Oktofinitum

Chapter 43

The night was cold and the wind crisp, it wasn't even winter but he's just as cold. They were able to run away from the Imperial Knights, but his mind keeps going back to the fight. The way that cloaked woman wielded her fire was familiar to him, her stance and the way she held her blade, he's seen that fighting stance somewhere. And the other water wielder who helped her, she was as calm as the sea but as fucking dangerous as whirlpools, the way she handled at least five men at once, and never even broke a sweat... They are powerful and skilled, which means they were definitely trained, but not like the way the warriors are trained. Warriors are disciplined, but those two's movements were different, accurate but willy-nilly.

They were able to return to their rugged ship just in time and hide from the port inspectors. Their flag bearing the symbol of a desert and a cactus shaped like a sword fluttering over the evening breeze, "Report!" He looked behind him to see their youngest, who's also oftentimes their runner, he nodded at him urging him to speak.

"The crates are safe at the warehouse and paid only half, she said she'll pay the other half if we deliver the next batch as well. So, I told her about the issue we encountered earlier during the delivery but she only..." Goran's eyebrow raised, "Continue, boy."

He was hesitant but did as told, "She told us to clean our own mess," Goran let out a loud huff, "That sleazy woman. How dare her abandon us like this after using us to gain so much profit!"

"What do we do, Ran?" His other comrades who were lurking around the deck looked up to him and he suddenly felt the pressure of being a pack leader. After all, they were just boys whom he's always been with since they were young, if he didn't help them back then, they would've still been beggars on the streets and never learned to fend for themselves.

"Should we threaten her? That we'll inform the magistrates she's been hiring us to smuggle those things into the capital?"

"Stupid, do you think the magistrates would side with us over a high-ranking noble house like them? They'll probably just fabricate evidence and use us as a scapegoat like they always do," Tarum is right, Goran thought to himself. There had never been a case where any noble was indicted for any wrongful act, 'tis always the lower rankers who bear the consequences as they are just pawns of the high ranks. They hire them to do the dirty work and simply discard them when they become useless. Goran learned that the hard way in his life as a knight, he was used by his superiors and dishonorably discharged when he became a threat to their power. Goran shook his head to let go of memories he'd just rather forget, there's no use pondering over spilt milk.

"I don't think those people are with the Ministry or the palace even, because if they are, why would they be wearing such hideous cloaks and hiding their identity? That redheaded we fought, she may be a fire wielder but she's definitely not an Imperial Warrior," Goran said which prompted everyone to nod in agreement, "I don't know who the hell they are but if they've been snooping around us, then we need to get rid of them."

"How?"

"By any means necessary."

The next morning, the port was bustling as usual. The men were stationed quietly waiting for the right opportunity to finish their last delivery. After bribing one of the imperial warriors inspecting the port, they made their way past the crowd and onto the market where there was a sudden commotion, "These are illegal, seize them all!"

Goran saw a familiar face from afar, "Damn it! We have to retreat." He ordered the men but they were clueless, "What? Why? What about the payment?"

"They're ransacking the stores and seizing the amulets, if we are found with this crate we could get sent to the dungeon. The payment doesn't matter, our life does!"