The trade is over

Narrator

The trade was over, and the soldiers of the Devotion Empire were returning to the camp.

The sound of horns echoed in the distance, announcing their arrival. Daniel stood near the entrance, straightening his back and raising his hand in salute. His face remained calm, but there was a quiet tension in the air, as if he already knew what awaited them.

When the soldiers entered the camp. There were a few bodies, though not many, but the sight of the wounded was overwhelming. Bloodied faces, bandaged limbs, and broken spirits filled the camp. It was clear that the ambush had taken a heavy toll.

Roy stood silently among the soldiers, his gaze sweeping across the camp. His injuries were minor compared to some of the others, but the memory of the battle still lingered.

Daniel, as always, showed no sign of surprise. It was as if he had been expecting this all along. He turned to Yuri, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What happened?"

Yuri sighed softly, his expression unreadable. "A third party entered the battle. We didn't expect this."

Daniel's eyebrows rose in shock. "Third party? Who?"

Yuri didn't immediately respond, his gaze shifting to the horizon as if he was contemplating something deeper. "We don't know yet. But they were well prepared. The attack was intended to create confusion, and they did just that."

Daniel's shock was now clear. "So, it wasn't just the Devotion Forces and Drayton's army after all."

Yuri nodded, his face hardening. "No. We were being manipulated. There are hidden forces at work."

After a pause, Daniel looked around at the soldiers and the wounded. "Take a day off. Rest and recover. The day after tomorrow you'll be back on the program, it's the last day before the divisions are split up."

With that, the soldiers began to regroup, helping each other with their wounds, checking supplies, and tending to the fallen. Roy, Andrew, Sophia, and Crimzo found themselves in the same task force, helping with various tasks to ensure the stability of the camp.