109. The Tyranny of Rank

Danielle organises a fighting withdrawal through the ruined camp, pulling iron-rankers back while bronze and scarce silver-rankers form an ordered line. Endless constructs press without fear, but the newly stabilised defence grinds them down as the rest of the expedition retreats into the rainforest.

Emir splits his relief force into incursion and support teams. Hester opens a long-range portal to Boko, limited by rank, range and cooldown. Emir goes first to requisition vehicles; the second wave will carry silver and bronze elites, plus healers and support. Jason expects to serve in recovery unless afflictions demand more.

On the line, Farrah, Gary and Rufus anchor a critical sector: Farrah devastates masses, Gary intercepts heavies, and Rufus carves gaps. Enemy leaders on construct mounts finally commit, striking key points. A robed silver-ranker assaults their position; Gary’s shield work delays it but a crushing kick dents his armour and shatters ribs, leaving him down.

Rufus engages alone, unleashing his speed-of-light trump to little effect against hidden protection. Torn robes reveal a grafted abomination—flesh bolted to steel with four transmuting metal arms that shift from lances to flails, launch needles, and lash as razor whips. Rufus’s superior skill contains it briefly but cannot overcome the rank disparity.

Needled, cut, and forced to stay close, Rufus fights on a knife-edge. Mud finally betrays him; he slips, the enemy shears off his sword arm, and a follow-up kick smashes him away. Near death and maimed, Rufus tumbles through the churned battlefield as the retreat continues under Danielle’s control.

Meanwhile, Jason and Jory step through Hester’s portal to Boko; Jory reels from transit while Jason remains steady. Emir’s sand skimmers await to rush the assembled rescuers into the desert toward the astral incursion.