrenaline of the rescue had faded, leaving behind the raw, honest exhaustion that only came after.
"That was reckless," Vera said, breaking the silence. She was looking at the fire, but her words were aimed at Milo. "Shadow stepping three people without a break? You nearly killed yourself out there."
"I had to," Milo said, staring into his mug. "The roots were snapping. If I waited, we would be paste at the bottom of the ravine."
"Well, I would have done the same," Vera said, her voice softening. "Knowing that I can do something, I won't turn a blind eye."
She looked up at Regius.
"But you... you thought about it, didn't you, Boss?"
Regius didn't look up from his screen. His finger swiped a stack of rations.
"You let us go down there because you knew he could do it. Because Milo is good enough."
Regius paused. He closed the inventory with a flick of his wrist, the holographic light vanishing. He looked across the fire at his squad. The violet hue of his eyes appeared almost black in the low light.
"I trusted Milo to handle the rescue. But I also calculated the risk of it all."
"So, if the odds were bad..." Vera leaned forward. "You'd leave them?"
"If saving them meant burying one of you?" Regius met her gaze, his expression unyielding. "Yes. Without hesitation."
Milo shifted on the log, the tea warm in his hands. "Boss, that's—"
"Cruel?" Regius cut him off. "Maybe. But my duty is to you guys. The world is full of people falling off cliffs, Milo. I will try, but I can't save them all. To keep you guys alive is my priority."
Vera shook her head, a wry smile touching her lips.
"Even if I sacrifice my life saving a large family in a burning building, you still won't allow it?"
"Nope."
"Sigh," Vera leaned back, looking up at the stars. "You never change in that way. You're cold, Boss. But I guess that's why we're still breathing."
Milo looked at Regius. He saw a fierce, possessive loyalty—a wall built of ice to keep the fire inside from burning out.
"I appreciate it," Milo said quietly. "But I'm glad we stopped to help."
Regius picked up a stick and poked the fire, sending sparks spiraling into the dark.
"So am I, Milo. So am I…"
———
Morning broke over the borderlands with blinding clarity. The sun burned away the mist clinging to the rocks, revealing the stark beauty of the jagged landscape.
The sound of heavy engines heralded the arrival of a passing guild convoy.
Olin had flagged them down at dawn. They were massive, armored transports—six connected trailers hovering on heavy-duty repulsors, guarded by a dozen mercenaries.
Regius stood by the lead vehicle, negotiating with the leader of the convoy, a burly man with a prosthetic eye.
"We can take them," he grunted, looking at the huddled merchant family. "But space is tight. And rations aren't free. Five hundred credits."
It was extortionate. The merchant looked at his feet, his face pale. He had lost his vehicle and everything in it; he didn't have five credits, let alone five hundred.
Milo stepped in between them.
"Done," Milo said.
He tapped his Sigil Link against the leader's.
Ping.
"Standard fare plus a premium for comfort, and some more to help them off their feet," Milo said, his voice hard. "Make sure the girl gets a window seat and a hot meal. If I find out she ate MRE rations, I'll find you."
The master looked at the credit transfer, his eye widening. "A window seat. Understood, pleasure doing business."
The goodbyes were tearful. The little girl hugged Milo's leg, burying her face in his cloak one last time. Milo patted her head, whispering something that made her smile through her tears.
As the heavy transport roared away, kicking up dust, Milo turned back to the squad. He looked lighter, the weight of the previous night lifted.
"You're a soft touch," Kael grinned, tossing Milo his helmet.
"Just investing in the future," Milo shrugged, mounting his lightweight cycle. "Let's go home. Sarra is going to kill me if I'm late for dinner again."
The Iron Swords mounted up their cycles. The engines hummed to life, a familiar, comforting vibration. They fell into formation, cruising speed set for River's End.
They rode for ten minutes, the wind whipping past them, the promise of a warm bed and a hot meal pulling them forward.
A synchronized chime rang in their helmets.
Regius frowned, checking his HUD. It wasn't a civilian flare this time. It was a bold red notification from a local guild.
[PRIORITY BROADCAST.
LOCATION: THE CRYSTALLINE MINES.
STATUS: SEISMIC ANOMALY DETECTED.
MINING OUTPOST REPORTS COMPLETE SILENCE.
REQUEST: IMMEDIATE RECONNAISSANCE BY NEAREST RANK 2 SQUAD.]
The formation slowed.
"That location," Regius said over the comms. "Olin?"
"Checking," Olin replied. "It overlaps with our current route. Just a slight detour through the lower valley. Maybe a couple hours added to the trip."
"Complete silence," Kael noted. "Could be a comms failure. The interference in the mines is notorious."
"Or it could be a collapse," Vera added. "Seismic anomaly usually means the world decided to eat someone."
Regius looked at the map. The crystalline mines lay to the west—a range of mist-covered peaks that glittered with raw ore deposits. It was barely out of their way.
"We check it," Regius decided. "Quick recon. If it's too big, we call it in and leave. If it's a payday, we take it. The mining guilds pay a premium for their expeditions."
"Another detour?" Kael asked, though his tone lacked any real complaint.
"Does it hurt to check?" Regius asked. "We're already here."
"Lead the way, Boss," Milo said, revving his engine. He pulled his cycle to the front, taking point. "I've got a good feeling about this one."
Regius signaled the turn.
The five mana cycles banked hard to the west, turning away from the straight road to River's End.