...
In the great Mansion of Heisenberg,
Huff huff huff..
"Come on! Can't you even pull the extra two push ups".
Nicholas wearing his gold rimmed glasses holding the invitation letter from Dukly Service, motivated him to do another push up. They were training for the upcoming event of joining the Dukly Service for him only 2 days are there, so he wanted to train his body. Kesavan decided this, because his father asked him to join in the Dukly Service in the letter he sent with the letter regarding books.
Then a maid came and whispered in Nicholas ears, then she handed over a note which was made of ordinary paper.
"Michigan accepted the mission we gave. He will produce the results tomorrow. He is asking 4 pounds. And an extra pound for bribing the low range staffs maintaining the secrecy."
Kesav wiped the sweat with white furred towel and cleaned his white hair. He sat on the cushioned chair and took a heavy breath.
"Now let me hear what you have gathered"
.....
After some minutes of hearing Nicholas's report, Kesav understood very much about the Dukly Service. He learned that Dukly Service rarely goes for big raids in tomb as most of the private guilds and organizations will lease them and gain the benefits from it. They are very friendly towards the newbies. And they often involve with the supernatural matters that crawl in the public. They stay low and their involvement with the tomb raids and most of the missions are anonymous. They are one of the secret agency of the country after all. Their headquarters wasn't here, it's Fique city where the headquarters was situated. The Dukly service in the Neravy city is just a branch of their agency.
A maid in black dress excused them suddenly when they were chatting.
She intervened them, handing over a letter from Heisenberg.
After removing the seal his father used to seal the letter, he read the information from the soft paper. Immediately the paper burned after he finished reading the letter. The paper burned with a blue flame and it didn't cause any wounds on Kesavan's hands. It produced bluish flames but not heat.
"I need you to buy a golden revolver and prana bullets Nicholas, buy them in the underground market. Don't leak this matter to father. "
"What are you planning to do Kesav? That letter is from Master, I can proceed only if I know the details"
Though Nicholas and Kesav had a butler-young master relationship, they are actually more friendly to each other and especially Nicholas is always caring towards Kesav. He helped him from child to this point in life of Kesav.
"I have to investigate the dark abyss region. I am leaving tomorrow or day after tomorrow. Most probably, we will just explore it, eliminating some monsters. It won't be a hassle, with the reliable crew, it will sure end in success. All I need to do is just gain some experience via this mission. I think that's what he think."
"Is he assigning the newbie crew that he formed recently with you?"
"Yes" Kesav replied hesitantly.
"Don't think I am bad mouthing the master, but he is always using you. You are still learning and yet he gave a big mission to you. So you are going for it"
"Nicholas! He is not using me, he is honing me. The fake Heresy books he gave, I finished documenting them. Return them via the messenger. Bring some tea. And biscuits also, with butter."
"Yes, young master" without replying anything, Nicholas left the cozy room.
"I am sure this won't end up good" Nicholas sighed.
***
Is he assigning the newbie crew that he formed recently with you?"
"Yes" Kesav replied hesitantly.
"Don't think I am bad mouthing the master, but he is always using you. You are still learning and yet he gave a big mission to you. So you are going for it"
"Nicholas! He is not using me, he is honing me. The fake Heresy books he gave, I finished documenting them. Return them via the messenger. Bring some tea. And biscuits also, with butter."
"Yes, young master" without replying anything, Nicholas left the cozy room.
"I am sure this won't end up good" Nicholas sighed.
***
In the tomb in the western part of Utopia kingdom,
Scarley narrowed her yellow, razor-bright eyes as the creature's hiss rolled through the chamber like grinding metal. The giant scorpion shifted, it fainted towards the members who invaded its territory. Black smoke poured from the hollow pits where its eyes should have been.
"Positions!" Scarlet barked, voice tight but steady.
Her teammates scrambled. Marcus pulled back his crossbow string with trembling strength, while Reina planted her boots, gripping her twin hooked blades. The ground trembled as the scorpion slammed its claw down, the golden armor plate on it ringing like a temple gong. Other soldiers were cautioned and they prepared for the attack.
Scarlet darted left, she ran to her position and she is the one who took the rear positon. The scorpion's stinger lashed out, so fast that he air was missing her cheek by a breath. It embedded into a stone pillar behind her, shattering it into a spray of grey shards.
Reina moved first, sliding under the creature's raised abdomen, her blades scraping sparks off the carapace. "Too thick!" she shouted, rolling away as the tail ripped free from the pillar.
Marcus fired. The tail struck one of the pillars and refused to return! The scorpion got caught to one position. It continously started to wriggle its tail and use its claw. Suddenly there was a burst.
The scorpion turned toward the sound,not by vision, but by sensing the tremor of his heartbeat.
"Scarlet, now would be a great time for one of your genius ideas!" Marcus yelled, fumbling for another bolt of flames
Scarlet grinned. "Buy me three seconds."
She wanted to use the time her teammates made for her. She immediately moved according her plan in her mind.
She sprinted toward the far wall, where ancient murals glowed faintly under. The scorpion tried to beat them while she is running. It lunged at Marcus, it swayed its claws and trying to catch whoever is trying to attack it.
Reina intercepted, hooking one claw with both blades and letting the impact fling her across the room rather than crush her. She hit the ground, rolled, and shouted, "Two seconds!"
Alicia slammed her palm against the mural.
"One!" Marcus cried as the scorpion stomped over him but he dodged and signaled his captain.
The mural ignited. Gold light pulsed through the cracks in the stone, rushing to Alicia's fingers. She spun, thrusting her hand forward. A shockwave burst outward, a beam of golden light fell on the scorpion.
The black smoke recoiled like it had been burned. The scorpion screamed, it stunned for a second as a black lash of Scarlet's Attack!.
"That's our opening!" Scarlet shouted at her comrades.
Reina leapt and swung her blades catching the sudden glow but not in golden light as Scarlet, it was bluish flames and not some any beam of light. And Marcus also tried to fire again, the flames now gleaming tgoether, they attacked the moment of weakness Scarlet had carved open.
The scorpion writhed, its golden plating cracking under the combined force. Smoke poured out in wild streams,like its soul was boiling filling the tomb with a trembling darkness.
Scarlet took a compass like relic and spread her prana into that, in response to that, the black scorpion's eye smoke increased, producing blacker smoke like from a running steam engine powered train.
***
While they are raiding in the western Tomb, Bogus who had enetered even before them, got some random loot, and amazed by its appearance and the ancient scent, he immediately retreated from his original plan I.e. making exploratory map for this tomb and selling it in the underground or black market! But instead he had stumble upon such rare auxiliary treasure found in the tombs.
Bogus in the 5th room of the Great hallway filled random people, took out the mini treasure chest. He removed the cloth that he used to wrap the relic. The appraiser who was sitting in his chair infront a brown desk, told then to be careful. He handed over them a dust, a red dust. They understood the man's intention and sprinkled the red dust onto the chest, the childless touch that existed back them immediately soothed.
They slowly opened the chest revealing the ancient book like relic.
The appraiser's didn't show any amazement but Bogus, and his friend they have the opposite reaction of that appraiser. They didn't shout or made any movements. Their eyes showed all of their feelings. They were very much delighted at the results.
***