Lines in the Sand

Tobi returned to the Vanguard camp under the cover of night, his mind racing with Alfred's words. The ruins, the shard, and the forces at play, it was a puzzle with stakes higher than he'd ever imagined.

The camp was eerily quiet, save for the soft hum of generators. Reinforcements had arrived earlier, bringing with them an air of cold efficiency. Soldiers and scientists worked methodically, dismantling the site piece by piece, their focus entirely on extracting the shard.

Tobi slipped into his tent, Friend was already there waiting, lounging on his cot.

'Well, that was intense,' Friend remarked, idly playing with a stick between his paws like a cat. 'What did Alfred have to say? Doom and gloom, I bet.'

Tobi ignored him, pacing the small space. 'The shard isn't just dangerous—it's a beacon. If we take it, we could bring something worse down on all of us.'