The scent of fresh blood lingered in the crisp night air as Seraphina wiped her dagger clean. The bodies of the fallen assassins lay motionless on the forest floor, their dark cloaks barely distinguishable from the shadows.
Leon, still in Rei's arms, remained silent. He had witnessed countless battles in his past life, yet this new body forced him to experience combat from an entirely different perspective. He felt the tension in Rei's posture, the steady but alert movements of his mother—it was a reminder that danger was far from over.
Rei shifted her grip on Leon and grinned. "That was quite the performance. You sure you're not a former assassin?"
Seraphina shot her a cold glance. "You talk too much."
Rei chuckled but didn't push further. She was perceptive enough to know when to stop.
Seraphina's attention returned to the corpses. "They were tracking us too easily," she muttered. "Either they had a skilled scout, or…"
Rei sighed. "Or someone fed them our location."
Leon's eyes narrowed. That possibility had been lingering in his mind as well. The Blackfang Syndicate was powerful, but their ability to pinpoint their movements so quickly was concerning.
Someone had tipped them off.
Seraphina wasn't one to take chances. She crouched beside one of the bodies and searched through their belongings. It didn't take long before she pulled out a small, rune-engraved stone from a concealed pouch.
"A tracking stone," she murmured.
Leon immediately recognized it. A common but effective tool used by mercenaries and assassins. The moment they had crossed paths with Rei, this outcome had already been set in motion.
Seraphina stood and tossed the stone onto the ground before crushing it under her boot. The glow from the runes flickered before vanishing entirely.
"That won't erase our trail," she admitted. "But it'll make things harder for them."
Rei whistled. "You really know your stuff."
Seraphina ignored her and turned toward the trees. "We need to move."
Leon agreed. Time wasn't on their side.
-------
By the time the first light of dawn touched the horizon, they had left the dense forest behind. Rolling hills stretched before them, leading toward a distant road.
And at the end of that road—
Astralis.
Leon took in the sight of the grand city, its towering stone walls and gleaming spires standing tall against the sky. Even from this distance, he could feel the power thrumming beneath its surface.
A place of history. A place of secrets.
Rei exhaled, shifting Leon in her arms. "Well, here we are. Welcome to the heart of the empire."
Seraphina studied the city carefully. "How do we get in?"
Rei smirked. "I have a few ways."
Leon wasn't sure if that was reassuring or concerning.
But one thing was certain.
The real battle was just beginning.