Ben's mind raced. If the Ravagers breached the inner walls, everything would spiral into chaos. He still had another layer of defenses, but relying on them meant giving up ground—and he wasn't about to let that happen. His fingers clenched against the railing. "Switch to close range!" His voice spread through the hive mind. "Scouts, aim for the Brutes' legs! Slow them down! Squad, move forward!"
The Krell responded instantly. Arrows shifted downward. Explosive bolts struck at joints, ankles, knees—
BOOM! BOOM!
The leading Brutes faltered, their momentum breaking as blasts ripped into their legs, forcing them to stagger. Some collapsed outright, their thick armor no longer enough to carry their own weight. But Ben wasn't done. "DROP IT!"
