Felix stood at the bow of the boat, the wind whipping his hair as he gazed out at the river stretching before them. The sun beat down on his skin, though he couldn't enjoy the warmth due to the cold and was limited by the cloak he was wearing.
He had been told that Marconni, his master, had gone silent for a while, and that he would be in charge of moving a group of slaves to a location in Granoa.
Or so the story went.
The truth, however, was that Marconni was dead. Everyone knew that. Adriana had made it so that only the people of Ekron were aware of his demise. Now his name was being used as a ghost identity to communicate with his contacts outside Archadia.
Things were orchestrated in such a way that even people from within the nation itself didn't know that Marconni was dead. The Kings Of Crime, the Khaos Nocturni, had a hand in the affairs of every nation and could influence things from the shadows. They didn't know the extent of their hold in Archadia, but then Marconni transacted with certain nobles and other individuals in the country, and that was a good enough reason for caution.
Now, using Marconni's name to send a message to one of his trade outposts, Felix's mission was to meet up with another slave caravan and then link up with some of Marconni's men, who were performing an operation that had been halted due to a lack of orders.
In their minds, their employer had remained silent for one of two reasons. He was known to be a very greedy person, so it was either that he had sensed an opportunity and was seeking to seize it, or things had gotten so hairy that he couldn't do anything without risking everything. All this was because things had begun to change in the country after the just-ended Rulers Council.
"What's with that absent-minded look there, boss? Are you that overwhelmed with emotion?" Adade said.
The Orc Adade, his broad shoulders and muscular physique evident even under his cloak. The hair on his skin rippled in the wind, and his sharp tusks gleamed with a subtle sheen. Adade's eyes, a piercing brown, sparkled with amusement as he put an arm around Felix's shoulder.
"Come on, liven up," he said.
Trice, with his wings folded against his arms and hidden under his cloak, looked at the landscape with a disinterested expression, his sharp teeth glinting in the sunlight. He raised his hand out of the cloak and scratched his nose, revealing his feathers, a mottled mix of brown and gray, that ruffled slightly in the breeze, and his eyes were green, reflecting the light from the sun.
"We've been on this stupid boat for a while, when are we gonna get there?"
"We'll get there in due time, so please stop asking that every five minutes," Fatima said. Fatima, the Centaur, stood nearby, her equine body gleaming with a subtle sheen. Her human torso rose from her horse-like body, her long hair flowing down her back like a river of gold. Her eyes, a deep brown, sparkled with intelligence, and her expression was calm and collected.
"I honestly don't understand how all of you can bear all this. Flying would have been the fastest way to get to this location," Trice said with a scoff, tapping his feet.
Despite his nonchalance, he was clearly thrilled to be part of this operation.
Matoi, the Minotaur, towered over the group, her massive body radiating a sense of power. Her horns, curved and sharp, gleamed in the sunlight, and her eyes, a piercing blue, seemed to bore into Felix's very soul. Aside from her horns and muscular build, it was impossible to tell her apart from a normal woman; well, so were other Minotaurs, so...
She crossed her arms and spoke in a low, rumbling voice, her words laced with concern.
"Felix, I've heard about your past. I hope it won't influence our mission."
Felix's expression turned somber, his eyes clouding over for a moment. "I'm probably going to dig up a few bad memories," he said, his voice low and even. "But I'm doing this to ensure that people don't have to have bad memories like the ones I have. Besides, I have a debt I need to pay. This is just one means to pay that debt."
Just then, Proxima rose out of the water, hovering on a platform made of water beside their vessel. Unseen by anyone, she had been escorting the group to the end of their territory, her scales glistening in the sunlight. "We've reached the point where we're no longer on Archadian territory," she said, her voice clear and authoritative. "If anything happens, we won't be receiving backup. This is a clandestine operation, so be careful."
The group nodded in unison, their faces set with determination. "Yes, ma'am," they chorused.
Proxima smiled, her eyes sparkling with encouragement. "Good luck, team. May the gods watch over you." With that, she sank back into the water, leaving the team to their mission.
Hamza, the Lizardman, grinned mischievously, his scaly skin glistening in the sunlight. "The stakes have never been higher," he joked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
He nudged Lucille, the gorgon who had just come out from below deck.
"Hey Lucille, wanna place a few bets?"
Adade elbowed him, a broad grin spreading across his face. "Shut up, Hamza."
Lucille watched them expressionlessly.
"You seem pretty relaxed even though this is an important mission we've been given. You seem to be airheads incapable of anything but lame jokes. Are you sure you're up for it?" she asked.
Hamza walked up to her with a deadly smile.
"What did you say?" he asked politely through his sharp teeth. Adade came to stand between them.
"Now, now..."
Felix's expression turned serious, his eyes scanning the horizon, seeing the port. "Prepare to disembark," he ordered, his voice firm and commanding.
The team sprang into action, their movements swift and efficient as they took their places. Felix felt a sense of anticipation building within him. This was it – the moment he had been waiting for. He glanced at his teammates, his eyes lingering on each of their faces. They were a diverse group, to say the least, but they had one thing in common: a determination to see this mission through.
With a final look back at the waters leading back to Opal, the team disembarked.
The stakes were high, but they were ready for whatever lay ahead.