[5000 years later…]
The full moon shone in sight, lighting up the night sky with a soft white glow.
The forest was eerily still—utterly devoid of even the faintest stir from a single blade of grass.
Tonight, like any other, should have echoed with rustling leaves and animal calls—but even the trees didn't dare sway on a night like this.
A night that would change everything for a certain band of mercenaries.
A soft rustling broke the silence, and four teenagers burst out from the shadows of the forest.
They lept over overgrown roots and wove through dense foliage, their uncanny speed the only proof of their attempt to escape unseen pursuers.
Leading the charge from the middle was an unlikely young lad with a well-toned frame, stark red hair, and strange amber eyes. Yet the strangest thing about him wasn't his appearance—it was his name. A name not of these lands.
"Kion. You've got the relic?"
A teenage boy with blonde hair and hazel eyes ran beside him, matching his pace with ease.
"What do you think, Laris?"
Kion lifted the left side of his poncho, revealing a tied leather pouch strapped to his side. Inside, a soft blue glow pulsed faintly.
Laris's eyes widened, the ethereal light reflecting perfectly in his irises.
"Sweet. Another soul core bagged. What level is it, though?"
"I don't know. Don't care," Kion replied, his deep voice calm and certain.
"That much doesn't matter for soulless like us." He added.
Laris gave a curt nod, though the look of curiosity still lingered in his eyes.
Kion was curious, too. Although he couldn't be too excited. They had other things to attend to first.
A stolen soul core from a high ranking house would only bring trouble knocking at his door—or in this case—chasing after him. And Kion knew it wouldn't be long before that happened.
That was why getting back to their hideout was his priority.
"I can tell this one holds a rare spirit soul," Laris said after a moment, "the weapon that this goes into will get some mad abilities."
Theo couldn't believe the blondie's mind was still on that thing.
"We can worry about its domain later," he said.
"For now, we need to get as far away from the kingdom walls as possible. No telling who'll be sent after us."
As he spoke, Kion glanced back, remembering the task he'd assigned earlier.
"Lila, did you sever the soul tether?"
A slender pink-haired girl, previously lagging behind with her nose in a book, caught up to his pace.
"Oh, you worry too much. I did that ages ago. Those rich bastards couldn't track us if they tried."
No sooner had she spoken than a shadow streaked above them, shaking the trees.
It landed ahead and materialized into a girl with black hair and even blacker eyes.
She turned to face them, running backward but keeping a solid five meters ahead.
"Kion's just paranoid we'll get caught," she said with a bored expression. "Even though that's never happened."
"Besides, you lot are too slow. If they were really coming, they'd have caught us already."
Kion was about to respond—when he heard it.
A faint crackle to his left.
"Lila! Watch out!"
He pivoted fast, swinging behind a startled Lila to intercept a lightning arrow aimed at her spine.
CLING!!
The flat side of his longsword caught the arrow's tip, deflecting it into a nearby tree, which burst into flames on impact.
The group froze, stunned.
You really had to jinx us, Girona? Kai thought to himself.
For a moment, there was only silence, but then the unmistakable sound of footsteps on damp soil echoed across the clearing.
Kion's eyes narrowed.
Judging from the trajectory and speed of the arrow, their attacker must've been far away. How had they gotten here so fast?
"Well, well. If It isn't the Sacrilax rats themselves." A stern female voice could be heard, as a tall woman emerged from the underbrush.
She had a bookish look, with gold rimmed spectacles and blue hair tied up in a bun.
What stood out about her was her outfit: she was dressed in blue military attire, with a seal of a phoenix emblazoned on her front pockets.
She held a bolt that sizzled with electricity, a golden longbow slung across her back.
An archer from the Imperial Army.
Kion theorised.
Before any of them could react, she let out a hearty laugh, as if she was savouring their encounter.
"You know, in a way you should all consider yourselves lucky. You spineless thieves will have the privilege to be killed by me, a vice admiral. That's cause for celebration don't you think?"
"She talks too much." Girona said, her tone laced with utter boredom.
Kion turned to her. "Care to do the honours?"
Unexpectedly, Girona smiled.
"This should be fun."
As quick as a blur, she dissipated into a shadowy mass, lunging at the vice admiral with alarming speed.
ZRRPPP!
In one moment, Girona was upon her, katana aimed at her throat with deathly intent, but her blades only met thin air.
Kion couldn't believe his eyes. Girona was their fastest member, and this lady just evaded her without even breaking a sweat.
The Vice Admiral laughed from behind them, causing all of them to turn in alarm.
She held a finger over her mouth, giggling like a little child.
"Was that the best you could do, Girona?"
Girona should have been shocked that the strange lady knew her name, but her face remained stoic and filled with unconcern.
"Keep my name out of your filthy mouth, bitch."
The lady giggled once more.
"Bitch? Well that's rather rude isn't it? But i wouldn't blame you. I hadn't told you my name yet."
The lady widened her stance, and Kion and his group instantly readied their weapons.
"Allow me to give you a proper introduction." The Vice Admiral said.
"My name is Kuvira."
She lunged.