The last light of the twin suns of the wondrous world was about to fade from the horizon, leaving only an orange-purple hue bathing the desolate and eerie landscape of the valley that concealed the "Athenaeum of Embers." The six companions from Ashwind Post stood still on a high hill. A chilling wind blew past, striking their faces, bringing a coldness that seeped into their bones. But the external chill was nothing compared to the heavy tension gripping each of their hearts.
Below them lay the destination of their long and perilous journey – the ruins of the once-great ancient library, now only a crumbling and leaning stone structure. Towers with broken tops and dark shadows cast ominously. The surroundings were silent, save for the whistling wind and the sound of their own racing hearts.
However, that silence was broken by an "unseen gaze," intangible to the naked eye but palpable to their well-honed warrior instincts. It was a cold, orderly energy, imbued with a sharp killing intent, emanating from somewhere within the ruins of the Athenaeum... The Hawk of the Nebula Empire, "Eagle," had become aware of their visit.
"This kind of energy..." Leonardo da Vinci spoke, breaking the silence, his eyes narrowing slightly as he gazed at the Athenaeum, the golden brush held tightly in his hand. "It's cold and perfectly controlled... just like the time Kiana and I were here. He ambushed us with precision and planning, not recklessly like 'Fenril' whom Ryu described." He recalled their previous encounter at this Athenaeum, where he and Kiana had barely escaped Eagle's smoke arrows and cunning tactics. "He definitely knows we're here... and is waiting for the right moment."
Kiana, the female leader of Ashwind, stood calmly beside Da Vinci, her eyes showing determination mixed with evident concern. The memory of their previous encounter, where she and Da Vinci had almost fallen victim to this hunter, was still vivid in her mind. "We must not be careless this time," she said flatly but firmly. "We have more manpower, it's true, but he might have even more complex and dangerous plans prepared for us."
Ryu, the young samurai who had faced near-death experiences multiple times, stepped forward. "From my brief encounter with Eagle when I helped you two escape last time," he began, though his role then was merely to create an opportunity for retreat, he had sensed the hunter's terrifying nature. "He uses special arrows with devastating power, and his firing speed is horrifying. But it seems he prefers not to engage directly unless necessary. He enjoys playing with his prey from the shadows."
Raven, the mysterious twin-gunned woman, stood with her arms crossed, looking at the Athenaeum with an unreadable expression. Her sharp eyes quickly and thoroughly scanned the surroundings. "This area is perfect for long-range ambushes," she commented. "He can choose various positions, on the ruined towers or through the broken windows, and there are countless blind spots we can't see." She glanced at the special arrows embedded in distant tree trunks, which Ryu had pointed out when they arrived in this area. "That's the work of a highly trained professional, definitely not some petty forest bandits."
Bacchus and Taurus, the two main warriors, stood guard on either side of the group, their strong muscles tensed, ready to engage at any moment. Bacchus's Earthen Hammer rested casually on his shoulder, yet it was ready to be swung to annihilate enemies in an instant. Taurus stood as still and calm as a stone mountain, but the power hidden within his massive frame was ready to erupt. Though neither had faced Eagle directly, they sensed the danger from the descriptions and the oppressive atmosphere.
"Since he already knows we've arrived, hiding here any longer probably won't do us any good," Da Vinci said after a moment of thought. "He might be waiting for us to expose a weakness, or perhaps he's setting up even more complex traps to welcome us." He thought of the smoke arrows Eagle had used to create confusion and try to separate him from Kiana previously. "This time, we must be wary of his old tactics and might need a backup plan if we get separated. My cloaking devices you're wearing might reduce visibility from a distance somewhat, but they probably can't fool all of his advanced detection sensors."
"Then what should we do?" Kiana asked, her eyes looking expectantly at Da Vinci. As the leader, she had to make the decision, but Da Vinci's intellect was what she trusted most at this moment.
After a tense and careful discussion under the cover of a large boulder, Kiana summarized the initial plan. "We will split into two sub-teams as Da Vinci suggested. The first team will be Ryu and Raven. Both are highly agile and have excellent scouting skills. Their task is to scout ahead, checking the route and any hidden traps. The main group, consisting of myself, Da Vinci, Bacchus, and Taurus, will follow cautiously, maintaining an appropriate distance and ready to provide immediate support."
Ryu and Raven nodded in acceptance without argument. Ryu glanced at the "Astra Navigator" in his hand, which still emitted a faint blue light even as they neared their destination. He might suggest a route he thought safest, based on his previous experience here with Kiana and Da Vinci. Raven merely checked her twin pistols to ensure they were ready, her expression slightly challenging, as if looking forward to testing her skills against this renowned hunter.
"I have these for you," Da Vinci said, taking out two small devices from his satchel. They resembled brooches made of metal with small crystals embedded in the center. "These are prototype 'energy wave detection devices' I just finished developing. They might not be perfect yet, but they should be able to detect unusual energy signatures or some energy-based traps in advance. Take them with you, they might be useful." He handed one to Ryu and one to Raven.
Once everything was ready, the two-person reconnaissance team began to move. They used their stealth and silence, navigating through the shadows and crevices of the ruins with extreme caution, heading towards the presumed entrance of the Athenaeum. The main group also began to follow at a safe distance. The atmosphere was thick with tension; everyone was focused on the mission and ready to deal with any situation.
Before Ryu and Raven could get much closer to the Athenaeum's perimeter!
Thwip!
A pitch-black arrow shot through the air from an unexpected direction! It wasn't aimed directly at them but embedded itself in the ground just a few feet from Ryu's feet! A small rolled-up piece of paper was tied to the arrowhead!
Ryu and Raven froze instantly! Both quickly took cover behind the nearest ruined stone wall!
"Damn it! He really knows our position!" Ryu cursed softly, his heart pounding.
Raven said nothing, but her eyes quickly scanned for the arrow's origin. She carefully picked up the arrow embedded in the ground and unrolled the small piece of paper...
On the paper, there was only a short message written in a cold, neat hand:
"Filthy rats... dare to return to my trap again? I've prepared a 'special' welcome for you... Come in and 'play' to your heart's content."
Signed... "Eagle"
The challenging message was like cold water splashed on their faces! Eagle not only knew they had arrived but was deliberately "playing a game" with them! He didn't attack directly but sent a message to provoke and intimidate!
"Hmph... sending a taunting message like this means he's confident in his traps, or... he's assessing us," Raven said, calmly folding the paper. "But either way... playing with a composed hunter like this is quite a challenge."
Ryu swallowed. He tried to contact the main group using pre-arranged hand signals, informing them of the situation and the message.
Back with the main group, upon receiving the news, Da Vinci frowned slightly. "He wants us to feel scared and confused... and he might be trying to gauge our reaction," he analyzed. "But at the same time, this message confirms he's still here and is indeed waiting for us."
Kiana clenched her fists. "If he wants to play a game... we'll play with him! But it will be by our rules!" she declared with a resolute voice.
The confrontation with the Hawk of the Nebula Empire had truly begun. It wasn't just a clash of strength, but a more complex battle of wits and strategy... And within the dark and secret-filled Athenaeum of Embers... what awaited them?
[End of Chapter 30]