(Meanwhile Mauriss's POV, Orbit above Planet Helion-6)
Mauriss observed Planet Helion-6 from a distance, his figure floating silently in the dark vacuum of space as he studied the world below without committing to enter its atmosphere just yet.
From orbit he could see everything.
The planet's rocky plains.
The layered defensive formations surrounding the encampment.
The thousands of soldiers stationed across the battlefield like ants guarding a single fragile treasure.
While at the center of it all stood a single reinforced tent.
Even from that distance, Mauriss's senses could penetrate the planet's surface with frightening precision, allowing him to observe the movements of individual soldiers, the shifting patrol routes, and the tightening defensive rings surrounding the encampment.
But what truly interested him lay inside the tent.
Six presences.
