Bab 141: Was it Over?

General Harper stood over the tactical display, his eyes narrowing at the shifting icons representing the armored units closing in on Valeria. The battle had raged longer than anticipated, and despite their best efforts, the witch had proven far more resilient than expected. Her dark energy barrier had thwarted the combined might of Abrams and Bradleys, and though they had landed a few lucky hits, it wasn't enough.

His fingers drummed against the control panel as he replayed the footage of the Hellfire missile striking her midair. She had been vulnerable for a moment—distracted, her barrier momentarily down.

"That's it," he muttered under his breath, eyes flicking between the tactical data and the live feed. "She can't maintain that barrier and attack simultaneously. We overwhelm her and break her focus. The moment her shield drops, we hit her hard."