Aldric did not ask for the vanguard position immediately.
He waited. He methodically completed his morning perimeter assessment. He checked the unit's remaining mana reserves. He crouched beside Fen, verifying the precise approach timing on her handcrafted map against the raw, pulsing reality of the live field. He waited until every piece of operational prep was flawlessly executed.
Only then did he stand up, snap his sword into its harness, and look directly at Vane.
"The eastern cluster," Aldric said, his voice steady in the crisp morning air. "Put me on the objective approach."
Vane held his gaze, waiting for the rest of it.
