They came at night.
Alistair was alone at the base. Due had gone to the nearest settlement to manage obligations that had been piling up since the anchor's removal, and his Characteristic demanded he be present for the unraveling.
Elara and Silas were at Frument's position, coordinating supply routes with Sera and Tavin.
The Equalizer's scan caught the first signature at forty meters, then a second, and then four more, arriving from different angles at a pace that suggested they had timed their approach to converge at the same moment.
Alistair stood from the table where he had been reading settlement reports, and he summoned his Rune Sword.
'Six. Coming from six directions. Soldiers don't do that, so these are professionals.'
He moved to the center of the room and waited.
The first one came through the eastern window.
Glass shattered inward as a figure in dark cloth rolled across the floor and came up with a short blade already swinging toward Alistair's neck.
