The third week in the Fortress Country began no differently than the previous two—shrouded in frustration. Zinia's anger simmered beneath the surface, constantly on the verge of exploding. She'd decided that today would be the day she ended the deal with the guild master. Two weeks had passed with no useful information, and she couldn't stomach the idea of wasting more time on a partnership that had gotten them nowhere.
With Mei trailing silently behind her as always, Zinia stormed through the streets toward the guild's office, her mind racing with thoughts of confrontation. The guild had promised them resources, access to the most guarded knowledge in the city, but it had all amounted to nothing. She was done waiting.
But just as she was nearing the guild hall, a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Zinia froze, her sharp gaze zeroing in on a figure darting through the alleyway—a girl with short hair and a nimble frame. It was her. The thief who had stolen their money during their first few days in the city.
"Kiva," Zinia muttered under her breath, the name spilling out like a curse.
Her mood darkened instantly. This was the girl who had taken advantage of their trust, who had left them scrambling to make up for the loss. Zinia's body tensed, her instincts screaming for retribution. Forget the guild for now. She had a score to settle.
"Mei," she snapped, her voice cold. "Follow me. We're getting our money back."
Without another word, Zinia took off in the direction of the girl, her long strides quickly closing the gap between them. Kiva was fast, but Zinia was faster. Mei kept pace effortlessly, his expression as blank as ever, but Zinia could feel the tension in his muscles, ready for action if she commanded it.
They cornered Kiva in a narrow alleyway. She spun around, her eyes wide with surprise, her chest heaving from the chase. Zinia could see the panic in her eyes, but Kiva quickly masked it with a smirk.
"Zinia," Kiva drawled, her voice tinged with false bravado. "Long time no see."
"Give me one reason not to break you right here and now," Zinia growled, her voice low and dangerous. "You owe us. Big."
Kiva's smirk faltered, and her gaze flickered to Mei, who stood silently at Zinia's side. "Look, about the money—"
"Save it." Zinia's fist clenched at her side, the urge to lash out nearly overwhelming. But she held herself back, her mind working quickly. Beating the girl senseless wouldn't solve anything. She needed to make a point—one that Kiva wouldn't forget. "You want to make it up to us? Fine. You're coming with us on a mission."
Kiva blinked, clearly not expecting that. "A mission?"
"Yes. You'll help us take down a few monsters, and maybe, maybe, I won't kill you by the end of it," Zinia said, her voice icy. "But trust me, if I don't get my money back, you won't walk away from this."
Kiva swallowed hard, realizing that Zinia wasn't joking. "Fine. I'll come with you. But... we can talk about the money—"
"We'll talk when I feel like it," Zinia interrupted sharply. "For now, you follow my orders. One wrong move, and you'll regret it."
With that, Zinia turned on her heel, motioning for Mei to follow. Kiva hesitated for a moment, glancing around the alley as if weighing her chances of escape. But one look at Zinia's cold expression convinced her otherwise. She hurried after them, keeping her head low.
The mission was a relatively straightforward one—a small group of monsters had been causing trouble on the outskirts of the city, and the guild needed someone to deal with them. Zinia wasn't interested in the reward. The mission was merely an excuse to get Kiva out of the city and into a situation where Zinia could exert control. She wanted to make it clear to the girl that crossing her was a mistake. A very costly one.
By the time they arrived at the rocky plains where the monsters had been sighted, the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the desolate landscape. The air was thick with tension, and Zinia's gaze remained fixed on Kiva, watching her every move.
The monsters, large wolf-like creatures with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp teeth, appeared just as the light began to fade. Their growls echoed through the air, and Zinia felt a rush of adrenaline course through her veins.
"Kiva," she said, her voice calm but firm. "You'll be the bait."
"What?" Kiva's eyes widened in shock. "Bait? You're kidding, right?"
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Zinia's tone left no room for argument. "You wanted to make things right. This is how. Lead them to us, and we'll take care of the rest."
Kiva's face paled, but she didn't have much choice. Zinia had made it clear from the start—there would be consequences if she didn't comply. So with a deep breath, Kiva steeled herself and moved forward, drawing the attention of the monsters.
Zinia watched with satisfaction as the creatures' glowing eyes locked onto Kiva, and they began to stalk toward her, their growls growing louder. Kiva took off running, leading them in a wide arc around the rocky terrain. The beasts chased her, snarling and snapping at her heels, but she was fast, her nimble frame darting between the rocks with practiced ease.
But not fast enough. One of the monsters lunged, swiping at her with its massive claws, and Kiva stumbled, barely managing to dodge the attack. Her panic was evident now, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she sprinted toward Zinia and Mei.
"Zinia!" Kiva screamed, her voice tinged with desperation. "Do something!"
Zinia stood still, her arms crossed as she watched the scene unfold. "Keep running," she called out coldly. "If you stop, you die."
Kiva's face twisted with fear and anger, but she had no choice. She kept running, the monsters hot on her trail, their growls growing louder and more menacing with each passing second.
When Zinia finally decided it was enough, she motioned to Mei. "Take care of it."
Without a word, Mei stepped forward, his movements precise and efficient. In a matter of moments, he had dispatched the monsters, his barehands punching hole through the monsters tough skin. The creatures fell to the ground, lifeless, their glowing eyes dimming as the last of their energy faded away.
Kiva collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath, her face pale and slick with sweat. "You... you could have killed me," she panted, glaring up at Zinia.
Zinia knelt down beside her, her expression cold and unyielding. "I could have," she said calmly. "But I didn't. You should be grateful."Kiva swallowed hard, her bravado crumbling under the weight of Zinia's words. "I'll get you the money. I swear."Zinia narrowed her eyes, her gaze piercing. "That's not enough. I want more than just money. I want information. I want to know how we can get what we need from this city. You're going to help us."
Kiva hesitated, glancing between Zinia and Mei. "I... I might know a way," she admitted, her voice shaky. "I know someone who deals in information. They could help you, but... it's dangerous."
"I don't care how dangerous it is," Zinia said, her voice firm. "You'll take us to them. And if you're lying, Kiva, I'll make sure you regret it."Kiva nodded quickly, fear flashing in her eyes. "I'm not lying. I'll take you to them. Just... give me a little time."Zinia stood up, her gaze still fixed on Kiva. "You don't have time. You take us there tomorrow."Kiva paled but nodded in agreement, knowing she had no other choice. Zinia turned away, her expression unreadable as she glanced at Mei, who stood silently by her side.
"Let's go," Zinia said, her voice cold as ever. "We're done here."
As they made their way back to the city, Zinia couldn't shake the feeling that things were finally starting to move in their favor. Kiva might be a thief and a coward, but she had information—and Zinia would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.