First Strike

Diana sat comfortably in a worn-out chair, her legs stretched across a wooden table as she lazily sipped lukewarm tea. The scent of dust and old wood filled the air, mingling with the faint remnants of a meal she had abandoned halfway. The hideout was nothing luxurious—just a small, rundown safe house they had found on their way through the northern territories.

She wasn't particularly fond of the cold, but she had been in far worse situations. At least here, she had a roof over her head and tea to drink.

She closed her eyes briefly, enjoying the rare moment of peace—

Until Lucius burst into the room.

"Diana." His voice was sharp, urgent.

She didn't even flinch, merely cracking one eye open. "Yes, dear?"

Lucius shot her a glare before stomping over, a large roll of parchment in his hand. He slammed it down on the table, making Diana's teacup tremble.

"Explain," he demanded.

Diana sat up slightly, feigning a confused expression. "Explain what?"

Lucius jabbed a finger at the map, his violet eyes blazing. "This. This barren piece of land in the middle of nowhere. Why did you mark it?"

Diana peered at the map, taking her time before a slow, knowing smile curved her lips. "Oh, that."

Lucius folded his arms. "Yes. That."

Diana leaned forward, tapping the spot on the map. "It's a secret stash."

Lucius blinked. "What?"

"Granaries. Food. Essentials," Diana explained. "Marquis Evermont and his little group have been hoarding supplies here for years. While the people starve, he keeps a private stockpile hidden away."

Lucius stared at her, his expression caught between disbelief and irritation. He looked down at the map, then back at Diana.

"The hell?" he muttered.

Diana stretched, yawning. "It's not surprising. He embezzles, after all. It would be stupid of him not to have an emergency stash in case things go south."

Lucius exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "And you're telling me this now?"

Diana took another sip of her tea. "You never asked."

Lucius groaned. "I swear, you do this on purpose."

Diana simply smiled. "Maybe."

Lucius stared at her for a long moment, then gestured toward the map. "Alright, what's the plan?"

Diana's eyes gleamed mischievously. "We steal it."

Lucius gave her a flat look. "Of course we do."

Diana stood, brushing off imaginary dust from her coat. "Think about it. That food isn't being used. It's just sitting there while people starve. If we take it, we can redistribute it."

Lucius arched a brow. "You don't actually care about helping people, do you?"

Diana smirked. "Not particularly. But I do care about making Evermont suffer."

Lucius let out a breathy laugh, shaking his head. "You're terrifying."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, dear Lucius."

Lucius rolled up the map, stuffing it into his coat. "Fine. Let's go rob a corrupt noble."

Diana grinned. "That's the spirit."

---

Midnight had long since settled over the northern plains when Diana and Lucius arrived near their target.

The supposed barren land was anything but empty.

In the moonlight, faint outlines of warehouse-like structures loomed in the distance, partially obscured by jagged hills and tall, rusting fences. Torches flickered at regular intervals, their dim glow casting long, twisting shadows against the walls. Guards patrolled lazily, their movements slow—too slow.

"They're not expecting trouble," Lucius muttered, crouched beside Diana behind a rocky outcrop.

Diana, golden eyes gleaming under her hood, observed the scene carefully. "That's good. Makes our job easier."

Lucius sighed, shifting his weight. "Why do I feel like this is going to turn into a disaster?"

Diana patted his shoulder. "Have a little faith, Lucius."

"That's exactly why I'm worried."

She ignored his grumbling and resumed studying the area. Four storage buildings stood in the compound, each one likely stuffed with hoarded supplies—grain, preserved food, and fresh water—intended to starve out rebellion while nobles gorged themselves in the capital.

Lucius exhaled through his nose. "Alright, how do we do this? Sneak in and teleport the goods out?"

Diana nodded. "Mostly. We'll take as much as we can through teleportation circles and send them to the nearby villages first. The rest…" She smirked.

Lucius groaned. "Let me guess. You're going to leave some breadcrumbs for Evermont's enemies?"

Diana winked. "You know me so well."

Lucius muttered something under his breath but didn't argue. Instead, he pulled out a set of lockpicking tools. "Let's get this over with."

They moved swiftly, slipping through the gaps between patrols, keeping to the shadows as they approached the first granary. The guards barely paid attention, too accustomed to the notion that no one would dare attack such a remote location.

Lucius knelt in front of the heavy wooden door, fingers moving deftly as he picked the lock. The mechanism clicked. The door creaked open.

The scent of grain and dried goods filled the air.

Stacks upon stacks of crates lined the room—sacks of wheat, barrels of water, bundles of dried meat, enough food to feed thousands.

Lucius let out a low whistle. "They really went all out, huh?"

Diana plucked an apple from a nearby crate, tossing one to Lucius before taking a bite. "Well, no point in letting it go to waste."

Lucius caught the apple, took a bite, and chewed thoughtfully. "Teleportation circles ready?"

Diana had already begun inscribing the runes onto the floor. Glowing marks appeared, spreading outward as she carved precise symbols into the wooden planks. The spell would take time to activate, but once it was set, the goods would begin vanishing in batches.

Lucius leaned against a crate, watching her work. "What if someone notices?"

Diana shrugged. "Then we improvise."

Lucius sighed. "I hate when you say that."

But things were going smoothly.

Too smoothly.

Diana was finishing the final inscription when Lucius sucked in a sharp breath.

She turned—only to see his expression darken.

His gaze was fixed on something in the far corner of the granary.

Diana followed his line of sight—and felt her stomach drop.

There, hidden behind crates and barrels, were wooden cages.

Cages filled with people.

Women. Children. A few men, their clothes tattered, their bodies gaunt and frail from starvation. Some lay motionless, too weak to move. Others sat huddled together, hollow eyes staring vacantly at nothing.

Lucius clenched his fists. "That bastard."

Diana's mind raced. Slaves? No. Worse. These people weren't just captured—they were discarded, left to rot like unwanted livestock.

Her golden eyes darkened.

"Change of plans," she said quietly.

Lucius turned to her, his jaw tight. "We burn this place down?"

Diana's lips curled into a sharp smile. "Oh, absolutely. But not before we get these people out."

Lucius nodded, determination flashing in his eyes. "I'll start unlocking the cages. You handle the rest."

Diana rolled up her sleeves. "Gladly."

The spell circles pulsed, activating as supplies vanished one by one.

Lucius worked quickly, picking the locks of the cages as quietly as possible. Some of the prisoners stirred, their eyes widening in fear—until Diana knelt beside them, her voice low and gentle.

"You're safe now," she whispered.

A boy, no older than ten, clutched his mother's torn cloak, his thin fingers trembling. The woman, weak and pale, barely managed to nod.

"We'll get you out," Diana promised.

Lucius unlocked the last cage. "Alright, let's move—"

A sharp clank echoed from outside.

Both of them froze.

The sound of approaching boots.

Lucius swore. "Shit."

Diana pushed to her feet. "Time's up."

The door burst open.

A guard stepped inside, lantern raised. His eyes widened at the sight of the emptying warehouse—then at Lucius standing amidst open cages.

"What the—"

Diana didn't let him finish.

She flicked her wrist, sending a small dagger flying. It struck his hand. The lantern dropped, shattering against the ground, flames licking at the wooden floor.

The guard shouted in pain.

"Intruders!"

"Here we go," Lucius muttered.

More footsteps. More shouting. The compound came alive with movement.

Diana grabbed a crate and hurled it into the growing flames, fueling the fire. "Lucius, get them out!"

He didn't hesitate. He grabbed the nearest prisoner—a woman too weak to stand—and helped her toward the exit. The others followed, staggering, fear and hope mingling in their exhausted expressions.

Outside, more guards rushed toward the granary.

Lucius cursed. "We're outnumbered."

Diana smirked. "Oh, we love a challenge."

With a flick of her fingers, a gust of wind howled through the open door, slamming into the first wave of guards. They stumbled, their torches snuffing out.

Lucius dashed forward, blades flashing. He moved like a shadow, slicing through the chaos, knocking one man unconscious before ducking under another's sword swing.

Diana, meanwhile, raised her hand. Symbols burned into the air—then the ground shook.

A massive crack split through the earth, swallowing two guards whole.

The remaining men hesitated, fear flashing in their eyes.

"Yeah, I'd run too," Lucius muttered.

A figure appeared in the distance.

Diana tensed.

Unlike the others, this man wasn't some lowly guard.

Clad in black armor, his red-plumed helmet marked him as a high-ranking enforcer. He carried a curved blade—one coated in something dark and shimmering.

Poison.

Lucius gritted his teeth. "Well. That's unfortunate."

The enforcer charged.

Diana met him head-on.

Sparks flew as their blades clashed.

He was fast—too fast.

Diana barely dodged a strike aimed at her throat. She countered with a blast of energy, sending him skidding back. But he recovered almost instantly.

Lucius jumped in, twin daggers flashing. The enforcer parried with ease.

Diana wiped blood from a shallow cut on her cheek. "Alright. New plan."

Lucius sidestepped another attack. "I'd love to hear it."

Diana's smirk turned wicked.

"Run."

Lucius blinked. "What?"

The enforcer lunged—only for a sudden explosion to erupt behind him.

Diana had thrown a fire spell directly at the crates of alcohol.

The entire granary went up in flames.

The enforcer staggered back, cursing.

Lucius grabbed Diana's wrist.

"Now that is what I call improvising!"

"Less talking, more running!"

With the prisoners safe, the granary burning, and the enforcer struggling to regain his footing, Diana and Lucius vanished into the night.

Behind them, the compound burned.

And the first real blow against Evermont had been struck.