“Eve, remind me how many robots we got here now?”

“In total, there are: 30 Enforcers, 30 Predators, 1 Medical Assistance Droid, 30 Dianmu Gunners, 3 R.O.A.R Artillery robots, and 40 Lyco model Arachnid Robots.”

“Hmm. Hopefully that’ll be enough. What time is it?”

“[Half an hour to midnight.]”

Looking around the shop, I made sure there was nothing I was forgetting. Suddenly, I recalled the words of the old man I had seen in the market. “You’re gonna need that…”

“Where’s that dagger that he gave me?” I asked Eve. Upon learning that I had left it in the basement, I ran down and grabbed it, strapping it to the side of my hip. With that, I gave a mental order for the robots to follow me. At such a late hour, there was barely anyone out on the street, and the few who were seemed to have enough sense to ignore our passing. Curiously, when I reached the gates to the Merchant Ring, there weren’t any guards in the area. I frowned in confusion, and using a drone high in the sky, got a birds-eye view of the city. Zooming in, I realized that there were hardly any guards to be found in the city, and the only ones on duty were the ones on the outermost wall.

“[I would assume this is the work of Venari. Considering her respected status amongst the city guard, it is possible she convinced them to not patrol tonight.]”

“Makes sense. I wouldn’t want anyone in the area tonight either,” I nodded in agreement.

With the lack of guards, getting through the Merchant Ring gates and the Noble Ring was a cinch, even with the loud and clumsy R.O.A.R.s and Enforcers. When we reached Venari’s mansion, we were quickly ushered in by figures cloaked in darkness. It was an oddly disturbing sight, as it was as if their figures kept trying to fade into the background. I was fortunate that Eve could keep track of where they were using calculative predictions, but I made a mental note to find a way to increase my detection and surveillance capabilities. I had my robots wait outside before I was guided inside.

“Good, you’re here,” Venari said when she saw me. Unlike earlier in the day, she was dressed for battle. Instead of the heavy metal armor she wore when she went hunting for monsters, Venari was equipped with lighter pieces of dark leather armor that covered her chest, legs and arms. Her hair was rolled up in a tight bun, although a few strands that had escaped hung around her face. In lieu of her halberd, she was armed with a sword that was sheathed on her hip, along with several daggers across different parts of her body. Under her arm, she held a metal helmet. The helmet had an intimidating appearance, with the two sides and nose portions having sharp points that met at the chin. Its most striking feature, however, was the black and red paint that had been added underneath the eyeholes, making it look as though it were crying.

I let out a low whistle. “Looks like you’re all ready to go, huh?”

“Is he the one you were telling us about, ma’am?” An armored man asked. I recognized him due to the fact that he had a missing ear, recalling that he was the one who had accompanied Venari when Mors had gone to talk to her.

“You are correct,” she replied, placing her knuckles on the table in front of her and leaning forward.

“Hmph. Looks a little on the young side to me,” he snorted.

“I’d urge you not to take everything you see at face value,” Venari cautioned. “Evan, this my second-in-command, Lieutenant Opiter Barbatus.”

We gave each other silent nods, but didn’t speak.

“So, what’s the plan?” I asked, turning my attention back to Venari.

“I have 10 of my best mages from the Wild Hunters to help me tonight,” she explained, holding her left hand out behind her. Lieutenant Barbatus took the hint and handed her a map, which she quickly unfurled on the table. Looking down, I realized it was a blueprint of the stronghold in the center of the Noble Ring. It appeared to have five floors, making it the tallest building in the city. “This will be a stealth operation. I had one of my spies on the inside bribe a few of the sentries to leave the eastern gate unguarded for 5 minutes at half past midnight. Once we’re past the gate, we’ll make our way to a side entrance and enter the fort. Do your best to capture my brother alive. I want him to have a proper trial. Anyone else who gets in the way is fair game.”

“And if he resists?” I felt compelled to ask.

Venari closed her eyes for a moment to compose herself. When she opened them, I noticed a certain hardness that wasn’t there before. “If he resists, do whatever you have to.”

I nodded silently.

“Eve, scan this map.”

“[Understood. Please keep your gaze still while the scan is being made…scan complete.]”

A thought came to mind. “Most of my robots aren’t good at stealth. I’ll have the louder ones surround the compound to make sure there’s no chance of your brother escaping or of anyone interrupting us,” I told Venari.

“Good idea.”

“Oh, one more thing,” I said, tossing one of the earpieces at her. “Put this in your ear.”

“Why?” she asked confusedly, examining the strange item.

“Just trust me,” I smiled. When she had done so, I tapped my earpiece to activate it. “Testing, testing. Can you hear me?”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “What is this thing? I can hear you so clearly…”

“This'll help us communicate in case we get split up. Just tap it twice to turn it on and I’ll hear you.”

“Excellent. You’ll have to explain to me how this works sometime.” She said with a raised eyebrow. “But If there’s nothing else, we should get going.”

Once we stepped out the doors, the nine other soldiers seemed to materialize out of thin air. After making sure the coast was clear, we ran into the street and headed towards the fortress. Due to the small size of the Noble Ring, it wasn’t long until we had it in our sights.

“Send the Enforcers, R.O.A.R.s, and half the Dianmu gunners to surround the place. Have the Arachnid Robots find a way to sneak over the walls if possible.”

“[Understood.]”

The specified units dispersed leaving a smaller but still sizable group behind.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

“[Alert. Large gathering of armed individuals has been detected behind the gates.]”

Frowning, I took a look using a drone and realized she was right. Two squadrons of battle-ready soldiers stood at attention in the courtyard. I cursed in my head and was about to let Venari know when a large bearded man appeared above the ramparts.

“Lady Venari!” he called out, staring right at us. It seemed that he had no trouble spotting our group even in the darkness of night. “How good of you to visit!”

“Shit!” She cursed.

“Now that you’re here, why don’t you stay?” the man chuckled. Turning around, he grabbed someone dressed as a servant and pulled them forward, putting a knife to their throat. The servant, a middle aged woman, was sweating profusely, and I assumed that she was Venari’s spy. “After all, if you try to leave, there might end up being some, let’s say, collateral damage.

Venari ground her teeth in frustration. Tapping on my earpiece, I whispered, “Who’s that?”

“That’s Morgo, commander of the garrison.” she whispered back.

“What do you want to do?”

“Have your golems surrounded the complex?”

“Yes.”

“Have them prepared to attack on my command.”

I nodded subtly. Seeing my confirmation, Venari shouted back, “I suppose we can’t let your hospitality go to waste!”

The man on the ramparts nodded, smiling. “A wise choice! Open the gates!”

The massive doors creaked as they slowly opened, letting us get a full view of the courtyard. The soldiers inside stood as still as statues, and every single one of them was armed to the teeth.

“Please, come in,” the man said with a mocking bow. Now that I was closer, I realized that he was a beast of a man, with broad shoulders, a thick torso, and hands that looked like they could crush boulders. “Your brother has been expecting you.”

“Well that’s not good,” I thought.

Venari frowned, seemingly thinking the same thing I was. The man didn’t seem to mind that the Wild Hunters or my robots came along as well, making me wonder if they had some sort of card up their sleeves. Walking past the soldiers, he guided us into the fortress. He was so large he was forced to duck under most of the doorways. I eyed the hefty sledgehammer he wore on his hip, knowing that it would cause major damage to whatever it hit.

We followed him up several flights of stairs, finally arriving at a set of ornate doors. Stepping forward, the man knocked in a specific pattern. “Enter,” someone said from inside. The man pushed the door open, and I was greeted with the sight of about 20 hooded figures standing in ordered lines at the back of the room. Looking around the room, I quickly looked for possible cover and escape routes. A large rug covered the stone floor, and two desks had been placed near the walls, each with a large amount of paperwork scattered on them. The only window was at the far end of the room, behind an elaborately carved marble throne. Upon it sat a young man dressed in the finest silk clothing and wearing a wealth of jewelry. His dark brown eyes contrasted against his pale skin, and in them was a glint of cunning. He had an air of self-assurance around him, evident in his relaxed posture. Morgo walked to his side and kneeled, saying “My lord, I have brought your guests.”

“Hello, dear sister,” he spoke, his voice surprisingly deep. “How has your night been?”

“Cut the act, Drusus,” Venari said. “You know why I’m here.”

“Ah, yes. I assume you are planning to take me prisoner and put me on trial?”

“Come quietly, Drusus…” she said, almost imploringly. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will do what I have to.”

Drusus chuckled and stood up, turning around to look out the window. “And what crimes are you taking me into custody for, pray tell?”

“Don’t think your actions have gone unnoticed. You tried to murder one of my guests in my home. Your spy in my household was quite talkative. And that’s not even mentioning the embezzlement, collaboration with the Carvers, and bribery that I know you’re guilty of too. ”

Silence filled the room for several seconds. “You know, I was hoping you would be intelligent enough to figure it out by now,” Drusus said, sighing. “But it appears I severely overestimated you.”

“What are you talking about?” Venari demanded, confused.

“Think carefully, sister. Why would I have my spy use a recognizable root instead of a capsule? Why would I make sure he would be seen leaving the mansion at suspicious times? Why was he so easily found and captured? And why, pray tell, would I choose someone that would break so easily under interrogation?”

After a moment, Venari’s eyes widened in realization. “You planned this?!?”

Drusus turned around and rolled his eyes. “Of course. You haven’t changed at all. So strong, yet so incredibly stupid.”

Venari remained silent, trying to come to terms with this new development.

“You see little Veni, I have great plans for this city, and the Empire as a whole. Pithus is old and rotten. Corruption, greed, and treachery have taken their toll on this place. But when I take my place as Governor, I will have the chance to rectify that.”

“You’re insane.”

“Ha!” Drusus laughed. “Ambitious, maybe, but not insane. Either way, you are the only other person who could lay claim to the position of Governor. Therefore, you have three choices before you. One, you assist me in my grand endeavor. An unlikely outcome, but it is an option. Two, you surrender, and allow me to take you as my prisoner. I can guarantee you would be treated well. Three, you try to fight me, and force me to kill you, here and now.”

Venari snorted in contempt. “You can’t seriously think your little mages and soldiers can stand up to the elite of the Wild Hunters.”

“An astute observation, little Veni. But you see, I have an ace of my own,” he replied, snapping his fingers.

Someone started pushing their way through the throng of robed figures, making me feet a deep sense of unease. The sound of metal scraping on stone echoed throughout the room, and the robed mages quickly made way for the individual. At first, my eyes didn’t understand what I was seeing. The person was clad in heavy plate armor, and hauling a dark glass greatsword behind her. Her skin was extremely pale, as if she had no blood in her body, and her eyes were sunken deep into her skull. Instead of a healthy pink, her lips were dark blue, like they had been deprived of oxygen.

“Don’t treat me like a dog,” she snapped at Drusus.

“Tell me that's not…” Venari trailed off.

“Now what do you think, sister? Please consider your situation carefully,” he chuckled.

“Who is she?” I asked.

“Morgaine, Ghoul of the Black Blade,” Venari responded, a hint of fear in her voice. “She’s an undead mercenary, but she’s usually only hired by criminal organizations.”

Drusus’s eyes shifted over to me. “You there. I’ve heard of you. Your golems are very interesting.”

“Uh…thanks?”

“Look at that Eve, an asshole with manners.”

“I believe your talents could be useful and I would like to purchase your services to assist in the capture of a certain Wild Hunter turned traitor. How does 500 gold coins sound?” he offered bluntly. “That offer extends to the rest of you as well,” he said pointedly at the Wild hunters.

The staggering amount stunned me for a moment.

“I meeean, that is a lotta money…”

“[Evan Vonlichten…]”

“Joking, joking! Sheesh…”

“Unfortunately, I will have to decline your generous offer, due to the fact you’re a pompous, cruel, and narcissistic piece of shit. Oh, and also because you sent a kill squad after me, but mostly the first thing.”

“I speak for all of us when I say I agree,” Lieutenant Barbatus said, stepping forward. “Our loyalty cannot be bought.”

“A shame,” Drusus sighed disappointedly. “But very well. Now, sister, have you made your choice?”

Venari stared directly into his eyes. “I think you know already.”

“I had hoped that you would make a wise decision for once in your life, but I suppose I expected too much. This day will be remembered as the day Lady Venari Stratis of the Wild Hunters turned traitor and tried to seize power,” He smirked. “Kill them.”