-----V-----

„So that is the excavation site?“

„Yes, it must be. It does look like they are digging up artifacts.“

„There are too many dynamis around, and there are also human slaves here, what are we going to do with them?“

„Our task was only to steal the best artifact here, not to liberate the humans.“

We arrived at a cliff edge and laid low, and below it was the excavation site. The site was surrounded by the cliff, but there were two inclines to go up and down.

We saw many lizards and humans digging up artifacts, but mostly the humans were doing all the work. There are a few tents around, likely where all the artifacts are. There was also something big in the middle.

„Do you see that?“ Ethan said before I was about to, and he pointed to the same thing I was looking at.

„Yeah, I see it.“

We couldn‘t see what it was, because it was covered in a tarp.

„Hey, Nia, do you know what is in there?“

She gazed at it.

„Hm, it might be one of those vehicle artifacts.“

We stopped looking down and started staring at Nia.

„I‘m sorry. What?“

„A vehicle artifact, the rarest of all rare. There are only a few around, and people still have a hard time finding out how they work.“

What . . . the . . . hell . . ?

She must be joking, vehicles? No way this place has vehicles. They barely look modernized! Maybe they don‘t know how to build them, but instead, they find them as artifacts. I don‘t understand at all anymore. If there are really gods here, then they must be toying with this planet.

„Okay, whatever, we came here to steal the best artifact. Wait, don‘t tell me it‘s going to be that?“

Ethan sighed.

„It probably is that.“

Does Wilmer really think we can bring the entire vehicle through the Empire without being noticed? What was he thinking? He said that he had a few men scouting out the area, so he must have known.

„How exactly are we going to steal that? We are three, and it was hard to take down two lizards. There is no way we can do this,“ Ethan said.

„I agree,“ a voice came from behind.

We quickly stood up and pulled out our weapons, and faced the voice.

I was shocked to see who it was.

„Ivona? What are you doing here?“ Ethan asked.

She had her crossbow with her, and she had the same outfit since we last saw her.

What a coincidence for us to meet again, right when we needed someone else. She must have some sort of reason for her to be here. Did she follow us?

„I came here to free my people. And I was lucky to see you three checking out the site.“

She must be talking about the humans down there. But the lizards are not the bandits we fought before.

„Um, who is this?“ Nia asked.

„She is a friend of ours. Her name is Ivona . . .“ Ethan thought for a second. „Rihru.“

Seriously, Ethan is bad at remembering names.

„Hi Ivona! My . . .“ I held her by the mouth and ducked. Everyone also ducked.

„Ssh! Can you be quiet!“ I quietly and irritatedly said.

If the lizards heard us, then we are screwed.

„Sorry. Anyways my name is Nia Unknown-Name.“

„Unknown-Name?“

Even she is confused about her name.

„Yup.“

„Why do you have a name like that?“

„We don‘t have time to chat. Ivona, those are your people down there?“ I stopped the conversation. We should not just chit-chat while there are lizards around.

„Yes they are.“

„But these dynami are part of the Empire. Wasn‘t it the bandits who took them?“

„Yes they were bandits, but I would have guessed they sold them to the Empire. I have been following the trail for some time now.“

Bandits and the Dynami Empire trading with each other. I felt like there was something weird about that.

We only came here to get artifacts. But she is likely going to ask us to help her. God damn it.

She does have a powerful weapon. But the dynami also have some of their own, and there are a lot more of them then there are of us.

„What are you guys even doing here?“ She asked.

„We were on an artifact hunt, but now it might change.“

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Why does this have to happen, we were only going for artifacts, but now that she is here we might have to help her.

No, actually, we should not. We won‘t gain anything from helping her. The villagers might thank us and all, but our job was only to take an artifact here. I could tell her straightforward that we are not going to help, but of course, there is Ethan. He is likely going to help her, even though we might not get anything from it.

„We came here for artifacts, and not to save your folks. Is there anything we can get for this?“

„Vincent, you are the most greedy person ever,“ Ethan said.

„So what? We didn‘t come here to liberate slaves.“

„You want a reward?“ Ivona asked and had a look of anger. I understood why.

„Yes, I do,“ I crossed my arms.

„I only have a few silver pieces left, but I would guess you want something more than a few.“

„Of course.“

She was starting to get more irritated.

I saw that Nia was looking intently down the excavation site, likely not listening to us.

„How about this, you came here to get artifacts, and I came here to save my people. We could easily work together to get what we want.“

I thought for a moment.

She would help us to get the artifacts if we help her. We are outnumbered without her. Ah, god damn it.

„Fine, you will help us defeat the dynami, then both of our tasks are basically done.“

„First of all, how are we going to defeat them? There are a lot,“ Ethan said.

Nia turned towards us.

„I have an idea.“

„Do you?“

„Yes, I could hack the vehicle, then we can easily defeat them.“

„Eh, what? We don‘t even know what kind of vehicle it is.“

„Yes we do, look down there.“

We glanced back down, the tarp was now removed. And it showed the vehicle.

„Oh, holy shit.“

Ethan and I were shocked to see what it was.

„Okay, that. . . is a god damn tank. An artifact tank.“

It was a war machine. I haven‘t seen a real one before. This planet keeps surprising me. Do the dynami even know how it works?

„But you need to get close to it, and it is out in the open with barely any cover.“

„Don‘t worry I got this,“ Nia said and pulled out the lizard‘s rifle.

When we defeated the two lizards last time, we bagged their artifact weapons, Ethan thought about using it but would not connect to it. But then Nia said that he couldn‘t. When someone is connected to an artifact weapon, then you can‘t use a second one. And you would think you can use the lizard‘s artifact ax, but when you pick it up, then the sharpness becomes blunt. Making it useless.

But Nia is different, because of her artifact gauntlets. She can power up an artifact weapon making it usable, but only for a few minutes, after that, the artifact itself breaks down into many small pieces. And also, she can‘t call out the programs the artifact she uses, she needs to select it via the screen, but the names might be strange because people would maybe change them. Also, she can only check the screen when she gives it the gauntlets energy, so the time limit starts when she can review them.

She can only do this to artifacts that are either not connected to anyone, or if the user himself is dead.

For the rifle, it likely has programs that are just numbers, because we heard that lizard only call out certain numbers.

Honestly, I think I would have wanted her gauntlets more than this blaster. That is too late now.

„You are going to rush in with your rifle? But then you might be defenseless when it breaks down, you should also keep that ax.“

„The ax is to heavy for me, besides I have a knife.“

„A knife would help, but you have to be extra close to them.“

„Relax, I will do my best. I am going to throw a few smoke grenades to get close to the thing you called a tank. Also, here,“ Nia tossed Ethan the grenade that would disable artifacts, I think Ethan called it the anti-artifact.

„Why are you giving me this?“

„I think you would need it more than me.“

I still don‘t understand why Nia is with us. Why is she even helping us? I still believe that she is only trying to steal from us. Even though she didn‘t do anything when she was on watch last night, I still won‘t trust her.

„Alright, what‘s the plan?“

-----E-----

I didn‘t like this plan at all. But Nia said that I should be okay if I don‘t drain a lot from the shield.

I am going to be a distraction, with my expanded shield I should be able to protect myself.

When we fought against the two lizards, I used up all my power, because I changed the program to many times, and also it completely was gone when the rifle lizard drained it.

Now with a fully charged shield, the energy barrier should not break easily. That is what Nia told me.

„Why did I accept this role?“ I muttered to myself while descending the cliff on a rope.

It was a bit darker now, so it was harder to see me.

I landed and crouched down. I glanced around me. It appears no one has noticed me, for now. I am going to yell pretty loudly soon. I waited for a minute or two until I saw Nia giving me a thumbs up in the distance.

„Oh boy, here goes nothing.“

I stood up and walked closer to the site, then I took a deep breath and yelled out at the top of my lungs.

I waited for a second. Then I saw a few dynami approaching me, some with artifact weapons.

„You! Who are you!“ One of them asked.

„Oh, you know, just some guy site seeing,“ I said with sarcasm.

Then I looked down towards my shield‘s screen and activated the program Expanded Shield. I managed to change that program a bit, instead of just protecting me from the front, now the energy barrier was all around me. It was a really good feature that I could do on the programs. But this would drain my energy a lot more. It should hold if I don‘t change the program and that I keep on feeding the shield zettra stones.

Ivona was above the cliff behind me, she would be giving me fire support up there. While Vincent and Nia are on the other side, descending down the cliff.

„This is one crazy plan that Nia thought of. I hope she gets to the tank without trouble.“

-----V-----

„Run!“

Nia and I ran towards the tank, while she threw out a few smoke grenades to hide us with.

There were now only a few lizards around the tank, and it looked like they didn‘t have any good armor. Maybe because they had only a few artifact armors in their disposal, or that only the professional lizard fighters get them.

Nia hacked her rifle and began firing. She was not going to waste time checking the programs. I also started firing at the dynami, but didn‘t use any programs yet. I would only use them when it deems necessary.

Some of the dynami already fell, but others hid behind cover and started shooting arrows at us.

We found our own cover. Nia took out a grenade and charged it, she then threw it high towards the bow-lizards.

It was too late for them to flee, the explosion killed them instantly. This daredevil kid had some crazy strong grenades.

„Alright, we made it. Go do your thing.“

„Okay!“

It was because of Ethan's distraction that we made it here easily. if he didn't do that then there would have been a lot more lizards around.

Nia climbed the tank and opened it from above. Then I heard shooting.

„What happened?“

„Eh, there was one of them scalies there, but now there is a corpse.“

How can she say that while sounding happy? That was really weird.

I helped her take the lizard out of the tank, and she then went inside and started the hacking progress.

„This is going to take time, you protect me while I am at it.“

„Got it, but remember to not aim close to humans when you can use it.“

When we talked about the plan, Nia said hacking a vehicle was much harder than a normal weapon. So I needed to protect her while she does her thing.

I saw more dynami arriving from the tents.

I hope she‘ll be quick, I will likely not survive against so many of them.