The aftermath of the skirmish left the unit restless. Astra had the surviving Corvine agents tied up and forced them into a makeshift holding area near the burned camp. The leader, still bleeding from his mouth, glared at them with defiant eyes but offered no more resistance.
Kalem leaned against Onyx, who had finally calmed down, though his ears still twitched at the faintest sound. Serka was tending to a cut on her arm, using one of the spare bandages. The air was heavy, the scent of burned parasite flesh lingering.
"Captain, permission to question the leader?" Kalem asked, straightening up.
Astra glanced at him, then at the captive, and nodded. "Go ahead. He's been spewing nonsense about a 'Syndicate' trying to reshape the war. See if you can get anything useful."
Kalem approached cautiously, making sure the man couldn't suddenly lash out. He crouched down to the leader's eye level. "Syndicate, huh? What's your angle? Why weaponize parasites?"
The leader smirked, though it was a bitter one. "You wouldn't understand. The Syndicate knows that this war's been going on too long. We're just... speeding things up."
"Speeding up what?" Kalem pressed. "Massacring scouts and merchants? That's just chaos."
"You'll see," the leader whispered. "Once the fronts fall, you'll all see. No more stalemates. No more false peace."
Serka joined them, wiping the blood from her dagger. "Sounds to me like you're just a pawn. You really think your bosses care if you live or die here?"
The leader tensed, but he didn't respond. Astra approached, crossing her arms. "We're taking him back to the city for questioning. I doubt we'll get much else here."
"Agreed," Kalem said, stepping back. "But we should keep our guard up. If these Syndicate people really are trying to escalate things, this might just be the beginning."
As they prepared to leave, one of the Lunarian soldiers—Tharis—approached with a report. "We found a few documents in one of the crates, Captain. Maps with marked supply routes and dates. Looks like they were planning coordinated attacks."
Astra took the maps, scanning them quickly. "So, it wasn't just an isolated strike. They've been planning this for weeks."
Serka pointed to one of the map markings. "That's a major trade route. If they hit that, it would cripple food supplies for the entire southern sector."
Kalem's mind raced. "If they're using parasites, they could turn the entire area into a death trap."
Astra nodded. "We need to send word back to the city immediately. Tharis, take two men and run ahead to warn them. We'll follow as fast as we can."
The Lunarian saluted and took off with his team, leaving the rest to secure the camp. Astra ordered the unit to take what supplies they could and destroy the rest. They couldn't risk leaving any weapons or materials that might fall into enemy hands.
Onyx sniffed at one of the crates before pushing it over with his horns, revealing a strange, glassy orb. Kalem picked it up cautiously. "What's this? Looks like some kind of relay device."
Serka squinted at it. "Maybe they used it to communicate with other cells. If we can figure out how it works, it might give us an advantage."
Astra took the orb from Kalem and inspected it. "We'll hand it over to the analysts back in the city. Good find."
Just then, a noise from the captive area drew their attention. One of the prisoners was convulsing, black veins spreading across his neck. The other captives recoiled, shouting in fear. Astra rushed over, but before she could reach him, the man's body contorted violently, his eyes turning pitch black.
"Parasite infection!" Serka shouted.
Kalem pulled Astra back as the man's skin tore apart, revealing a writhing mass of black tendrils underneath. The other captives tried to distance themselves, but the parasite-possessed man broke free from his bindings, lunging at the nearest soldier.
Onyx reacted instantly, lowering his head and charging, catching the infected man mid-leap. The impact sent the parasite crashing into the remains of the supply cart. Kalem followed up with his spear, igniting the blade and thrusting it into the infected man's chest. The creature shrieked, the fire spreading rapidly across its body until it collapsed in a smoldering heap.
Astra barked orders. "Check the other prisoners! Make sure none of them show symptoms!"
Kalem wiped the sweat from his brow. "They're using the parasites to prevent capture... or maybe they're triggered to infect when someone's caught."
Serka gritted her teeth. "Suicide parasites? That's... insane."
The surviving prisoners begged for mercy, swearing they didn't know about the infection. Astra's eyes narrowed. "Keep them separate and watch for any signs of transformation. If any of them show symptoms, put them down immediately."
The soldiers complied, pulling the captives into a more secure area. Kalem couldn't shake the chill creeping down his spine. The Syndicate was playing a dangerous game, and they were willing to sacrifice their own to cover their tracks.
Astra took a deep breath, steadying herself. "We'll move as soon as the area is secured. This changes things. We can't risk taking the prisoners directly into the city. We'll have to set up an isolated holding area outside and send word from there."
Kalem glanced at Onyx, giving his companion a grateful pat. "Good work, big guy. You saved us again."
Onyx snorted, nudging Kalem's hand as if to remind him that it wasn't over yet.
Serka came up beside him, her voice low. "This Syndicate... they're not just fighting a war. They're trying to break us from the inside."
Kalem nodded. "And they don't care how many of their own they have to kill to do it."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the unit remained vigilant. The air was tense, and the threat of more parasite attacks loomed like a shadow over their camp. Astra posted extra guards, and no one got any rest that night.
Kalem couldn't help but wonder just how deep the Syndicate's plans went—and how long it would take before the war changed for good.