An autumn wind swept through the mountains in the early hours before daybreak. Moonlight lit up the pale road, which twisted between dark, undulating peaks and stretched into the distance. The wheels of over a dozen military trucks spun furiously, their engines roaring loud enough to scatter birds and beasts.

On board were roughly six hundred recruits, armored for less than twenty days, and twenty instructors. All of them were deathly quiet. Some trembled from fear or ‌excitement, while others faced a choice.

“Regiment 425 and 491 recruits, currently en route,” one instructor said through the communicator.

“Recruits? Don’t come. Get them out of here!” the other side cut in frantically. “Turn around! Now!”

With that single exchange, the conversation ended. The trucks sank back into dead silence,...