Jade

  It's early morning, the sky still a dull grayish-blue, with the sun just beginning to creep over the horizon. The air is crisp, and the grass is damp from the overnight chill. Thornton and I are the only ones awake, our bodies accustomed to rising early for training. I can't help but feel a little jealous of Thornton—he's seen real combat without me. Today, I'm determined to show everyone what I'm capable of.

  "Hey Jade, I need to talk to you real quick about last night," Thornton says, his voice low.

  "What's going on?" I ask, my curiosity piqued.

  "First, have your eyes ever glowed purple?"

  "Not that I know of," I reply, my brow furrowing.

  "Well, last night when we were attacked by those bandits, my eyes started glowing purple, and I felt this unbelievable power surge through me. My mana was fierce yet controlled—I could've wiped out all of them on my own if necessary."

  "That's amazing, Thornton! How did you do it?"

  "I can't explain it... it just happened. I thought I was going to die, and then it hit me."

  "If you figure out how to control it, let me know. We both should master something like that, especially if it's a clan power."

  "I think it is. Before I killed the last guy, he looked me in the eye and smiled, saying, 'The legends are true.'"

  "When we get back to Canu, we'll ask around and see if we can learn more about the eyes. Do you still feel the power now?"

  "No..." Thorton pauses, his face growing serious. A look of concern crosses his features, and I brace myself for something heavy.

  "There's something else I didn't tell you about last night. Even with all that power, there was one guy who was far stronger than any of us."

  "Why are you just telling me this now?" I snap, my worry spiking. "Did you beat him?"

  "He left us alone. Just vanished." He meets my gaze, his expression grave. "Don't tell anyone else, Jade."

  "I won't, but we'll talk about this again."

  Before I can say more, movement fills the cabin. I'm angry at Thornton for not telling me sooner, but I'm relieved he's still here. If the man he described is as powerful as he said, we might be in serious trouble. I can't believe anyone could be that much stronger than Emberes.

  "Good morning, Thornton, Jade," Gashiaz greets as she enters the main room of the cabin.

  "Good morning," I reply, trying to shake off the unease.

  Thornton stands there, wearing a tight shirt that shows off the muscles in his arms. He flexes instinctively, every muscle taut. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's got a crush on Gashiaz.

  "If you flex any harder, you'll pop a blood vessel," Hue quips as he walks in.

  Thornton's face flushes bright red. He relaxes his posture, glancing at Gashiaz to see if she noticed, though I'm sure she didn't. Hue grabs two apples from the bowl, tossing one down the hallway. Just before it hits the wall, Aszhuak appears and snatches it midair.

  "Looks like you still have those razor-sharp reflexes," Hue says with a smirk.

  "Do you expect anything less from me?" Aszhuak replies, his tone dripping with confidence.

  When we met Aszhuak yesterday, I thought he was arrogant, but after the mission last night, I learned more about him. He's as strong as Emberes and has impeccable control over his mana. He explained how everything seems to slow down for him, making him able to react faster than anyone else. Aszhuak, Gashiaz, and Hue grew up together and have been on missions for four years. This is the first time they've worked with anyone outside of Belfour City. Last night, we talked about our families. The only family I could talk about was Thornton. Aszhuak promised that one day, he'd help us discover more about our clan, since family is one of the most important things.

  Emberes is the last to wake up. By the time he enters the room, Thornton and Gashiaz are already dressed in their armor and weapons, talking on the opposite side of the room. Hue and Aszhuak are finishing their second serving of fruit.

  "When those two are done, we'll proceed with the plan we discussed last night," Emberes says, his voice steady and commanding.

  "Sounds good," Thornton stretches, preparing for the day ahead.

  Our plan is to camp out and monitor the mage activity. Instead of splitting up, we'll stick together. Emberes initially wanted us to go separate ways, but Hue, Gashiaz, and Thornton convinced him it's safer to stay united after last night's encounter.

  Five minutes later, we're ready to move. The sun is now fully visible over the mountaintops, casting soft golden light on the forest. Despite the rising sun, the forest remains shrouded in a misty darkness. We walk in silence, anticipating an ambush like the one from the bandits. The path is muddy and slick beneath our boots, but our movements are practiced, almost silent, as we make our way through the fog.

  "We stick to the plan," Emberes orders, breaking the silence. "We'll spy and ambush when they're split up. Last night, you three said there were ten outside the cabins, right?"

  "Yes," Gashiaz, Thornton, and Aszhuak confirm.

  "We need to assume there are at least ten more inside or hiding elsewhere. We should also assume they already have the mask and only attack if we find out otherwise," Aszhuak adds.

  I agree, adding, "We need to account for the unknown."

  Everyone is quiet as we continue walking. Tension hangs in the air, and I can feel the anticipation building, just waiting for an attack. Our armor is light, fitted just enough to keep noise to a minimum. Emberes, Hue, and I are at the front, while Gashiaz and I trail slightly behind, keeping watch. Thornton and Aszhuak are positioned further back, watching for anything behind us.

  As we approach our designated spot, the fog begins to thin, the sun now halfway up in the sky. Emberes signals us to stop, holding up his hand.

  "Alright, Thornton, this is your time to shine," Emberes says quietly. "Get as close as you can without being noticed. If you're not back within two minutes, we'll assume the worst and come for you."

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  Thornton nods and begins to move down the hill. His movements are quick and silent, darting from tree to tree, careful not to make a sound. Gashiaz and I watch intently, her bow drawn, ready to fire at any threat.

  The two mages outside the cabin are talking. Thornton closes in on them, then suddenly vanishes.

  "One Canu arrow, two Canu arrows, three Canu arrows..." Emberes begins to count softly, watching the time.

  I can't see Thornton, but I trust him. My eyes scan the area, looking for any sign of his movement.

  "Fifty-five Canu arrows, fifty-six Canu arrows..."

  SNAP!

  One of the mages stops and turns toward the noise. Their mana pulses out as they start to move toward the source.

  "You might as well come out now," one mage calls, sensing Thornton's presence.

  The air crackles with tension as their mana surges, dark and violent, ready to strike. But just as they aim to attack, Gashiaz's arrows fly. I stop them before they reach their target, pulling them back just in time to prevent an accidental kill.

  The mages release their lightning bolt, striking the tree, causing it to explode in a shower of sparks. Gashiaz stares at me, her eyes wide with panic.

  "You let them kill your brother! What's wrong with you?" she hisses, her voice shaking with anger and fear.

  I gesture toward the distant trees, where Thorton is hiding safely.

  "It was just a squirrel," a mage explain.

  "Really?" one mage mutters, looking disappointed.

  More bandits pour out of the cabins, but they quickly return inside after realizing the source of the disturbance was just a false alarm.

  "I'm sorry for reacting so fast," Gashiaz says, her voice soft.

  "No need to apologize," I reply. "You were just protecting the team."

  As we prepare for the next move, Thornton makes his way back to us. The tension isn't gone—if anything, it's thicker now. As he reappears, he informs us of bad news.

  "There are more than ten. I counted fifteen."

  "Fifteen?" I repeat, disbelief setting in.

  "Fifteen doesn't matter, Jade," Emberes interrupts. "What matters is that those mages aren't as strong as they seem."

  He points to the tree that was struck by lightning. "When they charged that attack together, it was weak. We can handle them."

  Aszhuak smiles, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

  "I thought I was the only one who noticed," he says.

  "Phase B of the mission is a go," Emberes declares.

  The cabins that the mages had split into were dilapidated, their wooden frames battered and crumbling from years of neglect. They weren't heavily guarded, a relief for us. Small, narrow windows dotted the sides of the cabins, just big enough to catch a glimpse of the interior, yet still offering a perfect vantage point for us to strike. Emberes gave a nod, signaling us to move forward. He took the lead, his movements slow, deliberate, a shadow blending into the night. He positioned himself behind a tree, his gaze flicking to Gashiaz and me, signaling for action.

  "Take out those two from earlier. Jade, you take the left; Gashiaz, you take the right."

  Gashiaz and I exchanged a glance—sharp, focused, no words needed. We loaded our bows in perfect unison.

  "On your go," I whispered to her, my fingers tight around the arrow's shaft.

  The mages in the distance suddenly turned in our direction, their eyes narrowing as they began to point.

  "Are those...?"

  Before they could finish their sentence, Gashiaz let her arrow fly. Mine followed almost immediately. The two mages had no time to react, their eyes wide with shock just before the arrows buried deep into their skulls. Their bodies stiffened, and they fell to the ground with unnerving ease. This was my first kill, and though a cold knot twisted in my stomach, there was no time to process it. I quickly glanced back at Emberes, eager to know what was next.

  "Thirteen left," he muttered, barely a flicker of emotion crossing his face. "Next, we take out the three by the tree."

  "I'll handle them," Aszhuak volunteered, his voice calm but with a deadly edge.

  He lifted his finger, drawing upon his mana. A ball of light materialized from his fingertip, dense and pulsing with energy. He plucked it out of the air and sent it soaring toward the three enemies. They paused, bewildered, watching as the ball approached. Then, with a flick of his wrist, Aszhuak snapped his fingers, and the light burst apart. Three shards shot through the air with deadly precision, each one finding its mark. The three mages dropped without a sound.

  "Ten left," Hue said, his tone flat.

  Emberes motioned us forward, and we closed in on the next cabin, moving faster now that the outside mages were taken care of. We reached our positions, the plan unfolding seamlessly. Gashiaz activated her void magic, a spell so precise it erased all sound from our movements. We were ghosts, unseen, unheard. She was the perfect shield, though I knew the strain it put on her—if she faltered, even for a second, the magic would unravel. It was a dangerous gamble, one that had to be handled with care.

  I took cover behind a tree, positioning myself for a clear shot through the small window. Thornton and Aszhuak climbed onto the roof while Emberes and Hue positioned themselves by the front door. Hue began to summon a storm, his hands weaving through the air with practiced ease. A thick, oppressive cloud began to form overhead. The wind picked up, carrying the first drops of rain. One, two, three—soon the entire forest was drenched, the rain falling in sheets that blurred our movements even further.

  "NOW," Emberes commanded, his voice cutting through the silence like a whip.

  The storm was upon us. Emberes and Hue charged through the front door, their weapons flashing with lethal precision. Each of them struck in an instant, a fluid, synchronized dance of death. Thornton and Aszhuak dropped down through the roof, swiftly eliminating two more. I shot my arrow through the window, and a fifth enemy fell. It was almost too easy. This team—my team—was unstoppable.

  "Anyone hurt?" Emberes called out, his voice steady.

  "All good," we replied in unison.

  "Same thing to the next cabin. Let's finish this," Hue said, already moving toward the next target.

  The four boys darted off toward the next cabin, taking up their positions as we had before. They burst through the doors, their movements a deadly blur. I shot another arrow, fully expecting the same result. But this time, the last bandit was ready.

  With surprising speed, he caught my arrow between his teeth. The sound of metal scraping against his teeth sent a shiver down my spine.

  "Be careful where you're pointing that thing, girl," he sneered. "You could really hurt someone with your little toy."

  He dropped the arrow, letting it fall to the ground, and looked directly at me, his eyes gleaming with malice through the small window. My blood boiled. I was sure that shot would have ended him.

  "I'm guessing you children know why I'm here, just as I know why you're here," the bandit said, his voice smooth, mocking. "Let me make one thing clear—these matters should not involve children. I advise you turn around and leave."

  Emberes' eyes narrowed, a calculating look passing across his face. "Okay, everyone move in and surround him. We've got him outnumbered."

  Gashiaz and I crept closer, shadows in the rain, as the others moved into position. We were on the verge of closing in when the bandit spoke again, his voice low, dangerous.

  "Now, which one of you is the reason I can't hear anything from you pests?"

  The moment he closed his eyes, I realized he was preparing something. The air thickened with tension. A sinister smirk twisted on his face, and with a sharp gesture, he pointed his hand toward Gashiaz.

  "This should even the odds by one."

  I watched in horror as the arrow I had shot tore through the cabin's wall and embedded itself in Gashiaz's left arm. The magic she had woven around us vanished, and the sudden absence of sound made my heart race. Gashiaz let out a blood-curdling scream, a cry that rang out louder than the storm itself. The sound was enough to drown out the fierce rain, and it shattered the silence of our perfect assault.

  Before we could react, the bandit barreled through the wall, his eyes gleaming with twisted delight as he loomed over Gashiaz. I froze, unable to move, as he stomped on the arrow still lodged in her arm, twisting it deeper into her flesh. Her scream was raw, desperate, and it tore at my very soul.

  The bandit chuckled darkly. "The sun will set on you beautifully." His blade was raised high, gleaming in the dim light.

  Time slowed. My heart pounded in my chest as I stood frozen, paralyzed by the fear in Gashiaz's eyes. I couldn't move fast enough to save her.

  But then, a blur of motion. Hue—calm, unwavering—struck, kicking the bandit in the back and knocking him off balance. His weapon was in his hand in an instant, poised for the kill.

  "Get her out of here. We'll handle him," Hue said, his voice like a cold whisper.

  Without thinking, I ran. I grabbed Gashiaz, her weight suddenly heavier in my arms, and sprinted back toward camp. My heart raced, my breath sharp and quick as I pushed myself harder. The sounds of the fight faded behind me, and I began to lose sight of the boys and the bandit. Then, just as I thought I might reach safety, a massive explosion rocked the ground beneath me, sending shockwaves through the trees. The force of it knocked me off my feet, and the forest around me seemed to erupt in chaos.