Hello fellow readers hope you'll are doing swell I wanted to let you'll know that read my story that I will be taking next week as a sort of catch up week. Where I will be sorting out where I want this story to go and get some drafts in the making. I don't want to feel like I'm rushing the story or worse dragging things out. So chow see you'll in the next chapters.
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68Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2T8H7SfVDC
As Luna and Kai stood in the quiet of the war room, a heavy sense of foreboding settled over them both. Though they had momentum, Kai's instincts were gnawing at the edges of Luna’s confidence. Something darker was at play, something more sinister than a simple response from the council.
Meanwhile, back in the council chamber, plans were already being set in motion. Duke Esteban’s network of spies and assassins began to spread through the city, silently gathering information on Luna’s movement, her commanders, and her next plans. Every whisper in the dark, every slip of information would be another piece of the puzzle to unravel the rebellion from within.
In the dead of night, Luna’s scouts returned, their faces drawn with worry. The council had already begun shifting their troops, reinforcing key supply lines and positioning more mercenaries around the treasury. The council wasn’t panicking—they were preparing, and it was clear that they were anticipating something big.
Rose appeared, her usual confidence mixed with a cautious edge. “They’re tightening their grip. Our window’s closing faster than we thought.”
Luna nodded grimly. “Then we need to move faster.”
Kai stepped forward, his jaw clenched. “And what if it’s a trap? What if they’re baiting us?”
Luna hesitated, her mind running through the possibilities. “It doesn’t matter. Trap or no, if we take the treasury, we cripple them. We need to be smarter than they are.”
Rose crossed her arms. “We’ve handled worse. Besides, if it’s a trap, we spring it on our terms.”
Kai, ever cautious, studied the map of the city’s treasury. “Then we need contingencies. If they’re expecting us, we have to be ready for anything.”
Luna met his eyes, her resolve unshaken. “We will be.”
But deep down, they all knew the battle ahead wasn’t just about the treasury or gold—it was about who would break first. Would Luna’s rebellion hold strong against the council’s cunning? Or would the council’s unseen shadows strike first, taking out the key figures of the rebellion before they could even make their move?
As Luna gave the final orders for the assault, the feeling of being watched lingered. Someone was always watching.
Far above the city, in a darkened tower, a cloaked figure watched the council’s city unfold beneath them. They were the council’s darkest secret, their weapon in the shadows—an assassin with no allegiance, paid only to bring about the quiet end of insurgencies.
The assassin’s orders were clear: eliminate Luna’s commanders, one by one. Make the rebellion crumble from within. And with the council’s coffers at stake, there would be no room for error.
As the figure disappeared into the night, the rebellion’s clock was ticking, and Luna didn’t know how little time they had left.
The night settled over the city like a suffocating blanket, the streets growing quieter as the hour deepened. I stood at the edge of our hideout, staring into the distance where the council’s fortified structures loomed, ominous and oppressive. The raid on the treasury would be our boldest move yet, but it was also the most dangerous. I could feel the weight of it pressing on my shoulders.
Kai and Rose had gathered the best fighters for the mission. Every detail had been meticulously planned: distraction teams, infiltration units, and contingency strategies in case things went wrong. But despite the careful preparation, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Something dark was lurking just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to strike.
The sound of footsteps pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to see Kai approaching, his usual calm replaced with an intensity I only saw when he was truly concerned.
“They’re ready,” he said quietly, stopping beside me. “But are we?”
I didn’t answer right away. My eyes remained on the distant towers, my mind running through every possible outcome. “I don’t know, Kai. I can feel something’s wrong. But we don’t have a choice. We can’t afford to hesitate now.”
Kai sighed, running a hand through his hair, his tension barely hidden. “I know. But we need to be extra careful tonight. The council won’t just sit and watch us take the treasury.”
“They’ll fight,” I agreed, still distant in my thoughts. “But we’ll be ready.”
His dark eyes flickered with unease as he glanced at me. “Luna, if it comes down to it—if we’re cornered—promise me you won’t take unnecessary risks.”
I turned to face him, my red eyes meeting his with unwavering resolve. “I can’t promise that, Kai. You know I’ll do whatever it takes to end this.”
He studied me, frustration evident on his face. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Before I could respond, Rose appeared, her face set with determination. “It’s time. The team’s ready to move out.”
I took a deep breath, the familiar rush of anxiety and anticipation building inside me. “Alright. Let’s go.”
The streets were eerily quiet as we moved through the shadows. Our group was a well-coordinated unit, each step silent, every person knowing their role as we made our way toward the treasury. My heart pounded, not with fear, but with the thrill of the mission. This was what I lived for—the fight, the rebellion, the taste of resistance in my veins.
But as we neared the treasury’s perimeter, my instincts screamed that something was wrong.
“Hold,” I whispered, raising a hand.
The group stopped, sinking deeper into the shadows. My eyes scanned the area, and that feeling of unease grew stronger. The guards were too few, too relaxed for a target as critical as the treasury. It didn’t add up.
“This is too easy,” Kai muttered, his voice low beside me. “They’re waiting for us.”
Rose crouched next to him, her sharp eyes darting between the guards and the treasury doors. “They have to be. No way they’d leave the treasury this exposed.”
She was right. The place was too still, too unguarded. My mind raced. This was a trap.
“We stick to the plan,” I said quietly. “But we send a smaller team to test the waters first. If they’re waiting for us, we’ll know soon enough.”
Rose nodded, and two of our best fighters slipped forward, disappearing into the darkness. The rest of us waited, tense and silent, as the minutes ticked by.
Suddenly, a loud crack rang out, and one of the fighters crumpled to the ground, an arrow embedded deep in his chest. The other froze, only to be struck down seconds later by another shot from the shadows.
“Ambush,” Rose hissed, her hand already on her blade.
My blood ran cold. They knew we were coming. They had been waiting for us all along.
“They knew,” Kai whispered, drawing his weapon. “We have to fall back—now.”
“No,” I said firmly, my mind racing as I tried to adjust the plan. “If we retreat, we lose everything. We stick to the mission.”
Rose shot me a questioning look. “Are you sure about this, Luna? They’ve got us pinned.”
I met her gaze, forcing my voice to stay steady. “We create a distraction. Rose, take the others and hit the perimeter hard—make it loud. I’ll take a smaller group and get inside while they’re focused on you.”
Kai grabbed my arm, his grip tight. “Luna, this isn’t right. We need to fall back and regroup.”
“There’s no time,” I said, meeting his gaze. “We either move now or we lose this chance.”
His jaw clenched, and after a moment, he relented. “Fine. But we’re not splitting up. I’m coming with you.”
I nodded, grateful for his support. “Alright. Let’s go.”
As Rose led the distraction team, the sound of explosions and the clash of steel filled the air. I could see the guards rushing toward the commotion, leaving the treasury less defended. Kai and I moved swiftly, slipping through the shadows toward the side entrance.
But just as we neared the door, a low whistle cut through the air. My heart skipped a beat. Too late.
Figures emerged from the darkness, silent and deadly. Assassins.
I spun on instinct, my blade already drawn as the first one lunged at me. I parried the strike, my movements quick, but these assassins weren’t ordinary fighters. They moved with lethal precision, their strikes aimed not to wound, but to kill.
“Kai!” I shouted as I deflected another strike. “It’s a trap—they’re targeting us!”
He fought off two assassins beside me, his face grim. “We’re surrounded!”
I glanced at the cloaks of our attackers, my heart freezing when I recognized the emblem sewn into the fabric. Esteban’s shadow agents.
This wasn’t just about stopping the treasury raid. The council had sent their best—killers trained to eliminate key figures in the rebellion. They had come for me.
“Kai!” I shouted again, parrying another blow. “We need to get out of here, now!”
His face was tight with frustration, but he nodded. “We’ll never make it out if we stay here!”
I turned to the others. “Retreat! Fall back to the hideout!”
We fought our way through the ambush, every step harder than the last. I could feel the council’s noose tightening around us. This rebellion had just entered its most dangerous phase. The council wasn’t just defending anymore—they were hunting us down.
And I had no doubt they wouldn’t stop until we were all dead.
We sprinted through the narrow alleyways, the shadows our only cover as the sounds of pursuit echoed behind us. My breath came in ragged bursts, every muscle in my body on edge. Kai was at my side, his movements fluid despite the chaos. The assassins were relentless, their footsteps growing louder as they closed the distance.
“We need to lose them!” I hissed, glancing over my shoulder. They were faster than I’d anticipated—trained killers who thrived in the dark. My mind raced, trying to find a way out, a plan, anything that could buy us time.
Kai’s eyes darted around, searching for a way out. “There’s an old market square up ahead,” he said between breaths. “We can split up and regroup later. They can’t follow us both.”
I shook my head, the thought of separating gnawing at me. “No. We stay together. If they catch one of us alone, it’s over.”
A sharp clang echoed through the alley as an arrow embedded itself into the stone wall just inches from my head. My heart skipped a beat, the reality of how close we were to being caught sinking in. There was no time to second-guess. We needed to act.
“Luna,” Kai urged, his voice tight with urgency, “we can’t outrun them like this.”
I knew he was right. I could feel the weight of the council’s trap closing in on us. They had planned this ambush perfectly, forcing us into a corner. But we weren’t without our own tricks.
“There’s a way,” I said, my voice low. “I’ll blind them. But you need to be ready to lead us out of here.”
Kai gave a quick nod, understanding immediately. He knew about my shadow power, the one I rarely used because it drained me too quickly. But now, I didn’t have a choice.
I skidded to a halt, pressing myself against the wall as Kai mirrored my movement. The assassins were close now—too close. I closed my eyes, focusing on the dark energy within me, feeling it surge as I pulled it to the surface. A familiar coldness swept over me, spreading like ice in my veins.
The moment the first assassin rounded the corner, I unleashed it.
Darkness exploded from me, a thick, impenetrable cloud that swallowed the alleyway whole. The assassins shouted in confusion as the shadows blinded them, their strikes wild and unfocused. I heard one of them stumble, another crash into the wall. It wouldn’t last long, but it was enough.
“Now!” I gasped, my vision swimming from the effort.
Kai grabbed my arm, pulling me forward as we bolted through the darkened alley. My legs felt weak, but I forced them to keep moving. We didn’t have much time before the assassins regained their senses.
We sprinted through the maze of streets, turning corner after corner until the sounds of pursuit began to fade. My breath was heavy, and my limbs ached, but we couldn’t stop—not yet.
Eventually, we found ourselves in an abandoned part of the city, where crumbling buildings and overgrown vines offered some semblance of cover. We ducked into an old tavern, long forgotten by the city’s inhabitants, the smell of decay thick in the air.
Kai pushed the door shut behind us, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath. I leaned against the wall, my body shaking from the strain of using my shadow powers.
“You okay?” he asked, his voice soft but filled with concern.
I nodded, though I felt anything but okay. “Yeah. Just… need a minute.”
Kai watched me carefully, his eyes lingering on mine. I could see the tension in his posture, the unspoken worry. He knew how much using that power took out of me, and he hated that I had to rely on it.
“We’re safe for now,” he said, scanning the darkened room. “But it won’t take them long to figure out where we went.”
I nodded again, wiping the sweat from my brow. “We can’t go back to the hideout. It’s not safe anymore.”
“No,” he agreed, his voice low. “They’ll be watching it. We need to get word to Rose and the others, warn them that the council is coming after us directly.”
I felt a pang of guilt settle in my chest. This was my fault. I had underestimated the council, underestimated their willingness to strike back. They had come for us not just as a threat, but as a death sentence.
“They’ll be ready,” I said, trying to shake off the fear creeping in. “Rose is smart—she’ll know something’s wrong when we don’t show up.”
Kai’s jaw tightened. “We can’t take that chance. We need to get word to her somehow.”
I pushed off the wall, feeling steadier now. “I’ll send a runner. There’s a contact nearby who can get a message to her. We need to regroup, come up with a new plan.”
“And after that?” Kai asked, his voice grim. “The council won’t stop. They’ve made it clear they want us dead.”
I met his gaze, the weight of his words sinking in. This wasn’t just about defeating the council anymore. It was about survival.
“Then we hit back,” I said, my voice harder than I intended. “We make them regret ever coming after us.”
Kai’s expression softened, and for a moment, I saw the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “You’re not one to back down, are you?”
I shook my head, determination rising in my chest. “No. I’m not.”
He stepped closer, his eyes holding mine. “Then let’s finish this.”
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-To be continued
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