The scorching sun hung high in the sky as we found ourselves cornered by the vengeful leader, Lysandra. Her menacing presence was a stark contrast to the otherwise serene landscape of the cavern's entrance. The tension in the air was palpable, and we knew that there was no turning back. Lysandra's demand for retribution was clear, and the consequences of my actions were closing in around us. With our backs against the wall and the inevitable battle looming, it was time to confront the consequences of my actions at Astralum. Dammit, I quickly began marking my hand with a fire rune. This wasn't good; I might have to use my last resort again. Lulith asked, "Who the hell is this? Lucius?" I said with haste as I drew the rune, "She's from Astralum; she followed me all the way here! I knocked her brother out because he was trying to steal from me.I guess, since Era was an assassin she hired, and Era didn't kill me, she thought to take matters into her own hands."
Lysandra laughed wildly; the wind played with her fiery red hair, giving her an almost ethereal appearance, as if she were a vengeful spirit from a distant nightmare. "Yes! You embarrassed the Crimson Knives in Astralum. You! A mere scrawny merchant!" She explained, "I just missed you in Veilstead; thankfully, I was able to drag information out of the locals that you were headed to Everglint. Some reporter kid filled me in, even though I didn't ask." Damn, that guy really had loose lips for a reporter. Lysandra cracked her knuckles, "Bad luck, kid. Now I am here to send you to hell personally." She pointed to Era, "Don't worry; I haven't forgotten about you, little thief. You took my money and ran. You joined up with this kid, and now you get to go to hell along with him."
She looked at Lulith and Quinn, a questioning expression on her face, "You two can just watch. I have no quarrel with you two; just stay out of it, and you can keep your lives." I attempted to mount a defense, but my attempt was short-lived. Lysandra, with eyes glowing like fire, charged at me. She used her flames to propel her and landed a kick to my stomach, one that immediately left me on the ground. My stomach felt like fire as I writhed in agony on the ground, gasping for breath, as the blow made my vision go hazy. Just as Lysandra prepared for her next attack, the ground beneath us shuddered, sending tremors racing through the rocky terrain. The unexpected disruption knocked Lysandra off balance, and her fiery assault faltered for a moment. A scream emerged from the cave; finally, the shaking stopped altogether.
Once the shaking stopped, we all dared not to make a move as three figures could be heard talking from inside the cave. A woman's voice was audible; she seemed to be laughing about something. Next, the voice of a man emerged following the woman's voice. I couldn't make out what was being said, but his voice was strong and full of life. A more dull and almost barely audible voice could also be heard from within; it sounded bored. The voices got closer and closer as they neared the entrance, and they could be heard more clearly now. The man's voice joked, "That was so much easier than I thought it would be; who knew that the worm would do all the work for us." The cheerful woman responded, "I know, right, but I am a little disappointed; I wanted to fight more." The final voice added, "I am just glad it's over; let's go home already."
My gaze fell upon the trio who had emerged from the cavern, their presence casting a perplexing aura over the battleground. The man stood tall and imposing, a formidable figure whose very stance exuded strength. His sharp features were chiseled from determination, and his muscular build suggested a life dedicated to martial prowess. A cloak of confidence enveloped him as he bore short-cropped obsidian hair and steel-gray eyes that sparkled with an unsettling tranquility. He wore attire befitting a practitioner of traditional martial arts, giving him an air of disciplined readiness. His black robes flowed in the wind as he seemed to examine his surroundings.
On the other hand, the woman to his left captivated attention with her striking beauty. Long, flowing tresses of fiery red hair framed a face marked by emerald green eyes, which glinted with an air of elegance and poised determination. She appeared as if she had been born to command attention, a stark contrast to the chaos of our confrontation. Lydia's attire was both functional and stylish. She donned a form-fitting, lightweight bodysuit made of durable yet flexible material, providing her with ease of movement and protection. The suit was designed with practicality in mind, offering resistance against scratches and minor impacts without compromising her agility.
The girl to his right, the final piece in this intriguing puzzle, was a young woman with a markedly different aesthetic. Her short black hair framed a face where her red eyes betrayed an air of inscrutable mystery. She wore a curious, skin-tight outfit that seemed more suited for a clandestine operative than a straightforward warrior. Strapped to her form were an assortment of needles and canisters, adding an unsettling quality to her presence. What drew immediate attention was the gas mask obscuring her features, a stark reminder of the unknown nature of the newcomers.
The man turned to the two other women and laughed, "I guess there really were more people that the worm didn't kill." The woman to his right remarked in a muffled tone, "I told you we missed some." The man's gray eyes bore into Lucius, his intense expression revealing a readiness for combat. However, as he noticed the rune, he paused. He then smiled, "Oh, what have we got here? A rune? How curious." I responded, "You know about runes?" The man gave a carefree grin, "Yeah, I used to have a friend a long time ago that used runes to fight. You are like us then; good, nice to see someone your age with such a head on their shoulders." He stuck out his hand, and on instinct I shook his hand. "Names Gabriel Raventail, my man. I am a part of the Covenant of Magical Annihilation; you might have heard of us, given you use runes." He points behind him, "This is Lydia and Vein, two of my trusted partners."
Both of the girls nodded, and then Gabriel scanned our group, "Ah, one harpy, a young boy, and oh, what's this now? A drow?" He began to sniff the air, as if he were searching for something. "Oh, but she is clean; she can't use magic. I can feel it. Interesting little group you have here, kid." He then noticed Lysandra, who had her body in a battle stance and looked ready to strike at me again at any moment. Gabriel laughed, "Ah, man, I see you got yourself in a pickle here, kid. Oh, and what's this? She is using fire magic. Don't worry, little buddy; your new big bro will handle this for you."
Without wasting any time at all, he charged Lysandra. Before she could even react, he grabbed her by the head and slammed her to the ground. I barely even saw it; this man Gabriel just took her out in one blow. Blood poured out quickly from Lysandra's head; it looked like he cracked her skull instantly. My entire group held their breath as Gabriel then held up his hand, walking away in a casual manner. He stuck up his hand as he walked away, "Hey, good luck out there, little freedom fighter, and remember, big bro Gabriel will always be around the corner." The woman Vein clicked her tongue, "Really, what does he think he is, some kind of hero? He always has to act cool in front of a crowd." The other woman Lydia giggled, "He always does like to put on a show." They sped up to catch up to Gabriel. Lydia briefly turned to us with a wink, "Stay out of trouble, kids."
I turned to the others; Lulith was shaking a little, and she seemed to recognize that group. I asked, "Who the hell was that?" Lulith looked at me nervously, "That was the Covenant of Magical Annihilation. I hear they are on a warpath to eradicate any mage they come across. Nobody knows their goals, but they are a large group even outside of Luminora's borders. Their reach is very large, and those members in particular I have seen bounty posters in my travels before with their faces. These aren't normal criminals; they are terrorists. We are lucky to be alive." Quinn chimed in, "I managed to read a bit of their thoughts, although they seemed veiled somehow. They caused the worm carnage that we saw earlier. I heard him thinking about how he went deeper into the cave to lure out a beast of that size to the group of adventurers. They then proceeded to kill the worm themselves."
I pondered for a second if that was true; those three we just saw committed mass murder and just walked away laughing. My face burned in anger and frustration, knowing that I could have stopped that carnage, but also because I knew I was too weak to stop them. Era put a hand on my shoulder, apparently getting better at reading my mood. She reassured, "We had no way of knowing there were terrorists among our group, Lucius." I put aside my anger for a moment. I glanced at the now unconscious body of Lysandra. I nodded to Era, "You're right; for now, we'll just have to do what we can, starting with Lysandra." I began to lift the unconscious woman toward my caravan. Era and the others gave me a shocked look. Era stated, "Lucius, she tried to kill you; are you sure helping her is our best option right now?" I replied with a solemn look on my face, "So did you when we first met. Remember, Era, I believe in second chances." With those words, we moved forward, leaving the cavern and its horrors behind, not knowing exactly what the day ahead would bring.