The air was thick with tension in the dimly lit council chamber. Elias leaned forward, eyes sharp with curiosity.
"So… do you have a plan?" he asked.
Selena folded her arms, her expression unreadable. "We're going to have to keep a watch on them," she responded. "And lure them into a trap."
Across the table, Dallas slammed his fist down, shaking the wooden surface.
"Damn it!" he barked. "Why can't we just arrest them and torture them until they tell us the truth?"
Selena's gaze remained calm. "Because we can't just torture nobles or people in high positions right now."
Garek let out a bitter laugh. "So, they can torture commoners as they please, but no one can touch them?" He scoffed. "What kind of world is this?"
Lyria sighed. "Fine. But what kind of trap do you have in mind?"
Selena's eyes gleamed. "We spread a news about a secret warehouse where all the territory's food supplies are stored. The bandits won't be able to resist when they see all our food stuff being taken to a single ware house. If they take the bait, we'll follow them back to their source and find out who's really behind the kidnappings and if we are lucky they might be the same people spreading this deadly disease."
The group exchanged glances. It was risky—but it was a smart move .
---
By sundown, the news had been planted in every tavern, alley, and merchant stall across the city.
A massive shipment of food had arrived at a new warehouse near the outskirts, with "minimal security."
Now, all they had to do was wait.
---
The clock struck midnight.
Five figures, cloaked in dark ninja-like garments, crept toward the warehouse. They moved like shadows, their faces covered by cloth masks.
Their leader, Mikey, signaled with his fingers. "Move fast. Take everything."
The bandits slipped past the guards, their movements precise and practiced. Within moments, they confirmed the rumors were true—the warehouse was filled with food supplies.
Greedy grins spread beneath their masks.
"Pack as much as you can carry," Mikey ordered.
As the bandits loaded their sacks, one of them set fire to the remaining supplies.
The flames roared behind them as they disappeared into the night—unaware that Selena and her group were right on their trail.
The shoulders who were all magician were able to easily stop the fire.
---
Selena, Elias, Lyria, Darian, Garek, and Talon moved silently across the rooftops.
The bandits led them through narrow streets, abandoned alleys, and finally to an old mansion that looked like a haunted ruin.
From a hidden vantage point, the team watched as more bandits emerged from the shadows to greet the returning thieves.
Inside the mansion, former ministers—men who had been fired by Asher—were waiting.
A broad-chested man sneered. "So, those fools actually piled all their goods in one place?" He chuckled. "They made our job easier."
Another ex-minister grinned. "Now, we burn the rest of the food supplies left in the kingdom. We'll let these pathetic people starve while we grow stronger."
Talon clenched his fists, rage burning in his eyes.
"Not so fast!" he bellowed, leaping down from their hiding spot as the rest joined.
" You all will be arrested and seriously punished for your evil deeds.
The entire room froze.
The ex-ministers turned, stunned to see Asher's new ministers standing before them.
One of them sneered. "And how exactly do you plan to stop us?"
He gestured around them.
Hundreds of bandits surrounded the six of them, their weapons gleaming in the dim light.
"You really thought you could just walk in here and stop us?" another noble mocked. "Fools."
The bandits charged.
---
Just as the fight started Selena vanished.
One second she was standing next to Elias—the next, she was gone.
Confusion swept through the enemy ranks. Then, chaos erupted.
One by one, bandits collapsed, slashed by an invisible blade.
Talon, wielding his massive butcher's knives, swung with brute force. His blade cleaved through flesh and bone, leaving trails of blood as bodies fell.
Garek, the street performer, moved like a phantom. His daggers disappeared and reappeared as he flicked them from his jacket pockets, each one finding its mark.
Elias wielded his scythe with deadly grace, carving through enemies with precision.
Darian, the farmer-turned-warrior, swung his heavy silos with devastating force, shattering ribs and crushing bones.
The bandits tried to retaliate, some even using magic—but Lyria's defensive spells blocked each attack.
They were unstoppable.
The remaining nobles, watching their forces fall, turned to flee.
---
The former ministers raced downstairs, locking themselves inside a heavily fortified chamber.
Inside the room was filled with —dozens of kidnapped children, bound and terrified.
The nobles breathed heavy as they were all surprised about the powers of the new minister.
"I told you we shouldn't have hire those third rate bandit" one said.
"Don't worry" One said "we can still escape from the back do....'
"So this is where you kept them," Selena interrupted, her voice dark with fury as her invisible body became visible.
Then, her gaze locked onto a table filled with glass vials.
She walked toward it, picking up a bottle filled with sickly green liquid.
"…And this," she murmured, "is the poison behind the disease."
A noble scoffed. "So what if you found it? You can't stop us."
One of them hurled a fireball straight at Selena.
The flames engulfed her.
For a moment, the nobles smirked.
Then, Selena disappeared—completely unharmed.
A sharp pain shot through their bodies.
They gasped—realizing they had been stabbed.
Selena whispered from behind them, "You were never fighting me. Just an illusion."
The nobles collapsed.
Only one remained.
A trembling ex-minister grabbed a child, holding a knife to their throat.
"If you come any closer, I'll kill them!" he shouted.
Selena slowly raised her hands. "Alright, alright…" she said softly. "I won't move."
The noble grinned, thinking he had won.
Then—he backed away, straight through a second door.
But the door, the child, the entire scene—was just another illusion.
The real Selena stood behind him.
He turned, eyes wide with horror.
"…No," he whispered.
Selena stabbed him.
The last noble fell, lifeless.
The children were rescued.
The disease was stopped.
---
The next morning, the people of the territory rejoiced as they met their lost children and we're healed by their sickness.
Garek and the rest celebrated Selena's intelligence, calling her a genius, the true mind behind the success.
Her friends praised her.
"Asher should put you in charge," Darian joked.
Selena only smiled faintly.
Then, a messenger entered, bowing.
"Lady Selena," he said, his voice hesitant.
"Your uncle is looking for you."
The room fell silent.
Selena's expression changed instantly.
A shadow passed over her face—a look of pure fear.
The others stared in shock.
They had never seen Selena afraid.
For the first time, the brilliant and fearless strategist looked like she had seen her worst nightmare come to life.
---
To Be Continued.....