Despite fighting with their lives on the line, the Nephirid veterans enjoyed the battle.
It was intense and thrilling, the kind of fight they would remember long after the dust settled.
They had failed to capture Malvek alive, but they had still won.
It had been a long time since they faced a fight like this, one that did not just risk their lives but also carried real weight and long term consequences.
Victory felt different when it shaped the future.
After the fight, the Nephirid group regrouped with Zarnak to handle the aftermath.
By then, Ben was already back in Vlontera.
He sat with Elvira, replaying the projection of Malvek.
"What do you think?" Ben asked.
"I'm sure of it," Elvira said. "Your guess is correct.
This is the power armor she brought out."
Ben nodded and started thinking through the implications.
Elvira spoke first.
"So someone really is triggering the fight in my clan, just to create more chaos," she said.
"What do you think the reason is?
