CHAPTER 2: ONE STEP AHEAD

 " Little one the carriage is close enough, when do we attack?" Ryles had to ask,as he seemed to have noticed Raven spacing out.

Frustration and anger brewed inside him.

'This isn't the place to be spacing out. Get your shit together! ' He thought to himself.

Raven felt a pull, as though the air had shifted with great force, and he was back to the present

His knees wobbled in shock, his mouth agape in surprise.

Ryles question seemed to have brought Raven back from his train of thoughts.

A chill ran down his spine. His breath caught in his throat.

did he just have a vision? confusing and disbelief etched on his face. He couldn't believe he just saw something that would happen few minutes from now.

To be sure he peeked from behind the bushes and spotted the exact carriage from his vision—with an oddly small number of soldiers, just like he had foreseen.

"Everyone, remain hidden. Do not attack "He instructed.

And they all stared like he was crazy.

"Are you out of your mind? The Carriages are right where we want them. We can't lose this chance! " Sard another member refuted, a bit irked at the sudden change of plans.

Raven didn't know how to explain it to them, he just stared at Ryles, his eyes pleading. It wasn't as if he also wanted to lead tonight he had been ordered. Ryles looked away.

"Everyone just do as he says" He commanded his teeth clenched in controlled anger, after all he couldn't go against his master.

Everyone resigned back to their hidden positions, whilst the little one thought of a plan.

" Ryles' it's a trap, the carriage has been split into two" Raven whispered knowing his senior was listening.

Ryles' head snapped to look at him, Wondering how Raven must have figured it out.

Of course, Raven knew because he had seen it. The merchant wasn't even inside—meaning the real carriage had been split from the decoy. A smart move. They had almost fallen for it.

"Then what's the plan now?" Ryles' wanted to see what the boy's got. He was now more than curious as to why exactly master had chosen him tonight.

"We fake an attack, but nobody leaves their spot" He commanded with firmness, his eyes swirling with untold power and danger even he was unaware of. As he looked everyone in the eye.

Tonight, and for the first time Raven looked a little different to them as he went on to explain the new plan in the fastest way possible. Everyone nodded in unision and just like that, They were now one step ahead

********

Radolph, the head of the first four carriages, kept his posture stiff.

As squad leader, he couldn't afford to let his guard down.

The air was tense.

Every soldier was on high alert eyes scanning the darkness. Making sure nothing slipped past them.

He looked out the window and his gaze caught a shadow darting swiftly through trees like a phantom.

It moved unnaturally fast, keeping pace with the carriages.

" what in the gods name... ? "

Radolph couldn't quite tell if the shadows belonged to a wild animal or a person. He had never encountered Leo's men before only heard rumours of them.

He signaled to his men to aim at the moving shadow.

Immediately , a volley of arrows rained towards the figure, but none hit.

Not knowing it was only a form of distraction—Another shadow appeared, sprinting through the trees with a blazing ball of hay in hand.

" FIREBALL ! " someone shouted , but they were a second late.

It happened so fast and everything spiralled out of control as the fireball crashed onto their path, sending the horses into a frenzy.

A deafening crash echoed through the night as the carriages collided.

Sparks flew.

Flames licked hungrily at the wooden frame, smoke curling into the cold air.

"FIRE ! FIRE ! "Some of the soldiers began shouting and quickly everyone scrambled out of the damaged carriage despite the serious injuries, as the fire was spreading quick .

Radolph coughing through thick smoke, scanned through the surroundings. The shadows were gone. No sign of movement. No trace of an attacker except—for the roaring flames.

He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Something wasn't right. " No... they are still here "

He had heard the stories. Leo's men were merciless —and worse, they were always one step ahead.

"Everyone, stay in position! Fire your arrows ! " He barked regaining control of his squad.

Arrows shot in every direction, blindly aimed at the darkened forest. But the attack was a trap.

A heartbeat later, knives came flying out of the shadows, striking soldiers with eerie precision—hitting joints, necks, and weak spots. The victims collapsed like felled trees, unable to move.

The knives had been coated with a paralyzing drug.

Radolph gritted his teeth. They're fighting ghosts ! They couldn't even see their opponents, yet their men were dropping like flies

" damn it "

Taking cover behind a thick tree, he reached into his pouch and pulled out a jade bomb. A magical explosive, highly effective —and dangerously unpredictable.

One move. That was all he needed. He just had to wait for them to show themselves.

The moment finally came.

Leo's men emerged from the forest, moving like shadows, landing swiftly like cats. Their presence chilling and precision, deadly —knocking out the remaining standing soldiers with swift, calculated blows.

Radolph seized the moment.

He aimed the jade bomb— only to feel the sharp press of cold steel against his throat.

His breath hitched.

A low voice, barely above whispers, reached his ear.

" Your life or the ball, Captain? " ......