Daniel's POV
The mission had been smooth—too smooth. We crossed into hostile land with supplies stacked high and men confident. But my gut twisted. I knew war never moved this easily.
And then it came.
The ambush.
Explosions tore the night apart, rifles cracked in every direction, and the air filled with dust and screams. My patrol scrambled into formation, but the enemy came thick—dozens, maybe hundreds.
"Hold the line!" I shouted, raising my rifle. My men obeyed, their trust in me unshakable. Even that new soldier—the quiet one with sharp eyes and steady hands—moved without fear. Something about him felt… different, but I had no time to think.
The battle raged. I pushed forward, cutting a path through chaos, but a shadow slipped past the defense. I didn't see him until it was too late—an enemy lunging straight at me, blade raised, too close for my rifle.
My chest froze.
And then—
Steel clashed.
The quiet soldier appeared between us, his blade catching the enemy's strike with perfect precision. One move, one counter, and the attacker crumpled to the dirt, lifeless. The soldier didn't even hesitate. He just turned, eyes piercing mine for a heartbeat.
Something about that gaze—calm, commanding, ancient—sent a shiver through me.
"Move, commander!" he barked, shoving me back into position as if he were the one giving orders. For a second, I almost obeyed without thought.
The fight dragged on, wave after wave. Yet wherever I stood, that soldier was there—always one step ahead, always striking the deadliest threats before they reached me.
By dawn, the ground was littered with bodies. My men stood breathing heavy, wounded but alive. Against all odds, we had held.
I glanced at him—the soldier who saved me more than once. He stood with dust on his face, blood on his armor, but his eyes steady as if this battle had been nothing.
I wanted to ask who he really was.
But something told me I wasn't ready for the answer.
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Chris POV
I wiped the blade clean, my chest rising slow. Daniel almost died tonight. That couldn't happen—not now, not ever.
He's valuable. Not just as a soldier. Not just as a commander. He's the kind of flame that, if guided right, can burn nations or light them.
And me? I'll guard him. Even if he never knows.
Even if I must remain in shadow.
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