The moon hung low over the jagged peaks of the mountains, reflecting shadows across the rocky terrain. Malik crouched behind a cluster of boulders, his breath steady, his eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before him. A convoy of trucks was parked haphazardly along a narrow dirt path, their headlights cutting through the darkness. Men in dark clothing moved like ghosts, loading crates with quiet efficiency. Their faces were obscured by masks, their movements swift and practiced. "Who are these people?" Malik wondered. "And what are they doing here in the middle of nowhere?"He adjusted the night vision scope on his electronic wrist shield, zooming in on the activity. The crates they carried were heavy, their contents hidden, but the way the men handled them suggested something valuable, or dangerous. Malik had been tracking them for nearly an hour, moving silently from tree to tree, careful not to make a sound. One of the masked men suddenly paused, glancing in Malik’s direction. M

Ali was hunched over his desk, reviewing plans for the nighttime mission he and Marwan were about to undertake. Maps, notes, and a dim lamp cluttered the surface as he traced routes with his finger. Suddenly, the door creaked open. His mother stepped inside, arms crossed, her expression tight with disapproval. "Why didn’t you go to work today?" she demanded. Ali didn’t look up. "I took a few days off." Before he could finish, her voice sharpened. " you finally found a job just to start taking vacations! And for what? For those knights who don’t even pay you?!" His jaw clenched. "Let's do this later, Mom. Everything we’re doing is for this country, to protect everyone, and all you care about is money! You can’t even say ‘thank you,’ or ‘may Allah reward you,’ or ‘may Allah grant you victory’?!" She scoffed. "Out of all the young men in this country, why does it have to be my son? the top graduate of his class just to becomes a knight? Those who join the military or train t

The evening sun cast golden hues through the curtains as Haitham stepped into his modest home, the familiar scent of jasmine and warm bread greeting him. His wife Aya was in the kitchen, humming softly as she prepared tea. The sound of his daughters’ laughter echoed from the living room, where they were sprawled on the floor, coloring in their notebooks with intense concentration. Haitham lingered in the doorway for a moment, watching them. The weight of the day’s decision pressed on his chest, but he forced a smile as he entered. "I need to prepare myself," he said quietly, leaning against the kitchen counter. "I’ll be taking a break from work. The Knights have an important mission, I have to join them." His wife's hands stilled for just a fraction of a second before she resumed pouring the tea. "We’ll talk about that later," she said, her voice steady but firm. "Right now, you need to change your clothes. We promised the girls we’d take them out tonight." Haitham hesitated,

The ruined street fell silent, the distant wail of sirens fading into the background as Haitham and Shihab circled each other, like two predators sizing up their prey. The air was filled with tension, thick enough to choke on. Haitham’s mind raced. "Shihab’s armor is new and modified. It is an unknown technology. I Can’t rush this." He kept his breathing steady, his stance balanced, waiting for an opening. Suddenly Shihab blinked out of existence. A fraction of a second later, Haitham’s instincts screamed. He twisted his body just as Shihab materialized behind him, a violet energy blade slashing through the space where his neck had been. The heat of the near-miss seared Haitham’s cheek as he barely dodged, rolling to the side and coming up in a defensive crouch. Shihab straightened, his sword humming with eerie purple light. "You're getting slow, Haitham. Age catching up to you?"Haitham didn’t respond. With a sharp motion, he unclipped the massive warhammer from his back. The

The docks were eerily silent as the Knights arrived, the only sounds the distant lapping of waves against the hulls of rusted cargo ships and the creak of old wood underfoot. The coordinates from the receipt had led them here to a maze of shipping containers and derelict vessels that stank of salt and diesel. Hadi signaled for the team to halt, his sharp eyes scanning the shadows. "They know we're coming," he muttered. Haitham adjusted his grip on his hammer, the weight familiar and reassuring. "Then we don't give them time to prepare." No sooner had the words left his mouth than the night erupted in gunfire. Muzzle flashes lit up the darkness as bullets tore through the air, forcing the Knights to scatter for cover. "Trap!"Ali shouted, ducking behind a stack of crates as rounds splintered the wood above his head. Marwan grinned, adrenaline surging through his veins. "About time things got interesting." From the deck of the largest ship, a figure stepped into view, his arm