As night fell, darkness crept across the city. Inside a modest residence, Warrick sat on the bed with his eyes closed. He was meditating to restore his energy.
After a day of recovery, he had expelled nearly all of the Tranqurin from his system. It was no longer a serious concern.
However, the city was under lockdown. All the major roads were blocked and wanted posters with his face were plastered everywhere. Though his strength had returned, he still couldn’t escape from Celestria.
So, he had no choice but to lay low and wait for the storm to pass. As for the original owner of the house, he was nothing more than a corpse now.
Suddenly, there was a sharp knock at the door.
Warrick’s eyes snapped open, and his hand instinctively reached for the sword beside him.
“Who is it?”
In the living room, the Red Legion guards tensed up. Two of them quietly drew their blades, positioning themselves on either side of the door.
“It’s me.”
A familiar voice rang out.
The guards immediately exhaled in relief. One of them peeked through the door’s narrow gap. After confirming it was their ally, they quickly unlocked the door.
Standing outside was a plain-looking man dressed in black. At first glance, he seemed unremarkable, but his eyes were razor-sharp.
“Geralt Finns! It’s already so late. What took you so long? We thought something happened to you,” Kalen Juggs, a burly man with a thick beard, grumbled.
“There were too many patrols on the way. If I hadn’t been careful, I might not have made it back at all,” Geralt explained. He removed his hat, then reached for the cup of water on the table and drank it in one go.
“So, did you complete the mission?” Kalen asked, leaning toward the door to ensure no one had followed Geralt before shutting it firmly.
“Yes. I made contact with our reinforcement. They’ve agreed to help us leave the city tonight,” Geralt reported.
“That’s great. I’ll inform Sir Prescott right away.” Kalen’s face lit up with excitement.
Just as he turned toward the bedroom, the door swung open.
The imposing Warrick stepped out, his complexion no longer pale.
“No need. I heard everything,” he said. He studied Geralt for a moment, then gave a satisfied nod. “Good work. If we manage to escape, you’ll deserve all the credit.”
“I was only doing my duty. I don’t dare claim any merit,” Geralt replied humbly.
“You are the ones I trust the most,” Warrick said, scanning the people before him. “No matter what happens-whether we leave Celestria or even West Lucozia-I will make sure you live in wealth and comfort for the rest of your lives.”
“Thank you, Sir Prescott.” The four Red Legion guards saluted him in unison.
“Geralt, anything happening outside?” Warrick asked.
“The streets are nearly empty, and patrols are everywhere. Every major checkpoint is heavily guarded. Without a royal badge, there’s no way in or out,” Geralt explained.
Then, as if remembering something important, he added, “Oh, and I think I saw General Steele today.”
“General Steele?” Warrick raised his eyebrows. “Which one?”
“Draken Guardians-Jaxon Steele,” Geralt said grimly.
At the mention of that name, the room fell into stunned silence. Even Warrick’s expression darkened.
The Draken Guardians’ reputation was well -known throughout the military. They were widely regarded as West Lucozia’s most elite force. Any one of them could hold the rank of a general in any other unit.
And their commander, Jaxon, was in a league of his own. His strength was unfathomable-even at his peak, Warrick wasn’t confident he could defeat Jaxon. If the Draken Guardians ever cornered them, there would be no escape.
“Are you sure it was Jaxon Steele? You didn’t mistake him for someone else?” Kalen asked cautiously.
Geralt thought for a moment, then nodded firmly. “I met him once before, and the man I saw today was definitely him. There’s no mistake.”
“Then, that’s bad news.” Kalen frowned.
If they were up against ordinary patrols, they could force their way through. But facing Jaxon and the Draken Guardians was an entirely different beast. Even if the entire Red Legion were present, they might be unable to hold their ground.
“So what if the Draken Guardians have shown up?” Warrick scoffed. “As long as our reinforcements arrive on time, not even the Draken Guardians can stop us.”
The Draken Guardians might be formidable, but Warrick had powerful allies of his own. If a battle broke out, the outcome was far from certain.
“Sir Prescott, who exactly is coming to help us?” Kalen asked curiously.
“Why do you ask so many questions?” Warrick shot him a look. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
“My apologies.” Kalen smiled awkwardly.
“Eat something and rest while you can. We may be in for a tough fight tonight.”. Warrick glanced out the window at the darkening sky.
If he could slip out of Celestria under the cover of chaos, escaping West Lucozia wouldn’t be a problem. But if things went south, they’d have no choice but to fight for their lives.
