Bab 13: Escort Job
Ezra finished his training with Korr, feeling the sweat on his brow as the large beast-person landed another powerful punch on the training dummy. His raw power was undeniable, but Ezra knew that, in the long run, Korr would need to learn to harness it with finesse. After all, that was what separated an ordinary fighter from a true warrior.
Korr stood tall, his massive fists flexing as he caught his breath. "I'm getting the hang of this, boss," he said, grinning.
"You are," Ezra agreed, wiping his own forehead with the back of his hand. "But you need to learn to control your energy. When you unlock your Aether, you'll be able to make every strike count. Right now, you're just hitting things hard. But there's more to it than that."
Korr nodded, although there was still a hint of confusion in his eyes. "When will I be able to use Aether like you?"
Ezra paused, thinking back to the first time he awakened Aether himself. It had been years ago, when he was still a soldier. They had been tasked with clearing out a forest region of wild beasts, including a particularly large and vicious giant that had been terrorizing a nearby village. Ezra had been caught in a standoff with it—a towering, monstrous creature covered in moss and dirt.
He had been outmatched, his sword practically bouncing off its thick hide, when the giant had swung its club down toward him. Ezra had barely managed to dodge in time, feeling the weight of the blow stir the air behind him. He'd been cornered, his back to a cliff, when it happened. A strange sensation had coursed through him—like a bolt of energy firing from within.
In that moment of sheer desperation, Ezra's body had instinctively channeled something deep inside him. His limbs had moved faster than he'd thought possible, his sword cutting through the air with a speed that defied the laws of nature. He had slammed his blade into the giant's knee, and the Aether in his body reacted, amplifying the strike with a force that sent the creature to its knees. The first time Aether had awakened in him, it had been out of sheer survival instinct. It was an unexpected, uncontrolled burst of power.
Ezra snapped back to the present, his gaze meeting Korr's. "Aether doesn't always come easily. Sometimes, it takes a life-or-death moment to bring it out. But it's there, inside you. I'll help you learn to channel it. Just don't rush it."
Korr scratched his head, looking a bit overwhelmed. "So... I just need to keep at it?"
"Exactly," Ezra said, his voice firm but encouraging. "Patience is key."
The next day, after they'd finished training, they returned to their base, and Ezra took a moment to reflect on their progress. The job board was still filled with standard missions—escort jobs, monster hunts, the usual fare—but none of them seemed to stand out. Just as he was about to return to his desk, the door to the base opened.
A tall, slender woman entered, her cloak swishing softly behind her. She walked with purpose, scanning the room before her eyes landed on Ezra and Korr. There was something cold about her demeanor, as though she were accustomed to keeping secrets.
"Are you the Shadow Panthers?" she asked, her voice calm but carrying an edge of authority.
"That's us," Ezra replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What can we do for you?"
"I need protection for a journey," the woman said. "It will take about three days, and the destination is a nearby kingdom. I cannot travel there alone, and I require discretion. No one can know where I'm going."
Ezra crossed his arms, studying her closely. There was something off about this whole situation—something that didn't sit right with him. But the offer was enticing. A three-day journey wasn't a long one, and the pay was far more than typical jobs.
Korr, standing just behind Ezra, scratched his ear, a bit confused. "You want us to escort you to a kingdom? What's so special about this trip?"
The woman's gaze flicked briefly to Korr, before returning to Ezra. "I cannot share the details at this time. But I promise you, the danger is real. If you accept, I will pay you one hundred silvers for the escort, plus a bonus upon completion. It's a matter of great importance."
Ezra's instincts screamed at him that something was being hidden, but he couldn't afford to turn down the job. They needed the money, and Korr was still learning the ropes.
"We accept," Ezra said, nodding once. "But let me be clear. If anything goes wrong, we're walking away. No hesitation."
The woman gave a tight smile, but her eyes remained unreadable. "Understood. We leave at dawn tomorrow."
As she turned to leave, Korr raised an eyebrow. "That was... weird, right?"
Ezra nodded, keeping his thoughts to himself for now. He wasn't sure what game she was playing, but he wasn't about to let his guard down. "Yeah, it's strange. But we'll see where this leads. Get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
The next morning, Ezra and Korr awoke to the faint light of dawn filtering through their windows. Ezra stretched, his muscles aching slightly from the previous day's training, but he quickly shook it off. He was used to it. His mind was still running over the events of the previous day—the strange woman, her urgency, and the overwhelming feeling that something was off about the whole situation.
Korr, too, had his share of thoughts. The large beast-person was still adjusting to the mercenary life, and the quiet tension in the air hadn't escaped him. But for now, the job was the job, and they had a task to complete.
After a quick breakfast, they made their way downstairs to the main room of the base, where they were supposed to meet their mysterious client.
To their surprise, the woman was already there, waiting. She stood in the middle of the room, her black cloak billowing slightly around her in the soft morning light, her face impassive. The room was quiet except for the sound of her faint breathing.
"Let's go," she said, her voice smooth and commanding. "I've already arranged for all the camping equipment we'll need. There's no time to waste."
Ezra gave her a long look, his gaze scanning her carefully. She didn't seem rushed, but something in her eyes told him she was ready to leave without delay.
He didn't want to complain, especially not now, but her readiness only made him feel more suspicious. "You're providing the camping gear?" he asked, keeping his voice neutral, though the edge of wariness still lingered.
"Yes," she replied, nodding curtly. "Everything will be taken care of. We simply need to get moving."
Ezra couldn't deny the practicality of the situation—less time spent gathering supplies meant more time to complete the mission. But the fact that she was so prepared only raised more questions. It felt like she was expecting everything to go perfectly, as if she knew exactly what would happen. Too perfect, too easy. It only made him more cautious.
Korr, who had been standing a little off to the side, shifted on his feet uncomfortably. "You're sure we're just escorting you, right? No funny business?" He was still learning the ropes of mercenary work, but his instincts were sharp enough to sense the same underlying tension that Ezra had noticed.
The woman smiled—just barely, and it was colder than it should have been. "Nothing to worry about. I have my reasons for keeping things quiet, but I assure you, there is no danger... yet."
Ezra wasn't so easily reassured. His mind continued to churn with questions, but the woman was already turning toward the door, her back straight as she began to leave the base.
Without another word, Ezra exchanged a quick glance with Korr. They didn't need to discuss it—they were in this together. They followed her outside and down the narrow streets of the city.
The moment they stepped into the open, Ezra felt it again—a strange, almost electric energy in the air around them. It was coming from the woman, but he couldn't place it. He had seen his fair share of powerful individuals, but this was different. This was something... unfamiliar.
It wasn't Aether. It was something else—something subtle, but undeniably potent. The energy rippled in the air, and Ezra could feel it pricking at the edges of his awareness, tugging at his instincts.
Korr, walking beside him, must have felt it too, because he glanced at Ezra, his brow furrowing. "Do you feel that?" he asked, his voice low.
"Yeah," Ezra muttered, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword. "I don't know what it is, but it's coming from her. Stay sharp."
The woman led them down a familiar path, out of the bustling city and into the open fields beyond. The roads were well-traveled, but as they ventured further from the capital, the landscape began to shift from the rolling hills to more rugged terrain. Trees began to sprout from the earth, thick and dense, their shadows stretching long over the path.
The trio traveled for hours, the sky slowly shifting from early morning light to the soft hues of late afternoon. Despite the physical exertion, Ezra couldn't shake the unsettling feeling in his gut. The woman seemed to be getting further and further ahead in her own mind, her pace unfaltering, while he and Korr struggled to keep up.
"How much longer?" Korr asked, wiping his brow.
"We'll stop when it's time to set up camp," the woman said without looking back. "We're nearly there."
Ezra's instincts kept urging him to question everything, but he pushed those thoughts aside. There was nothing more to do now but continue on the journey. Whatever was waiting for them at the end, he would face it head-on, with Korr by his side.
They set up camp as the sun began to set, and the strange energy continued to hover around the woman, but for now, there was nothing they could do but rest.
As night fell, the fire crackled in the center of their small camp. The woman sat across from them, her eyes staring into the flames. Ezra watched her carefully from his spot near the fire, trying to pick up any sign of what she was really after.
It was then that the memory hit him again—the memory of the giant, the moment he'd first awakened Aether. He hadn't thought about it in years, but now, as he sat in the quiet of the night, it came flooding back.
He had been on a mission to rid a village of a dangerous giant. The creature had towered over him, its massive body covered in moss and grime. His sword had been useless against its thick hide, and he had been forced into a corner with no escape. It was then that the Aether had awakened within him—fueled by desperation, a flash of energy that surged through him and made everything feel clearer. He had reacted instinctively, the Aether flowing through him and his blade, giving him the strength to defeat the beast.
It had been a chaotic, terrifying moment, but one that had set him on his current path. And now, as he sat with Korr and the strange woman, he couldn't help but wonder if he was being pushed into another one of those moments of revelation, another moment of awakening.
His eyes flickered back to the woman, and for a fleeting moment, he thought he saw a glimmer of something in her eyes—something ancient, something familiar. But the moment passed, and the fire crackled again, pulling his attention back to the present.
Whatever was happening here, Ezra knew one thing: they were only getting started.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone