The Unexpected

After traveling few days, Zero and the group take a rest at one of the city ruins. Ron set up a device around, and form a barrier. While Eve accompanies and plays with Ellia and Zero sets up a tent for Ellia, Ron approach Zero then asks "so what's the plan?" while looking at Zero. He ignored Ron and seems a little bit uneasy. Ron continues to ask "what's going on? you have this planned through right?" Zero replied, "actually not really....planned as much." Ron agitated "WHAT!!!" Zero put his hand on Ron's shoulder "just believe in me." he said. Ron shake off his hand and said "how can we believe in you, when you didn't have any plan." he looked at Ron with a serious face "you know what's at stake right?!, we can't afford things to go wrong or unplanned." Zero walks away to avoid the conversation, Ron sigh and is confused at the same time, and leaves him alone. At night when Ellia is finally asleep, Zero calls up Eve and Ron "come, I need your guy's suggestion." both follow Zero to the other side of the tent.

"Guys here is what I think we should do," said Zero.

Ron was frustrated and said, "So you already had a plan, didn't you said that you don't have a plan earlier."

"Calm down, didn't I said that I have a plan. It's just not much planned through yet." said Zero, "So what do you mean by that?!" Ron replies.

Zero suddenly seems serious "Have you guys ever heard of a place called Aesther?." he asked.

Ron seems unsure "Isn't that's the place where...."

Zero cut in "Yeah a place was supposed to be Humanity last hope during the Ether War." he said.

Eve then continues "Humanity last hope huh..., last I heard that the place already been destroyed during the Ether War."

"Yeah that's the point, that is what everyone heard that the place has already been destroyed. but have you guys really seen it been destroyed?" said Zero.

Eve and Ron are a bit confused by what Zero said, "So have you seen it?" Eve asked.

"Neither do I." Zero replied, "that's why I still believe that the place still exists." said Zero with confidence.

"What makes you so sure that the place still exists?. I have never seen you in such confidence to believe in some uncertainty, you must have some good Explanation for this right Zero?" said Ron.

"what makes me so confident?" said Zero, "back when I was still on the Etherium, even though the war was already over a long time ago. Strangely the city is still on full caution."

"you will never know, maybe it was for the creepers," said Ron.

"not just that, they also send out troops. but they never actually come back," said Zero.

Ron seems a bit convinced by what Zero said, "but even though the place did exist, where to find it?"

"where to find?" Zero laughs "we just need to find the right thing to lead us." Zero said with confidence.

Ron and Eve seem a little bit baffled by what Zero said, "so we need to find what now?" Ron asked.

"A devices sort of like a map." Zero replied.

"So where can we find that thing?" Eve ask.

"on the battlefield, the Ether war Eastern battlefield." Zero replied.

"So our next location is set, let's hope it will work out perfectly," said Ron.

Zero chuckles and Said "yeah"

Meanwhile, outside of the barriers and a few meters away, A hooded figure with a raven mask hiding behind the debris of the ruins is listening to what they said. The next morning, Ellia woke up and saw Zero and the others already packing "so are we leaving already?" Ellia Asked. Eve approaches Ellia, handed her some berries and an apple "yeah little princess we're leaving once you finish eating." said Eve and pad her head. A few minutes later, Ellia finished eating and Everybody is packed up. "okay everyone ready, now let's go." and turn off the barriers, Zero lead the way and right after a few steps. A feather shape thing that stick on the ground start to beep, when Zero noticed the beep and it exploded.

There was a barrier that suround everyone "is everyone alright?" Zero asked.

"Thanks for your quick reflexes Zero." Said Ron.

"I never know that this place had such kind of trap." Said Zero and he looked around.

"Me neither." said Ron and looked up and a bit shocked, "what the?! Zero looks up there," said Ron and Zero look at what Ron see. They both saw the hooded figure with the raven mask after Zero and Ron notice the raven mask figure. The raven mask figure started to throw another feather bomb at them. Zero rise his left arm and form an energy shield, the feathers bomb stuck on his shield. "what?!" and blew off from his group, Zero looks at his left arm "luckily it's still intact" the raven mask figure land infront of Zero. Zero throws a dagger at the Raven mask, and the Raven mask catches the dagger. Raven's mask looks at Zero, and the dagger suddenly discharges electricity that paralyzed the Raven mask. Zero then shouts "YOU GUYS GET OUT OF HERE! I WILL HANDLE THIS ONE!" Ron looked at Zero, without hesitation he Immediately grabs Ellia "Okay we're leaving." said Ron.

"will Zero be okay?" Ellia asked.

"don't worry he'll be fine" Ron replies, suddenly Ron stopped running "Here, Eve holds Ellia for a while." said Ron.

Eve grabs Ellia from Ron "what are going to do?" Eve asked.

"Leave him some assistance." said Ron and grabs one of the Suitcase.

As he runs towards Zero and the Raven mask, then he left the Suit case on the ground. "ZERO USE THIS WHEN YOU HAVE TOO!" shouted Ron, Zero looked at the suitcase that Ron left and gave him a thumbs up. Ron saw the thumbs up and leave The Raven mask finally come out of the paralyzed. Zero notices that the Raven mask sees Ron leaving and didn't after him, "so your target is me, right from the beginning huh." says Zero and looks at the Raven Mask. Raven mask then throws the feather darts towards Zero, and Zero fence off the feather darts then said "so no answers, huh.". The feather darts that got fence off by Zero explode into a smoke screen, "WHAT THE..." said Zero and Raven mask already at Zero back ready to stab him with a dagger. Zero with his quick reflexes catches the hand and throws Raven's mask out of the smokescreen. Zero dashes towards Raven's mask and shoots a few rounds of bullets, Raven mask jumps to dodge the bullets. While on mid-air, Raven mask throws the feather darts. Zero fences off the darts, Zero notices something off and he Immediately stay out of the darts that he fences off. "Not gonna fall for the same trick again you know" right after Zero said that the ground suddenly glowing, and form a dome shape energy barriers that trap Zero inside.

Zero seems surprised "so it already been planned huh, just as expected from an assassin squad." says Zero.

The Raven came down with a perfect landing and say in a female Voice "so you already knew."

"The bird-like mask and those weapons, pretty much give it all." Said Zero, and he continues "I thought the Ravens Squad already got destroyed after the Ether War ended."

"Well, you'll never truly know what is going on behind the scene." Said The Raven.

"So the one that hired you must be from the city then." Zero replies and The Raven keep silent and didn't say a word.

"Not a single word huh." Zero raises his hand "Seems like I need to do this the hard way." the suitcase that Ron left behind started to rumble. Raven started to notice it, the suitcase exploded and something is flying towards Zero. It breaks through the barriers and Zero holds on to it, Raven becomes cautious. It seems like the thing Zero wielding is a Greatsword, Zero then said "Now, time to slay some birds." and launch towards Raven.