Dorath's briefing was the shortest one he had ever given.
Zone fifteen interior. Two confirmed Rift Sovereign Warden signatures in the northern section, pack formation, coordinated engagement behaviour. Standard team composition: Dorath and the Steel hunter as anchor, Ress on support, Kai on primary engagement.
He said it plainly: "You're on primary. We support."
That was the entire role reversal. No explanation, no qualification. The team had been running zone fourteen with Kai on the right flank for months. Zone fourteen was C-zone. Zone fifteen was B-zone, and in B-zone the dynamics changed. Dorath had assessed the team's capabilities and assigned roles accordingly. Kai had the War Body. Kai took point.
They filed their permits and went in.
