For the past two months after gaining control of the base, they needed a way out. They knew they couldn't with their master around, so they decided to wait. They also needed to prepare, so they came up with a plan. They were aware of the existence of the Rank 4 bear beast and wanted to utilize it. The first step was to gain the trust of their people. So they got close to Grey, who was the elite standing beside Skylar the night before. He was a well-respected person in the base, so once they had him, they gained the support of the people. And they achieved this relatively easily. Next, they needed a way to involve the bear beast. So every time a squad was sent into the forest, they would strike and kill them, even if outnumbered, since they had many advantages.
First, they knew the exact location the squad was headed to, so they could set traps. Second, they were stronger together and wouldn't lose to five awakeneds or an elite. They made sure the scene of the crime looked horrible, like a beast attack. With all this in place, they instilled fear in the hearts of those in the base. Their master planned to investigate and get rid of the beast but was called by the organization. He had some important matters to discuss, so he left, asking them to find out what was happening.
Finally, they saw the perfect opportunity. Xaidon went into the forest with his squad, while Skylar stayed at the gates, commanding the others. Xaidon planned to kill the squad and go deeper into the forest where the Rank 4 resided. With a sweet, honey-like aroma that was also poison, he led the beast out. Of course, the poison would not harm the beast but would give Xaidon a chance to escape. Once he drew the beast's attention, he would lead it back to the base, pretending to be with their people. They would first encourage the others to stay and fight before escaping amid the chaos. The beast would then slaughter everyone in the base. If it couldn't find the hidden people, it didn't matter—scavengers in the forest would find and deal with them.
As for Peter, his part was simpler. During the attack, he would head to the vault. As one of the three leaders of the base, he had access to it. The only problem was that an old elite was the keeper, so he had to kill him. Peter knew he could, but it would take some time. After dealing with the keeper, he would take the valuables—weapons, maps, supplies, armor, gold coins, and other important items. Despite this, he was supposed to reach the cave before them, so his delay was due to something else—he burned the base down. He didn't want anything left, didn't want others to replace the dreadful people there, so he burned everything out of sight.
He smiled at his friends and entered the cave. He went deeper and sat in silence. In a sense, for the first time since they were captured by the Kin Clan, they felt freedom. They could now call themselves free people. They weren't slaves to a treacherous clan or an evil organization anymore. But they were slaves to their revenge, and that was okay. They could live with it—and love it. Their desire for revenge would fuel their strength beyond anyone else's. They had already promised themselves that. There was no need for any pep talk.
As they stared into the darkness, Peter rose and opened his bag. He pulled out a beautiful sword. The blade shimmered with a mesmerizing mix of blue and silver in the dim light. The metal danced with a subtle iridescence, and the hilt was wrapped in worn silver leather that fit perfectly in his hand. He approached Xaidon and handed it to him. "Apparently it was made from a rank 3 beast, so here you go."
Xaidon took the sword, swung it a few times, then placed it in its sheath. Peter watched silently for a moment. "The creature it was made out of had a high affinity with wind. I don't know much more, and you'll have to learn how to handle it." He paused. "It's not even meant to be touched unless a Demon says so, even in emergencies."
He reached into his bag again and pulled out a bow and a few dozen arrows. The bow's limbs were curved and strong, strung with a gleaming silver string that seemed to hum with tension. The wood was a rich, dark brown, polished to a warm sheen, with a grip wrapped in supple black leather molded to fit the wielder's hand. A quiver full of arrows rested beside him, their fletching a riot of dark feathers and silver tips, each sharpened to a razor's edge. He approached Skylar and handed her the bow. "This bow is from a rank 3, but the arrows are rank 2 and 1. The only thing I know about the bow is that you can use your Qi as arrows when you run out of physical ones."
He then pulled out two twin daggers. "These are also rank 2." He handed them to her as well. Then a smile spread across his face. He pulled out a book—the leather cover was worn and decorated with intricate flame-like patterns of fiery reds and oranges swirling across the surface, etched into the leather in a pattern that seemed both ancient and eternal. The title, embossed in gold, shined like a spark. On the cover was the number 3—this is a rank 3 fire spell book. Spell books contain Qi magic. Ranging from rank 1 to rank 9, these books help magic users understand and control their Qi better. There are two types: one, the pale spell book, teaches how to master Qi, and the other focuses on specific attributes, such as Fire, Earth, Water, or Light. Attribute spell books are more valuable than the pale ones.
With these new items, they were ready to face their challenges and seek their revenge.