A message had arrived, from an infiltrator at the agricultural center. Due to technical complications, it had taken three days to decode. It spoke of an orphanage on the outskirts of a small village sustained largely by the king himself, who often visited, buying their crops directly and playing with the children.
The message warned of an enemy siege.
The sky was shrouded in a blanket of clouds, concealing the moon. Only the dim interior lights of the armored transport illuminated the cabin, where Yuli, Kaela, and Sol ran one last check on their gear before entering hostile territory.
The coordinates sent by Liane were precise. But what remained unknown was who else might have received them.
"Are you sure it's from her?" Kaela asked, eyeing the floating projection of the message.
"It's her encryption signature," Sol replied without hesitation. "I built that emergency device myself back when we were partners on a scouting mission."
The distress message had been short, urgent, and stripped of all ornamentation:
"Agricultural center under siege. Partial evacuation completed. Refuge at C-Delta 9. Priority: children. Extraction needed."
Yuli closed her eyes. She knew that area. It had been one of the first places she visited during her observation missions. The terrain was rough, thick with vegetation, perfect for an ambush.
"ETA: ten minutes," Sol announced from the control panel. "We're flying low, no lights, no signal. But if they're waiting for us..."
"Then we'll respond," Kaela cut in, sharpening her blade with clean, practiced strokes. "Like Guardians."
The transport landed on a fog-covered plain. The silence was unnerving. The forest seemed to watch them from the shadows.
They proceeded on foot toward the hidden cave entrance. Sol's scanners swept every inch with surgical precision, while Yuli advanced quietly, hand resting on the hilt of her sword.
"There," she whispered. "Fresh footprints. Small… children."
A faint whistle cut through the stillness. Yuli raised her hand, halt signal.
From the shadows, a figure emerged, cloaked in camouflage, her lamp covered in cloth. It was Liane. Her face was smudged with dirt, dark rings under her eyes. But the moment she saw Yuli and the others, a breath of relief coursed through her.
"I thought you wouldn't come," she said, voice trembling.
"We never leave one of our own behind," Kaela replied, gripping her shoulder. "The children?"
"They're safe, for now. The cave connects to an old gallery, not marked on modern maps. We've been hiding here with some supplies, but they'll find us soon… they're close."
"How many enemies?" Sol asked, activating a wrist scanner.
"A platoon. Camouflaged in kingdom uniforms… but their movements betray them. They're trained like us."
Yuli's frown deepened. This wasn't just a raid. It was a distorted reflection of their own image, a dark parody of everything they stood for.
Inside the cave, over twenty children, between ages three and ten, slept on makeshift bedding, some clutching stuffed animals, others simply holding each other. The caretakers, also undercover Guardians, greeted them in silent relief.
Yuli knelt beside a curly-haired girl who looked at her with wide, fearful eyes.
"We're here now," she whispered, offering a smile. "No one's going to hurt you."
The girl blinked. After a moment, she reached out and touched the steel-flower insignia on Yuli's chest.
"Are you one of them? The ones from the stories? The ones who save people?"
Yuli nodded, more sure of it than ever before.
"Yes. And you can be one too… if you want to."
Meanwhile, Sol was deploying sensors at the cave entrance. Kaela reviewed ancient terrain maps, marking evacuation routes. All signs pointed to an imminent assault.
"We need to move," Liane urged. "They won't hold back if they find us."
"Is there another exit?" Kaela asked.
"A tunnel heading north. Narrow, one at a time. But it leads to an old service route. If we make it through, we can call for extraction without triggering detection."
"Then that's what we'll do," Yuli declared. "But if they try to stop us… we won't give them the chance."
The cave was no longer just a refuge. It had become the beating heart of a mission that had turned personal.
They would not only protect those children—
They would save their future.