The Dark Warlock's Game

Chapter 37: The Target List

“Over here Vardy....” Selene called, holding up a book.

It was a list of names.

Vardy froze in place at the sight of it. It wasn't because of all they had seen but, It was the list Selene had pulled from the stack, her smirk gone, replaced with a grim.

“Found something interesting,” she said, tossing the parchment onto the table.

Vardy moved closer, his eyes narrowing. Ferah, Tracy, and Luthor gathered around him, the weight of Selene’s tone pulling them in.

“What is it?” Ferah asked, her hand still on the hilt of her sword.

Selene tapped the list with one finger. “Targets. Dean’s next moves. People he wants eliminated.”

The room grew colder, Vardy reached for the list, his hand steady even as his chest tightened. 

The names were written in bold, precise lettering, each one followed by a description and a location.

His breath caught as he read the first few.

“Tracy Gray,” Ferah said aloud, her voice sharp. Her eyes flicked to her friend. “That’s you.”

Tracy stiffened, her grip tightening on her spear. “I figured I wasn’t Dean’s favorite person, but a bounty?”

“It’s not just her,” Vardy said, his voice low. He scanned further down the list, his heart sinking. “Ferah Veyne. Luthor March.”

Luthor paled, his usually flippant demeanor replaced with quiet panic. “My name’s there? Why would he care about me? I’m not even a fighter!”

“Apparently, just being with us is enough,” Tracy muttered, her eyes narrowing as she leaned over the table.

Vardy’s gaze fell to the bottom of the list, his own name standing out in dark, bold ink. No bounty was listed next to it. Instead, it read: "Capture alive at all costs."

“Well, that’s ominous,” Ferah said, her voice laced with sarcasm, though her hand trembled slightly as she reached for her sword.

“Why capture you but kill the rest of us?” Tracy asked, her tone sharp.

“Because Dean doesn’t want Vardy dead,” Selene said, breaking the silence. She stepped forward, her eyes fixed on the list. “He wants him under control. He wants what you have.”

The whispers from the artifact stirred in Vardy’s mind, low and insistent, as though agreeing with Selene’s words. He tightened his grip on his staff, trying to drown them out.

“And the rest of us?” Ferah asked, her voice cold.

“Collateral damage,” Selene replied bluntly. “He doesn’t care about you. You’re obstacles. He’ll remove you to get to Vardy.”

“So what do we do?” Luthor asked, his voice trembling.

Vardy didn’t answer immediately. His mind raced, images of his friends being hunted flashing before his eyes. The names on the list weren’t just names, they were people, people he’d fought beside, people he’d sworn to protect.

“This isn’t just a hit list,” he said finally. “It’s a message. Dean wants us to know he’s coming. He wants us scared.”

“Well, it’s working,” Luthor muttered, rubbing his temples.

“Then let’s stop playing defense,” Ferah said, her voice firm. “If he’s targeting us, we need to hit him first.”

Selene raised an eyebrow. “Bold. But you’re forgetting something. Dean’s got the resources, the manpower, the advantage. If you want to strike back, you need to be smart about it.”

“Which is where you come in,” Tracy said, her tone sharp.

“Exactly,” Selene replied, her smirk returning. “And lucky for you, I know exactly where to start.”

---

In another part of Haven City, a man sat in a dimly lit tavern, nursing a glass of something that smelled like oil and tasted worse. His eyes darted to the door every few seconds, his fingers tapping nervously against the table.

“Relax, Kieran,” a woman said from across the table. She leaned back in her chair, her boots propped up, a dagger spinning lazily in her hand.

“I don’t like waiting,” Kieran muttered, his voice low.

The woman smirked. “You’re in Dean’s service now. Get used to it.”

Before Kieran could respond, the door creaked open. A figure stepped inside, their cloak billowing slightly as they moved toward the table.

“You’re late,” the woman said, her tone unimpressed.

The figure ignored her, dropping a folded piece of parchment onto the table. “New orders. Straight from Dean.”

Kieran hesitated before picking up the parchment, his hands shaking slightly. He unfolded it, his eyes scanning the contents.

“Targets,” the woman said, her voice softer now. “The Dud?”

Kieran nodded, his throat dry. “And his friends. Dean wants them gone.”

“Then we’d better not disappoint,” the figure said, their voice cold and final.

---

Vardy stared at the list, his mind racing.

“How did Dean even find out about us?” Luthor asked, his voice breaking the heavy silence.

Selene leaned against the wall, her arms crossed. “Dean has eyes everywhere. Informants, spies, even people who don’t know they’re working for him. If you’ve been in Haven long enough, he’s got a file on you.”

“Then how do we stay ahead of him?” Ferah asked, her frustration evident.

“You don’t,” Selene said simply. “Not by running, anyway. The only way to stay ahead of Dean is to outthink him. Make moves he doesn’t expect.”

“And you think you know how to do that?” Tracy asked, her skepticism clear.

Selene smirked. “I know Dean better than any of you. I know how he thinks, how he operates. If anyone can outmaneuver him, it’s me.”

“Convenient,” Ferah muttered.

Selene’s smirk faded. “I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this because I don’t want to end up on a list like that.”

Vardy looked up from the list, his eyes locking onto Selene’s. “If we do this, if we fight back, we need to be ready for what comes next. Dean won’t stop. And if we fail….”

“We won’t,” Selene interrupted.

Vardy raised an eyebrow. “You sound confident.”

“I have to be,” Selene replied, her tone softer. “Dean doesn’t leave room for doubt. If you hesitate, he wins.”

***

“We need weapons!” A voice called at the merchant in the buzzing city.

“Three times the normal rate?” the cloaked figure asked, their tone incredulous.

“Dangerous times mean higher prices,” the merchant replied, his grin revealing his crooked teeth.

The cloaked figure sighed, tossing a small pouch of coins onto the table. “Fine. Just make sure it works.”

The merchant’s grin widened as he handed over a small, intricately designed dagger. “Pleasure doing business.”

The figure pocketed the weapon and disappeared into the crowd.

---

Tracy paced the room, her spear tapping softly against the floor. “If we’re going to fight back, we need a plan. Something that doesn’t get us killed in the first five minutes.”

“Agreed,” Ferah said. She turned to Selene. “So what’s your grand idea?”

Selene pushed off the wall, her smirk returning. “Dean’s supply lines are his lifeblood. Weapons, food, information, they all flow through his network. If we cut those off, we cripple him.”

“And how do we do that?” Vardy asked.

“There’s a warehouse near the docks,” Selene said. “Dean uses it to store supplies before distributing them across the city. If we hit it, we can deal a serious blow to his operations.”

“And probably paint a bigger target on our backs,” Luthor muttered.

“We already have targets,” Vardy said, holding up the list. “This doesn’t change that.”

“Exactly,” Selene said. “You’re already on his radar. Might as well make it worth something.”

Vardy nodded slowly, his mind racing. The whispers from the artifact grew louder.

“Fine,” he said finally. “We’ll hit the warehouse. But we do it on our terms.”

Selene’s smirk widened. “Now you’re thinking like Dean.”

Vardy’s gaze hardened. “I’m nothing like him.”

“I know, I was just saying…” Selene muttered, leading the way out, as they all followed behind.

They stepped out of the room, but all of a sudden, an item shock and almost fell. 

It was a white calabash.

Vardy stopped in his tracks, he turned back and the others did the same.

“Wait, y'all. I think this thing walks when we move..” Vardy said as he advanced towards it.

“Careful Vardy!” Ferah called.

Vardy didn't look back, he kept advancing till he got to the calabash.

As he made to touch it, something like a strong force bounced his hands off, making him shake.

“Are you alright, Vardy?” Selene asked, as though wanting to help him.

“I am. This is not ordinary, I couldn't touch it just now..” Vardy said, staring back at them.

“What do we do now?” Luther asked, without showing fright.

“I think this is a sensor, we just have to move out without making it flinch… else, they'd know we're around.” Vardy said.

“What should we do?” Tracy asked, her face and expression almost dim.

“Pull your pans!” Vardy commanded.

“Pans?” Ferah asked, staring at everyone.

“We don't have time for questions, lets do as Vardy had commanded.” Luther said.

Without wasting any much time, they all pulled their pans.

“Good, “ Vardy began, “the sensor won't detect us this way. Dean is really smart.” He smirked.