The forest stretched endlessly, a sea of green broken only by a single dirt road. Two horse-drawn carriages tore down the path, wheels kicking up clouds of dust, hooves pounding like war drums.
The lead carriage's driver, Garrick, gripped the reins like his life depended on it, and it did. His eyes darted behind him, heart hammering.
Inside the carriage, leather seats held a family frozen in fear. Malric, the husband, clenched the armrest, while Liam, the oldest son, pressed against him, shaking. Elara and Finn, the younger twins, huddled together. Isolde, the wife, stared out the window, jaw tight, refusing to look back.
The second carriage tore through the trees behind them. Three bandits leaned forward like predators.Varek controlled the reins, eyes cold and sharp, he was the leader. Kael flattened onto the roof, pulling a glowing yellow sphere from his coat. It shimmered, twisted, and morphed into a massive sniper rifle, he was the group's powerhouse. He took careful aim. The bullet screamed through the air, slicing toward the first carriage.
Inside, the bullet whizzed just past Elara's head. The family hit the floor hard. Malric, Liam, Elara, Finn, and Isolde smashed themselves down, hearts hammering, breaths stuttering.
Garrick shouted, muscles straining as he yanked the reins. The carriage lurched onto a rocky, twisting road. The bandits followed, struggling to keep control.
Chaos erupted inside the second carriage. Kael tumbled off the roof, hitting the floor hard. Varek cursed as Ryven craned his neck out the window, rage twisting his features, he was a newbie in the group. The floor was a sea of glowing cacti, stolen treasures glinting in the morning light. Ryven scrambled, looking for leverage, but nothing came fast enough.
Ahead, a cliff loomed. The first carriage swerved sharply. The second carriage didn't have time. It launched into the void. Ryven and the glowing cacti flew through the air, crashing together violently. By the time the carriage landed, Ryven was pinned, stuck, and shredded against the spiny green mass.
Garrick risked a glance behind. The bandits had stopped. Relief flickered, just for a moment. The family slowly rose. Isolde pressed against the window, scanning the woods. Liam and Malric exchanged tense nods; Elara and Finn stayed crouched, trembling.
The road straightened into the open city gates, stone walls, towers looming, a castle at the heart of it. But chaos struck again. The second carriage burst from the trees, slamming into the rear of the first carriage with a thunderous crash.
Ryven crawled across the roof of the second carriage, cactus and bruises clinging to him. Rage and pain twisted his face. Arrows and bolts flew from the city walls, striking him. He fell screaming. Varek skidded to a halt. He knew it was over. The lead carriage rolled safely through the gates.
The first carriage screeched to a stop inside the gate. Dust and bruises clung to the wheels, the family shaking like leaves in a storm. Three guards ran forward. Roland, a rank 3 cadet, yanked the door open.
Inside, the family huddled together, faces pale, breaths ragged. Theron ran in, eyes widening at the scene, this was his first day on the job, children clinging to each other, a mother trembling against her husband.
The guards lifted the family out, hands firm, guiding them toward a heavy wooden door beyond. The echo of hooves and screaming faded behind them, leaving only the quiet tension of what they had just survived.
The family stepped into the room, still shaken from the chaos outside. A man in a crisp white uniform greeted them with a nod. Malric and Isolde held their children close, hearts pounding, eyes wide with fear.
Outside, the fight flared again. Ten to fifteen soldiers rushed toward the bandits' carriage. Soldier Kale and Soldier Joren grabbed Varek, yanking him out and forcing him to the ground. They moved to restrain him, but a flying projectile struck Kale in the head. He collapsed instantly, stunned, as Joren froze, staring at the chaos around them. The soldiers behind the carriage lined up, returning fire, but two more were knocked out before they could react.
On the city walls, soldiers raised their weapons, scanning for the intruder. Wall Soldier Taren pointed at a massive tree. Bullets struck the bark, sending splinters flying.
Underneath, Kael crawled behind the tree, sliding across the dirt toward a nearby trunk, careful to stay low.
The wall soldiers kept firing, until a massive explosion shook the city. Smoke and flames filled the air. They froze, stunned, eyes wide.
High above the destruction, two figures streaked across the sky. One rode on the back of the other. Rathra clung to Raidren, his head snapping toward the wall guards. Raidren's expression was calm, confident. In an instant, they vanished.
Back near the carriage, Soldier Joren and Soldier Alric heard the distant destruction. Joren drew a shaky breath and turned a corner, nothing. He spun around and froze.
Rathra hovered inches from his face, hiding on the back of Raidren, who had smoke curling from his pipe. The soldiers panicked, firing wildly, but Raidren moved with uncanny precision, twisting and ducking, untouched.
The other soldiers fell back, alarm etched on their faces. Rathra's gaze swept over the group, scanning. He looked over his shoulder at Raidren. In a blink, he disappeared.
At the base of the wall, soldiers' bodies collapsed to the ground, unconscious or dead from the shock and impact of the fall. Above, Raidren balanced on the edge, steady and calm, and with a swift move, sent the last soldier sliding off the wall, he might live or not, but either way he will be removed from the fight.
Rathra landed at the base of the wall, silent and precise. The soldiers tried to react, but it was too late. One by one, they died, killed before they could react, unable to keep up with his speed and skill.
From a distance, Kael, the sniper bandit, aimed a glowing magical shot at Rathra. The projectile blazed toward him, but Rathra vanished and reappeared in front of Kael in an instant. With a single, powerful throw, Rathra sent him flying through the air, probably dying from the impact. The remaining soldiers froze, fear written across their faces, knowing they had no chance against him. Rathra's eyes scanned the battlefield, calm and unyielding, as the chaos of the fight continued to unfold around him.
Rathra snapped his fingers, and Raidren appeared right in front of him. Rathra leaped onto Raidren's back, and in the next moment, they were standing inside the royal castle at the center of town, right in the king's room.
Rathra swung his hand through the air with precision. The walls of the castle around him tore apart at the stroke, and the knights caught in the path were thrown aside, dismantled by the force. As the castle crumbled, the king, lying safely on the floor, watched as Rathra approached him.
Raidren stayed in the background, head bowed, a clear expression of regret across his face. Rathra stepped closer to the king, just inches away, and smiled with a chilling calmness.