The air in the guild's strategy room was heavy with tensiohan sat at the regur table, fiapping a quiet rhythm against the etal surface. Above the table, a holographic map of Kynara projected a stark trast of vibrant blue territories trolled by the Federation and its supposed allies and ominous red zones firmly in the grip of the Syndicate. As his eyes moved across the dispy, a knot of apprehension twisted in his chest.

  Beside him, Zyrix leaned ba his chair, casually ing the lens of his psma sniper rifle, though his sharp gaze darted to the map with practiced vigince. Kael, ever the pragmatic strategist, was furiously tapping on his tablet, cross-refereng the new ihan and his team had brought back from their mission.

  At the head of the table stood Darrik Voss, the Branch Master, his weathered face set in a grim expression. The room's silence was broken only by the soft hum of the hologram projector, as if the air itself held its breath for what was about to be said.

  Voss straightened, his gaze sweeping across the room. "The intel yht back from the auxiliary base is troubling," he began, his deep voice carrying a weight of authority. "Ve Drasik is on the move. Her forces are mobilizing faster thaicipated."

  Kael tapped a and into his tablet, zooming the map in on a cluster of Syndicate-trolled zones. "She's not just regrouping, she's preparing a teroffensive," he said, highlighting the key areas with fshing markers. "We estimate she's pulled several hundred soldiers from her manufacturing hub, along with bat drones and heavy onry. If we don't act, she'll sweep through our recimed territories aablish a staging ground to push toward Valeris City."

  Zyrix let out a low whistle, his usually sardonic demeaniving way to a more serious tohat's a lot of firepower for one warlord. Either she's more desperate thahought, or she's got something big pnned."

  "Desperation and ambition often go hand in hand," Voss replied. His scarred hand hovered over the map, his fiightening into a fist. "If she succeeds, we'll lose more than just territory. We'll lose the fidence of the people we're trying to protect. And make no mistake, Valeris City will be their arget."

  Ethan frowned, his mind rag through the possibilities. "If we know where she's mobilizing, why not strike first?"

  Kael shook his head. "It's not that simple. Her forces are spread aultiple locations, and eae is heavily fortified. A direct assault would stretch us too thin, leaving other fronts vulnerable."

  "So, what's the alternative?" Ethan asked.

  Voss stepped forward, his expression hardening. "We need allies."

  The word hung in the air like a challenge. Zyrix arched an eyebrow, breaking the sileh a dry chuckle. "Allies? From where? The Federation's turned a blind eye, and we're stretched as it is."

  "Not from the Federation," Voss replied firmly. He zoomed out the hologram, highlighting a se of unaligerritories marked in gray. "The resistance."

  Kael stiffened. "You 't be serious."

  "I'm entirely serious," Voss said. "The resistance groups in these regions have been fighting the Syndicate long before we got involved. They know the terrain, they have the numbers, and most importantly, they have a vested i in seeing the Syndicate fall."

  "They also have a vested i in not trusting us," Kael tered. "To them, meraries are just anroup looking to profit off Kynara's misery. You're talking about allying with people who likely hate us as much as they hate the Syndicate."

  Voss's gaze didn't waver. "They may hate us, but they hate the Syndicate more. If we vihem to work with us, even temporarily, it could turide in this campaign."

  Zyrix leaned forward, his tone skeptical. "And if they refuse? Or worse, decide to turn on us ter?"

  "Then we'll deal with it," Voss replied bluntly. "Right now, we don't have the luxury of sitting on our hands and hoping for the best. The Syndicate is adapting faster thaicipated, and if we don't start doing the same, we're done."

  Voss highlighted a region on the map, an arid desert settlement fortified with natural barriers. " Joran Kren leads one of the most iial resistance fas in the northerories. He's pragmatic, resourceful, and ruthless. If we bring him to our side, the other faay follow."

  Kael crossed his arms. "Joran Kren also despises meraries. He's made that clear in every public statement he's ever given. Sending ao iate with him is a gamble."

  "And that's why I'm sendihan," Voss said.

  Ethan blinked. "Me?"

  "You've proven yourself under pressure," Voss expined. "You're adaptable, you've taken on missions most wouldn't, and you've earned respect within the guild. If anyone vince Joran, it's you."

  Zyrix smirked. "Good luck with that. Kren's the kind of guy who'd rather shoot first and skip the talking."

  "That's why yoing with him," Voss replied, turning to Zyrix. "As backup."

  Zyrix gave a mock salute. "Got it. Babysitting duty."

  Kael interjected, his voice tinged with . "Even if Joran agrees, his fa is fractured. Internal rivalries have weakeheir cohesioing them to work with us won't be easy."

  "I know," Voss said. "But this isn't about f a sting allia's about survival. We give them clear terms, mutual cooperation, shared resources, and a strategy once Ve is dealt with."

  "And if they don't like our terms?" Ethan asked.

  "Then we walk away," Voss replied. "We're not here to beg. We're here to propose a partnership. If they 't see the value in that, they're not worth our time."

  Ethan nodded, his resolve hardening. "Uood."

  As the meeting adjourned, Ethan lingered by the hologram, his eyes trag the red zohat marked the Syndicate's growing influehe weight of the task ahead pressed heavily on his shoulders, but he pushed the doubts aside.

  "You ready for this?" Zyrix asked, slinging his rifle over his shoulder.

  Ethan turo him, his expression resolute. "Not really. But that's opped me before."

  Zyrix chuckled. "Fair enough."

  The two made their way to the vehicle bay, where a rented hover truck awaited. The engine hummed softly as Ethan climbed into the driver's seat, and Zyrix settled in beside him.

  As the truck sped toward the norther, Ethan's mind raced. ving someone like Joran Kren wouldn't be easy. But if the mission succeeded, it could shift the bance of power in the guild's favor.

  The Syndicate was growing bolder, but so was the guild. For the people of Kynara, failure wasn't an option.