Were her n at the gate holding their ground, or had sothing gone terribly wrong?
When they arrived at the city gate, Sarika's heart lifted at the sight of her soldiers patrolling the wall.
They appeared calm and organized, contrary to the chaos she had expected.
Sarika was delighted and felt relief to see they had succeeded in taking control of the city defense.
She approached them, "Soldiers, why didn't you report to when you had succeeded?"
But as she moved closer, sothing stopped her in her tracks. An uneasy feeling gnawed at the edges of her mind.
She felt sothing was wrong.
Her soldiers were too calm, too composed. All of this situation felt staged as if they were putting on a show.
Sarika's instincts scread at her to be cautious. She scanned the area, checking for any abnormality.
Suddenly, it hit her. "Impostors," she whispered under her breath.
Quickly, she turned around and shouted to the soldiers who accompanied her.
Her voice was laced with panic. "Spread out and run! Go into hiding!"
These were Johann's n in disguise. The real ones must have been compromised.
Her soldiers were stunned for a mont. They were confused but the urgency in Sarika's voice snapped them into action.
They scattered in all directions to seek cover.
The impostors, realising that their ruse had been discovered, lunged towards Sarika.
"Capture her!" one of them shouted.
Sarika clicked her tongue. These people were too eager. Johann must have put a bounty on her head.
She quickly assessed the situation. It was not an optimistic circumstance.
Too many of them sward toward her, and Sarika wasn't sure if she could escape safely.
"My lady, please run while we hold them off!" one of her loyal soldiers cried out. He stepped in front of her with his sword pointed forward.
"You guys..." Their bravery moved Sarika.
In such a dangerous situation, they were willing to risk their lives to buy her ti.
"Get moving, my lady. We can't hold them for too long."
Sarika knew she had no ti to waste. She nodded.
"Thank you. Stay safe, all of you." Her eyes filled with gratitude.
With that, she turned around and ran.
Her heart was heavy knowing that she was leaving her soldiers behind to face the enemy.
She could hear the clash of steel erupting just shortly after she left.
"Damn it!" she cursed. "Since when did I fall into the trap."
Sarika continues to run through the streets of the city. Her senses are on high alert.
She knew the city well, including hidden paths and shortcuts but she couldn't afford to underestimate her pursuers.
Johann's n knew the city just as well as her. Perhaps, even better than her.
Sarika needed a hiding spot, sowhere she could catch her breath and think.
She scanned her surroundings. Ahead, she spotted a small and dilapidated building tucked away at the end of a narrow alley.
It looked abandoned, with its windows boarded up and its door hanging loosely on its hinges.
Sarika slipped into the alley and approached the building.
She carefully pushed the door open.
The interior was dark and musty, with the faint sll of decay lingering in the air.
Sarika quickly checked the building, making sure it was empty.
Satisfied that she was alone, she found a corner in the back room where she could crouch down and catch her breath.
For now, it seed she had managed to evade them.
"I underestimate him. Looks like Johann has more reserved n at his disposal than I thought. Just where did he conscript them."
Sarika needed to co up with a new plan to regroup with her forces and escape this place.
Also, she needed to consider the possibility of her pursuers finding her hiding spot.
She couldn't stay here for long.
She needed to keep moving. But for now, let her have a brief mont of rest.
Tap—
Tap—
Tap—
The sounds of footsteps outside caught her ears. It's growing louder and closer.
"You got to be kidding . I haven't rested for five minutes."
Sarika stood up and unsheathed her sword.
Despite the darkness, Sarika can see the silhouette of a figure stopping at the front door.
The door creaked open slightly, and the silhouette moved inside.
Sarika held her breath, pressing herself against the wall to stay out of sight.
The figure paused, seemingly listening for any sounds.
Every second of silence felt torturous.
"There's no use hiding, my lady. I saw you co in here." A feminine voice echoed inside the small building.
To Sarika who's hiding, the voice sounded eerie.
She forced herself to stay calm, hoping the woman would lose interest in this place and move on.
However, the mysterious woman took another step forward.
"My lady, are you not going to answer ?"
Given her tone, it was very likely she was aware of Sarika's presence.
Her behaviour lacks any sign of wariness. From Sarika's perspective, this woman is confident that she will get out of this place unscratched.
"Since you're confident, let's see your skill then," Sarika decided to ambush the woman and eliminate the threat.
Sarika silently rushed in the dark and swung her sword.
Tang—
Her sword was blocked with a dagger.
"There you are!" the woman said, a smile blooming on her face.
The two begin to parry each other's attacks with great speed and agility.
The woman's skill was undeniable. Her strikes were precise and her defences almost impenetrable.
Sarika's eyes widened in surprise as the woman made her slip her sword.
She quickly adjusted her stance, but the woman had already closed the gap, putting her dagger at Sarika's throat.
"Impossible!" Sarika exclaid. "Where are you from? Soone of your skill shouldn't be from here."
The woman shows a playful smile, perhaps she was amused by Sarika's baffled expression.
"You can call No. 45. My background is none of your concern. I was simply hired by Johann to catch you."
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