Chapter 90: The Next Day Trip, Already Encountered Trouble Part 1
The road had narrowed into a dirt trail hemmed in by jagged rocks and gnarled trees. The MRAP rumbled forward, its reinforced frame bouncing gently with each uneven dip in the path. Dust curled in the vehicle’s wake, hanging in the still afternoon air like smoke. Inigo sat behind the wheel, eyes scanning the terrain ahead while the others sat in quiet alertness.
Korrik, ever watchful, muttered, "Too quiet."
Arienne opened her eyes from meditation. "There’s something in the air. I feel interference... magical. Distorted."
Lyra, bow resting on her lap, glanced out the narrow window. "And unnatural silence. Not even birds."
That’s when the first arrow struck.
It didn’t hit the MRAP—but thunked into a nearby tree trunk ahead, quivering with unnatural force.
Inigo immediately slammed the brakes, the MRAP grinding to a sudden halt. "Ambush!" he barked, already reaching for his Desert Eagle sidearm. "Everyone out! Shields up!"
The team scrambled out of the vehicle, slamming the armored doors behind them. Lyra rolled into the underbrush, drawing her bow in a single motion. Arienne whispered an incantation under her breath, her robes flaring with golden light. Korrik lifted his massive tower shield, planting his feet firmly like a bulwark of steel and flesh.
From the tree line, shadows moved. Dozens.
"Bandits!" Lyra hissed. "A lot of them. Too organized to be simple highway scum."
Arienne raised her staff. "They’re enchanted. I see mana threads. Someone’s controlling them."