Concrete dust settled over the ruined outskirts of Vardency. Ash drifted through the stale air, coating the cracked asphalt in a fine gray film. Elias Kael pushed himself up from the debris, his boots grinding against shattered rock. His ribs throbbed a steady, sickening rhythm against his compression binder.
Beside him, Marcus Devlin trembled. The tech recruit remained on his hands and knees, staring at the approaching Vanguard patrol rover.
Tires thicker than a man's torso crushed a discarded concrete pylon. The heavy vehicle ground to a halt. The mounted plasma turret whined, rotating on its chassis to lock its sights directly onto Elias's chest.
The rover doors swung open.
Torqa stepped onto the street.
