The sun had dipped behind the horizon, and a cold, unsettling quiet settled over the land as Jake crouched by the window, peering out into the darkness. His heartbeat was loud in his chest, echoing in his ears as he nervously adjusted his cloak, prepared for the dangerous task ahead.
Outside, the first signs of movement appeared in the distance—shadows, figures crossing the threshold of the path leading to Jake's home. His stomach tightened, and he could feel the weight of what was about to happen bearing down on him. Ten mercenaries, had arrived. They moved in an organised, professional manner, their faces concealed by the hoods of their dark cloaks, their weapons glinting faintly in the dim light of the evening.
Jake waited until the mercenaries were within range of the house, then stepped back from the window. He took a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly.
"They're here," he muttered to himself, then turned to look at Alex and Ethan, who were waiting silently at their hidden vantage point.
Outside, Ethan and Alex crouched in the shadows behind a thick copse of trees, the wind barely rustling the leaves above. From their concealed position, they could see Jake's house clearly, and they'd been watching the mercenaries approach ever since they left the safety of the woods. They'd already memorised the number and direction of the enemy's approach, their instincts sharpened, waiting for the moment to move.
Jake stood at the door, his back to them, his thoughts a whirlwind. He opened it slowly, stepping out into the chill of the evening as the ten mercenaries approached. There was no turning back now. He had to follow them.
"Jake, remember," Alex's voice whispered through the communicator that they had hidden inside his jacket. "Don't engage. Just follow them. Stay as quiet as possible."
Jake gave a small nod, but his jaw was tight. He wasn't sure if he could keep his composure. These men had already threatened his life and his family, and now he was expected to follow them into the unknown.
The mercenaries didn't give him a second glance as they motioned for him to walk with them. It was clear they hadn't noticed the two shadows in the woods, waiting and watching.
The moment Jake moved off with the group, Ethan and Alex followed from a safe distance, keeping just enough distance to avoid being detected but close enough to stay on Jake's trail. They moved silently, shadows within shadows, their eyes never straying from their target.
Jake followed the mercenaries through the woods, their movements swift and coordinated. He barely had time to process the oppressive tension in the air, his every sense on high alert. The mercenaries led him toward a secluded area deep in the forest, where their base was hidden—a large stone compound, fortified and well-protected by guards.
They approached the compound's gates, and Jake's breath caught in his throat as he saw the vast scale of the operation. The gates were opened by two heavily armed guards, and as the mercenaries walked inside, Jake followed them, his heart pounding harder with each step.
Ethan and Alex, staying hidden, exchanged a silent glance. They'd seen enough. They moved quickly to a better vantage point, climbing up a nearby ridge to survey the base from above. The compound sprawled in all directions, guarded by hundreds of mercenaries patrolling the perimeter, weapons at the ready. But it wasn't the guards that caught their attention—it was the sheer size of the base.
"How many do you think there are?" Alex whispered, his voice barely audible.
"At least two thousand," Ethan said, his eyes scanning the compound. "This isn't just some small mercenary camp. This is an operation."
Alex narrowed his eyes, trying to take in every detail. There were barracks, armories, and training areas. He saw flashes of movement through the windows of the stone buildings, the mercenaries drilling and preparing for something. A low hum of activity filled the air, and it was clear this place wasn't just a temporary base—it was a headquarters.
"That's not the worst of it," Alex muttered, his mind racing. "This is an organized force. They have the resources and the manpower to make a serious move."
Ethan gritted his teeth, his eyes hardening. "And it's all for one reason. Whoever is leading this—he wants something big."
Alex's thoughts raced. He remembered the rumours, the whispers about Agatha and her guild. Could the Black Hand be after them? He looked back at Jake, now inside the compound, the doors closing behind him. The moment was now.
"We need to find out what they want," Alex said, his voice firm. "This isn't just about Jake anymore. This is bigger than all of us."
Ethan's brow furrowed. "You think they're after the guild?"
"I'm almost certain of it," Alex replied. "They've been looking for something—or someone. And I think Agatha's guild might be the key."
As the two watched from above, they began to piece together the picture. The mercenaries weren't just after Jake—they were part of a much larger organisation, one that had plans far beyond a simple threat. They were called the Black Hand, and their reach was vast. The more Alex observed, the more convinced he became that they were gathering strength, preparing for something that would shake the entire region.
Jake had been right. They weren't just threatening him. They were coming for something much more valuable—and much more dangerous.
Ethan turned to Alex, his voice low and urgent. "We need to warn Agatha, don't we?"
Alex nodded grimly. "Yes. But first, we need to find out exactly what they're planning. If we can expose their operation, we might be able to stop them before they move against her guild."
The two of them exchanged a look, a silent understanding passing between them. This mission had just become far more dangerous than they'd anticipated, and the path ahead would be filled with peril. But they had no choice. They had to stop the Black Hand before it was too late.
Every moment that passed only heightened the tension between them. Alex's mind was running faster than he could keep up with, processing everything they had learned so far.
The base was massive, and the mercenaries were far more organized than he could have imagined. But it was the mention of Agatha and her guild that kept echoing in his mind. The more he thought about it, the more he realized this wasn't just a skirmish—they were dealing with an organized, ruthless faction capable of taking down a guild as powerful as Agatha's.
And that made Alex pause.
As much as part of him wanted to return to the past—to confront whatever changes he could make and stop the rise of this threat—he knew now wasn't the time. He couldn't risk stepping into the past yet. Too many pieces of the puzzle were missing, and Agatha's guild was far more involved in this than he had initially suspected.
No, the answers lay here, in the present. Uncovering the truth about the Black Hand, their motives, and what they wanted from Agatha's guild was more important. Only when he understood their full plan would he even consider going back to change the timeline.
With a deep breath, Alex turned to Ethan, his face set with resolve.
"I'm not going anywhere until we know what we're dealing with," Alex whispered, his eyes scanning the compound below. "The Black Hand is after Agatha, and we need to understand why before we can make any move."
Ethan nodded, his expression serious. "I get it. We'll stick to the plan. But let's not get too comfortable. We don't know how long we have before they move."
As the two continued to observe, they made sure to stay hidden, their bodies pressed into the shadows, blending with the dark underbrush. From their vantage point, they could see Jake entering one of the larger stone buildings within the compound. The heavy doors closed behind him with a slow, ominous creak.
Inside, Jake was led into a dimly lit room where the co-leader of the Black Hand was waiting for him. The room was sparse—no luxuries, just a large table, some chairs, and a few mercenaries standing guard around the perimeter. The co-leader, a tall, imposing man, stood at the table, his posture cold and commanding. He wore a black mask that obscured his features, but his voice was clear and heavy with authority.
"You've been brought here for a reason, Jake," the co-leader said, his voice low but full of power. "And that reason is simple. We need information. And you're going to give it to us."
Jake stood there, his face taut with anxiety. The mercenaries had been threatening his life, his family, but now they were asking him to betray someone far more important. His hands clenched into fists, but he didn't speak, unable to move.
The co-leader took a step closer, his voice dropping even lower, like a whisper meant only for Jake's ears. "We know about Agatha. We know about her guild, and we know you've been working with her. She's dangerous, Jake. The guild is a powerful force in these lands. But it's not invincible. We need to know everything—every weakness, every vulnerability."
Jake's stomach twisted, his breath shallow. He could feel the pressure mounting, the weight of the decision bearing down on him. He had spent years under Agatha's guidance, learning from her, working alongside her. The thought of betraying her made his insides churn, but the mercenaries were no longer just a threat. They were dangerous, too powerful for him to refuse outright.
"You want me to... leak the information," Jake said slowly, his voice trembling slightly as he tried to make sense of what was being asked of him.
The co-leader nodded, his expression unreadable. "Yes. We want everything—how the guild operates, their leadership structure, their resources, their plans. We know Agatha's most trusted advisors. Tell us about them. Tell us their secrets. And when you do, we'll leave you and your family in peace. But if you refuse..." His voice hardened, and the shadow of a cruel smile flickered across his masked face. "Well, let's just say we're not in the business of letting useful people walk away."
The threat was clear. Jake was stuck, caught between the fear of what might happen to him and his family if he refused, and the deep, gnawing guilt that came with betraying someone who had once been like a mentor to him.
"I... I can't," Jake said, his voice hoarse with the strain of it all. "I can't do that to her. She trusted me."
The co-leader's gaze hardened, and he stepped back, eyeing Jake with cold disdain. "Then you'll make your choice soon enough, Jake. We don't wait forever."
He turned, walking towards the door, and then paused, his back still facing Jake. "But know this. The Black Hand does not take kindly to refusals. There are... consequences for disobedience."
As the co-leader exited, leaving Jake standing alone in the room, the heavy silence felt suffocating. Jake's thoughts were a tangled mess. He had to think of his family. He had to think of their safety. But betraying Agatha... it seemed impossible.
Jake stepped back, pressing his palm to his forehead as he tried to steady his nerves. He knew that the decision he would soon make might change the course of everything—his life, his future, and Agatha's guild.
Meanwhile, outside, Alex and Ethan had watched the entire exchange from a distance. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together, and the picture was clearer than ever.
"Jake's in deep," Ethan muttered, his face grim. "They're going to force him to betray Agatha. If they get the information they're looking for... it could destroy her guild."
Alex didn't respond immediately. His mind was spinning with the implications of everything they had learned. They were facing an organization far more dangerous than he'd imagined. And if the Black Hand was really after Agatha, they needed to act fast. But the question remained: how could they stop an army of five thousand mercenaries? How could they save Agatha without putting everyone in even more danger?
He turned to Ethan, his face hard with determination.
"We need to warn Agatha. But we can't do it alone. We need to find allies—and we need to make sure Jake doesn't give them what they want. Whatever happens, we can't let her fall."
Ethan nodded. "We'll figure something out. But first, we need to find a way to get closer without getting caught."
The weight of their task settled on them both as they made their way down from the ridge, ready to put their plan into motion. The Black Hand had just shown their hand, and Alex knew this was only the beginning. The real battle for Agatha's future—and the future of everyone involved—was about to begin.