Life and Death are Lovers on a Coffee Date

Chapter 8

[Crossroads located at the outskirts of Heim.

4:00 am]

The vehicle soon disappeared in the distance, parking in the rendezvous spot as we slowly started getting into position, since it's still dark, it'll take about approximately 40 minutes before the dawn cracks ignite the area. The carriage takes its time preparing for its expedition. Quite a few guards, we need to find the location of the foreign magic in one of the three caravans. That is when Atlas shines using his arts to detect the area for any cloaked individuals and locate the magic at the same time, two birds with one stone eh? Hera is positioned alone, Tane and Ryder are together in position, and Atlas is in position, but something feels off, none of the guards are well-guarded nor pose any threat. This morning is too quiet.

"Penguin in radio, there are no nearby troops except for the ones in the view, enemy tracked ten guards west and a few mages scattered for scouting, over." Atlas radioed.

"Chew toy and Doggy Bone on radio, roger that." Before the radio went static, Tane seemed to smack Ryder on the head as he whispered "I said I'm Ragnarok!".

"Scapegoat on radio, the trap is ready to use, waiting for the signal, is everyone in position, over?" Hera asked for confirmation and everyone responded back with a few words of confirmation.

"Anubis commanding, execute the action in ten, wilco, over." I said over the speaker as everyone responded with a "Roger and out" and then followed by static.

In the distance, the guards seem to be slow, groggily rising up one by one; without their attention, an eagle descends from the mountain high above landing on top of the second caravan that's positioned in between the three.

3...2...1... the bird detonated in flash-bang earning grunts as they shielded their eyes with their hands, but to no avail, the flash was still stinging their eyes. Hera casts a slow time area of effect on the guards that are now reacting at a much slower pace. As they lost vision and attention, this granted Tane and Ryder the required time to knock the party asleep in a flash; it didn't seem like they needed my help after all. After all soldiers and mages were tied, all of them gathered in one spot.

"Something is weird, for a magic that is supposedly important, why are there fewer guards than the last caravans the scouts mentioned? The guards aren't even well trained and there was no trace of cloaked or hidden mercenaries in the far distance." Atlas said in a worried tone as he stroked his chin, wondering.

"Who cares? Maybe they ran out of troops to deploy, or maybe they sent out a lotta caravan and this one seems to be lacking much protection due to less manpower." Ryder responded confidently.

"For a kingdom that's well and prosper?" Atlas challenged. In my time in Shurima, out of all the dictators and emperors in my prime, my instinct tells me something is wrong. The aura that the caravan is deploying is familiar.

"How bout we check out the caravan first?" Hera walked into the middle caravan, inspecting the locked box inside. "This is the caravan correct?"

"Yes"

"There doesn't seem to be a seal or any runes in this lock..." With a flick of her wrist, the lock fell off, letting Hera hold a tiny wooden box. "I thought there would be more pretty stuff." She said in disappointment,

"Let me see first!" Ryder with his strange curiosity in literally anything took the box away from Hera and slowly but surely took his time in opening the box as seen in the movies – King's man is great by the way. But my worry grew as my fur felt shivers. Atlas and I exchanged looks, he doesn't seem to notice the aura the box emits. The bloodlust. I tried to distract myself by viewing the area as we didn't realize the dawn was finally rising, but still, nothing was sensed, no presence nor activity, this magic... this familiar magic! This is Her magic-!

"Ryder get rid of that thing! That's not magic that's- "before getting the chance to steal the box away from Ryder, he opened it before hearing my command.

I was too late.

Country of Heim, a rich and independent country known for its use of technology and mining, therefore cutting off all deals within the outside and rarely talk business with the outside.