It had been nearly an hour since Amon had successfully killed the captain of the guards and he was now making his way back to the hotel room he had booked a few days prior when they came to New-Paris. The shallow wound he had received stinging a bit, but he reckoned that by dawn it would have healed itself. His regenerative capabilities were on a whole new level when compared to most augmented, and it had saved his life many times before.

In the lightless labyrinth of the New-Paris alleyways, Amon skillfully made his way through the narrow alleys, avoiding the few gangs that had made it their home. As he came into view of his hotel, he decided against going in by the front door. If he were caught with a blood-stained cloak at this moment, it would be hard to avoid suspicion. Thankfully, he was able to use the balconies outside to climb up to his room. He fiddled with the lock on the windows for a while before he was able to enter his room. By now, the first few rays of sunlight had lazily made their way above the city skyline, and Amon let out a long breath. At long last, the night was over, but before he could get some rest, he needed to communicate with his superiors.

Amon went to his bed and pulled out a big suitcase from underneath. He entered the combination to the lock and opened it. Inside, were a range of weapons and tools that he prepared for this mission. He pulled out a small back box that he set took with him to the bathroom. He rested the little box next to the sink and pressed a button on the top of it. As he waited for the communication device to establish a communication to his liaison officer, he took off his cloak and hung it behind the door.

In the mirror, a handsome face was revealed. His skin was the colour of obsidian, and his features were well defined. He had a strong jawline, and his dark eyes possessed an intense magnetism. He took a towel from the rack nearby and wiped off the thin layer of sweat that had resulted from his twelve storey climb in such warm weather. He then took off his shirt as the black device let out a small ringing sound, indicating it had established a secure and encrypted connection. A tired voice rang out from the device as if it had been roused up from a deep sleep. Evidently, this operator wasn't too keen on getting woken up for a regular status report.

"Amon, have you completed your assignment?

The voice didn't bother verifying the identity of his interlocutor as the device was activated via fingerprints. There was also a small pulse sensor to ensure that the one enabling the device was alive, and hadn't acquired the finger of a Raven with the purpose of unlocking the device.

-Yes, we took care of the captain. However, there were a few problems. First of all, the captain wasn't alone when we found him. According to the information we had received, he always walked back home alone as he was the only one in the whole guard that resided in the fifth residential district.

-That should hardly be cause for concern. With your strength, a few city guards should be short work.

As he was talking, Amon was examining the wound he had received earlier. By now, the two-centimetre cut was mostly closed and would be entirely healed by tomorrow. Amon grabbed a new towel and ran it under some cold water. He carefully cleaned up around the wound making sure not to exert too much strength, lest he reopened the cut.

-Indeed, a few guards are nothing much, but that would only be the case if they were regular guards.

-What do you mean? The voice on the other side of the line had suddenly perked up as if this new information was finally worth his time.

-All of them were augmented. The captain seemed to have received some regular strengthening augmentations, the same for the rest of them. However, they had a pyromancer with them. Judging by the strength of his creations and his endurance, he wasn't all that compatible with the nanotechnology and should be at the bottom of the ladder if compared to other pyromancers. That being said, the presence of such an augmentation means that something is wrong. Also, was there a need to send Bel and me here? If the captain were only a regular human, the presence of two Ravens would have been way overkill. In truth, regardless of what happened, I was expecting the two of us to face a much more significant challenge.

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-You aren't exactly wrong. We sent teams of Ravens to Berlin, London, Beijing and Moscow with the same mission as you two.

-For what purpose? It's not like eliminating the guard's captains would be a significant detriment to the Order on the long term. It might disable the chain of command for a short while, but that's about it.

-The reason we sent you on this mission is that one month ago, one of our covert operatives in Cairo made an alarming report. The Order had sent three of their Holy Knights on a mission to eradicate one of our safehouses. At the time, the operative couldn't pinpoint with exact accuracy which city would be targeted, but he narrowed it down to five. I think you can see where I'm going with this.

Cairo was the capital of the Order and also one the cities in which the Ravens had the least influence due to the presence of a corps of elite augmented named the Holy Knights. On an individual basis, the Holy Knights had a strength that was on par with the most elite Ravens and with the support of the Order, they had dealt a severe blow to their plans of suppressing the Order. For three of them to move simultaneously, they had to have some big projects.

-I see, so this is why the guards were so much stronger, they had the support of three Holy Knights. You sent these units on some sort of recon mission, and we just happened to be the one to win the jackpot. Are they planning a campaign to root out the Ravens from Europe?

-It isn't impossible, but it's hard to know what the Order thinks. However, we can't let such a chance slip right by us. It's so rare for the Holy Knights to move out of Cairo we need to capitalize on this. We will give the order to evacuate the safe house so you can do your thing.

-Are you asking us to take care of three Holy Knights by ourselves?

-Indeed. I know this is your first time clashing directly with one of them, but Bel should have some experience. Luckily for you, we also know the identities of the Holy Knights you'll be facing, so you won't be fighting blind.

-Do we know where they are posted in the city?

-No clue. But we have time so you should do some recon, try and see if you can't find where they're hidden.

After thoroughly cleaning the wound and drying the skin, Amon took the communication device and went back into the bedroom. He set the device on his nightstand and rummaged around his luggage to find a clean shirt.

-Alright, are there special directives?

-None. You can use every means necessary.

Amon flinched when he heard those words. He had been with the Ravens his whole life, and he knew that when they were told to use every means necessary, they meant it. Even if they set New-Paris ablaze to eliminate the Holy Knights, the Ravens wouldn't bat an eye.

-If there's nothing else, I'll begin preparation for the mission. How long will it take the safehouse to evacuate fully?

-It should take no longer than three days. We wish you the best of luck; the success of this mission could significantly affect the Ravens' future. The details about the Holy Knights have already been sent to your hotel room and should arrive shortly.

-In that case, I better get to work."

With another tap on the black box, Amon cut the connection, and he stored the device back in his luggage. He shoved the bags under the bed when there was a light knock on the door. In the peephole, he could see a short lady in the hotel's uniform and surmised that she was here to deliver the paper that had been sent his way. He opened the door and greeted the lady with a smile.

"Hello there! Anything I can do for you?

She was visibly startled and blushed a little as she handed him a sealed envelope.

-This came for a certain Amon, would that be you?

-Indeed, I'll take that. Have a great day."

He immediately closed the door on the poor employee. Although he felt a bit sorry for the lady, who was quite pretty, his mind was entirely focused on the task at hand. Inside this envelope was information on some of the greatest fighters of this world. Amon couldn't help but feel his blood boil with excitement at the thought of battling them.