The Remnant

Chapter 34

I waited patiently, the faint crackle of static filling the silence. Finally, a voice broke through the noise, and I recognized it immediately.

"You better have something good for me, Vick," William barked, wasting no time with pleasantries. His tone was sharp, a reflection of his no-nonsense attitude.

"I do," I replied, my voice steady and calm. "Listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you..."

Inhaling deeply, I embarked on a detailed account of the occurrences that unfolded just two days prior. I spared no detail, starting from the moment Violet and I left the safehouse, all the way to my pursuit of the mercenaries and their stronghold.

When I finished, there was a brief pause on the other end of the line before William spoke. "Did you see what they were transporting?"

"No," I said, regret seeping into my voice. "I wasn't able to see what they were moving. However, when they arrived at their stronghold I saw an elf wearing a scorpion emblem on his arm. That's worth something, don't you think?"

William let out a weary sigh, the sound carrying through the line. "Is there anything else you can recall? Even the smallest of details can make a difference, Vick."

My thoughts churned, desperately searching for any missed fragments of information. Just as I was about to admit defeat, a memory flashed within me.

"Wait," I blurted out, my hand reflexively muffling my words. "There is something that caught my attention... Someone... I saw a powerful mercenary... He was a tall and muscular lion... He wore a thick suit of steel armor and..."

I went on to describe what the leader of the mercenaries looked like, and what I'd seen him doing. I made it clear to William that he was by far the strongest enemy I'd seen.

"Vick, stay away from that estate! Stay away from Thornshade," William warned, his tone grave and serious. "Tell Felix to cancel the mission immediately. He and his team can't handle this either."

Confusion clouded my thoughts, a sense of shock gripping me tightly. "Why?!"

"If what you're telling me is true, you've stumbled upon one of the scorpion guild's most formidable allies. An S-rank assassin, known as Enzo the Hunter. This is not a battle you guys are ready to face."

"What about the treaty?! You told me S-rank members from either guild weren't allowed into Thornshade?"

"Enzo isn't an official member of the Scorpion Guild. He's a wanted criminal. This rule doesn't apply to him," William said. "Let me talk to Felix. I'll explain the situation to him."

"I... I don't think that's possible..."

"Vick?! What the hell is going on?!"

I closed my eyes, clutching the phone in my trembling hand. William's voice trembled with urgency as he demanded that I hand the phone over to Felix. A curse slipped through my lips, betraying my frustration.

"Felix and the team... they're already in the dungeon," I confessed, my voice laced with regret.

"What do you mean they're already in the dungeon?!"

"They're completing the mission, William."

"SHIT!" I could sense the shock and frustration in William's tone as he cursed, his words quivering with emotion.

"Why the fuck are you not with them?!"

I clenched my teeth, staring up at the ceiling to relax the tension building up in my neck. "I-It's a long story..."

Another curse escaped William's lips, his voice filled with weariness. "Listen to me! You are to stay put and wait for instructions. Got it?!"

As his words reached my ears, my fists clenched involuntarily. A wave of guilt washed over me, and I couldn't help but blame myself for this predicament. If only I had spoken to William earlier, perhaps I could have prevented the team from venturing into the dungeon.