The commanders from both forces were gathered discussing their next move.
"What now?" one of the generals asked, voice rough with exhaustion. "Do we pursue them inside?"
"Or retreat to the surface?" another countered quickly. "We've lost too many already. The Durns' betrayal shows this place is far beyond what we can handle."
A third slammed his fist against his chest plate, eyes blazing. "If we retreat now, what about our fallen brothers!"
The argument ignited like dry tinder. Voices clashed, anger, fear, pride, each louder than the last. Soldiers shifted uneasily, glancing between their leaders as the shouting grew.
"Enough," Ling Yan said.
Her voice was not loud, yet it cut through the chaos. The commanders fell quiet.
A gentle aura pulsed from her, slow and even, as if syncing everyone's hearts to her calm.
"Before we decide anything," she said softly, "we must understand what we're stepping into."
She turned to Lina.
