The roads of Valencia Nova stretched endlessly before them, bathed in the early morning haze. Agastya kept one hand on the wheel, his gaze flickering between the rearview mirror and the open road ahead.
Their vehicle—a modified cargo hauler—rumbled quietly as it sped across the highway leading toward the outer districts. The industrial sectors were safer, less patrolled, but no route was ever completely secure. On Earth, the presence of Raiders and the monitoring drones was inescapable.
Thea was nowhere to be seen, and Agastya had this look of uncertainty. He had taken jobs like this before, smuggling a celestial blooline into the academy, but this? This was on an entirely different level. The risk of smuggling a princess was as high as it got. One wrong move, and they were both dead.
As if fate wanted to worry him more, he had already faced the first obstacle, just twenty minutes into the ride.
A Raider vehicle emerged from the side street ahead, its black and crimson exterior gleaming under the artificial lights of the city. It was a sleek, armored hovercraft, with the insignia of the skull with cross bones etched into its hull. A flashing signal pulsed on its side, indicating it was ordering them to stop.
"Shit," Agastya muttered under his breath, easing the vehicle to a halt.
"Stay calm," Agastya murmured, glancing at the empty front seat before stepping out of the vehicle.
The Raider craft hovered a few feet above the ground before two figures dropped down with perfect precision. They were clad in advanced combat suits, their helmets sleek and black, glowing with red visors. Their presence alone was enough to make most civilians tremble in fear.
"Identification," the lead Raider demanded, his voice metallic through his helmet's modulator.
Agastya forced a casual grin and reached into his coat, pulling out a small ID chip. "Agastya Vren. Scrap dealer. Just making my way to the industrial district to offload some junk."
The Raider took the chip and scanned it. A soft beep confirmed the ID's authenticity.
The second Raider circled the vehicle, running a gloved hand along its dusty frame. "You're transporting cargo?"
"Junk," Agastya corrected. "Some broken machinery, old parts from decommissioned teleportation gates. Nothing worth your time."
The lead Raider nodded to his partner. "Check the vehicle."
The second Raider moved to the back and activated a portable scanner, sweeping it across the hauler's cargo bay. The device let out a few soft beeps but showed nothing suspicious.
Agastya maintained his relaxed posture, watching carefully. So far, so good…
The first Raider handed the ID chip back. "You're clear to go."
Agastya exhaled, reaching for the door. "Appreciate it. I'll—"
"Wait."
The second Raider raised his hand. "One last check."
Agastya's stomach twisted.
The Raider pulled out a Grade-1 Thermal Scanner—a device capable of detecting biological signatures hidden behind layers of any material.
Agastya's fingers itched toward the concealed blade at his waist, but he forced himself to stay still.
The Raider activated the scanner and swept it across the vehicle. The device's display remained neutral at first. Then—
Beep.
The Raider's head snapped up. Thea, hidden beneath the false floorboard under the front passenger seat, held her breath.
"Hey, you," the Raider said, his grip tightening on his weapon. "There's something—no, someone—inside."
Silence fell.
Agastya's smirk vanished.
Thea's heart pounded.
The lead Raider's visor gleamed as he took a slow step forward. His hand rested on the hilt of his energy blade.
"Step aside," he ordered. "We're searching the vehicle."
"Wait… wait…" Agastya hurriedly stopped them. Before they react further, he called her out. "Thea, come out, my dear."
Thea's breath became heavier, but she eventually opened the compartment door and emerged from the front passenger seat before stepping out of the vehicle.
Agastya spoke. "Sir, she is my niece. She lost her identification chip, and I was worried that she would get taken to the authorities." He went on falling upon his knees and pleading to the lead Raider, grabbing his hands. "Sir, please don't hurt her. I saved around 8000 credits so far. I will give my entire savings to you, sir. Please show us mercy."
The second Raider's expression shifted slightly. However, the lead Raider looked like Agastya's acting had any impact on him. He pulled out a scanner from the backpack and pointed at Thea's face, which filled with fear. "Before I believe your story, I need to check whether she was on the bounty list or not."
The moment the Raider's scanner finished processing, a notification flashed across his visor alongside the image of the princess.
68% match.
The lead Raider's grip tightened on his weapon. "Looks like we have a problem. What are the odds that the princess of Iberica escaped the prison last night and a lookalike appeared in the dawn?"
Thea barely had time to react before the other raider lunged, grabbing her arm in a vice-like grip.
Agastya's mind raced. He had planned for almost every scenario—except this one. His bribe was useless. His cover story had failed. There was no talking his way out anymore.
In an instant, Agastya's facial expression changed. The goofy smile turned cold, and he moved in a blur.
With one swift motion, his hand snapped up, grabbing the second Raider's wrist and twisting it violently. A sickening crack echoed in the night air as the man howled in pain. Agastya followed up with a brutal kick to his chest, sending him crashing into the side of the vehicle.
The lead Raider had barely reached for his firearm when Agastya closed the distance. A sharp, precise strike to the throat crushed his windpipe, leaving him gurgling for air. A final kick to the head sent him crumpling lifelessly to the ground.
There were no flashy techniques, no intense battle between magic spells, or any sort. Everything just went silent in a matter of seconds.
Thea stood frozen, her wide eyes reflecting the dim glow of the Raider's fallen visor.
Agastya didn't hesitate. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the vehicle. "Let's go."
They had seconds.
A sharp, high-pitched beep suddenly filled the air.
Agastya's head snapped toward the lead Raider, who was slumped against the vehicle. His visor flickered with red warnings.
Emergency Bounty Alert: Celestial Bloodline Suspect Escaping.