The outpost loomed like a bastion of a forgotten world — not grand, but solid. Thick walls of stone and timber, dark with age. A watchtower stood to the left of the gate, its lone sentinel silhouetted against the sky.
As the six knights approached, the gates did not open.
Instead, a voice rang out from the wall above — firm, practiced, and unfamiliar.
"Halt. Identify yourselves."
They stopped.
Phoenix leaned forward slightly, breath raspy behind his helmet. "Polite welcome."
Ryliegh took a step forward, placing himself slightly ahead of the others. His armor was dull with ash, his shield still bore the dried ichor of monsters. He looked up toward the speaker, voice level and clipped.
"Sir Ryliegh Fieldweaver. Black Knight. Missioned by Emerald Command to investigate the disappearance of a Red Knight company in the Darkzone."
There was a long pause from the gate.
Then:
"Who gave the order?"
Ryliegh didn't hesitate. "Female commander. Grey hair. Scar on the right cheek. No name given. Didn't ask."
Another pause.
Phoenix muttered under his breath, "You really are a diplomat, Ray."
The gate guard's voice came again, this time quieter — speaking to someone nearby.
Moments passed.
Then metal scraped against stone.
The gate began to open.
A woman in green armor stepped out, flanked by two spearmen. Her expression was sharp — not hostile, just focused. Her eyes swept over the group.
Six knights.
Three wounded.
One red.
One black.
Four familiar greens.
"Fieldweaver?" she asked.
Ryliegh nodded.
She motioned to the others. "You'll leave your weapons at the rack. You'll be treated, questioned, and debriefed."
Elric stepped forward. "They're injured."
"They'll be treated first," she replied. "I'm not heartless. But you understand — protocol."
Vale nodded. "We've been in the Darkzone. We understand."
Phoenix took a staggering step forward, drawing all eyes. His voice was dry but steady. "If you're planning to hang anyone, I recommend waiting until after we eat."
The woman raised an eyebrow. "You must be the red knight."
Phoenix dipped his head slightly. "There were more. Now there's me."
Another long silence.
Then she turned. "Bring them in."
The gates opened fully.
They stepped inside — slowly, cautiously, like animals unsure if the cage was safer than the wild.
But the walls felt different.
The air felt different.
Inside, there were voices. Boots. The clatter of hammers. Smoke from real cooking fires.
It smelled like civilization.
Like the edge of survival.
And as the gates closed behind them, Phoenix said quietly, just loud enough for Ryliegh to hear:
"I don't trust it."
Ryliegh replied, "You don't have to."
And for the first time in days, they weren't walking into the unknown.
They were just walking forward.