The night was heavy with mist as Alex, Nyssa, and Soren approached the noble estate. Cloaked in shadows, they moved like ghosts, avoiding the roaming guards with practiced ease. The resistance's intel had been accurate—the security had doubled, but that wouldn't stop them.
Alex signaled, and Nyssa slipped forward, scaling the wall with feline grace. Soren and Alex followed, their boots silent against the stone. As they dropped into the courtyard, a pair of guards patrolled nearby. Nyssa moved first, dispatching one with a precise strike to the neck, while Soren silenced the other before he could make a sound.
Inside, the estate was a labyrinth of gilded corridors and twisting hallways. The artifacts they sought were housed in the lower vaults, beneath the main hall. Alex could feel the faint hum of mana in the air—it called to him, like a whisper from a forgotten past.
They reached the vault's entrance, only to find it guarded by a squad of heavily armored knights. No easy way in.
Soren frowned. "We don't have time for a fight."
Alex exhaled, feeling mana crackle at his fingertips. "Then let's make this quick."
With a flick of his wrist, shadows surged from his hands, snuffing out the torches and plunging the room into darkness. Nyssa struck first, moving unseen through the gloom. Soren followed, his daggers flashing like specters in the night.
The knights never saw them coming.
As the last guard fell, Alex stepped forward and pressed his palm to the vault door. The mana-infused lock resisted for a moment before yielding to his touch. The heavy doors groaned open, revealing rows of ancient relics, shimmering with latent power.
Nyssa's eyes widened. "Jackpot."
But before they could move, a slow clap echoed from the darkness. A tall figure stepped forward, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Impressive," he said. "But did you really think we wouldn't be expecting you?"
The trap had been sprung.