"Standard staggered diamond," I said, taking the seat across from her. "Raphael and Jaime on point since they're your heavy hitters. Juan in the middle with you for tactical oversight and ranged support. Noah at the rear to watch for flankers." I paused. "Monica stays with me at all times."
"And where will you be in this formation?" Celeste asked.
"Wherever I need to be."
She smiled slightly. "That's not very specific."
"I'm not a very specific guy."
Monica glanced between us, her fingers nervously stroking the copper leaves of her plant. "What if... what if something goes wrong? Like in the Necropolis?"
The question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken fear. None of us had forgotten what happened in that dungeon—the twisted cathedral, the A-Rank horror that nearly killed us all, the desperate fight to escape.
"Nothing will go wrong," Celeste said with calm certainty.
