The howling winds of the Martian surface swept through the broken ruins of what once stood as the proud city of Attica. Ashes swirled in the red dust, the sky stained orange from the firestorms. The howls of the wind were the only sounds she could hear above the distant rumble of conflict. Her heart weighed heavy, though she would never let it show.

I stand in the ruins of my family’s legacy, Virginia thought, her golden eyes surveying the wreckage. The House of Augustus, the empire of Golds, crumbled, and yet here I am, fighting for a new world.

Her hand instinctively moved to the razor at her side, its familiar weight both a comfort and a reminder of the battles to come. Mustang’s mind was not on herself, however. Darrow was leading the push on Luna, and even though she trusted him with her life, there was always the gnawing fear that something—someone—might go wrong. The Sovereign was too dangerous to underestimate.

She heard footsteps behind her, cautious but deliberate. "You're late," she said without turning.