Ferah grasped, falling head down.“Dean will be satisfied with us,” the leader of the Altanas said, her smirk growing as he paced around Vardy.The rest of the Altanas held their positions.Ferah struggled against one of them, her fury clear in her wild movements. Tracy and Selene, though battered, stood tense, ready for a fight they knew they couldn’t win.“Big words for a little man,” Selene spat, her dagger glinting as she twirled it in her fingers.The leader paused, her cold gaze landing on her. “Oh, you’ll have your turn. But first, the Dud.” He turned back to Vardy, kneeling to his level. “Dean doesn’t just want you dead. He wants you broken.”Vardy’s head hung low, his breathing shallow. But just as the leader reached out to grab his staff, Vardy’s eyes shot open, blazing with fire.The artifacts whispers grew louder and without a word, flames erupted from his body.The Altanas holding him were flung backward, their armor scorching hot from the fire. The leader stumbled, her

The forest had gone still.For hours, the Altanas had searched, moving like silent predators through the thick undergrowth, their armor gleaming under the moonlight. But no matter how many times they swept the area, no matter how many shadows they peered into, the Dud and his group had vanished.The female leader of the unit, Captain Rhysa, stood at the edge of a clearing, her sharp eyes scanning everywhere. Her jaw clenched as the frustration in her chest boiled over. She had never failed a mission before, and yet, here she was, empty-handed, unable to bring Dean the one thing he wanted most.“This is a waste of time,” one of the Altanas muttered, stepping up beside her.Rhysa’s fingers twitched toward the hilt of her blade, but she exhaled slowly, forcing herself to remain calm. She knew when to push and when to retreat. Right now, the smarter move was leaving.“Fall back,” she ordered, her voice clipped. “We’re reporting to Dean.”---The throne room of Dean’s stronghold was col

"I know a way in," Selene said, her voice smooth and certain.The entire room froze. All eyes turned to her.Vardy’s fingers tightened around the edge of the parchment, his gaze sharp. Ferah raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms, while Tracy scoffed, clearly unimpressed. Luthor, always the most measured, remained silent, his gaze flickering between Vardy and Selene, waiting for the inevitable storm to come."You know a way in," Vardy repeated, his tone unreadable.Selene smirked, leaning against the rough stone wall, completely at ease despite the scrutiny. "That’s what I said, didn’t I?"Tracy rolled her eyes. "And how, exactly, do you know a way into an Altana stronghold? Last I checked, those places have been abandoned for decades.""Abandoned, yes," Selene said, tilting her head. "Forgotten? No."Vardy narrowed his eyes. "Explain."Selene exhaled dramatically, pushing off the wall. "You know how I get around. I hear things, I see things. The ruins aren’t just some crumbling mess of

Dean stared at her, his smirk slowly fading.Then, he laughed. "Admirable. But naïve."He straightened, rolling his shoulders. "You’re going to break, Tracy. It’s just a matter of time."Tracy lifted her chin, despite the pain radiating through her body. "Then you’d better bring your worst."Dean’s eyes darkened."Oh, I will."He nodded to the guards again.The real pain began.—---The night was thick. Every step was measured, every breath controlled. Vardy led the group through the shadows, staying low as they moved closer to the fortress. The journey had been grueling, hours spent passing through the wilderness, dodging patrols, resting only when absolutely necessary. Selene wiped sweat from her brow, glancing at the distant glow of torches atop the fortress walls. "We’re running out of time.""We know," Ferah muttered, eyes sharp.Luthor exhaled, his grip tightening around his sword. "She’s in there. That’s all that matters."Vardy nodded, but his mind was already elsewhere.Th

Ferah wiped the blade against her sleeve, her expression never changing. "We couldn’t risk him escaping."Vardy watched the body for a long moment before nodding. "We need to move."The remaining spy stumbled into Dean’s chamber, panting, his face pale.Dean raised an eyebrow. "You look like you’ve seen a ghost."The spy swallowed hard. "The Dud… he was waiting for us."Dean’s smirk faded. "And your partner?"The spy hesitated.Marcus stepped forward. "Gone."A tense silence followed.Dean exhaled through his nose. "So. They’re more prepared than I expected."The spy nodded, still catching his breath. "He knew we were coming."Dean’s gaze darkened. "Then it’s time we stop playing games."His fingers drummed against the table.And he began planning his next move.____Vardy sat outside the cave as night approached.The night outside stretched endlessly, and there was heavy silence wrapping around the forest.Then came the rustling sound. Vardy’s grip on his spear tightened as he step