The trench mission wasn't optional.
Tian stood inside the logistics dome, watching as his name was marked beside four others on the war board. The assignment read:
Southern Scar Line. Trench Two. Live recon. Retrieve beacon or confirm loss.
They handed him a ration pack, one smoke torch, and a pressure seal for his boots.
No sword. No spellbook. Just a backup communicator that probably wouldn't even work below surface.
He strapped the gear to his belt. The others were already watching him. A girl named Ketta wouldn't meet his eyes. One of the Eastern twins shifted his weight near the gate, jaw tight.
No one said anything.
Not until the elevator dropped into the trench.
Ketta broke the silence first. "You're the one who came out of the Scar without a scratch."
Tian didn't look at her. "I had broken ribs."
She gave a faint grin. "Still counts."
