"Understood," Sophia stood up, her face calm and firm.
Magnus reminded again, "Don’t get stuck in a fight. Set a rally point. You’ve got one hour of Crystal ti - fight for fifty minutes, and retreat in the last ten. No matter how many of them are left, even a hundred, you pull back at fifty. We avoid casualties as much as possible."
Sophia nodded again.
"Emily, you take your second squad, 2,500 strong, and follow behind. Five hundred stay back to cover Sophia’s retreat. The other two thousand seal off all exits around Ridgehaven City. Don’t let any of them slip out."
"Got it," Emily gave a small nod.
Lana, Dakota, and Mia were stunned. They thought he was serious - but launching a full attack just because of a hunch? That was insane.
Wiping out an entire battalion of thousands, just because of a suspected threat?
Lana couldn’t hold back. She jumped up, raising her voice, "Commander! Are you kidding? Just because of a guess? Based on one man’s theory, we’re going to annihilate the Ridgebreak Battalion?"
A while ago, Charlotte had told her about Magnus - how his so-called foresight always turned out to be real. But Lana didn’t buy into that mystical nonsense. She thought they were all playing gas... until now, when they actually ant to go wipe them out.
She couldn’t believe it.
"I’ve said this before: don’t question the credibility of this intel," Magnus replied. "And you should know, Ridgebreak’s leaders once sent troops to wipe us out and steal our underground granary. After the teor shower hit Ridgehaven City, they’ll have more than enough Crystals. If they co back, the granary will be the first thing they aim for."
"But your intel - it’s fake!" Lana shouted, too worked up to hold it in.
"Who told you it’s fake?" Magnus stared her down, voice rising too. "I’ll say it one last ti - don’t doubt what I know. In a few days, you’ll see for yourself."
Dakota had always had a good impression of him, but even she had to speak up now. "And if you’re wrong?"
Sophia scoffed, "And what if he’s right?"
"He can’t be! There’s no way he’s right!" Dakota snapped, losing control as she yelled back at Sophia. "You people are insane! This is reckless!"
"I’ll ask you again," Sophia stared right into her, "What if he’s right?"
Dakota opened her mouth, froze. She couldn’t answer. What then? What power did she even have to challenge him? Her only leverage - being a woman - ant nothing here. They had over eight thousand won in this regint, and only one man. If she tried to put it that way, it’d sound more like a confession than a wager.
"Enough," Magnus cut in. "Do as I said. Emily, Sophia - go gather your squads. Get them so rest. Liana, help them prep supplies."
One by one, the won got off the car. But Lana, Dakota and Mia stayed put. As the others were gone, leaving only Charlotte behind, Lana stepped forward.
"Captain, one last ti - I need to ask. Are you really serious about this?"
"I am," Magnus replied. He walked back to the sofa, sat down, and lit a cigarette in silence.
"Then we’re... just disappointed in you." Disappointnt clouded the eyes of all three.
Magnus glanced at them. "And how do you know I’m wrong?"
"Let’s not go in circles," Dakota said, voice heavy. "Captain, you’re younger than , sure, but I’ve respected you. I’ve heard a lot about your past. Still, if you insist on this - and Lana, we can’t keep working under you. It’s not just about protecting the Ridgebreak Battalion here. It’s about how you handle matters. Sooner or later, the way you lead is going to get us all killed."
Magnus rubbed his forehead. They weren’t wrong to worry - they genuinely cared about the Ice Regint. But how could he explain he’d been through all this once before? Who’d believe he was reincarnated?
Frustrated, he looked them straight in the eye. "You don’t need to leave. I’ll say this - if what I said turns out false, if there’s no second teor storm, I’ll step down. The regint’s yours. I give you my word... but only this once. If I’m right, no more second-guessing . Agreed?"
"Fine. We’ll hold you to it," Dakota said sharply. "But if you are wrong, you don’t leave either - if you do, we’re finished here too. What we need is this - if you’re wrong, every decision from then on needs a vote. We all get a say."
"Fine! However you want it!" Magnus snapped, waving a hand, burned out. Then he stood, clearly done with the conversation, and saw the three won off the vehicle himself.
*****
At 11 p.m., Sophia’s First Regint and Emily’s Second Regint moved out according to Magnus’s tiline. By 3:30 a.m., Sophia’s team was ten kiloters from Ridgehaven City. The female fighters took their crystals, got off the trucks, and advanced in squads of ten towards the city.
Emily’s unit left 500 behind for backup. The remaining two thousand followed the First Regint into Ridgehaven, guided by local fighters, circling to ambush from all four sides.
gan led three squads up front to scout. Sophia moved silently with 1,500 troops, heading straight for the Ridgebreak Battalion’s headquarters. Less than three li to go - at this pace, they’d reach it in ten minutes.
At 4 a.m., the pitch-black hour of Northern winters, not a single fla lit the world. But with snow on the ground, the white glow traced their path. Their target waited at the far end of the road.
Just as they got within 200 ters of the headquarters, a patrol vehicle suddenly rolled out from the gates. Its headlights flooded over all of Sophia’s troops.
The siren scread.
Sophia raised her right arm and shouted, "Crush the tal Crystals! Charge!"
"Yes!" the won bellowed back in unison, voices like thunder.
tal Crystals shattered in every fist. With fierce cries, they surged after Sophia, charging into Ridgebreak’s base at full force.
User Comments
0 comments from readers