Ten Years Ago;
The City of Neo Delhi;
Somewhere in the suburbs of the city, there was a small, run-down building that stood wedged between two megacorporation offices.
A neon sign flickered above the entrance that said: EMBER GUILD – No Job Too Small!
Inside, the guild hall was more of a garage than an office, with various weapons, tools, and equipment scattered across the workbenches, and a large mission board hung on the wall, filled with job listings.
In the middle of the room, a young man sat on a chair with arms behind his head and legs propped up on a table, looking all lazy as he stared at the ceiling.
This was Agastya, 21 years old, and the leader of the guild.
Across from him, his cousin, Vibhav, leaned against the mission board, flipping through a tablet. He was the same age, but his build was stockier and his face always carried a mischievous grin. Unlike Agastya, who could only use solar energy, Vibhav had an elemental core with the ability to manipulate earth. As an elemental, Vibhav had a bright future, and yet, he stuck with his cousin, the only family he had left in this world.
"Bro, look at this," Vibhav chuckled, showing Agastya the screen. "Some rich guy lost his pet sabertooth and is offering 4,000 credits for its safe return."
Agastya groaned. "A pet-recovery mission? Forget it."
"We're broke, dude."
Agastya sighed. He glanced around their tiny guild hall. The Ember Guild wasn't some significant guild. It was just a ragtag group of misfits with nowhere else to go. There were only eight members, including him and Vibhav, all scraping by with odd jobs like Skarn hunting, Escort services, Delivery work... just whatever paid the bills.
But this wasn't where Agastya saw himself in the future.
He had a bigger dream of going to the moon and settling there one day. That was his life ambition. Well, the main reason was because of his mother, who, according to his late father's words, had left him behind and married someone else to settle on the moon. At first, he just wanted to go to the moon for his mom, but later on, it just became a simple ambition of changing his lifestyle.
Agastya sat up, stretching his arms. "Forget the Skarn hunting job. I want something big. The Moon is waiting there for me."
Vibhav raised an eyebrow. "Bro, even if we landed a 100,000 credits worth job, we wouldn't be able to relocate to the moon that easily."
Agastya's lips shrank in displeasure.
The Moon is the dream destination of every ambitious person living on Earth. It was the safest place to live, a utopia for the rich and powerful. Unlike Earth, which was plagued with corruption and skarn, the Moon was a sovereign nation, governed by its own elite council and surprisingly free of corruption despite the fact that it was riddled with wealth. Also, the people were there exposed to clean air and advanced medical technology to the point that an average human could live for atleast 180 years.
To get there, though, was a luxury beyond imagination.
"60,000 Credits for a round-trip, 100 thousand for a temporary visa, and five million for permanent citizenship," Vibhav muttered in complaint. "And look at ourselves. We barely make 80,000 credits a year. In those, our combined share was 32,000 credits. And so far, what are our savings? Our account balance is less than 15000..."
Agastya shrugged. "So what? We just have to work harder."
Vibhav snorted. "You don't even have an energy core, much less an elemental core. How do you think you can earn so much money just by relying on honest jobs? Believe me, bro... Let's just target some lord's house in the countryside and steal some valuable belongings."
Agastya's expression darkened slightly at the suggestion.
Out of every 100 Neo-Humans, only 5-6 of them will be born with an energy core, which is necessary to store the energy absorbed from the sun into their bodies. And only 1 in every 100 will be able to form an elemental core, giving them the ability to use their respective element of fire, water, lightning, etc.
And like the majority of Neo-Humans, he wasn't born with an energy core. He is what you call a plain folk.
Hence, he can only depend on absorbing energy from the sun to use it for his needs. He can't store the energy.
At night, he was just a human without any powers. Hence, he had to depend on external weapons such as energy cannons to defend himself in the darkness.
It goes without saying that if Agastya wanted to earn high amounts of money in such conditions, the only way is the path of illegal activities, such as smuggling or thievery.
And yet, Agastya refuses to take those jobs. "No, if you commit sins for the sake of material gains, your heart will be poisoned, and it will never give you peace."
Vibhav shook his head with a sigh. "Then, we have no choice but to take up whatever tiny jobs that appear before us."
Agastya leaned forward to look at him. "Bro, let's take those higher-risk bounty missions. If we keep playing it safe with Skarn hunts and delivery missions, we'll never get rich."
Vibhav frowned at the suggestion. "Dude, you know what happens to people who take those bounty missions, right?"
Agastya smirked. "Yeah. They either get rich or they get dead."
Vibhav groaned. "That's not comforting. Bounties are always assigned to the rebels, who have blood on their hands. Those killers aren't like Skarn, who are just dumb creatures."
"Come on, one big job. That's all we need. Just look for this mission where there is a runaway raider or a rebel who is being hunted down already..."
"Yeah? Even if I agree to your nonsensical plan, where do we find this magical 'big job' that'll solve all our problems? Who will trust a plain folk like you and a Tier-4 Astron warrior like me?"
Agastya stood up and tapped the mission board. "I think it's time we start looking off-world. A client from the moon or missions to Ishtar and Nergal is our best bet. Post ads on the web that state that we are giving 50% off to such missions. Of course, we will guarantee the success of the mission, or else we will be giving appropriate compensation to the party, too. That will surely bring the customers."
Vibhav sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fine. You win. But if we end up broke and homeless, I'll sell you to that Baroness who fancies handsome fellas like you."
Agastya trembled as an image of that grinning fat lady with a lorgnette. "Uhh... Okay. Deal."
Several weeks passed, but they didn't stay still during this time. After all, promotions also needed money.
They took on menial jobs, saved as many credits as they could, and even took out a small loan from the bank. After seven weeks of struggle, their promotions finally brought success, and they started raking in tens of thousands of credits every bounty mission while ensuring atleast one of the guild members is always on the job. In no time, their 100% bounty hunting success fame spread in the city.
And then the day of life-changing fate that Agastya was looking for has arrived.
The Ember Guild was unusually quiet that day. Four of their guildmates were out on separate missions, leaving only Agastya, Vibhav, and two other members behind.
The two guildmates, Rishi and Zara, were lounging around, waiting for new jobs. Rishi was a skilled marksman, while Zara specialized in technology and hacking.
The four of them sat around the table, chatting lazily, when the front door creaked open and a stranger stepped inside.
The man was tall and lean, wrapped in a heavy cloak. His face was hidden behind a metallic mask, making it difficult for them to discern his identity. However, they could see a sharp gaze in those eyes of his.
Without a word, he walked up to the mission board, pulled out a black card, and pinned it to the wall, earning their attention.
It wasn't just any job request. The reward amount displayed in glowing red letters was staggering: Bounty Mission: 420,000 Earth Credits."
A record-breaking sum for a guild like theirs.
Agastya let out a low whistle. "Damn. That's the biggest payout we've ever had." His heart pounded in excitement.
Vibhav, however, narrowed his eyes, studying the stranger. "Who's the target? Also, we don't take killing jobs."
The man hesitated for a second before speaking. "It was a runaway scientist who stole valuable research from our organization."
Zara leaned forward in curiosity. "What kind of research?"
The man's gaze flickered toward her before he replied, "That information is classified."
Rishi frowned. "And why come to us? This sounds like something you'd take to a professional bounty-hunting guild."
Agastya immediately snapped at his guildmate. "We are professionals too, Rishi."
The stranger tilted his head but explained. "Because professional bounty hunting guilds ask too many questions, and it attracts too much attention. I need it to be done in a discreet manner. And of course, the main reason is that your faces are not known. You guys will be perfect to infiltrate the town and bring him to me."
Vibhav glanced at Agastya, and he could see the eagerness in his cousin's eyes. After all, the job was worth 420,000 credits, the highest offer that ever came to their doorstep.
Moreover, with the current savings added, it was also more than enough for two of them to travel to the moon and stay there for a few months on an immediate temporary work visa and earn some money. And who knows... if they are lucky, they might be able to woo girls over there with permanent citizenship and extend their visa for years. With high-paying jobs there, it will be easier to save 5 million to get permanent citizenship on the moon.
Agastya was naturally excited to take up the job. Vibhav, however, didn't like how vague the job was. The fact that the payout is high enough worried him. After all, in this guild, he is the highest-ranked Warrior, and he is only Tier-4. His cousin is a plainfolk; Rishi and Zara are only Tier-6; the remaining four, who are currently on the job, are not even an elemental.
Something didn't feel right. But at the same time, this was also their chance.
Agastya tried to calm his heart and asked slowly. "Where's the target?"
The masked man smirked slightly. "I'll send the details if you accept the job."
Silence stretched in the room for a moment.
Vibhav clenched his fists in the end. "Agastya, we should take it."
Agastya smiled, "Thanks, Bro, I know that you understand me."
Zara, however, hesitated. "We don't know what we're getting into, though."
Agastya shrugged. "For 420,000 credits? It's worth the risk."
Both he and Vibhav were ready to accept, but their two guildmates, Rishi and Zara, weren't as eager. Zara crossed her arms, furrowing her brows in concern.
"Based on the reward alone, this mission carries a high risk of death," she warned, shaking her head. "People don't just put up that kind of bounty unless the person is extremely dangerous."
Rishi nodded in agreement. "It smells like trouble indeed."
But Agastya was determined. "We can handle it. We don't need a full squad for this. Just the four of us are enough." He clapped a hand on his cousin's shoulder. "Moreover, wasn't this kind of job we were all waiting for? A high-risk job with a big payout?"
The masked client watched their conversation in silence before finally stepping forward and saying, "Fine, I'll go to extra lengths since you are hesitant. 500,000 Credits. That's my final offer. If you are not keen on taking it, I will go to another guild. I didn't have much time. The target might go too far away from our radar."
As soon as he raised the reward, Agastya's expression brightened up even more, and he went on shaking his hands. "Then we'll do it."
Vibhav exhaled, nodding in agreement. "We'll bring him in."
Rishi, however, shook his head and said resolutely, "I'm sorry, but I am out."
"Eh?" As Agastya turned his head in surprise, Zara hesitatingly raised her hand slightly, "Sorry, but I also think this is too much of a risk."
Agastya furrowed his brows, displeased by his guildmates. He scoffed at them, replying, "That's fine. Vibhav and I will take on this mission alone."
Vibhav was startled at first, but not being able to abandon his cousin, he smiled and gave a nod. "Alright. There's no harm in trying. If we can't do it, we can always escape."
The client didn't comment on that and then reached into his cloak, handing them a data pad. A blinking red dot on a holographic map revealed the target's last known location, a hidden mountain town far from the city.
After paying the 30% advance, 150,000 credits in the form of a prepaid card, the masked man said, "Then, let's not waste much time and leave right now. After dropping you off in the town, I will leave you to do the task."
And just like that, the deal was sealed.
*
The journey to the mountains was uneventful at first. Agastya and Vibhav rode on hoverbikes, following the signal on the data pad. Their client rode ahead in a separate vehicle, staying silent for most of the trip.
As they climbed higher into the mountain range, the mist curled around the narrow roads and became thicker... and thicker...
Agastya couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. But he didn't pay much attention to his guts...
When they finally reached the town, his unease solidified further, finding the place dead silent.
Buildings stood tall, but their windows were shattered. Some doors hung open, creaking with the wind. There were no lights, no movement... It's as if the place looked like a ghost town.
Vibhav slowed his hoverbike, frowning at the scene. "What place is this?"
Agastya scanned the surroundings. The mist made it difficult to see beyond a few meters, but his guts were telling him to run away for some reason.
It was right then, the client dismounted his vehicle and walked forward without hesitation. He stepped into the town square and turned to face them.
Agastya's hand instinctively moved toward the dagger strapped to his thigh.
Something wasn't right.
The moment Vibhav stepped off his hoverbike, the air around them shifted. Faint sounds of movement echoed through the buildings.
Agastya's eyes widened at once, realizing that they weren't alone.
Soon, figures emerged from the mist, stepping out from the shadows of those abandoned buildings, numbering more than ten.
Vibhav tensed, his hands curling into fists. "This isn't right."
The masked client then let out a quiet chuckle, reaching up to pull off his disguise.
As the mask fell away, Agastya's breath hitched.
He recognized that face.
Nova Guild's well-known bounty hunter, who made it to the news a lot of times...
"Vaelin?"
This wasn't a bounty mission at all.
This was a trap.
And they were the targets.