"Five of you, come here."
She ordered it calmly, almost lazily… and yet the effect was immediate. All five men broke out into cold sweats as if a blade had just been pressed to their throats.
Even so, none of them hesitated.
They stepped forward at once, boots brushing softly against the grass, their backs straight, eyes lowered just enough to show respect. But beneath that discipline… there was stiffness. Coldness. The kind that came from standing before someone who could end them without effort.
"It seems you have time to be dwindling around rather than training."
The words were light. Too light.
"No, Commander!" they thundered in unison, voices tight, their composure cracking at the edges despite their efforts to hold it together.
From the side, I watched the exchange, a faint flicker of curiosity passing through my eyes.
Previously, I had only been able to vaguely sense their presence… like shadows at the edge of perception. Now, it was different. Clear. Defined.
