An hour later, the small rescue party stood at the settlement gates. Satou had made the difficult decision to keep the group minimal—just himself, Kelvin, and Cassius, with Zik to guide them.
"Are you sure about this?" Urgak asked, his single eye showing concern. "Twenty Dire Wolves is no small threat. You should take more warriors."
"A larger group would be slower and more conspicuous," Satou replied, checking his weapons one final time. "Three fighters is enough, especially with Cassius's abilities. And Kelvin needs room to prove himself without being overwhelmed by too much backup."
Grimnir crossed his arms but nodded reluctantly. "Just don't die out there. We've already lost too many good people."
"We'll be careful," Satou promised.
Lyra approached, her expression tight with worry. Before Satou could say anything reassuring, she grabbed his hand with both of hers, squeezing firmly.
